Welcome to the healthy hair + healthy colour blog!

The Best Affordable Hair Salon in Sydney - A Expert Guide Let's get down to the nitty-gritty In our previous blog, we shared our tips on how to find the best hairdresser in Sydney, now we're digging a little deeper into what you really want to know! How to find the best affordable hair salon and is there such thing as an affordable hair salon?  We take a look at budgeting, why salon prices differentiate, where to spend more and how to leave the salon visit feeling comfortable and happy!     Why Do Hair Salon Price’s Differentiate? Each salon's price list is different, this is because they are dictated by the level of staff experience, the quality of the products they use and the location of the salon. You pay for the result you want to achieve, master colourists are experts of their field and you should expect to be quoted for their expertise and time to achieve your dream hair. Generally speaking, you will be paying more towards the Sydney CBD than you will in the suburbs purely because of overhead costs like rent, that's just the way it is! When is it Worth Paying More?  It’s ALWAYS worth spending when it comes to your hair. Your hair is your crown, and stylist prices are in accordance with their colour expertise or styling skill. Paying for a luxury service will always leave you satisfied and your hair in trusting hands. As prices vary to align with the level of expertise of the hairdressser, yes junior stylist prices will be more affordable than a colour director or celebrity hairdresser!  However if you've had problems in the past and it feels like your hair never comes out the way you wanted it to, it is worth paying more to see a colour specialist rather than to continue paying a smaller amount but ending up disappointed or with broken hair that takes repeated appointments to fix!  The Best Affordable Hair Salon Hack! A great tip is to get the best affordable hair salon experience is to get in touch with the hair salon and ask if they are ever in need of models for training sessions for their junior team. As these training sessions are often overlooked by a senior hairdresser you will be in safe hands!  Hair Consultation - Speak to Your Stylist   Most of the time, a good hairdresser will listen to you and work with your budget during the consultation. For example, opting for a 1/2 head of foils rather than a full head of foils for your visit to bring costings down. This being said, if a professional stylist recommends you have a treatment or a plex service added onto your quote it's best to trust them! Remember they wouldn't recommend it if they didn't think your hair needed it to maintain good condition.    Remember there’s no such thing as affordable luxury!! You pay for the results you want! 

The struggle can be real when finding a new salon! Our last two blogs have touched on how to find the best hair salon in Sydney for you. This one is really dedicated to helping you narrow down your search to your area! Here are QUE's FINAL FOUR tips to help you cut down your list of best hair salons and book that appointment in! Check in with your Friends!  Quite often the best way to find a new trusted hair salon and stylist is through word of mouth. No one knows you better than your close family/friends right? So check in with them and see if they have visited any of the salons on your shortlist. Your inner circle is most likely a hidden book of the best info when it comes to recommendations for a new hair salon near you! Especially if you have noticed one of their hair colours before, ask where they get their hair looked after and which stylist they see!  If you’ve just moved to Sydney, try asking those you work with, often people are happy to offer a recommendation and will see it as a compliment!  Checking Websites and Social Media This may seem obvious, but theres a few hidden things to look for here. Yes, a majority of hair salons today will have a website or social media presence, but are they regularly updating these pages? An outdated website or an instagram that hasn't been used for few months can be a telling sign. There also should be images of the actual salon space available to see online. You may also find honest reviews posted on google which will help you to make the right decision! Pay A Quick Visit Still not certain? Why don't you Book in for a treatment and blow dry for a test run! This will allow you to get a vibe for the salon and see how you like you salon team before committing to a colour appointment. You can also check the key factors like Is it clean? Is it organised? Do you need to wait an extensive period of time for your appointment? Each of these factors is important to consider, particularly when you return for a more extensive hair treatment.   Do You Feel Comfortable in the space? Vibe checks are a real thing, you need to be comfortable sitting in your stylists chair. When having a consult before your appointment its important to check on the basics! Do you feel like your stylist is attentive to your needs? A good stylist will build a relationship with you, make you feel confident and work with you to    put together a plan to help you achieve your dream hair. Keep the dialogue between you and your stylist open and honest so that you leave feeling satisfied. Hopefully this helps you narrow down the search for the best hair salon for you! Love, TEAM QUE ! 

 How to Find the Best Hair Salon in Sydney for YOU! With Industry Expert Tips   Finding "the one" can be tough.. and we're not just talking about that kind of relationship!  If you have ever visited a hair salon you know that the bond you form with your hairstylist is beyond crucial! However you also probably know that finding "the one" can end with multiple salon visits, opening yourself up to trusting essentially strangers, and often (who agrees here!) taking one or two bad haircuts/colour experiences for you to say NEVER AGAIN!  At QUE Colour we are passionate about eliminating those bad experiences and only leaving you with good hair, always! We were inspired to create a list of our TOP TIPS to make sure you can find the best hair salon in Sydney for YOU!   This guide is designed to help you pick the best hair salon near you and you may even end up at Que Colour for your next hair appointment. SEARCHING FOR THE BEST HAIR SALON IN SYDNEY: It is important to do your research. When you're looking, get specific! If you're a full head of foils gal search for "the best blonde hair specialist" or "best foil specialist salon near me" If your hair is naturally curly, search "best hair salon near me for curly hair” to get the best search result for you. Seeking out a specialist is a great way to ensure you will end up at a salon team who know what they're doing! We all know word of mouth is great, but what works for your best friend doesn't mean it's going to be the one for you. Our hair is individually so different and the search should be taken seriously! So whilst it is good to get recommendations, google is your next best friend to find "the one".   Remember here, some links in google are paid and may always reach the top but this does not always mean they are the best. Check out their reviews, google images (have they been updated recently?) the vibe of their website, and obviously Instagram!  On the topic of Instagram, whilst it's certainly alluring to see photos of celebrities or models make sure there is a good representation of real clients done by the salon which is the best evidence of the work that the salon produces. It is for this reason all of Que Colour  Instagram images are shot in natural light at our salon with no tricks!  One last no-fuss way to check the standard of work in each salon is to check their salon accreditation offered up by the Australian Hairdressing Council. Que Colour recently achieved Gold Status, a true reflection of the excellent services on offer, client satisfaction and journey!    CONSULTATION OFFERING:  Ensure the salon offers a consultation service  At Que Colour we make exclusive time for a complimentary consultation before your appointment as we believe it is the most important factor to a successful salon visit with all new clients!  The consultation is YOUR TIME to communicate with your hairstylist and it is as much up to you as it is to us to determine a successful salon visit. We recommend booking your consultation first thing in the morning so the hairstylist can give you their full attention, and you can feel secure with going ahead and booking your appointment at the end of your consultation.  When it comes to hair colour redirections, or big haircut changes we apply this same process even to our existing clients to ensure that we're creating results that align with your desires and expectations.  Some important questions that should be talked about during a successful consultation:  What is your hair’s current colour, texture, and how do you wear your hair on a normal day? What is your end goal with colour/cut ? Will it take more than one session to achieve the look if it is a drastic transformation? What have they done with their hair in the past that they’ve really loved? What have they done with their hair in the past that they’ve really disliked? What products are recommended (if any) to keep the hair tone quality at home. Do you have a budget you're working with today?  If your salon is asking these questions then you're sure to be in good hands.    HAIR SALON PRICING: Look for transparency  If you are visiting a hair colour specialist or hairstyle specialist salon then you may find you will see extra service costs in your quote that you haven't had before. This is not a bad thing as your hairdresser will charge in line with not only their expertise in the field, but how much time and how much colour your hair will need.  The consultation should include a quote for your appointment to ensure there's no disappointment with the result, and no miscommunication as to your spend budget. If your stylist wants to start colouring without giving you a clear quote then that is definitely a "red flag". If you've had bad experiences in the past and find you're always disappointed with the way your hair turns out it is worth paying more to see a hair colour specialist rather than to pay mid-low range prices for repeated bad work.  Booking with a mid-priced junior or emerging hairstylist can be easier on your wallet but always make sure they are being guided by a senior hairstylist and that you don't push your expectations with that stylist.  Even with costs varying, it's crucial to think about what your hair is worth to you and always spend where you need to. Look after your hair like you would your best silk dress and it will thank you!    FIND OUT WHAT HAIRCARE PRODUCTS THEY USE:If it's silicone, it aint' it    This is key! Look for salons that are stocking luxurious, professional haircare products with natural origin ingredients. Do your research and check out what is behind their basin, because whilst professional products generally use more gentle surfactants (cleansers), there are still brands to avoid which contain a large amount of silicones (look out for dimethicone) sulphates, parabens and other nasties!  So what should you look for? Don’t be fooled by good marketing, look at the ingredients list! A lot of products claim to have magic ingredients that make false promises, but often contain such a little amount that leave you unsatisfied. A good ingredients list will protect and nourish your hair, maintaining the correct PH level and selecting gentle cleaning agents that won’t strip your tresses of their natural oils. As an example, our back basin and retail include Christophe Robin an indulgent, high-performance range of products free from silicones, sulphates, ammonia, peroxide, SLES and parabens that get the best out of all hair types. The brand draws on the precious powers of highly concentrated natural ingredients to deliver truly exceptional results whilst also being cruelty-free and vegan friendly!    YOU'VE FOUND THE BEST SALON YOU WANT TO VISIT, WHAT NOW? Go with your gut, a good vibe in the salon is just as strong as anything you will read on the internet! After your initial visit or consultation, even if you're not feeling it you can always try another. Remember it’s your crown you have to wear and you should feel 100% confident in the hairstylist you trust it with!  Take our tips and make good hair choices every day! 

What is best when it comes to saving your hair colour from fading ? We know it can be overwhelming when your hairdresser recommends a million products, so we have broken down what you really need and why when your number 1 mission is maintaining the tone of your colour for longer.

Layers are back (but not as you know them)  the rising popularity for movement in haircuts has called upon a shift in trending colours of the moment! We break down our favourites which will enhance your cut and give you all the fresh vibes you'll need for 2021! WHAT'S BIG IN 2021 HAIR COLOUR TRENDS It's all about the gloss treatment-  enhancing your natural colour continues to be one of the biggest hair colour trends for 2021! The most common change here is altering your mousy natural colour to a more sophisticated super lush glossy look with our favourite colour shine treatment by Sebastien Professional. These are an incredible alternative to committing to a permanent colour change as they come in a variety of tinted glosses which wash out after a few weeks! The ingredients are natural packed with vegetable proteins to the point you could actually eat them !  This gloss is great for all textures, Curly hair, straight hair, wavy hair, short hair AND long hair!    WHAT'S NEW IN COLOUR TRENDS Get ready for the HOLIDAY hair colour... even if it's a staycation! Firstly lets talk Blondes: Everyone wants a healthy beach blonde with bouncing lightness! The key to this sort of blonde is to create light reflecting hair colour - do this by asking for a slightly warmer toner/gloss at your next appointment, or even invest in our favourite Christophe Robin Golden Blonde Shade Variation! If you didn't know, now you know that ash absorbs light and therefore looks more dull to the eye. Add a bit of warmth and you'll be brighter than the actual sun! Golden Blonde, 2021 Hair Colour Inspiration: @madelyncline & @beecooper      Now for our Brunette lovers? That lust for warmth continues but is taken to the next level for our brunette girls with exaggerated caramel & butterscotch tones . We're drawing our hair colour inspiration from a werthers original... you may laugh but this perfect tone is seriously EVERYWHERE at the moment and the closest physical reference we can find to JLO at the Super Bowl (if you know you know) You only need to witness the locks of Clara Berry to be swayed to the caramel side!  LOOKING FOR SOMETHING BOLDER? 2021 is THE moment to get creative with your colour and cut as we revisit the 90's inspired panel colour with bold placements and heavy contrasts. Pixies are in and if you've not ever done it NOW the time to do a pixie cut. Shout out to our major pixie hair inspiration right now, @brianacisenoros and      TREND REPORT: THE CURLS ARE ON This years biggest + best trend BY FAR is embracing what you've got! Enhance your natural texture and encourage your curls to come out! We love this hair trend as embracing your curls = washing less and hydrating more. If you have been finding that your curls are frizzy, this is a direct result of hair dehydration. Likelihood is there's a build up of product resting on your hair shaft, which is blocking that essential hydration you need! Natural oil products are essential, I loved reading this recently: The 4 main ways to incorporate oil into your curly care routine by Meraki, this pre shampoo treatment (PRE-POO) is a must for curly hair and will leave your hair silky and defined after washing! 

We answer your most pressing questions with Colour Director Monique McMahon: What is Balayage?  Let us explain! To balayage is to apply colour in a sweeping motion. That’s all it is... Balayage is not a colour and it’s not colour on the ends and it’s not dark roots and blonde ends.  Balayage is simply a way to put colour on the hair, to sweep colour onto the hair.  It’s a technique, not a colour and it is a technique we still love today!   What is the difference between Balayage, Freehand and Handpainting?  Have you heard your colourist use the words "Freehand, balayage" or "hand painting" ? It's all the same thing! Call it what you want it, the technique was born in Paris in the ’70s. Balayage is perfect to create that French girl hair. Beautiful to showcase buttery blondes or cool bronde hair.    What hair colour types are best for the Balayage Technique ? Everyone can wear balayage! It creates perfect glossy brunettes and will give you the perfect base to gloss with a striking copper for red hair beauties! Whilst balayage is often associated with long hair - short + medium hair will also benefit from this technique for the sweeping colour contrast that we love so much.   So on your next salon visit, when you ask for balayage, you now know that this can mean many different colours, not just one!       Are you a hair colourist and looking to educate yourself on Balayage sectioning, patterns + painting techniques ? Take a look a Digital Que Academy for our online hand painting tutorials!    LOVE TEAM QUE 

  The transition from winter to summer is often not a smooth one for our skin - nor our scalps. Autumn is the perfect time to introduce Christophe Robin's Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt. His amazing formula will detox your scalp of any flaky residue or excess oil after too much summer fun" - Monique McMahon, Founder of QUE  SO WHY DETOX? To cleanse, purify and restore balance to the scalp! Exfoliating the scalp detoxes it in the same was as using an exfoliation treatment on your face would - it buffs away flakiness and product build up to reveal the healthier, revitalised skin underneath.  It can also be used as a post-colour treatment to sooth tingling and itching sensations!    HOW DO I DETOX? Apply the equivalent of a tablespoon on damp hair. Gently massage the scalp, add a trickle of water then lather, concentrating on the nape of the neck. Rinse thoroughly and apply a nourishing treatment on the lengths and ends depending on your hair's condition. Rinse thoroughly