THE INBETWEENERS

Innovative ways to inspire clients to come in for ‘in-between’ colour appointments, treatments and services

WELLA PROFESSIONALS

It’s often said that trends such as balayage and freehand face-framing techniques mean clients come in less regularly – it can be up to eight months until you see a client for balayage.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The experts reveal how they keep clients coming in – from ‘micro trims’ to keep coloured hair healthy, to bespoke face-framing babylights that they will want to book in for time and time again… it’s never been more easy to keep your clients coming back for more.

Tone n’ trim

While low maintenance colour is a big attraction for clients, leaving hair to go months on end without professional attention doesn’t make it look its best. “The perfect ‘in between’ service I offer is bespoke toner refresh alongside an ASP VITAPLEX treatment,” explains Sheree Thompson, ASP brand ambassador.

Amber Letham, Crazy Color Color Squad member agrees with maintenance appointments. "The best way to encourage those long haul clients to come in more regularly is to book them in every 8-10 weeks for either an express colour melt, to keep their balayage looking fresh, or global toners with a trim to keep their ends tidy.” These extra maintenance services are great because that's more money in your till instead of a single service every 6-12 months. The fresher hair looks between big services means more client recommendations.

As mentioned above encouraging clients to come in for toner is ideal.

"My clients love that they can switch things up in between appointments by going for a rose gold or a copper gloss with a toner," says Laura May Stevens, Pulp Riot Artist. Toner appointments also encourages regular trims, Verity Clarke, Elgon educator, finds: “I tell my clients ’We won’t need to do your balayage for a while, but you will need to top up your toner in eight weeks or so, which is the perfect time to get a trim too.’

It’s all about keeping the hair healthy in between the big balayage visits.

Healthy hair holds colour better and helps us achieve better results when it does come to bleaching again too.” Yes, toners make your clients hair look amazing, but you’re laying the foundations for the next major colour appointment too. However sometimes best.” Schwarzkopf Professional brand ambassador and owner of The Hair Surgery, Tim Scott Wright adds a face frame in between appointments and gives clients products to take home to continue the good work. “We recommend Schwarzkopf Professional Chroma ID toning mask,” he adds.

Treatment time

To encourage clients to come into the salon more frequently, pick-me-up hair care packages don’t hurt. They can help re-energise client’s colour in between appointments adds Chloe Passmore, INNOluxe Superstar, who your client might be persuaded to come in for a cut, rather than colour. Sarah Morrissey Sarai Hair and Beauty Crowthorne recommends a maintenance hair dusting service to take the ends off. “It doesn’t change their look but keeps split ends at bay and keeps the colour looking its gives a great example: “My ‘condition me’ package includes a Luxury INNOluxe V3 stand-alone treatment, micro trim and blow-dry. Every colour looks it’s best when the hair is in great condition and that’s what clients want.” It really is about maximising the health and look of the hair. If a client’s hair looks amazing, they will trust you as a colourist and loyalty will grow.

HEALTHY HAIR HOLDS COLOUR BETTER, SHINES MORE AND HELPS US ACHIEVE BETTER RESULTS WHEN IT DOES COME TO BLEACHING AGAIN TOO

SHARON MALCOLM

In fact, why not extend the favour to their friends too, like Matrix artist ambassador Carol Ritchie does? “A toner top-up is the perfect tonic after four weeks, combined with a luxury blow dry. Then I also run an incentive to introduce a friend for a treatment and blow-dry. Sharing is caring!”

SMARTEST73 ART TEAM

Seeing clients less frequently can result in hair that has lost its radiance due to external pollutants, a buildup of silver shampoo and metals found in the water. “ALFAPARF Milano Detoxifying mud is the perfect in-salon treatment, using Kaolin clay it removes build-up and revitalises blondes. I add the Milano Cellular Madre to make the hair even more lustrous,” explains Luke Benson, ALFAPARF Milano creative ambassador. Simon Tuckwell Balmain Hair UK ambassador shares another great mask additon. "We offer clients a Supplementary Salon Colour mask by Balmain Hair UK. Each colour client receives a mask to use at home.

The colour mask also has a check list of all the products recommended by their stylist and also when we think they should return for another appointment.’’

CRAZY COLOR: AMBER LETHAM

Flash of colour

If clients have a full balayage colour, it’s essential to advise them to come in for a glossing service in between appointments to refresh their colour. Take a leaf out of HARE & BONE’s book. “We offer a colour technique called ‘Focal Flash.’ Using a lightening product such as Goldwell Lightdimensions Silklift, it allows us to create a flash of colour along the hairline with baby lights or tip outs,” says Amelia Evans, education coordinator and art team member, HARE & BONE, London. “This gets rid of any unwanted warm tones, restores depth, and adds amazing shine to keep it looking glossy, healthy and in great condition.” Dan Spiller, JOICO colour ambassador for the UK, Europe and Ireland is loving Joico’s 10 minute colour treatment that covers 100% of greys. “Lumi10 from JOICO is an incredible new product that allows us to quickly transform our clients, who perhaps need a root touch up or in between colour service. Still offering long lasting results and shine, this product has been hugely popular with our clients as it offers them incredible results. Supercharged conditioning polymers nourish and protect the colour-treated hair for up to 30 shampoos*, providing a colour and care service in one.

FOR CLIENTS WHO WAIT LONGER IN BETWEEN THEIR BALAYAGE APPOINTMENTS, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO DROP IN FOR A LITTLE SPARKLY TONER TO BRIGHTEN THEIR BALAYAGE

It’s all about including those top up services in the client’s colour plan.

L’Oréal Professionnel Paris offer an inclusive Colour Service Menu. It’s a full consumer journey with added value bookings which help both client and colourist. For example: for blonde clients, an intro offering would be Face Framing Colour, which would lead onto a full service such as French Balayage and then the salon could offer maintenance toning services to keep the colour topped up for a fullrounded journey. Crafting a colour journey means you can keep an eye on colour wastage too. Colour Management System Vish allows you to charge for all colour used by the gram and you can show this to the client. Karine Jackson, founder Karine Jackson Hair and Beauty does just this and it’s had a big impact on her business. “Seeing the amount of colour they use means they recognize it’s fairer; the client coming in every four weeks pays less that those coming every four months with much longer regrowth,” she says. “For clients who wait longer in between their balayage appointments, we encourage them to drop in for a little sparkly toner to brighten their balayage. This means they’re returning within 4 to 8 weeks. Brightening dull blonde tones really makes clients appreciate the salon, and keeps them looking great, especially if they have an event to attend.”

You’re in control

It’s wise to remember that you’re in control of when your client comes in for colour. “Try to encourage balayage clients to opt for lots of fine highlights. It’s a subtle difference but they will love the lift that fine highlights give them and as they grow out they will miss that halo effect and book in for more,” describes Mark Leeson global artistic ambassador Revlon Professional. Keeping your colour menu exciting is key to regular colour clients. Michael Convey, OSMO global ambassador explains: “On our treatment menu, our Gloss & Tone includes the OSMO Chromoplex bonding system, which is the ideal in-between salon treatment for ensuring coloured hair is in prime condition. We’ll talk to our clients about the pros of regular deep conditioning treatments.” Similarly Jordanna Cobella, Wella Professionals colour craft expert, makes her colour appointments work for her, as well as her client. She stresses: “Create your own colour menu. Why sell the technique (highlights or balayage) when you can sell the end result?

Name it and make it branded, like The Cobella Contour.” Jordanna makes a physical moodboard consisting of lifestyle, food and fashion images for palettes such as Beige Biscuit Blonde and changes them seasonally. Why?

“It increases loyalty and buys the clients into a look they feel is unique to your salon. Let’s move away from services like Toner, Root Tint, Balayage and create bookable services such as ‘the Golden Glow’,” she urges. Vicki Lewis agrees with using clever menu names: "We offer Fashion Lights –a combination of a face frame and 20 foils using Yellow 7 levels bleach and Bond Hero, working on clever angles that give maximum coverage in no time, finished with a gloss using the Yellow Tone on Tone creator." The bottom line is: make every aspect of your colour services work harder and your colour clients will come back through the door more regularly.

Shine on

The products to keep your clients' hair colour looking fabulous

1 CARE FOR COLOUR

Balmain Couleurs Couture Mask offers the perfect hair spa-treatment especially designed for colour-treated, damaged and over-processed hair. The Couleurs Couture Mask is part of the Couleurs Couture collection that now consists of a Couleurs Couture Shampoo, Conditioner and Mask.

2 GLOW ON

Wella Professionals Shinefinity gives a long-lasting colour glaze with zero lift and damage, staying true-to-tone even on porous hair. Featuring exclusive balanced pH technology, Shinefinity smoothens the cuticles for healthy-looking shine and silky hair feel.

3 PROTECT AND PERFECT

An ideal product to send colour clients home with, Paul Mitchell Clean Beauty Heat Styling Spray is made from 93% natural origin and helps protect hair (and colour!) during heat styling while adding light hold and natural shine.

4 KIND COLOUR

FFØR Colour, Developers and High Lift Powder (which lifts up to 9+ shades) will make your client's colour last – however regularly Missing they book Product in! Plus it's vegan, free from pic ammonia, PPD and mineral oil.

5 GLOSS BOSS

Give clients a golden glow-up and shine with Redken Shades EQ Bonder Inside Golden Blondes. Embrace warmth for sun-drenched results from three new premixed shades 010G Lemon Icing, 010NW Iced Pina & 010WG Honey Gold.

6 HOT METALS

Achieve metallic tones that change according to the light with Revlon Professional Nutri Color Filters: Metal-ice. Five new hues are joining the Nutri Color Filters range of 25 direct colour shades.