Okay let’s talk about something that confuses literally everyone…
what hair appointment you should actually be booking.
Because I can’t tell you how many times someone sits in my chair and says,
“I had no idea what to book, so I just guessed.” 😅
And honestly—that’s fair. There are a lot of options, and not everyone knows the difference.
So let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense.
But before we even get into what to book, let’s clear something up real quick—because I hear this all the time.
Highlights = lighter pieces in the hair.
Lowlights = darker pieces in the hair.
That’s it. That’s the difference.
Both are used to create dimension, depth, and contrast—because flat, one-dimensional color is not always the goal. Whether you’re going brighter, darker, or a mix of both, it’s all about making your hair look natural, blended, and actually interesting.
First things first—partial highlight vs full highlight.
A partial highlight is typically from about the ears up… basically the top half of your head. It’s perfect if you just need a refresh, want a few brighter pieces around your face, or you’re maintaining what you already have.
Now, can I still put foils in the bottom? Yes—but not a ton. A partial is booked for a shorter amount of time, so we have to stay within that.
A full highlight is your entire head. This is what you want if you’re going lighter overall, haven’t had your hair done in a while, or you have a lot of hair—especially if it’s long and thick.
And honestly, if you’re sitting there like “I have no idea which one I need”…
book the full highlight.
If it ends up only being a partial, I’m not going to overcharge you. I’d rather have the time than not enough.
Now I also offer something called a small highlight—and this one is super specific.
A small highlight is usually 10 foils or less. Think of it as a quick refresh—like touching up your money piece, those brighter blonde pieces around your face and hairline.
It’s not a full service, it’s just a little boost where you need it most.
Next—regrowth (root touch-ups).
If you’re wanting to cover gray or adjust your base color, that’s a regrowth appointment.
And I want to clear something up here—because this gets misunderstood a lot.
Just because you have gray hair does not mean you have to go darker.
If you’re naturally lighter or want to stay blonde, there are different shades and types of color we can use to cover gray while still keeping you in that blonde range.
You do not automatically have to become a brunette just because you’re covering gray. We can customize that.
Now—this is where things can get confusing.
A regrowth appointment is not the same thing as going from darker hair to a full blonde transformation.
So if you have medium to dark brown hair and your goal is to be a solid, icy blonde…that is NOT a regrowth appointment.
That’s where we move into blonding services.
Which brings me to another service I offer— a blonding retouch.
A blonding retouch is when we apply lightener (bleach) directly to the scalp to keep you consistently blonde from root to end.
This is for my clients who are already blonde and want to maintain that bright, all-over blonde look with no dimension at the root.
Now timing matters here.
Ideally, blonding retouches are done around every 4–6 weeks.
If you go longer than that, it doesn’t mean we can’t do it—it just means more time, more product, and more work to safely get you where you want to be.
So yes, we can still do it—but expect a longer appointment and possibly more cost depending on how much grow-out there is.
And again—if you’re unsure what category you fall into… just ask.
Now let’s talk about all-over color.
An all-over color is one solid color from root to ends.
This is usually for someone wanting to go darker or keep everything one consistent shade.
There’s no dimension with this alone—it’s just one color.
But you can absolutely combine it with other services.
You can do an all-over color or a root touch-up with a partial highlight, full highlight, or even a small highlight.
Everything can be customized. It’s not just one or the other.
Now let’s talk about balayage vs highlights.
A highlight is done with foils and goes close to the scalp. It gives you that brighter, more consistent blonde look.
A balayage is more lived-in and blended. Sometimes it’s hand-painted, sometimes it’s a mix of techniques—it just depends. But overall, it grows out softer and requires less maintenance.
Now let’s talk about something that comes with basically every blonding service—toner.
Every highlight and blonding service gets toned. Always.
That’s what controls the tone of your blonde—cool, warm, neutral, all of it.
And then you’ll hear things like root tap or root melt.
This is where it’s a little different, because the toner we use here is usually not the same as what we’re putting on your blonde.
A root tap is a soft tap of color at the root to blur that line.
A root melt drags that color down a little more for a softer, more blended look.
And that color is usually just a shade darker or closer to your natural color, so everything blends better and grows out nicer.
Now—something I also offer that people don’t always realize—
You can book just a toner.
If you’re blonde (or have blonde in your hair) and it’s feeling dull, brassy, or just needs refreshed, we can wash your hair, tone it, and style it.
That also includes a clear gloss.
So if you don’t need color, you just want your hair to look shiny and refreshed, we can do a clear toner (aka a gloss) to boost shine and bring your hair back to life.
And this isn’t just for blondes—you can have any hair color and still get a gloss. Whether your hair is light, dark, or even jet black, a gloss will add shine, smoothness, and make your hair look healthier overall.
Now let’s talk about a big one—color corrections.
If your hair didn’t turn out right somewhere else, you tried something at home, or you know your hair is going to need a lot of work…
You need to book a color correction.
That gives me the time we actually need to fix it properly.
These are not quick appointments, and they’re not something we can squeeze into a regular highlight slot. More time = better results and healthier hair.
Also—this is something I like to be upfront about.
A lot of color services are starting prices.
If I have to mix up more color, there is an additional charge each time we go through more product.
So if you have longer or thicker hair, or we’re doing a bigger transformation, that’s why the price can increase—we’re simply using more product and more time to get you there.
Now let’s clear something else up, because I’ve actually been asked this…
Every color service includes a shampoo and style.
I am not one of those salons that’s going to charge you extra to blow dry your hair.
If you’re paying for a color service, your hair will be washed, blow dried, and styled—whether that’s straightened or curled.
That’s included.
Now one more thing to mention—especially if you’re wanting something more custom.
If you’re thinking about a fashion color (like pink, purple, blue) or even something more intense like a bold red or copper, just give me a heads up ahead of time.
That way I can make sure I have exactly what I need to get you the best result possible.
Now let’s be real for a second—your hair matters in all of this.
If you have long, thick hair… you’re probably not a partial highlight girl. We just don’t have enough time in that appointment to do what needs to be done.
If you’re unsure, book bigger. We can always scale back, but we can’t create more time.
And while we’re here…
If you’re wondering if you need a haircut…you probably do 😅
Even just a trim can completely change how your color looks and lays.
Now I also want to say this—because I feel like it needs to be said.
I am honest.
If you bring me a photo—even if it’s AI (which a lot of them are now)—and I don’t think it’s going to work for your hair type, your hair history, or even just look good on you…
I’m going to tell you.
And I’m going to explain why.
That doesn’t mean we can’t do something similar or adjust it to fit you better—but I’m not just going to say yes to something that I know isn’t going to turn out the way you think it will.
Now… if you’re like
“I just went through a breakup and I want bangs”—
I’m probably going to say… let’s talk about that first 😂
But if you’re like “no I want them anyway”—okay…hair grows.
And one more thing to keep in mind—everyone has warmth in their hair.
No matter how dark or light your hair is, there are underlying warm tones. So going blonde—especially from darker hair—can take time.
That’s normal.
Also, hormones play a role.
If you’ve recently had a baby, you’re pregnant, on weight loss medications, or your body is going through changes, your hair can react differently. Color might lift differently, grab differently, or just not behave how it normally does.
And again—that’s not you. That’s just your body doing its thing.
At the end of the day, if you’re ever unsure what to book…
Just ask.
Send me a message, send a picture, tell me your goal—I would much rather help you get it right than have you guessing.
Because if it’s something we’re constantly talking about in the chair…
it probably needed to be said here too.
— From the Chair
