PSA: A client in my chair yesterday asked for a 'sunset balayage' and then showed me a picture of a sunrise.

She was so sure it was the same thing, and it took me 15 minutes to gently explain the difference in tone placement before we could even start her color formula.

3 comments

3 Comments

wader711mo ago

Remember that color theory class we all took? This is why it matters. A sunrise has those cool, light tones at the bottom that warm up as they rise, which is the exact opposite placement of a sunset. I bet she just loved the overall feeling of the picture and got the name mixed up. Good on you for taking the time to explain it instead of just doing what she said. That patience is what builds trust and gets clients to listen to your professional advice later.

nancy_wood1mo ago

But honestly, who cares if the label is wrong? If the client loves the feeling of the picture, that's the real goal. Like with @ramirez.vera's cousin, she wanted a vibe, not a textbook definition. Sometimes getting hung up on the technical name just blocks the creative part. Isn't the end result more important than being perfectly right?

ramirez.vera1mo ago

My cousin asked me to paint her living room "millennial pink" last year and brought me a sample of what was clearly dusty rose. This happens everywhere now, people hear a cool name and latch onto it without knowing what it actually means. I see it with coffee orders, plant types, even workout classes. The vibe or aesthetic gets attached to a label and the real details get lost. It makes experts in any field have to do way more explaining before they can even start their actual job.