Questions before a visit

Think about how the roots should look six weeks from now. Dimensional balayage keeps soft natural depth at the root, with sunlit ribbons through the lengths and visits every three to five months. Full foil highlights place bright lightness right at the scalp and parting, usually refreshed every eight to ten weeks. Still unsure? Book either one and the colourist fine-tunes the technique at the consultation.

Not for cuts, root retouches, highlights or balayage on healthy hair: consultation time is built into the appointment. For dark box dye, henna, metallic salts or a major corrective change, such as dark brunette to platinum, the studio recommends a complimentary 15-minute consultation first, so a test strand can be run and the right chair time reserved.

Never. Protecting the hair's internal bonds is non-negotiable whenever it is lightened, so molecular bond protection and a cuticle-sealing gloss are already included in every highlight and balayage service on the menu.

The starting price includes the standard colour allowance, bond-rebuilding protection, a custom gloss toner and the blowout. Waist-length or very dense hair needs extra bowls of lightener and more application time, so the price scales with the product used. The stylist always confirms the exact total in writing before any colour is mixed.

For colour, arrive with clean, dry hair washed 24 to 48 hours before, without heavy root-cover sprays, silicone oils or dry-shampoo build-up, which can block even lift. For a dry curly cut, arrive with curls washed that morning or the day before, detangled, completely dry and worn down, with only a light leave-in, so the stylist can read the true curl pattern.

Heat, sunlight and mineral-heavy shower water cause most brassiness and fading. Wash in lukewarm rather than hot water with a sulphate-free professional cleanser, always use a heat protector before hot tools, and consider a quick gloss refresh halfway between full colour appointments.

Get in touch within 10 days of the appointment and the studio books a complimentary tonal gloss adjustment or dry-cut refinement with the same stylist.

Multi-hour colour appointments are reserved for one guest, so the studio asks for at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or move any appointment, by telephone or through the contact form. Changes made with that notice carry no fee; late cancellations or missed appointments may incur a partial chair-time fee.