6 Common Creative Color Questions—Answered!

Creative color has never been chicer, as evidenced by the amazing looks you’re seeing all over Instagram. These creations take a lot of time and require some serious care, so we talked to the queen of artistic colors, Rebecca Taylor (better known as @rebeccataylorhair to her nearly 500k Instagram followers) to get answers to our questions on pricing, process and more! 

1. How Much Should I Charge?
“What I do is a base rate of $250 to $350 for that three-hour block to get started, which includes your prelightening, drying and application. And then every hour beyond that, charge as you would a corrective color service. Maybe an additional $50 to $75 per hour after that.”

2. What Should I Start With?
“If you have a lot of activated texture, the hair may be more porous so you might use more product. You might want to blow it straight, but be mindful of where the hair lays. As far as color, it depends on your end goal. For very pastel looks, you must lighten quite a lot. If you want more of a vintage vibe, you can work with a Level 7 or 8 for a more lived-in feel.”

3. How Should My Client Care For Her Color?
“If you did a solid color or something that’s dominantly blue or purple, you can send the home with a pigmented shampoo. But use color-safe products for sure, nothing clarifying, and use freezing cold water.”

4. How Can I Prevent Bleeding?
“When I started doing multiple colors on one head, I would always freak out because the second you wash, it’s mud. I stopped foiling because at the bowl, as you isolate, the water gets trapped in a foil and can muddy it up. Also, dilute your colors. If you use the dark ones straight out of the tube, they are almost too pigmented and can take over everything. It makes a massive difference. Use freezing cold water at the bowl and don’t shampoo, just condition. If you shampoo, all those fresh tones that you just applied get completely worked together.”

5. What’s The Best Way To Blend?
“I don’t like using a brush. I’ll use it to apply shadow root but when I’m working down the hair, I use my hands to blend and blur. That’s how I get that seamless diffusion.”

6. How Do I Get Started In Creative Color?
“Don’t overthink it. Just go with your gut and try to create something new and innovative. Half the stuff I’ve come up with were happy accidents. Stop freaking out about it so much and go with your gut, because you’ll create cool stuff.”