Before your colour session: five steps that protect your hair and lock in the shade

A colour result is not the stylist’s job alone; half of it is decided before you sit down. At Goldy Salon we ask every client for five simple steps before the appointment, because colour applied to prepared hair lasts weeks longer and needs less correcting.

Colouring is a chemical reaction on a hair shaft that already has a history. Hair ironed every morning, or treated with protein two months ago, absorbs pigment at a different speed from untouched hair — which is how ends end up darker than roots. What we ask for beforehand is us reading that history, so the formula is right first time.

1 — Do not wash your hair on the day

Your scalp’s natural oils are a protective layer against product sting. Washing one or two days before is ideal; washing that morning increases irritation and weakens hold.

There is one exception: a heavy build-up of hairspray, dry shampoo or oil sits between the colour and the hair and stops it working evenly. If that describes your hair, wash gently the day before and add nothing afterwards. Go easy on your scalp too — a stiff brush leaves tiny grazes, and those grazes, not the colour, are what sting.

2 — Tell us your hair history

A box dye a month ago, henna, protein, a keratin treatment — each changes how colour reacts. Write it in the booking notes or say it on arrival; nothing is embarrassing, and silence is what spoils the result.

What we most need to hear about:

• Henna and herbal products — some contain metallic salts that react with lightener and generate heat, so we always strand-test first.
• Box colour — it builds up on the lengths, so root and length need two different formulas rather than one.
• Keratin, protein and straightening — an approximate date is enough; treated hair needs a shorter processing time.
• Medication and health — pregnancy, breastfeeding, ongoing treatment, an irritated scalp. None rules colour out; each changes the product and the application.
• Pool and sea water — chlorine leaves light hair with a green cast that only shows after colouring, and it needs clearing first.

3 — The patch test

If this is your first colour with us, or more than six months since your last test, we ask for a small patch test behind the ear 48 hours before. Drop by for five minutes, or we send you clear instructions. A past reaction is recorded in your file and shown to every stylist afterwards.

The test is clear if the patch looks exactly as it did for the full forty-eight hours. Itching, redness, swelling or burning — even hours later — means we stop and find another route: usually an ammonia-free formula, or a technique that never touches the scalp. Leave the patch alone meanwhile, and photograph it if anything changes.

4 — Bring a realistic reference photo

A photo of hair close to your natural colour and type is more useful than an advert. Your stylist will tell you honestly what one session can reach and what needs two — gradual is kinder to hair than one big jump.

Bring two photos: the shade you want, and one you definitely do not want. The second saves half the consultation, because “blonde” means something different to everyone who says it. Photograph your hair as it is now, too — daylight by a window, no filter.

5 — Plan your time

A full colour takes two to three hours; do not book anything important right after. Every service shows its duration on the booking page, and you get a reminder before the appointment.

Times vary by service: a root touch-up is quickest, highlights and balayage take longer because every section is worked individually, and correcting a previous colour can run half a day. Arrive ten minutes early, wear something that comes off over your shoulders, and ring 009004 if you are delayed.

Mistakes we see every week

• Lightening at home two days beforehand to “help things along” — it does the opposite, and usually forces a postponement.
• Hiding a previous colour for fear of being told off. Nobody is; we simply cannot predict the reaction without the facts.
• Booking on a rushed day and then hurrying the processing time — the fastest route to flat, patchy colour.
• Trimming the ends after colouring rather than before. Damaged ends drink pigment greedily, then lose it first.

Holding the shade afterwards

Longevity is built at home. Wash lukewarm rather than hot, stretch an extra day between washes, and use a heat protectant. Sun and chlorine are the enemies of fresh colour, so soak your hair in fresh water before a swim. We will give you a date for the next root refresh, usually four to six weeks.