BLACK with Highlights PLS HELP

[Sammi74]

Hi Lovelies,

I've been asked to do one of my friend's sister's hair, She colours it herself
a home tint Black. Now she wants highlights in it. I did her sisters who is a base 5 and got some nice golden highlights using bleach with a low 3% ,
so now SHE wants the same as her sister, I've explained that it will not be the same as it won't lift as much with it being already black. I am only qualified just this year and i really don't want to put my reputation on the line by messing this up.

What would you do? I have explained she will at best get copper highlights and she seemed ok with that. Would you do a test piece anyway to see or just go with it? I'm just concerned that the last time I cut her hair I remember seeing what an awful job she'd done putting her own colour on, it was really really patchy towrds the root...eeeuughh!! i want to help her get what she wants but not at the risk of making me look bad!

advice really welcomed as a newbie, thanks xxxxxx

 

[crazybek]

Hi!
I personally wouldnt even attempt to lighten it.
Id imagine her hair with have a big build up of black already,which would be hell to lift,possibly way more than 1 application and at the risk of damaging her hair more.
I personally wont hi light someones hair unless theyre a base 5-6 or above(depending on what hi light tone theyre after).
You say you did her sisters hair?What base are her hi lights?Ive learnt in 14 years that even by saying to the client you wouldnt be able to lift their hair that light,and the response is,"thats fine",they dont realise that they possibly wont look Anything like the hair they have seen.
Maybe you could offer to do a colour strip first to try and soften the base tone and then maybe go from there?
Sometimes its never worth it
x
Hope this helps x

 

[Sammi74]

Hi Crazybek, Thanks for the sound advice. I just have one of those feelings about it and glad I got another stylist's opinion because I'm going to speak to her and say it would be damaging to her hair etc which I think it would. I'm not even going to go there with colour stripping etc as I'm not that confident about it.

it's funny because people think just because you're a hairdresser you can work miracles! and I think in this case I definately cannot!!

Many thanks again xx

 

[lauren89]

why don't you take some test cuttings and show her what the colour would turn out like and the damage it would cause to her hair?

Personally I'd do one with 3% one with 6% and do a bleach bath on one with 3% over the lifted colour. And show her what would happen as sometimes I think clients don't believe you, that way your showing her with out ruining her hair.

I would also do an incompatability test as she been using box tints.

Hths

 

[HairSquared]

Explain to her that as every layer of color goes on, so must it come off. Dark carmel looks fab with black as do reds and coppers. Light blonde on black not only damages the hair, but tends to look Cruella DeVille:green:
Suggest something softer and see how she feels.

 

[crazybek]

Sammi74.
Im glad i helped a little!!
Its a real situation when you are asked to do the virtually impossible lol!
I dont think i have any clients who base colour at home and then want me to add colour/pieces/hi lights.
I have had a few clients ask me to do this,however im not comfortable ever doing it because you dont know how much build up is on the hair in regards to colour or anything else.
In response to doing a strand test to show the client the damage to their hair,I personally wouldnt do this either because,going by gut instinct,it sounds like you already know what the outcome would be and dont want to put your name to it.
I wouldnt do any strand testing as the client was asking your proffesional opinion and if you tell them in your experience it wont work for whatever reasons,then they can always go to another hair dresser.
When i started training moons ago(!)it was fun to experiment and if it went slightly off target,you recoloured and the client was happy with the end result,however now with consumer and health and safety rights etc etc,its kinda taken the fun out of the industry.
Maybe if your not too confident in colouring/colour stripping you could tag along to some model/funky nights salons in your area are doing,just to have a go!
We do funky nights in our salon every couple of months.They give staff,from the owner down to the trainees the opportunity to try something a bit different to push their skills a bit further and take them out of their comfort zone.We get loads of students on the invite list as its free,but the only stipulation is that they dont have a choice in what they have!!
We have wine and nibbles and a generally great giggle.Maybe you could find out about something similar in your area?
Which area are you in?Shame its not ours really,you would always be welcome to join a funky nite!
Crazybekx

 

[Simba44]

Ginger alert black to blonde = Ginger so I'd test cut like the other geek said and show her