Just lost $300 on a 'professional' color line that turned out to be junk

I got talked into buying a whole starter kit from a new color brand at a beauty show last month. The rep swore it was the next big thing, with amazing gray coverage and zero damage. I dropped about $300 on the color, developer, and some special bonder. Used it on a regular client last week for a full highlight and toner. The color lifted super patchy, the toner washed out in one shampoo, and my client's hair felt like straw. I had to comp her service and spend hours fixing it with my trusted stuff. I feel like a total fool for not sticking with what I know works. Has anyone else been burned by a flashy new brand that didn't deliver at all?

3 comments

3 Comments

derek_nelson791mo ago

Maybe you just didn't mix it right, unlike @michaelwright's bad batch.

nguyen.piper19d ago

Yeah, Michaelwright's story hits way too close to home.

michaelwright1mo ago

That "next big thing" promise gets me every time. I bought into a similar line a few years back that swore it was ammonia-free but still lifted. It turned a client's dark brown hair a weird, brassy orange that no toner would touch. I had to do a full color correction for free, and the smell was so strong it made my eyes water. You're not a fool, you just trusted a sales pitch. It happens to everyone in this business at least once.