Serious question, are color correction clients worth the headache?

I was at a salon expo in Portland last month and overheard two stylists arguing about this. One said color corrections are the biggest moneymaker and she charges $300+ every time, no regrets. The other said she stopped taking them because the stress and time just isn't worth it, especially when clients come back complaining about damage. I've done maybe 5 color corrections this year and every single one was a nightmare. Like one lady wanted to go from box black to platinum blonde in one session and got mad when I said it would take 4 visits. But I also had a $450 correction job last week that went smooth and the client tipped $60. So where do you all land on this? Do you take every correction that walks in or do you screen them hard and only accept certain ones?

3 comments

3 Comments

jake63822d ago

I had a lady last year whose hair literally smoked when I put the lightener on... and she still asked why it couldn't be done in one visit. The thing is, corrections pay the bills but they also age you like 10 years per session. I take them but I screen hard now like if someone says "my friend did it at home" I'm already calculating the recovery time. Honestly the $400 jobs that go smooth are great but they're like finding a needle in a haystack. Most corrections I've done end up with me wanting to just hand them a wig and call it a day. But hey, if you're good at managing expectations and your chiropractor is on speed dial, go for it.

shane_fisher3721d ago

Handing them a wig and calling it a day is my retirement plan, @jake638.

grace_wright21d ago

Girl that smoking hair story gave me chills. I had one last month where the client's ends literally turned to mush when I applied the developer and she still asked if I could "just blend it a bit more." The home dye jobs are the worst because you never know what kind of mystery box you're opening under all that box color. Corrections really do take years off your life though. My back has been killing me since that last one where I had to do like six separate sections with different processing times. At this point I've started telling people I'll only take the job if they promise to buy whatever bond builder I recommend and come in for a deep condition the week after.