One stylist has mastered eliminating color waste so significantly, it has put her as the top 2022 Waste Warrior in North America. Lauren Ehlers from West 13th Salon in West Fargo, North Dakota, has been recognized for her amazing achievement by Vish Color Management, who each year, celebrates salons and stylists that stand out above others in eliminating color waste and using less to create more. To mark Earth Month, Beauty Launchpad asked Ehlers and West 13th Salon owner Janelle Finseth for their top four tips to minimize color waste.
One stylist has mastered eliminating color waste so significantly, it has put her as the top 2022 Waste Warrior in North America. Lauren Ehlers from West 13th Salon in West Fargo, North Dakota, has been recognized for her amazing achievement by Vish Color Management, who each year, celebrates salons and stylists that stand out above others in eliminating color waste and using less to create more. To mark Earth Month, Beauty Launchpad asked Ehlers and West 13th Salon owner Janelle Finseth for their top four tips to minimize color waste.
[1] Introduce Vish with lots of love and support. When West 13th Salon installed Vish, they dialed into the full Vish education program with initial training sessions backed by follow-up coaching calls. But Finseth also took care to gently (and regularly) nudge her already eco-conscious gang so they embraced the discipline of cutting back on color waste.
[2] Trust your experience. Set recommended dispensing quantities and revise them often, rather than accept what a manufacturer or a school suggests is the right amount. The more you work with a specific product, the more you find ways to fine-tune how much you need. This means even with new clients you’re able to mix precise amounts, so less is thrown away after a service.
[3] Create a ritual. Ehlers ensures she always remembers to reweigh her bowl after every service by doing it the exact moment she goes back to the scale. “I made it a habit to reweigh just before taking my client to the basin to have her color rinsed,” says Ehlers. “It’s fixed, so I rarely forget.” Vish automatically captures how much product was actually used and refines the formula. “This allows me to see exactly how much color I’ll need for my client’s next visit,” notes Ehlers.
[4] Err on the side of caution. Don’t mix more than you need. Ehlers only mixes one bowl at a time, regardless of how much color is needed or how much coverage is required. Ehlers also pays close attention to how she’s distributing the color. “Careful foil placement means I can more accurately estimate color to avoid overapplication,” says Ehlers.
