Appreciation post: my mentor's highlighting formula after 3 failed attempts

Last month I kept messing up balayage on the same client, three times in a row. She was patient but I could tell she was losing trust. My mentor watched me work and asked one question, what developer am I using for her fine hair. I said 30 volume out of habit. She switched me to 20 volume with a longer processing time and a foil pattern I never would have thought of. The result was soft and blended, no harsh lines. I honestly wanted to cry. Has anyone else had that moment where one tiny formula tweak from an experienced person just clicked for you?

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fisher.mary24d ago

My second week behind the chair I did a full bleach and tone on my cousin's thick curly hair. I had used 40 volume because that's what I grabbed without thinking. Her roots came out almost white and the ends were still brassy orange. My educator just looked at me and said, flip your formula, use 20 volume on the roots and 30 on the midlengths, process the ends first. I felt so dumb but she was right. That one change fixed my whole approach to color placement and I've never gone back to the one size fits all way of thinking. Sometimes it really is the tiniest switch that saves your whole reputation.