How to Prepare for a Color Consultation, in Person or by Video
The best way to prepare for a hair color consultation is to bring a few clear photos, an honest color history and a sense of how much upkeep you want. Our consultations are complimentary, in person or by video call. With those three things ready, we can tell you what's possible, how many visits it may take and which service to book.
Key takeaways
- Bring two or three photos you love and one you don't.
- Share every past color, lightener, henna or smoothing treatment, even from years ago.
- For a video call, sit near a window with dry hair styled the way you usually wear it.
- Decide how often you'd like to come back, because that shapes the whole plan.
What is a color consultation actually for?
A color consultation is where we build your plan before any color touches your hair. We look at your natural shade, your current color and the condition of your ends, then match all of that to your goal.
By the end, you should know three things. First, if your goal is realistic in one visit or needs a few. Second, which service to book, such as full lightening or Big Change Lightening for a first time or grown out blonde. Third, what affects your price. Current pricing is on the Service Menu, and longer or denser hair may need extra product.
Related guide: Your First Appointment at Dubé New York: What to Expect.
Which inspiration photos help the most?
Two or three photos of hair you love, plus one you don't, tell us more than a long description. The photo you dislike is often the most useful. It shows us the line you don't want crossed, like too much gold or a stripe at the root.
Pick photos taken in daylight, without heavy filters. Try to find hair close to your own texture and starting depth. Then point to the part you like. Is it the bright pieces around the face, the soft root or the overall tone? A bright money piece, for example, might mean impact lightening is enough, not a full head.
What should I tell you about my hair history?
Tell us everything that's gone on your hair in the last few years, even if it's faded. Color that looks gone can still sit inside the hair and change how it lifts or takes tone.
Make a quick list before your consultation:
- Box dye or drugstore color, and roughly when
- Henna or any color with metallic salts
- Past highlights, balayage or bleach, and who did them
- Keratin or other smoothing treatments
- Glosses or toners from another salon
- How often you use hot tools
No judgment here. We'd much rather hear about a box dye now than discover it halfway through a service.
The more we know about your hair's past, the better we can plan its future.
Dubé New York
How do I set up for a video consultation?
Sit near a window in daylight, with your hair dry and styled the way you usually wear it. Overhead lights and phone filters change how your color reads on screen.
Have a hand mirror nearby, or ask someone to hold the phone. We'll want to see your roots, your ends and the back of your head, since that's where color often looks different from the front. Keep your inspiration photos open and ready to share.
Getting ready for a video consultation
- Find daylight. Sit facing a window. Skip overhead lights and filters.
- Style as usual. Dry hair, worn the way you wear it most days.
- Show every angle. Roots, ends and the back, with a mirror or a helper.
- Have photos ready. Your favorite looks and one you don't like.
- Know your history. Keep your list of past color and treatments handy.
How much upkeep should I plan for with my color?
Your upkeep depends on how far your goal sits from your natural shade. The closer it is, the softer your color grows out and the longer you can go between visits.
Lived in color and soft balayage grow out gently, which is why many clients choose them. Bright or icy blondes need more care, and platinum from a double process blonde shows regrowth quickly. If you only want richer tone or shine, a gloss may be all you need. Be straight with us about how often you want to come back. It changes our placement, our tone choice and the service we suggest. The table below shows how these goals usually compare.
How color goals usually compare on upkeep
- Lived in balayage or soft dimension. How it grows out: Gently, with a blended root. Where you'd likely start: Full or partial lightening.
- Brightness around the face only. How it grows out: Softly, since it's a small area. Where you'd likely start: Impact lightening.
- Bright blonde from dark hair. How it grows out: Needs a plan over more than one visit. Where you'd likely start: Big Change Lightening.
- Platinum or icy all over blonde. How it grows out: Regrowth shows quickly. Where you'd likely start: Double process blonde.
- Richer tone or shine. How it grows out: Fades gradually over weeks. Where you'd likely start: Gloss or custom toning.
What happens after my consultation?
You book the service your stylist recommends, online and whenever you're ready. There's no pressure to decide on the spot.
Your plan carries into the appointment. Your stylist will recheck it with you at the start, since hair can change a little between the consult and the visit. If your goal needs more than one appointment, you'll already know the steps. You'll also know what each visit is meant to do.
Your color consultation questions, answered
Can I do my color consultation by video instead of coming in?
Yes. We offer complimentary consultations by video call as well as in person. Video works well for planning most color, as long as you're in daylight with your hair dry and styled as usual. If your hair has a complicated history, your stylist may still take a closer look at the start of your appointment before any color goes on.
Should I wash my hair right before a color consultation?
You don't need to. Come with your hair clean enough to look like itself, styled the way you usually wear it. Skip heavy oils or shine sprays that day, since they can make color look darker or glossier than it is. The goal is for us to see your real everyday color, texture and condition.
What if I don't have any inspiration photos?
That's fine. Describe what you want in your own words, like brighter, softer, warmer or lower maintenance, and tell us what you didn't like last time. You can also browse our work on Instagram at @dubenewyork and save anything that catches your eye. Your stylist will ask questions and help you put the picture together.
Will you tell me if my color goal isn't realistic?
Yes, always. We'll explain what your hair can safely do now and what it may take over several visits. Sometimes that means a softer first step, like a lived in blonde before a brighter one. You get an honest plan, and you decide if it fits your time, budget and upkeep before anything is booked.
Do I need a consultation for smoothing or extensions too?
We recommend one. For PuraLuxe, we match the right treatment to your texture and how smooth you want your hair. For extensions, every plan is priced for your hair, so our Extension Consultation is where you get your own pricing and method. Both are complimentary and can happen in person or by video.
Book your complimentary color consultation
Choose in person or by video call and book online. Bring your photos and your color history, and we'll handle the plan.