Since my allergy to peroxide made itself known (read more about it here) my hairdresser has had to bleach my roots in foils extremely carefully, ensuring none of the compound has the potential to touch my scalp. This takes aaages, but thankfully my hairdresser is extremely patient, and we’ve even become friends from spending so much time together. Needless to say this is when we tend to have a quality girlie catch-up.

Prior to my appointment I also do a patch test with each individual coloured dye – even if I’ve used it before. I generally find Manic Panic to be the kindest on my hair and scalp.

After the bleach my hair is usually dyed in crazy-coloured streaks, which means yet more foils. Since I like a trim too, this becomes a lengthy process, resulting in almost a day at the salon.

Well, I don’t know about you, but between work and kids I don’t have a day to devote to my hair – especially if I want the colour to last. Add in a chronic illness which means I’m not great at being upright for any length of time, I’ve had to come up with an alternative system to speed up the process.

Don’t get me wrong, having my hair cut and coloured with the brightest of shades still takes aeons from start to finish, but this way I definitely cut the time down.

So, for the times I’m not retouching the colour myself at home (with the help of my ever-patient husband), my visit to the salon runs thusly:

My hairdresser –

• Bleaches my hair in foils with extreme care
• Washes bleach out, again carefully
• Cuts hair
• Dries hair
• Checks over the cut
• Colours hair – usually in foils
• Sends me home still in the foils which are covered by a plastic processing cap. I add a scarf, hat or wig over the top
• Wash out the dye when required, either that evening or if I don’t have time or I’m too exhausted, then the following morning

It’s not rocket science and I’m not doing anything revolutionary, but going home with the colour still on works for me as it saves on time and money too. I may miss out on a professional blow-dry or styling session, but as I’m capable enough myself this isn’t an issue. And not only that, but I can go back anytime to get a blow-dry for free if I need it, because my hairdresser likes to see the finished product for herself!

Have you got any good tips for speeding up the bleach/ colour/ cut process at the salon? Is there anything else I might have missed?