Photography: Courtesy of Studio Lioness (@studiolioness) & Indiana Kelly (@indi_studiolioness)
Color corrections are some of the most time-consuming and complex services a stylist can provide. They require a carefully planned approach, advanced skills, and clear communication with your clients—who may already be stressed out following a DIY mishap or negative experience with another colorist. Pricing these services effectively can also pose unique challenges, from determining what constitutes as a color correction to ensuring you’re compensated fairly for your time, expertise, and products.
Wondering if you’ve been charging correctly for your corrective color services? Ahead, we asked salon owners and stylists to share their favorite color correction pricing strategies, plus helpful tips to make these approaches work for you.
Why Corrective Color Requires Special Pricing
Fixing color mistakes like brassy box color or uneven pigmentation usually requires a higher level of expertise from the stylist and a greater time commitment to achieve the desired result. No two color corrections are the same and, in some cases, they may require multiple appointments, specialized products, or even color removal. The time-consuming, product-intensive nature of these services typically contributes to a higher overall price when compared with basic color services.
When To Use Corrective Color Pricing
The first step to pricing corrective color is to define what qualifies as a color correction according to your own professional standards. While many experienced stylists will intuitively know what falls into this category, establishing clear criteria from the get-go ensures consistency, transparency, and clear expectations.
Here are a few basic questions that can help you identify situations that require color correction pricing:
- Did your client attempt a DIY color experiment at home that went awry, resulting in uneven, brassy, or undesirable results?
- Is your client looking to fix color that was done at another salon that didn’t meet their expectations?
- Are you correcting your own work, either due to a misunderstanding of the client’s expectations or a rare mistake? If so, is there a simpler revision that can meet the client’s needs versus a full color correction?
- Does the hair require significant adjustments, such as removing unwanted color, correcting banding, or addressing visible color imbalances?
Any scenario that involves significant revision time, effort, and expertise will typically fall into the corrective color category. With that said, it’s up to each stylist to establish these boundaries before deciding on a pricing model.
6 Ways to Price Color Corrections
By the Hour Plus Additional Services
Charging by the hour plus any additional services is a straightforward approach that reflects the time commitment required for corrective color. This method allows you to adjust pricing based on the complexity of the work while giving clients a clear, transparent estimate up front.
Philadelphia-based stylist and owner of Luxe Color Studio Shannon Walker (@luxecolorstudio_pa) charges $150 per hour as a base rate for corrective color services (this corrective service might include color removal or lightener). She then adds on the cost of additional services needed to complete the look, like a full balayage/foil (starting at $130), toner/glaze (starting at $45), and cut and style (starting at $45).
Pro Tip: You can adjust hourly rates based on your local market, like Ian Cutrona (@mrduder)—stylist and owner of Auburn & Ash in Orange County, California—who charges $100 to $150 per hour. His advice is to do a complete consultation and lay out the price beforehand. “Some corrections are easier than others,” says Cutrona. “I let every client know up front what they’re getting into so that there are absolutely no surprises or unrealistic expectations.”
By the Hour Plus Product Usage
For color correction services requiring extensive product usage, many stylists prefer to charge by the hour plus the cost of products used. Color correction often requires extra color applications, so this method ensures that you’re adequately compensated for your skills as well as additional color, lighteners, or treatments.
Janel LaTessa (@hairbyjanellatessa), a stylist at JL Hair Artistry in Cleveland, prefers this pricing strategy. She says that she charges $100 per hour plus $20 for each tube/batch of color. So, for a color correction requiring four hours and five tubes of color, she would charge $500 (which includes the blowout and style).
Pro Tip: Keep detailed records of product usage to justify costs and provide transparency to your clients when using this corrective color pricing model.
By the Service
Charging for each application or service performed during the color correction is another effective approach. This method is great for stylists who want to simplify their pricing and allow their clients to see the breakdown of their total cost.
Michele Pritchard (@michelepritchardhair), stylist and owner of Michele Pritchard HAIR Luxury Boutique, says she prefers using this pricing model for her color corrections. “If I have to do multiple base colors or glosses, I charge for each application,” she explains. “Or, if I have to do multiple lightener applications, I charge my base price for each one.” Stylist Chantelle LaPrairie (@haircolrxpert26) agrees that this is the most profitable approach.
Pro Tip: This method works well if your booking system is based on service increments (like half-hour slots, for example). "Since I book on the half hour, it’s easier for me to justify and explain my rates to my clients if I charge by the service,” explains LaPrairie.
Base Price Plus Additional Treatments
Establishing a base price that includes essential services (such as a cut and blow dry), with add-ons for additional treatments, provides a clear starting point for your clients.
New Jersey-based stylist Aneesha Nichols (@neeshterece) sets a base price of $200, which includes a haircut and blow dry. Additional treatments or color sealers are then charged separately. “I feel that if you charge by the hour, the client will try to dictate the service,” says Nichols. “Then, you might not be able to provide them with everything they need.”
Pro Tip: This approach helps clients appreciate the value of essential services while allowing plenty of flexibility for customization.
Two-Tier Pricing
Amber Maldonado (@amberm_redken), Redken Artist and owner of Mane Story Salon in Bryan, Texas, prefers to use a two-tier strategy to ensure fairness and transparency. Maldonado says that she charges a base price for her corrective color services, which covers the initial steps—including a consultation, product selection, and the first few hours of work.
“This allows clients to know up front that they’ll be paying for the foundational work while giving you compensation for the time spent creating a plan and executing it,” she explains. After the initial two-hour timeframe, Maldonado says that she transitions her pricing to an hourly rate.
“By charging an hourly rate after the first two hours, you ensure that you’re fairly compensated for any additional time spent,” she explains. “This model works for me because it compensates for the extra time and the effort required to achieve the desired results while also providing flexibility.”
Pro Tip: According to Maldonado, this method allows her to tailor her work to the specific needs of each appointment, without compromising on quality. She says that it’s ideal if you’re looking to ensure a balance between structured pricing and the unique requirements of each color correction, giving clients confidence in the value of the service provided.
Color Correction Price Cap
Regardless of how you charge for corrective color, the costs of these services can add up quickly, both for you and your clients. To help keep these services accessible to all clients, some stylists choose to place a cap on how much they will charge for corrective color.
Lynn Ouellette (@theconfidentcolorist_authentic), stylist and owner of The Confidence Factory Salon (@theconfidencefactorysalon) in Sarasota, Florida, chooses to cap her corrective color fees at $500. “I cap because typically, by the time someone gets to me, they've spent money getting what they didn't want,” she explains.
Pro Tip: Setting a price cap for color correction services can be a profitable long-term strategy to help build repeat business, according to Ouellette. “I know once I've corrected something, I'm likely to keep that client, so I will make up for it down the road,” she says. “I just need one chance to gain a loyal client, and in the end, I believe clients are more than generous when treated fairly.”
Quick Tips for Corrective Color Pricing
Set Clear Expectations
“My advice would be to ultimately do what works best for you and your clientele,” says Maldonado. “There’s never a ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to corrective color pricing. Make sure you discuss pricing and set realistic expectations in your consultation, so that you and your client are on the same page.”
Offer Flexible Payment Options
Given the often higher cost of corrective color services, you may want to offer payment plans for your clients. In some cases, you can consider splitting up corrective color services into multiple appointments to make it more manageable for clients financially.
Focus on Building Relationships
While color corrections can be time-consuming for stylists, they’re also an excellent opportunity to put a smile on your clients’ faces and win repeat business long-term.
Showcase Your Expertise
Let your confidence and talent shine during color corrections. Position yourself as an expert in corrective color by showcasing before-and-after photos on social media, sharing client testimonials, and explaining your process. Clients are often willing to pay premium prices for proven expertise.
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