Creative HEAD February 2018

#Extensions
“I always recommend the stylist cuts into a client’s clip-ins to
help them blend better and create natural movement.”
It’s also no secret that colour is having a huge moment,
and with extensions you can open a world of opportunity for
clients who don’t want to take the plunge with traditional
dyes. Katy Grimshaw, salon owner at Spectrum One in
Rossendale, Lancashire, says extensions save time as
colouring processes can be lengthy and complicated.
“Using extensions as a way of adding colour can save hours
of bleaching and lifting, especially if they are looking for a
dramatic change,” she says. “Pre-coloured extensions can be
added quickly and easily to save a lot of time and hassle!”
Natasha Grossman, regional manager for HOB Salons,
agrees that extensions can benefit would-be colour clients
who are worried about damaging their hair. “Highlights,
balayage, and extreme or vibrant colours are the most popular
requests, and it’s easy to see why; applying lighter or
brighter-coloured lengths can be a completely damagefree
and a lower maintenance option,” she says.
Not only that, they offer colour opportunities for
clients who are unable to colour their hair due
to allergies. “We have had clients with massive
colour sensitivities and so extensions have
meant they can still have a new look,” says
Dale Hollingshead, owner of Hazel & Haydn
in Birmingham, which offers Great Lengths. “I’ve another
client who wanted pink in her fringe but wanted it to last
forever, rather than it fading as it would if we coloured her
own hair. Now she has a non-fading pink fringe, which we
refresh every four months.”
And with some business advice from Stephanie Stevenson,
creative director at Prostyles, you can be safe in the
knowledge your new extensions service won’t leave you out of
pocket. “It’s a salon service, and the training and knowledge
added to the premium hair quality all have a price. You simply
cannot engage in the ‘cheap seats’ here. The operational
costings of hair extensions can be prohibitive, simply because
of the standard practice of purchasing the hair before the
service. So, make it company policy to have a five-day window
between consultation and fitting.
“Always take a deposit, but don’t
just take a £50 booking fee – take
the total cost of the hair that
you will be applying.
This way your money
has cleared, the hair
has arrived, you
haven’t parted with
a penny more, and
cashflow is sound.”
68