Less Foils, More Time: 3 Highlight Hacks From Gina Bianca

Chunky Highlights: How To Save Time & Money

Who doesn’t like to save time and money? Like Gina Bianca (@iamginabianca), Director of Color at RUSK®, says: Time is your most valuable, unrenewable resource. That’s why she does everything she can in the salon to speed up her services and work smarter, not harder! 

Keep reading to learn how to create chunky highlights, make sure you’re not undercharging and a few foiling tips to keep you working fast.

Swipe to see her before & after! 

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1. Start foiling at the nape for high-impact results with less foils

Here’s why: When your client pulls their hair underneath to the front, this will connect the hairline for a bright pop IN LESS TIME!

Gina is all about fast, salon-friendly color techniques to save you time behind the chair making you MORE money—that’s why she loves this technique. 

First, Gina splits the back section into two and takes her first weave at the bottom of the hairline. Using RUSK® Deepshine® Ultimate Blonde Blue Powder Lightener, she back brushes upward applying a liberal amount of product to ensure saturation. Next, she takes three slices and finishes with a fine weave.

Make sure to watch the FULL live to learn all of Gina's foiling techniques!

PRO TIP: If you want your client to be blonder, make your initial section smaller. AKA the closer your foils are together, or the less hair that is left out, the lighter it’s going to be!

Products Used

Hair Color

Deepshine® Ultimate Blonde Blue Powder Lightener

Demi-Permanent Color

Deepshine® Gloss Demi-Permanent Color

RUSK

Hair Color

Ruskin10 Permanent Cream Color

Check out Gina’s formulas below: 

Formula A (lightener): Deepshine® Ultimate Blonde Blue Powder Lightener + 10-volume developer (1:1.25)

Formula B (lowlight): RUSK® RUSKin10 10-Minute Permanent Cream Color 5N + 6G (1:.5)

Formula C (gloss): RUSK® Deepshine® Gloss Demi-Permanent Color BN

2. Don’t undercharge—here’s how!

There’s a LOT that goes into your prices: your location, how in-demand you are, your level of education and so much more. That’s why Gina says it’s so important to consider every aspect of your time, energy and resources when setting your rates. 

Gina recommends setting an hourly rate plus taking length, density and the condition of the hair into consideration. Then, she bundles it into a detailed package that breaks down every part of the service to show the client the true value they’re receiving. 

Lastly, you have to take the price of product into consideration. Gina uses a lot of lightener to achieve bright results. More product = Higher prices!

Save Time & Money with Express Toners: CLICK HERE!

3. Count your weaves!

At the end of the day, while trying to juggle making chit-chat with your client and sectioning simultaneously, it can be hard to remember what you were trying to do next. This is why Gina counts her weaves as she goes so she’s never wasting time guessing what her end result will be. 

PRO TIP: For a more natural look, your weave should include about seven strands. A weave with three to five strands will appear chunkier. 

BONUS TIP!

Working with a client that has long hair? Gina applies lightener with two foils overlapping each other, pulling the second foil down as needed for length.