THE ART OF LOW MAINTENANCE HAIR COLOR
can switching how you color your hair can save you time & money?
The phrase Low Maintenance Hair or “LMH”, first came on the scene around January 2007. The tightening grip of financial instability likely being the culprit, consumers questioned how they could afford their beauty regimens. The term remained relatively low on the search engine radar until about November 2016. The slow, yet steady incline questions what could have possibly caused the influx. My theory: Youtube’s infamous beauty influencers were emerging and the soft chatter amongst women were circulating through the webs. It isn’t until June 2020 that the infamous phrase hits a new high. Women, again, were searching for solutions in a struggling economy. Fast forward to the present, “low maintenance hair” has continued to climb and reached a peak as of May 2024.
But what does this mean? What are consumers looking for? And the question I asked myself– How can I fill the gap?
“Youtube’s infamous beauty influencers were emerging and the soft chatter amongst women were circulating through the webs.”
Lived-in hair color is a phrase coined by the hair industry and made its debut sometime around 2018. The techniques have since evolved, but the principle is the same: Hair color that requires less salon maintenance verses the traditional standard of returning every 4-6 weeks.
The process frequently includes services like highlighting (adding pops of brightness), lowlighting (adding depth or dimension), and a relatively new technique of “root melting” or “root tapping”. This “root blending” technique uses demi-permanent color to blend or partially conceal fresh highlights. The purpose? As your hair begins to grow, and the demi-permanent color begins to fade, the blended highlights begin to pop through giving the illusion of a fresher color.
And that was just the beginning— An experienced lived-in colorist will create a “halo” affect with your highlights. The brighter pieces being around your face, and transitioning lower as you work around the head. Thus, leaving a healthy amount of your natural color exposed. This married with a good root tap equals a lived-in color heaven.
Pricing
Let's set the scene. You sit with anticipation in the salon’s waiting room. You’ve secured a permanent Saturday morning placement on your stylist’s schedule, and it’s time for your hair’s revival. You’re booked for a traditional full highlight— the reg. Your stylist crafts a head of foils and gets you toned, washed, and styled. You pay $285 (more or less depending on your area) and book your next appointment before leaving.
Now, it took you 3.5 hours that day, or 24.5 hours each year- not including commuting. If you do this every 8 weeks for a year, you’re spending $2000 per year on hair color.
Let’s consider a wilder alternative. You pop into the salon eager to catch up with your stylist. It’s been 3-4 months since you’ve last caught up. You’re booked for a full lived-in color. Your stylist assesses your growth and customizes your services every time. More highlights? Fewer lowlights? How did it grow out last time?
The stylist completes a custom color, likely featuring the infamous root blending, and styles you. You pay $400 and book your next appointment before leaving.
Now, it took you 4.5 hours that day, or 13.5 hours each year- not including commuting. If you do this 3 times a year, you’re spending $1200 per year.
the numbers crunched:
Traditional Full Highlights rotated between Partial Highlights
$285 per Full Highlight visit, $200 per Partial Highlight visit
Needed every 8 weeks, 52 weeks per year
3 Fulls per year, 4 Partials
Total invested $1655
Lived-in Color
$400 per visit
Needed 3 times per year, 52 weeks per year
Total invested $1200
Conclusion
As the proverb says, “A penny saved is a penny earned” and in this economy, we need all of our pennies.
The “wilder” alternative isn’t for everyone; There will always be the need for bleach blondes and weekly salon blowouts. But, avoiding the elephant in the room is making the hair industry funky. The girlies are seeking resolve from the salon’s demand for their time. And they want to save a little money while they’re at it.
If you’re looking for resources or are interested in booking one of my services, check out the link here.