10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Box Color
| January 27, 2012 | Posted by Erika Brown under Everyone Else, Hair, TIPS FOR CLIENTS |
”I don’t know what happened, it’s the same box I always get.”
Surprisingly enough I get a lot of clients that look at me puzzled when I say that box color is bad for their hair. I’ve always known this to be common knowledge and a few of those reasons you can guess without any knowledge of haircolor. I always hear things like “Doesn’t all color make your hair dry?” or, “The box doesn’t” say anything about that!”.
As a certified haircolorist it’s difficult when a client questions my suggestions or training, they are seeking me for haircolor help for a reason. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the client has failed at creating something to please themselves. You probably don’t trust your friends with your color by now and you know you’ve made one too many mistakes. Now it’s time to trust a professional. I did go through 7 grueling months of intense studying and practicing to further my understanding of color from chemistry to psychology. We are color perfectionists and consider box color to be the lowest of the low that you can go with coloring your hair. So trust me or any other colorist that you admire, relax, and wait for the final result!
I have quite a few clients who come see me monthly and are willing to pay top dollar for a haircut but won’t pay for professional haircolor. You’re too scared to let an entry-level stylist give you a haircut but you trust yourself (a non-professional) to make decisions on chemically altering your hair? If you’re one of those people consider this….pay $40 for a great haircut then fry it off with an $8 box of color.
I’ll let you in on a little secret….it doesn’t matter how great your haircut is if your ends are over-processed. I know haircolor forwards and backwards so I’m going to tell you the reasons why you should get it done at the salon.
1. One size does not fit all.
Camel Toe : Box Color
I consider box color to be “one size fits all”. The idea of something like this is not perceivable in the world of professional haircolor and it cannot be relied upon. In order to achieve the color you want a stylist considers several factors and customizes your developer with different hues to make the perfect shade. Box color is made so that it can potentially alter a wide range of hair types & shades with no guarantee. I may choose to use a 3% developer on one person and 9% on another with the same color but the outcome will be immensely different. Most box colors use 12% or higher to assure that it will at least do something to any hair type and that’s just getting dangerous!
As a woman do you believe in one size fits all pants? I certainly don’t! They might fit the size 6 figure but they won’t fit the size 14(and if they do you’re going to have a camel toe and a muffin top coming hot!). I know this that’s why I don’t buy one size pants and the same applies for box color. That beautiful buttery blonde shade might look great on your sister but it’ll turn out orange on you. In this situation think of the camel toe you don’t want in the same sense as a bad color with fried ends. Do you really want to walk around looking like that?
2. Haircolor must be customized for each person.
We are all unique in many ways and that applies to hair as well. I mentioned that professional stylists must consider several factors in order to give you a proper color service. For those who don’t realize the thought process it takes to come up with your formula I’m going to give a brief overview.
Here are the main factors we consider when customizing your color service:
- Natural level & underlying pigment
- Skin Tone
- Level of Porosity
- Previous artificial pigments
- Percentage of gray(if any)
3. Do you know what demi, semi, & permanent really means?
In the world of box color there isn’t a whole lot of difference between demi, semi, and permanent haircolor. Yes, the box may claim that it washes out in a month…. but will it? In most cases it doesn’t. This goes back to customization again, even with colors that wash out there has to be a process to consider what level and shade will turn out the way you want it to.
It’s important to remember that no color really washes out completely. In the salon there is a huge difference between the three types and each process has its own factors. There is no way that a box can figure out all of those things for you. There is ONE exception when it comes to finding a haircolor that washes out. That would be temporary color, it is in a completely different category whether you are talking about box or professional color. Temporary colors only stain the outside of the hair strand and should last 1 to 2 weeks at most. There can still be a hinkering of tint left depending on how light your hair is.
4. There is nothing like professional application.
Do these items come with your box color?
When i hear the word “bottle” when associated with haircolor it makes me cringe. Bottles are only good for one thing- toners, which is also something that should not be attempted at home. There is no such thing as a good bottle application of color. In order to keep your hair healthy and avoid banding of color it must be applied precisely from the regrowth to the demarcation line.
Do you think you can do this in a poorly lit bathroom leaning over your sink using a bottle? Even if you’re using a brush you can’t see what we can see. If the color overlaps you will create banding(darker spots) and that’s not pretty.
You’re also getting into damaging your hair on a whole new level. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done a haircut on a box blonde and it’s white, yellow, orange, basically splotchy all over. Just because you got your blonde hair doesn’t mean you’re looking good. Here comes Ms. Cheap-and-Unattractive!
5. Your hair WILL feel like straw.
Dry, damaged hair…and it’s only the beginning.
I’m convinced that the reason why some of my clients and other box color users out there accept the straw-like hair texture is because they just think that’s what’s supposed to happen. This is a huge misconception resulting from an uneducated public when it comes to haircolor. Companies that put box color on the market are clever advertisers and they’re doing a great job brainwashing everyone. When you come to the other side and experience professional color your hair will feel better than it ever has. It is possible to be a platinum blonde with shiny, healthy hair, but probably not with a box.
The reason why your hair feels like straw is because it is traveling further and further down the porosity scale. This means that the damage level is rising and you’re getting close to losing some hair. Most people get a box and put it all over. I’m not sure but I don’t think box colors include directions on applying to the demarcation line and refreshing ends only when needed. This is why that beautiful rich chocolate brown that you once achieved is looking black on the ends. Also resulting in more and more straw-like texture, difficulty styling, and frizzing out of control. I can’t even begin to tell you the difference between doing a blow out on hair that I colored versus box colored hair. It’s excruciating, difficult, and hair is breaking off every 2 seconds!
6. The outcome of box color is usually an unwanted new haircut.
Do you like your hairstyle? Whether it’s long or short it doesn’t really matter because I’ve seen these disasters with all lengths. Damage is almost certain with repetitive use of box color. Generally the ends to the mid-shaft are affected, and in some extreme cases it can be worse. We’ve all seen those dry, frizzy ends on someones hair… and there isn’t much a flat iron can do for that. There comes a point where if you want your hair to look good again cutting a few inches off is the only option. If you’re not ready to do a total 180 with your hair you may want to think before you pick up the box!
I have a wonderful client that I’ve been working with almost 2 years now. She would like to get professional color but she either doesn’t have time or can’t readily afford it considering the rapid growth and gray that shows. I understand that so I feel for her and we’re working to get her hair healthier. We initially had to cut a lot off, and we do regular deep conditioning treatments. With my instruction she is doing much better, but she went through a year of suffering with hair hassles. She didn’t understand why this happened, she followed the directions, but boxes do not explain the danger of porosity. Porosity has a different meaning when it comes to haircolor so I’ll give you a short explanation and you’ll soon understand why it matters.
Hair is not just categorized as porous or non-porous. There are various grades of porosity and they are determined by the structure of the hair, the environment, products, chemical processes & color, and styling tools.
- Grade 1- Your hair is natural, untouched by chemicals & combs easily when wet.
- Grade 2- Up to 3 stages lighter than your natural with mild chemical treatments.
- Grade 3- You definitely need a conditioning treatment at this point! You’re suffering from moderate exposure to chemical treatments and using styling tools daily.
- Grade 4- You’ve got major frizz and your hair may be up to 7 stages lighter than your natural.
- Grade 5- It’s over for your hair…there’s no turning back. Lot’s of chemical, heat, or environmental damage has occurred. Frizz has a new meaning at this point, breakage is happening and combing when wet is virtually impossible. This is what we call “mush”.
Which one do you have?
If you’re not sure if you’re hair is damaged beyond repair take my quiz- How Damaged Is My Hair?, to find out more about your hair’s porosity!
7. Cap highlights are an accident waiting to happen!
Not all things from the 80′s are great!
Most of you have probably heard of “polka dots” or “bleed lines”, and you may have experienced them yourself. This is not a pretty picture and also not easily reversible at home. I don’t believe in cap highlighting at home or in the salon. Sorry if I’m offending any “professional” haircolorists out there but there is simply nothing professional about pulling hair through holes with what looks like a latch hook and slapping bleach on it. The 80′s were great but it’s time to move on and leave the cap behind.
Here’s an interesting tidbit about cosmetology education in the 2000′s: Cap highlites are not even spoken of to students in most cosmetology schools. Some schools may be a little outdated and still carry and teach the cap method but the more elite institutions don’t even consider it.
After we were taught how to foil and finished our basic color knowledge course I asked about the cap out of curiosity. My learning leader just looked at me and said, “No honey….no…we don’t do that anymore.”
In the salon I will refuse any request for a cap highlight service and I have many reasons for this:
1.It’s basically the same as doing your hair at home.
I’m baffled that any salon still offers this service…. seeing as there is really no difference than the at home box version other than the product we are using. If salons shouldn’t be doing it, then you definitely shouldn’t be doing it at home
2.How can you properly place highlights specific to a clients needs?
You, as the client, come in for a “retouch” of your cap highlights. Common sense should take over on this one, how will your stylist be able to see which hair strands she is pulling through the cap? She doesn’t, she is poking and pulling as fast as she can to get it over with and slap some color on.
The result is blonde buildup- overly processed blonde ends and regrowth that barely looks highlighted. This same concept applies when doing it yourself, only worse. Eventually you’re ends will look really blonde and your regrowth will look like it was barely hightlited….check me on that 
.
3.When you pull a chunk of hair through a cap it’s not necessarily coming from that exact spot.
It appears that hair is being pulled from your front hairline when in fact it is being pulled from the area behind your ear. This results in half of a highlighted strand of hair and a huge mess! I could keep going with the reasons….but I think you get the idea, it’s not okay at home or at the salon!
8. You’re not going to look like the celebrities in the commercials.
Eva Longoria DOES NOT use box color!
I know what your thinking, her hair looks great! But do you think that Gwen Stefani really uses box color? NO! She pays ungodly amounts of money to a top stylist for her haircolor. Same with Eva Longoria and Beyoncé, two other huge haircolor endorsers. They are getting paid thousands to endorse at home haircolor for big companies.
Sure, you want to have hair like hers, but she is paying well over the hundreds for her haircolor and you are paying $8. Yea, not going to happen. If you want great haircolor mimicking celebrity hair icons then find a certified colorist and make an appointment!
If you’re interested in learning about why certified colorists have more satisfied clients or would like to get certified read my article on Becoming an Expert in Cosmetology & Beauty. Even if you’re not in the beauty industry you will love the idea behind why I am so motivated when I do what I love!
9. It may be affordable now…but not for long.
Fixing Box color can cost a pretty penny!
So you say that you cannot afford professional color. Well, if you can’t pay the $50 for a professional then should you really be spending $10 on a box? Probably not if your situation is that tight. Just because you can’t afford the more expensive option doesn’t mean you can afford the lesser.
Let’s say you get a box color and the outcome is not what you expected, which is usually the case. In fact, it’s even worse than you expected and you have a big interview or party coming up. You may decide to grab another box and fix the problem yourself. That’s an even worse idea. Now, you’re over-processed and your only option is to crawl in a salon begging for a miracle. This would be true even if you didn’t attempt at fixing it yourself. Most salons charge $100 per hour for corrective color services and only a few stylists generally offer that service. Now you’re hoping to get someone that knows what they are doing and probably paying $200-$300 for the fix. That $8 box ended up costing a lot more than you expected!
You don’t have to go to a top salon, but find a credible salon and explain your concerns. Your stylist will work with you to come up with something affordable. I have a client with gray that only comes in every 3 months for color. I’ve come up with a solution that doesn’t show a huge demarcation line when it grows in and it averages out to about $16 per month. Doesn’t sound so bad does it? And if you have solid gray there are products out there like colored mousses, dry shampoos, and hair markers that can stretch you to your next color service.
10. If you decide to switch it’s not going to be easy.
If you’ve ever gone to a salon for professional color after coloring your own hair for any amount of time…you know what I’m talking about. You probably get a look that says “Do you think I have a magic wand?”. Because box color is so different from professional color we cannot accurately predict what may happen when we use our color on top of box color. It’s going to be a process and you have to be patient.
The most common outcome is an odd shade of green shining through, or even purple. I’ve had it happen a few times and it’s not an easy fix. You will end up spending more money in the beginning that you may expect. Putting color on top of color DOES NOT wipe the slate clean. You may have months or years of various pigments hiding in there and who knows which ones will pop out!
I know I said ten reasons but there is one more…….
11. Box “formulas” may change but professional formulas don’t.
Professional Application
Have you ever been to a Big Lots or Ollie’s and there it is on the shelf….discounted box color. You get excited! Not only are you going cheap, now you’re getting it even cheaper. This is not a good thing. Just like everything else at discount stores, it’s there because it is old. That doesn’t mean that some products in large chains aren’t expired and still on the shelves for sale. If you buy an old box of color there’s a good chance that it will not turn out anything like you think it will.
In the same sense companies can change their formulas but it still looks like the same box. It may say “New Formula!”, and the consumer just assumes it’s going to be an improvement in their favor. It could be “improved” by changing hues or levels of developer, which means your hair isn’t going to turn out the same as it did last time. I’ve often heard, “I don’t know what happened, it’s the same box I always get.”. You might think that you’re buying the same haircolor but you’re not.
Aside from all of the obvious I think it’s clear that the main problem with botched haircolor is the word “box”. Hopefully many of you will be wiping that word from your vocabulary and switching over to the wonderful world of professional color!
*This content is copyrighted by Erika E. Brown and Confessions of a Cosmetologist. Please contact me if you would like information on how to properly link to this article!
Sources: The ABCH Study Portfolio
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66 Responses to 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Use Box Color
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I always box dye now, although I’m trying to stay away from dying my hair in general. I’ve been butchered by almost every hair stylist. I went blonde and I was left with orangey hair (we did it in steps, not all at once it was gradual). I had my hair dyed purple, she didn’t even rinse it out enough and I got it everywhere for a month. Then it continued to come out every shower for 3 months till it was gone. It was apparently “permanent”. I’ve been every hair colour from box and salon color and my hair always felt worse after the salon. I never went blonde from a box though, that’s really taking a risk! You talk highly of hairstylists but I’ve never found anyone who can give me a good hair color or style and I’ve tried many!
I talk highly of hairstylists that are certified. There are few that are great…and most that are not. I’m not saying that you can’t get a great stylist that isn’t certified…but it’s more of a risk. Don’t get certified confused with a “master” stylist or colorist. There is no regulation for that title and anyone can call themselves that at any salon.
This goes back to some advice I’ve given previously about bad stylists. Here are a few things to consider about past experiences and what to do in the future:
-Did you feel comfortable with each stylist before they performed a service?
-Did you ask questions and did your stylist ask more?
-Did you feel like you and your stylist were on the same page before proceeding?
-Did you get a proper consultation…this will often make you feel more or less comfortable by the end of the conversation.
About the purple…it doesn’t come in permanent if it’s the vibrant type that you’re referring to. I can make a somewhat vibrant purple with permanent color but few color lines have something that will work for this and it must be done the right way. 99% of the time it’s a temporary color….so she may have rinsed it but that doesn’t mean it won’t rinse out more later. She should not have told you that it was permanent. Most all vibrant colors are just a stain…heat before rinsing will help it to last longer but it will still need to be touched up in a month.
Don’t knock all stylists because you haven’t been to a good one. I am the only certified colorist within my city and most surrounding areas…1.5 hours or more to the next one. So that just goes to show we are out there but far and few….
While I have no doubt that Erica is a wonderful colorist, and that “certified” colorists DO have the ability to do wonderful work. I am also aware of 100′s of great colorists who are not “certified”. I have over 30 years as an educator, platform artist, stylist and salon owner, yet am not certified. I never had time, nor felt the need. I agree that you need to choose wisely, when selecting a colorist. Even going to the extreme of an interview is an acceptable concept.
Not all salons even use professional color, much less understand the importance of a quality consultation and analysis. With all that said, you can never expect to do a good job of color on your own head! It can’t be done, even by a trained colorist. My staff is expected to attend 6 or more classes annually. Not to keep up… but to stay AHEAD of the trends, and new technology.
Doing quality color work is far more than picking a color, formulating to hair quality/condition and proper application. We work on people, the whole person. Color placement, is just as important as color selection. We arrive at both after consulting about skin tone, body type/structure, head and face shape, personality/attitude, and desired affect/look.
Don’t give up on the Pro, you just have to find the right one. Pick wisely and trust completely, you will not be sorry.
Thanks for your comments! I agree with you….there are lots of amazing stylists that aren’t certified. Unfortunately, the only way that I can refer people in other states is with the certified colorist program. Other than that I tell people to ask questions and if they don’t feel comfortable with the consultation….thank them and don’t go through with it. Most of the comments I get are from people that probably just picked someone at random and didn’t know what to look for.
I admire you for holding such a high standard for your colorists. I got certified because I love color, feel confident, and wanted something to back it up. I’ve been in the business for only 7 years…I used to get asked, “How long have you been doing hair?”, on a regular basis. The constant questioning of my abilities drove me nuts! My regular clients trusted me, but I wanted everyone to come in and feel confident that I would do a great job. I didn’t want to spend half the consultation talking about whats on my resumé when we should be talking about their hair. I know I still have a lot to learn, but being certified gave me a great foundation and a head start on experience.
I also live in a smaller area and didn’t feel that my salon backed up my reputation. It was a great place, but not like in big cities….you walk in and you know you’re getting what you pay for. At our salon it was hit or miss on who you get and I didn’t want to be “grouped” with the so-so stylists. Your stylists are lucky to be a part of a salon that holds its reputation because of hard work, dedication, and truly caring for people!
Hi. I’ve been paying my colorist for years big $ to color & highlight my hair. It is VERY strawlike. I noticed that over time, I have become almost entirely blonde & that was never what I wanted. He says it’s strawlike because there’s lots of gray and the gray’s texture is like straw. I recently decided to only color & quit highlighting because my hair is just awful. So, you’re saying that a colorist should only highlight the previously highlighted strands? I always wondered that. I’ve tried 2 different colorists and neither of them do that. I’m very frustrated and meanwhile, my hair has been suffering… I’ve been using a Paul Mitchell colorist for years. He also teaches for them & I thought he knew what he was doing. Advice?
In my opinion any well educated and moral stylist would recommend a deep conditioner for at home use and would STOP frying your ends! There are two types of colorists when it comes to foiling….those that cover the hair from root to ends every time and those that are careful to only retouch the regrowth. We use a technique called “feathering” to create a subtle blend at the demarcation line. This assures that you will not have banding which makes it obvious where your color was touched. Slapping it on root to ends is necessary in some cases but certainly not every time with bleach. This is what I call the “lazy way”.
Gray can have many types of texture…it all depends on the individual. Lots of people…stylists and clients…have the general misconception that all gray is course or “straw like” because so many people experience those changes when going gray. I work with a lot of clients that have gray and they range from silky smooth to very coarse. Some clients never experience the coarse texture associated with grays and others experience it like a slap in the face! I have seen so many clients go from normal hair at one appointment to “Omg, what am I going to do with this?!, and that’s the hormonal change you weren’t expecting.
There is still a DIFFERENCE between coarse hair and “straw like” hair and any good stylist knows that. Coarse hair can still be managed and styled to look lovely. No matter how unruly it is…it will blow out fairly nicely and can be ironed a tad. When you’re dealing with damaged hair(straw like)….it does not take its usual form with a blow out and you’re going to need a lot of product! As the client you probably know this….but you’ve slowly gotten used to it and your stylist strings you along. Bottom line, we know the difference between going gray and going fried!
Another thing….I have clients with gray that come to me because the color services that I perform actually make their gray more manageable! Doing highlights the proper way can break the cuticle just enough to give you a beautiful glisten and leave the strand softer than it was before. I almost always do a complimentary low-light(low light does not have to mean dark, it can be half a shade darker than the highlight and still work well) with it in a semi-permanent color. This is more gentle on the hair and although it doesn’t give 100% coverage it can do wonders for your color and texture if formulated correctly. It doesn’t sound like you’ve had a low-light if it’s that blonde, and you need it for dimension and not looking bleached out.
I could keep going….lol. I feel sorry for you because you went to not one stylist but two, and one was an educator. On that note I will say two things…or three, haha. I have learned since school that some of what my learning leaders told me may have not been the best way. I have also seen someone that I sat in class with graduate a few months before me, and become my teacher at the same school. How’s that for experience? Anyone can be an instructor if they get the state license….my theory is that some are great….and some do it because they are scared to go out into the “real world of cosmetology”. They don’t want to be the one that get’s asked, “Hey, can you give me the haircut in this magazine?”, and not know what to do. Good stylists get that way because they have tough skin and they face the fear of screwing up lots of hair before they get it perfect.
Never be mislead by someones title….I wanted to become ABCH certified for a reason. Besides state licensing and individual certifications, ABCH was the only nationwide & board regulated certification or title that I could get in cosmetology. It’s like looking for a board certified surgeon….you know they went through ridiculous training and testing to get there! That’s why you’d trust them with anything….just like your hair
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Oh yea…forgot about the hair advice, lol! E-mail me at erika@confessionsofacosmetologist.com for what to do next
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As a cosmetologist, its kind of offensive to imply that we suggest not using box color for the money. Yes, there is a charge for the hours we’ve worked FOR you. We’re basically no different than any other service provider. So no, we don’t work for free. We’re offing a service for your convenience, and also for the health and integrity of your hair and scalp. We’re not sitting there twisting your arm, telling you that there isn’t any other option. We just know later when that someone comes in wanting highlights over hair that has box over box over box color on it, that it is going to be a challenge, and it would have been better for the health of your hair if you would have just let us supply you with your desired color in the first place. Rather than lifting through all that layered waste in your hair.
Great way to put it! We also turn down color services when it is not in the clients best interest….that’s basically turning down pay. I would rather say no, this isn’t for you…or you need to wait 6 months than make the money and ruin someones hair! We care! lol!
Of course, which is why I love that this post has been made so public. The more educated a client is about what is going on their hair, the better. I just wish everyone could see through the eyes of a cosmetologist from time to time. =]
Thank you for this great information. I have major hair damage – weak hair from low thyroid, plus I didn’t realize I was using a conditioner daily with protein, which made my hair very stiff. I also used box dye and my hair was fried & broke off. My hair grows fast & I had to do the roots every 3 weeks, which didn’t help. I’ve been trying to heal my hair by ditching the protein and only using semi-permanent color. I use Clairol Beautiful Collection which washes out after a few shampoos. (It’s great, except it doesn’t cover the resistant grey on my temples.) I have to use it at least once a week. What are your thoughts semi-permanents like Clairol Beautiful Collection or Ion Color Brillance (Sally’s brand). They both have protein, but I only use it once a week, so I hope that’s okay. (Plus I’m using moisturizing shampoo & conditioner.) I would go to a salon for color, but I can’t afford to at this time.
I don’t think you should have to use something once a week….that seems like too much work! lol. If you are using it because the condition of your hair won’t be able to handle something stronger then I can understand why. Few semi permanent colors have the ability to cover gray and most of them are professional. You still have to be careful about areas that are a much lighter gray….in the salon I use two formulas in that situation and there is no “rule” for finding how much darker the 2nd formula should be. It’s all case by case so I’ll need more info before I can give you detailed advice. There are also great products like sprays and foams that you can use on your regrowth when it’s almost time for a retouch! E-mail me at erika@confessionsofacosmetologist.com with what your hair has been through chemically, about what shade you are, and anything else you think is important for starters
I have been dying my hair with box dye for 10 yrs. I had my hair dyed once at a salon.
that one time turned me off forever. I paid well over 100 for cut and colour. and my hair was fried when I left. my hair never looked fried. never felt/looked damaged before that (I went to a salon to add highlights. after 8 yrs of box dying my hair. I let them know I that. and at the time it was a yr since I dyed it last. they told me is should be a problem.
thanks for the advice. but I believe you tell people their only opinion is to go to a salon because thats how you get money. (would you colour someones hair for free… probably not) that is also what is drilled into your head in school…
I went to fashion school. they did the a similar thing…
im going to stick with my box dye… ive never had issues with it.
*shouldnt be a problem
Dear Box Dyer,
You should have studied the English language. We color hair, we dye clothes. And yes, I have done many “free” colors clients. In fact, I show people all the time why only stupid people do their own color. Perhaps if you spent your money more wisely, and spent time picking a proper colorist, you would know the difference. I doubt it though. You see, your lack of taste and intelligence shows in your writing. Don’t blame the stylist, blame your own overbearing personality.
You’re awesome….I couldn’t have said it any better myself!
It’s never polite to show a lack of respect for someones profession. Every individual is different…how dare you imply that I am greedy or that you know anything about me at all. You have a lot to learn about judging others and having a closed mind. Hair has been my passion my entire life, and yes I have done color for free. I’ll tone someones coppery blonde just because I know they need it….and because loyal clients deserve to be rewarded. And I’m not the only one…everyone at my salon donates colors and cuts monthly to non-profits that need help raising money. We are doing it for free, the owners of our salon do not pay us for what we choose to give.
If I told you what I make in the salon you would be shocked…..there are plenty of jobs I could do that are easier, less stressful, and probably pay more. If you had taken the time to get to know me through my blog you would know that I have a second job in real estate so that I can keep hair as a part-time passion. I don’t want to do it because I need to pay a bill or to the point that I burn out. I do it because I enjoy it. I also spend way more money on this blog than it makes. I have spent more than 75% more than the little bit that comes in just to keep it up and running. Now you want to tell me I do it for the money? I don’t have many readers and I can’t spend much time on it but I love to write so I decided to write about what I love. My family probably thinks I’m half crazy for spending money on a blog! lol.
Whether you are insulting me or someone who is educated in another trade/profession like accountants or auto mechanics….it shows your horrible lack of respect for education and the individual. Did you go to cosmetology school? Doesn’t sound like it so how can you compare it to your experience in fashion school? If you went you would know that it is all about learning techniques and building confidence in what you do. Without that there’s no reason to talk money. Some people love coloring hair and others love to cut. We do it because we love to create and make people feel better than when they walked in the door.
I do not enjoy having to reply to such comments but I do it because I want all types of opinions to be posted. However, I will not speak lightly about how I feel because there is something wrong in the hearts and minds of those who insult others in any way. I hope that you learn these lessons sooner than later as life will be much harder until you do.
Always remember to only speak up if you believe in what you say and would say it anywhere to anyone. Those who choose to remain anonymous when expressing such strong opinions are only showing their own cowardliness. It’s like sucker-punching a kid on the playground and running away….all talk but can’t take the heat
I’d also like to add that I am surprised and a little twerked for you about all the people that are saying you are out for everyone’s money and trying to sell them something. How rude.
It’s so refreshing to see someone sticking up for me
I know some stylists that will overcharge you in a heartbeat….but we are not all like that. Stereotypes are the demise of our society. We are all individuals and should not be categorized by what we do. I leave those comments up because I want others to learn from it and to hopefully open the eyes of those that are so narrow-minded. Thanks for the support!
I used to work in a salon (not as a stylist, but as a coordinator) and I am so glad that you brought all these points to the public in a kind and educational manner. I saw SO many people come in that tried to do their own hair and were in tears. Sure, there are the people that end up never having problems, but that’s not the point. Stylists went to school for that trade and they know what mixture will work best for a person’s hair. No, not everyone does a great job and they may have passed their classes on a whim. But overall, a professional is usually the way to go. I wouldn’t want to install an engine or put in electrical outlets in my house on my own, so why would I try to color my hair?
Thank you for your comment! I try to put it like that when I can but not everyone understands. In every medical school someone had to finish last….same goes for cosmetology! There are sub-par “professionals” in every career and it’s just the luck of the draw! Take care!