Hair Color Consultation: What to Bring and What to Ask

Color regrets often start in a rush, with a nod at a photo and no follow-up question. A hair color consultation is where you slow that moment down. You describe what you want, your colorist tells you what your hair can honestly do, and nobody mixes anything until you both agree. Here is what to bring, what to say and what to ask, so the conversation at Salon 695 gets you the color you pictured.

Ready to talk through your own color? Book hair color →

What happens at a hair color consultation?#

A consultation is a conversation before any color goes on. Your colorist looks at your hair, asks about your color history and reviews your photos. Then you agree on the look, how many visits it may take, the upkeep and the price.

Nothing is mixed until the plan makes sense to you. That is how we run every color appointment: a conversation first, then a formula for the shade your hair is now, then a plan for between visits.

It is also the point to say what worries you. If you want to keep your length, avoid a root line you cannot maintain or stay under a budget, say it early. Those limits shape the plan as much as the photo does.

What should you bring to a color consultation?#

Bring two or three photos of the color you want and one of a color you do not, plus an honest account of what has been on your hair. Wear your hair the way you usually style it, and bring your calendar and a rough budget.

Photos you like and one you do not#

Pictures beat adjectives. “Warm brown” means something different to everyone, and a photo shows it at once. The photo you dislike matters too, because it tells your colorist what to steer away from. Photos from social media are fine, though lighting and filters change how color reads, so treat them as a direction rather than a promise.

Your color history#

List everything: box dye, henna, past lightening, a gloss, even a color you grew out years ago. Your colorist mixes for the hair you have now, not a swatch on a chart, so history changes the formula. Know roughly when your last color was done and what it was.

If you have ever reacted to hair dye, say so. Dermatologists advise a patch test before coloring if you have reacted before, and it is easier to plan one at booking than at the chair.

Your calendar and budget#

A bright blonde from dark brown is rarely one afternoon, and a soft look like balayage is built for a long gap between visits. Tell your colorist how often you can realistically come back. Then the plan fits your life, not the other way around.

What should you ask your colorist?#

Ask what the result will look like on your starting color, how many visits it takes and what upkeep costs over a year. Also ask which services the quote includes and what you should use at home.

Questions about the result#

• What will this look like on my hair, not on the photo?
• Can we get there in one visit, or is it a plan across several?
• How will it grow out, and what will month three look like?
• What does this do to the condition of my hair?

Questions about upkeep and cost#

• How often will I need a root retouch or a gloss between full visits?
• What does the quote include, and what would add to it?
• What should I use at home, and what should I stop using?
• How do I reach the salon if something looks off after I leave?

Denver’s dry climate pulls moisture from colored hair, so it is fair to ask for a home care plan that suits how your hair behaves here.

How do you describe the color you want?#

Start with a photo, then add three plain words: how light or dark, how warm or cool, and how soft or bold the contrast is. “Lighter than now, warm, soft grow-out” tells a colorist more than a color name does.

Say what you are willing to maintain, too. A bold, even all-over shade and a blended, lived-in look ask very different things of your calendar. If you are weighing painted color against foils, our guide to balayage versus highlights explains how each one grows out.

When your colorist pushes back on a photo, listen to the reason. It is usually about your starting shade, your hair’s history or how many visits the look needs. A good colorist offers an alternative that gets you close, and explains the steps.

Which color services start with a consultation?#

Balayage, large color changes, corrective color, extensions and keratin smoothing all begin with a conversation. Corrective color is priced by consultation, because your colorist needs to see your hair and hear what has been on it first.

Balayage#

Placement is a judgment call shaped by your face, your part and how you wear your hair. A consultation is where it gets decided. Balayage on our price list starts from $220, and your stylist confirms the exact price when you book.

Extensions#

If you want more length or fullness alongside color, hair extensions are planned in a separate consultation so the shade is blended to match.

Smoothing and cuts#

Pairing new color with keratin smoothing or a haircut works best when everything is planned together, so mention what else you want done.

How much will it cost, and when will you know?#

You will know the price when you book, before any color is mixed. Each stylist at Salon 695 sets their own rate, so the exact amount depends on who you see and what your hair needs.

The starting prices on our color page are: all-over color $100 to $120, color with highlights $180 to $210, and balayage from $220. Gloss and root retouch are priced when you book, and corrective color by consultation. You can see the whole list before you decide.

You can choose the in-house 695 Squad or one of our independent beauty pros, and the front desk can help match you to someone whose color work you like.

Your consultation checklist#

Bring	Tell your colorist	Ask your colorist
Two or three photos you love, and one you do not	Your color history: box dye, henna, lightening, your last service	What will this look like on my starting shade?
Hair styled the way you usually wear it	Whether you have reacted to hair dye before	How many visits will it take?
Your calendar and a rough budget	How much upkeep you want	What does upkeep cost over a year?
A notebook or your phone for notes	Any events or deadlines	What does the quote include?
Questions about home care	How your hair behaves in Denver’s dry climate	What should I use at home?

How do you book a color consultation at Salon 695?#

Use the Book hair color button, or call the front desk at 303-777-8282, and tell us what you have in mind. Bring your photos and your questions. We would rather spend the time up front and get the color right than rush the chair, and you leave knowing the plan, the price and when to come back.