Rejected by hairdresser

Very odd. What about getting a recommendation for a home hairdresser. I’m short of time and have a home hairdresser who’s always been reliable.

Surely it's better to have been 'rejected' then risk damage to your hair or a visible unsatisfactory result. Had either been the result wouldn't the salon have been liable for failing to carry out a strand test or in your case, failure to notify you and go ahead with the treatment regardless?

Personally I would be very grateful that they have done the necessary tests and taken the results seriously.

In these days when people make a lawsuit out of just about anything, they possibly refuse some services to anyone whose hair might react badly. You could ask around to see if there's an independent hairdresser who'll use your own choice of colourant (Clairol if that's what works for you). Hairdressers who come out to customers' homes will often use the customer's preferred products. Yellow Pages or Admag papers could be worth a try.

I’ve got very porous hair - hence why I’ve embraced the grey.
When I was younger, in the ‘80s, dark brown came out black, medium brown was dark and I had to resort to light brown to get a chestnut colour! That was another reason I’d been told not to have a perm of any kind - never, ever.
I’d be grateful a salon had done the proper tests.

Sounds like they are both trying to protect your hair and their reputation.

Try another less scrupulous salon perhaps?

My hair is porous too possibly because I used to have it coloured every 6 weeks. It’s thinner too now. So I am grey / white now. Not keen on the colour but nervous about risking adding colour because sometimes it doesn’t turn out well.

I used to have my hair coloured regularly as soon as I got grey hairs appearing in my forties, but my hair started to look increasingly dried out no matter how I conditioned it.
Now I have embraced the grey/silver, using an intensive purple shampoo and conditioner that keeps it looking sleek and shiny as well as a lovely shade of grey/silver.
I do think that constantly colouring the hair can be damaging, especially as we get older and our hair gets so much thinner.

Babs my friend uses redkin purple shampoo and her hair is a lovely shade of violet mixed with grey hair. What brand do you use?

A hairdresser is free to decide whether it treats or cuts someones hair or not.

Annoying, yes, iritating but, to start to use emotive words like 'reject' for such a trivial happening is, in my opinion well OTT

silverlining48

Babs my friend uses redkin purple shampoo and her hair is a lovely shade of violet mixed with grey hair. What brand do you use?

It is called Provoke and is available online, am pretty sure high street shops have it too.

I agree MOnica that 'reject' is a bit strong for a hairdressing issue, but I was really surprised how much it upset me. Yes its trivial in the grand scheme of things, but it made me feel really old - and in the season where I tend to depression, quite down in the dumps. My volunteering roles are all front facing, customer service, reception type jobs and I really try to look presentable and take great care with my clothing, make up and hair. Its a good incentive for me and I have always said I dont want to embrace the grey.

Isn’t it better to have healthy, shiny grey hair than hair which has reacted badly to colouring? The hairdresser was right to test your hair. Its condition is not their fault. You can only blame your own hair and perhaps all the years of home colouring haven’t helped. The salon or another one may be able to suggest a way of gently transitioning to grey. There comes a time when coloured hair no longer suits many of us, looks very artificial and can be ageing. My decision to go grey when I was 70 was absolutely the right one. I look after my hair and the colour suits my skin now. And yes, I wear makeup and take care of my appearance too. I’m vain!

You haven't been rejected. The salon is protecting you from ending up disappointed, possibly blaming them and complaining to others about it, damaging their reputation in the process.

This from a professional site:

How Porosity Affects Hair Colour

Porous hair has a damaged and raised cuticle. In healthy hair the cuticle is smooth and lies flat, but the cuticle in porous hair is lifted or raised.

Shop bought box-dyes are weaker than professional dyes but your hair will still have been damaged by home dyeing.

When the cuticle is damaged and raised, any colour mixture which is applied to the hair will penetrate too easily and be over-absorbed, which can lead to darker, duller colour outcomes. Increased hair porosity can also lead to rapid colour fade, as the raised hair cuticles can leak colour pigment molecules.

Fast Fading Colour

When the hair does not retain the colour molecules there will be a noticeable fading of the colour. Porous hair cannot retain colour effectively, leading to potentially both darker and duller colour results, and also colour results which fade rapidly. The raised cuticle on the outer layer of the hair allows colour pigments to leak, leading to fading colour results. Colour will fade and be short-lasting.

If you want to start having your hair coloured professionally, an option would be to grow out the home colour or have the coloured hair cut off. The new growth will be undamaged or at least less damaged depending on what chemicals you use on it.

SunnySusie
Be thankful they turned you down, my DD went ahead with a salon after they were dubious after a strand test and ended up with almost black hair! Took about a year to fade and grow out.
Porous hair sucks up dye, but you can have colour by using a reputable brand like you have done and using dark blonde or light brown and reduce the time it’s on your hair and keep checking it.It’s what DD did later when her hair had recovered and was absolutely fine.

Also, use shampoo specifically for coloured hair and conditioner once hair is coloured and never any shampoo that strips colour like a dandruff shampoo.

Same here. I sucked it up and I'm a few years younger than you. Trust me people know you're old regardless of your hair colour.
The hairdresser is doing their job.

You’re so right keepingquiet. Colouring your hair in your 70s fools nobody.

I think for those who like to colour their hair regardless of age it would be wise to avoid reds and darker browns/black, shades of blonde and light browns imho are the best and would recommend semi-permanent - wash in/wash out home hair dye kits rather than the far more damaging permanent hair dyes.

oh, just go to another salon!

keepingquiet you say that 'Trust me people know you're old regardless of your hair colour.' what? really.

ha ha who ever would have thought it!!!

I think that the salon doesn't want to risk their reputation by colouring porous hair .
It's very upsetting for you .
I wanted to change my very long dyed red hair to grey .
The salon said that they would do it if I agreed to have a very short cut .
I couldn't face having my long hair cut short -so here I am with Nutrisse coloured hair .
I took more professional advice last year and the salon girls said that my hair was nice and to leave well alone.
So that's what I've done !
I know of one lady ,who was refused any more appointments because the hairdresser said that she found her hypercritical .

Sounds like a good salon.
Maybe try another who use different products

Or opt for an exciting new cut?

I'm 76, still colour my hair dark brown, it may not suit every old lady but it suits me. The condition is good but I've always had it coloured professionally (except for covid). I totally trust my hairdresser, she's not cheap but I know she'll tell me when it's time to transition to grey and we have a plan for when the time comes. If she said she wouldn't colour because my hair was too porous, I'd totally accept her judgement. I think home colouring is tricky to do, OH helped me during covid but the colour was too "blocky" which made it look dyed. Natural colour is a mix of lots of shades and my hairdresser will weave lighter colours through about every six months and lets the sun lighten the ends in the summer, it's a real art form. I couldn't find a semi permanent that would work with totally grey hair that needed the roots done.