A corrective color job in my home salon turned into a 6-hour marathon

A client came in wanting to go from a dark box black to a warm caramel, and I figured it would take my usual 3 hours. The color lift was way slower than expected, and I had to do two rounds of color remover before even starting the new toner. Has anyone else had a simple color change take twice as long as you planned?

3 comments

3 Comments

bencampbell1mo ago

Ugh, tell me about it. @michael880 is right, box black is a whole different beast. I had a client last month, same deal, wanted to go honey blonde. The color just would not budge past that awful orange stage, no matter what. I was there forever doing tiny test strands, feeling my whole afternoon evaporate. It's like the dye is glued in there. You finally get it done but you're just mentally fried.

michael8801mo ago

Those marathon sessions are the worst, especially when the plan seems so simple. Box color has its own rules and never cares about your schedule. Solidarity from someone who has definitely watched the clock tick way past closing time.

michael8801mo ago

Sounds like that box black put up more of a fight than you budgeted for. Those dyes are stubborn and never read the time estimate you gave the client. Happens to everyone when you think it's a straightforward fix. You just have to laugh or you'll cry, staring at hair that refuses to lighten. At least you got there in the end, even if your whole day is shot now.