How to Prepare, for Coloring Your Hair! Guidance for Your First Hair Color Visit With a Salon

Ethos Day Spa
May 30
7 min read

Updated: Jun 3

As seasons change so does the need to re-invent or revitalize your look. Hair color is an amazing way to re-invent or enhance your natural beauty.

Whether it’s a full-on color change, a few high or low lights, or maybe a natural and flowy Balayage, we have the tips and guidance to prepare you for your first hair color salon visit!

The Basics

Types of Hair Coloring offered at a Salon

Toner

Demi/semi-permanent color neutralizes unwanted undertones.

Glaze

Color treatment that coats the hair, adding shine while subtly enhancing color without altering the underlying hair color.

Root Touchup

Application of color to new-growth 1" or less to match existing color.

Root Touchup & Partial Highlight

Application of color to new growth (1" or less), along with foils placed from ear and above.

Root Touchup & Full Highlight

Application of color to new growth (1" or less), along with foils placed throughout the hair.

Single Process All Over Color

The application of color over the entire length of hair. Using the same color as the existing shade or darker.

Partial Highlight

Application of foils from the ears and above.

Full Highlights

Application of foils placed throughout the hair.

Foilyage

Color painted onto the hair freehanded and then placed in foils to get a brighter lift while still blending seemingly into the natural color.

Platinum Card

Every strand of hair is painted with lightener and placed into a foil to ensure maximum lift.

Color Correction

Address unwanted or incorrect hair color results.

Vivid Color

Bold, bright, and non-natural hair colors.

Now that we’ve covered the Salon Hair Color Options, let’s get into some salon visit Do’s and Don’ts.

Do’s and Don’ts When Preparing for Your First Hair Color at a Salon

Do schedule a color consultation with a selected stylist.

This lets you see if you vibe with the stylist, and personality wise but mainly on a hair coloring level.

Being able to discuss coloring options best for your hair type and to work with what your hair color goals are, gives both you and the stylist the ability to set realistic expectations and formulate a plan of action.

This is one of the best practices for salon visits, especially regarding hair coloring.

Don’t show up to your hair coloring appointment with dirty, product-filled hair.

The hair coloring process is in fact an artistic process. Adding in removing gunk and buildup into that process only elongates the time it takes for the artistry to begin.

Do research when selecting a Stylist.

What is their hair coloring background? What do they specialize in? This can make a huge difference in the hair coloring experience, experience in the hair coloring areas you're looking to embark on can help the stylist to better work with you to achieve your hair coloring goals.

Don’t Assume your hair will take color the same way as others.

Just like every Body and Mind are different, our hair type and state make the receptivity to different colors and coloring techniques different.

You may pull a picture from Google of a Celebrity with an outstanding Platinum Blonde or have a friend with bright pink hair and think that your hair will turn out the same.

Your hair is your own and that is why it’s important to schedule a color consultation so that you and the professional stylist can discuss options right for YOUR hair while accommodating your hair color expectations.

Hair Coloring Preparation Tips

Prep your Hair
If you’re looking to have any type of lightning process, it's important to ensure each strand can hold up to the pressure.

Lifting the color, whether to achieve a blonder look or to create a blank canvas for more saturated tones, can be a damaging process.
Strengthen the condition of your hair by using a Bonding or Repairing treatment (Hair bonding treatments, aka hair bonders, are designed to improve hair strength and integrity from the inside out by targeting the hair’s chemical bonds.) In the weeks leading up to your appointment.
Product Recommendations found at Ethos Day Spa:
Oway Rebuilding Hair Bath
A restructuring hair bath for very damaged, porous hair, enriched with coconut-derived ingredients to restore the hair’s lipid balance without weighing it down. It strengthens fibers, improves elasticity, and adds softness and shine. Benefits ✽ Gently cleanses while preserving the scalp’s hydro-lipid coating ✽ Strengthens and restructures damaged, treated hair ✽ Enhances elasticity and hydration for smoother, softer strands

Oway Rebuilding Hair Mask A deeply restorative mask designed for very damaged hair with porous, weakened fibers. Enriched with biodynamic lavender and basil to hydrate, strengthen, and improve elasticity, it nourishes and repairs while sealing the cuticle for renewed softness and resilience. Ethical mahogany provides antioxidant protection, enhancing shine and reinforcing hair structure for a healthier, revitalized appearance.
Benefits ✽ Deeply repairs and strengthens damaged, porous hair by restoring essential proteins.
✽ Seals the cuticle and smooths rough, weakened fibers for a softer, healthier feel.
✽ Intensely nourishes and hydrates with biodynamic lavender and basil for improved elasticity and shine.
✽ Enhances resilience and protection with antioxidant-rich ethical mahogany.
✽ Promotes a healthy scalp by soothing irritation and helping regulate sebum production.
Don’t Shampoo, But Don’t Arrive with Dirty Hair Either
You may think that clean hair is a good canvas to take color better. However, that's not always the case. The idea is that you want there to be a natural protective oil layer on your scalp to act as a barrier against the hair dye.
Washing your hair may depend on your hair type and texture overall, that is why a pre-color consultation is ideal.

If you are getting a double process or single process it is recommended not to wash your hair up to a few days prior.

A good rule of thumb is to shampoo your hair at least 24 to 48 hours before your coloring session, unless otherwise directed.

Regardless of whether your stylist recommends a freshly shampooed scalp or day-two strands, hair should be without hair products.

Any lingering or leftover hairspray and/or buildup from repeated usage will hinder the color or lightener from penetrating the hair correctly.

To ensure the cleanest, most natural canvas is available for the professional stylist to work with, it’s recommended to use a clarifying shampoo to deep-clean your strands a few days before your appointment.
Product Recommendations found at Ethos Day Spa:
Oway Rebalancing Sebum Balance Hair Bath A purifying bath that normalizes oily scalps, reduces hair greasiness, and relieves itching. Formulated with a specific co-surfactant enhanced with zinc salts, it regulates sebum production for a rebalanced, refreshed scalp. Biodynamic sage controls excess oil, organic euphrasia purifies and soothes, while ethical mahogany restores scalp health for longer-lasting cleanliness.
Benefits
✽ Purifies and normalizes excess oil on the scalp
✽ Provides deep cleansing while soothing irritation and itching
✽ Leaves hair feeling fresh, light, and full of vitality
✽ Helps extend time between washes for improved scalp balance
Shape Your Hair or Have it Cut Prior to Your Coloring Session
Cutting your hair pre- or post-color all depends on how drastic the cut is and where the color is sitting. It is suggested that if you are doing a lot of color specifically on the ends of the hair, getting a haircut before can prevent the color from essentially being cut out. If you are doing a more solid color, you could do the haircut or shaping after the coloring process after.
(How to prepare for a haircut at a salon: it's a good idea to shape or cut your hair to how you want it to be or how you want to wear it most when it's styled.)
When the shape of your hair changes, the light and shadows are reflected differently. A fresh, natural shape is suggested and will allow your colorist to maximize the overall look of the color and cut.
Lay off the Heat, both in the Shower and Regarding Hair Tools
Before your appointment, lay off the hot tools and leave your hair in its most natural state. Keep in mind that adding color to your hair, can be potentially hard on your hair. If you can, avoid heat styling for at least a week before your coloring.
That (sadly) goes for those hot, relaxing showers, too. Like hot tools, washing your hair in super-hot water can not only damage and dry out your hair follicles but it can potentially change their porosity altogether.
That doesn't mean you have to take a cold shower every time you wash your hair; it’s advised to turn the temp down to a warmer temp to maintain your hair’s most natural state pre-color appointment.
What Type of Water Do You Have at Home? Know Your Water!
This tip is not one talked about a lot, but when it applies it really makes a difference in the hair coloring process.
If you have hard or sulphuric water, there may be mineral deposits left in your hair long after you rinse. The presence of these minerals could cause unwanted chemical reactions with the products used to change the color of your hair, so be sure to let your colorist know before they mix up your hair color salon treatment.

You can also invest in an easy-to-install shower head with a filter or try a detoxing Head Spa Treatment to clear out potential mineral deposits a week or so prior to your hair coloring appointment.
Lastly,
Have Your Aftercare Products Ready
Post-color, Hydration is key. Using products that incorporate hydrating ingredients meant to nourish the hair allow for the color to adhere, all while reducing fading and incorporating moisture to the hair, that could have been lost in the coloring process.
Color-safe shampoos that are sulfate-free will be the best in keeping color vibrant, as will a good conditioner.

If your hair feels drier than normal post-color, a deep conditioning treatment or hair mask might help soften and restore moisture to strands.
The best practices for salon visits highlighted here are meant to support you in your hair color journey! The professional hair colorist and specialist at Ethos Day Spa strives to go above and beyond to meet and exceed your hair care and coloring goals. Armed with these tips and suggestions along with an amazing team at Ethos Day Spa, you’ll feel like the best version of yourself, refreshed, revitalized, and reinvented to express your beauty to the fullest!

References

Xue, F. (2025, April 30). 11 ways to prep for a hair color appointment, according to stylists. Byrdie. https://www.byrdie.com/what-to-do-before-hair-color-appointment
George, I. (2025, April 3). Hair Bonding 101: How to use a Bond Builder for Damaged Hair. Coco & Eve. https://www.cocoandeve.com/blogs/news/hair-bonding-treatment
Repair. (n.d.). https://owayusa.com/collections/repair
Grand Rapids, MI Hair color salon near you. (n.d.). Ethos Day Spa. https://www.ethosdayspa.com/color