Tests before a service
Ever wondered why we do these tests?
Here at HHD, we have heard everything to try and not have these tests and we have lost potentially, new clients by committing ourselves to be a highly responsible salon. Our policy is very strict around testing being done to ensure that the service is not only suitable for you but to also ensure that your hair of health is not damaged.
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Choose a test below to see why and how we do it:
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Skin Test
Skin tests are performed to ensure there are no allergies or irritation to the products we use. Prior to carrying out a colouring service a skin test must be carried out 48 hours before (unless they have had a colour within the last 3 months in our salon).
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To carry this out, a small amount of colour is placed behind the ear or on the bend of your inner arm. both these areas have sensative skin and will pick up an allergy quickly.
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Elastisity Test
Prior to any chemical treatment or part of our consultation process, we will take a single strand of damp hair and gently stretch it to test the internal structure of the hair. When the hair is in good condition the hair should stretch to its normal length. If the does not return, the inner structure is damaged and will need to repair. Hair with poor elasticity could be damaged further or break off if a colour is applied.
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Incompatability Test
Hair that has had previous chemical treatments at home may be incompatible with professional products. Some products contain a substance called metallic salts. These can be found in colour products or the compound ‘henna’ and react to professional colouring products.
If we take a hair cutting and place it in 20 parts of 6% hydrogen peroxide and one part of perm lotion we can test for the presence of such incompatible chemicals. Signs of bubbling, heating or discolouration are a sign that we should not carry out the service.
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Porosity Test
Prior to any chemical treatment or part of our consultation process, on dry hair, We will take a small section of hair and using the thumb and first finger we stroke hair from points to roots. This is to test the external structure (the cuticle) of the hair and the absorption. Your hair should feel smooth, rough hair will indicate your hair is very porous hair. Porous Hair could be damaged further by chemical services or may result in the chemical process being uneven and fading quickly.
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Test Cutting
A test cutting is a preliminary test of the hair to determine its suitability for a given process, and to verify specifics such as processing times, and possible results. It's very important in situations where the hair is damaged or the intention is to attempt a dramatic alteration to the color of the hair.
Test cuttings are used in colour processes to ensure that the hair will respond properly to the processes planned, and that said processes won't result in irreparable damage to the hair. It's also important when our stylist cannot be certain what other colours or chemicals have been used on the hair in the past. (For instance, hair that is colored using a metallic salt dye, such as those that offer "gradual coverage" of grey hair, will react horribly if exposed to the peroxide in the developer of traditional hair color. Often the result in these cases is that the hair melts completely.)
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Test cuttings are used for similar reasons with perm services, and can also help to ensure that the hair will respond well to a perm service. In the case of perms the term used is "test curl" but the purpose and result is the same.
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Strand Test
This test is performed during the colouring process. It is to check a bleaching or toning process to ensure the achievement of the correct shade required.
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