Chapter 2 – The Consultation
2.2 Hair and Scalp Assessment
A thorough client consultation is the basis for a successful hair colouring service. It is your responsibility to assess the characteristics of the hair and scalp and to ask specific questions that will determine your choice of colouring product, technique, and placement.
A new client is not the only client who should be receiving a thorough colour consultation. Hair and scalp concerns will change over time, as will lifestyle and priorities. Remember to treat every client with the same attention to detail, and you will gain a loyal, satisfied clientele.
So where do you start?
The pillars of a great colour consultation are:
- Hair and scalp assessment
- Colour assessment, including:
- Lifestyle and budget assessment
- Strand test and patch test
This section will focus on the hair and scalp assessment.
When assessing the client’s hair and scalp, you should be looking for the conditions that will determine your colouring process. Product choice, application technique, processing time, and the final outcome are all dependent on these conditions.
To begin with, assess the hair’s texture, porosity, and elasticity.
Texture
When looking at the hair’s texture, you need to be aware of the fundamental differences between hair of fine, medium, and coarse texture as they relate to hair colour. Processing times and the alkalinity of your chosen product will depend largely on texture.
Fine hair has a smaller cortex layer and may lack a medulla altogether. This makes fine hair more prone to damage as the cortex is what gives hair its strength and elasticity. Fine hair that has been previously coloured will be more likely to have higher or extreme porosity.
Medium textured hair is most likely to behave predictably while colouring. This is because of its average porosity and balanced cortex-to-cuticle ratio.
Coarse hair has a wider diameter, which means a larger cortex to cuticle ratio and a strong medulla layer. Coarse hair is less prone to damage but is usually more resistant to the colouring process as it is more likely to have resistant porosity.
You can assess texture by look and feel.
Porosity
Porosity refers to the hair’s ability to absorb moisture or chemicals. Hair with average porosity behaves predictably and can handle most colour services. However, in cases where hair has resistant or extreme porosity, there are considerations which must be made.
Resistant porosity is the term used when the cuticle layers are tightly packed, which affects the ability of the hair to absorb colour. Alternatively, extreme porosity is the term given to hair that has a damaged cuticle, in which the cuticle scales are raised or missing. A damaged cuticle is usually the result of excessive chemical treatments, or it may be due to environmental damage, such as over exposure to the sun. Hair that is very porous requires greater care. It may absorb colour too intensely, yet it also has the tendency to lose artificial col