Gray Clients Hesitant About Permanent Color? Here’s How To Address Their Concerns

Real Consultations With Tracey Cunningham: What Clients Need To Know About Permanent Color

At the Beverly Hills favorite Mèche Salon, BTC editors witnessed very real concerns from a gray coverage client wary of permanent color during a consultation with Schwarzkopf Professional® U.S. Creative Director of Color and Technique Tracey Cunningham (@traceycunningham1). Fears of damage, harsh grow-outs and commitment were all expressed, and Tracey navigated the convo with ease.

Learn how Tracey educates and reassures clients that permanent color is the perfect fit for their gray coverage service.

Why Clients Hesitate With Permanent Hair Color 

There are a handful of reasons gray coverage clients hesitate to approve a permanent color application, but Tracey’s client expressed the following three:

• Ammonia Concerns: Many clients worry that ammonia will damage their hair or irritate their scalp
• Hair Health & Damage: Some fear that permanent color will weaken or dry out their hair over time
• Harsh Demarcation Lines: Clients who prefer low-maintenance color may avoid permanent color due to visible regrowth

So how do you address your clients’ permanent hair color concerns and help them understand the benefits? Below, Tracey breaks it down in a real-life consultation.

How Tracey Eases Permanent Color Hesitation: A Real Conversation

Tracey: Do you ever have to come back to the salon because your gray doesn’t fully cover? Or does your hair cover easily?

Client: Well, my number one concern is using products that might harm my hair or my scalp. I try to do a semi- or demi-permanent, but most hairstylists prefer to do a complete permanent because they say it’s better coverage. But I always end up with that line of demarcation.

Tracey: So, semi- and demi-permanent are just words and what we have as colorists are different volumes [or Levels of developer]. We would call a semi-permanent maybe like a 10-volume, and a demi might be around 13-volume.

Client: Oh, like a percent?

Tracey: Yes! So, you can use a permanent color line with a 10-volume and still get really great results with gray hair. I’m seeing a lot of bands in your hair. Do you see this? [Tracey points to the natural base/roots] There’s your natural color, then right here it’s translucent, and right here it’s very dark [by the hairline]. This usually happens when three, four months ago you went in, and you may have said it was too dark and my line of demarcation was too much. So, I think they used something a little lighter and it didn’t cover.

Press play to take a closer look and hear Tracey’s gameplan:

Client: Yeah. I felt like it turned my hair green or yellow.

Tracey: Exactly. You may have said to your stylist, “I don’t like my hair going red,” but you have to have some neutral when you’re trying to cover gray. You can’t put just ash on the hair, it will never cover the gray.

Another thing, we need to start formulating a lighter base around your hairline because the hair around your face grabs differently. So, when I’m coloring, I always have a little hairline bowl and I have a base bowl. And I can formulate two shades lighter and it will look the same—it’ll match. Everybody’s hair is a little different. 

Client: That makes sense. My hair is just a rainbow of different colors.

Tracey: The goal is balance. Based on your hair, I’d say you’re about 70 percent gray in some areas and 50 percent in others. So, we need to highlight, lowlight and adjust your base. Let’s get started!

Want to see how Tracey broke through her client’s harsh bands? Click here to see the step-by-step!

• Formula A (hairline gray coverage):

  IGORA® ROYAL 7-00 + 7-0 + 30-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (equal parts)

• Formula B (base gray coverage):

  Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA® ROYAL 6-0 + 6-00 + 20-volume and 30-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (to create 25-volume) (equal parts)

• Formula C (highlights):

  Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME® Premium 9+ Lightener + developer

• Formula D (lowlights, Zone 1):

  Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA® VIBRANCE 6-0 + 6-00 + 6-1 + 6-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (equal parts)

• Formula E (lowlights, Zone 2):

  IGORA® VIBRANCE 7-0 + 6-0 + 6-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (equal parts)

• Formula F (lowlights, Zone 3):

  IGORA® VIBRANCE 8-0 + 7-0 + 6-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (equal parts)

• Formula G (hairline root shadow):

  IGORA® VIBRANCE 9-1 + 9-0 + 6-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (equal parts)

• Formula H (base root shadow):

  IGORA® VIBRANCE 6-1 + 7-1 + 6-volume IGORA® ROYAL Activator (equal parts)

Tracey’s Permanent Hair Color Suggestion: When it comes to coloring celebrity clientele, Tracey needs something trustworthy, long-lasting and offers maximum coverage with minimum damage. That’s why she opts for IGORA® ROYAL—it is formulated with lipid carriers and bonding agents to protect and nourish

“IGORA® ROYAL is a very beautiful permanent color line that has a very great color range—it’s amazing,” Tracey shares. “It’s funny because back in the day when I was using a different color brand, if a client said, ‘You didn’t cover my gray,’ I’d have to ask if anyone had any Schwarzkopf. It was the only thing that could cover the gray.”

Up Next: How Tracey Evens Out 4 Bands of Old Permanent Color

Products Used

Hair Color

IGORA ROYAL®

Schwarzkopf Professional®

Color Depositing

IGORA ROYAL® Oil Developer

Schwarzkopf Professional®