BOMBSHELLS by Samantha

Consistency > Perfection

You’ve got this ❤️

Do you ever get hot roots when you’re coloring a clients’ hair red or violet? Does it ever turn out light and hollow, almost pinkish; rather than deep, rich, and vibrant?

I got you! In the beginning of my career, I struggled with reds SO much. Each time a red color didn’t turn out how I envisioned, I’d make a tweak on the next one until I figured out the secrets to get rich and vibrant reds and violets.

1) The heat from the scalp will cause the base color to process brighter than the mids and ends. To combat this, I either mix half of the formula with a neutral, or drop the base color a full shade darker from the end color. (Or sometimes both!)

In fact, I almost ALWAYS go a shade darker at the roots, even when I’m not doing reds. This ensures beautiful depth at the base and guarantees nobody will be leaving with hot roots!

2) My biggest struggle used to be always ending up with a red that was hollow, and almost pink. I tried going darker to add richness and depth, but then it was never vibrant enough and they ended up looking brown.

The solution is going darker AND raising the developer. Doing both of these things adds richness AND vibrancy. I am almost always using 30 (sometimes even 40) volume when doing reds. Always make sure the developer you use on the ends is at least one level higher than what you use on the base.

*Disclaimer - you won’t be able to do this on everyone. You need to use your judgement and have a thorough consultation to determine if their hair is healthy enough to use a higher developer. I use .murphy because their color is ammonia free, PPD free, and the most gentle color line I’ve ever used. I would not have been able to use such high volumes with other lines I’ve used in the past.

(I know many people will disagree with this suggestion, and that’s ok! If you believe in only using demi permanent color on the ends, I completely support that. I am just sharing what I like to do in certain cases.)

3) Don’t underestimate the power of a clear glaze! This will help seal in the color to prevent fading, and add incredible shine.

Let me know your favorite color tricks in the comments!

A very exciting and bittersweet announcement!

As of January 6, I will taking on the role of Lead Stylist across all of The Face And The Body Spa locations!

The bitter is leaving both of my work homes, MTM and Mallia Salon. Both have been such a godsend for me in the last few years when I needed to focus on taking care of my health. I am SO grateful for the opportunities and time spent at these companies, and will miss my coworkers dearly.

The sweet is getting back to one of my biggest passions - mentoring and educating stylists. Just the thought of taking on this role has had me feeling more like myself than I have in a long time.

I will be working my same schedule behind the chair at the Chesterfield location, and I’d love to see both new faces and reconnect with former ones! Shoot me a message to schedule a consultation. ☺️

If you’re a stylist looking for a change or a new stylist looking for top notch education and training, let’s chat!

Here’s to new beginnings! 🎉