Please don't lie to your hairdresser....

So, I had this client the other day....(sounds like the beginning of a joke) she has fine, thin hair. (remember, they're two different things) She also colors her hair at home. Her complaint, besides the thinness and the fine-ness, it that it's dry. No matter how much conditioner she uses. My first comment was "When you color your hair, do you pull the color through your hair, or do you just do your regrowth??" "Oh, no. I just do my color like this" and demonstrates using the bottle on just her regrowth. "I never mush the color on the ends". So, we finish the consultation and head over to the sink...which I'm now going to refer to as the lie detector. I get her head into the sink, and get her hair wet. IMMEDIATELY, her hair, what little there is, clumps together. I apply the shampoo, and start asking questions: "do you take any medications?? Do you have well water??" Nothing major for medications, and town water. I explain how both can build up on the hair. I shampooed her hair 3 times...still couldn't get my hands through her hair...then I conditioned...still didn't work. Bring her back to my station, and apply a protein/keratin spray...now I can get the comb through. During the course of the haircut (which didn't take long, and I managed to cut myself because she has no hair!!) I discuss the damage that's been done to her hair. She didn't bother denying that I knew what she'd done. It's not her fault, and I explained so. It's the stupid directions in the box of color. I also explained that she needed to upgrade her shampoo (currently using the BARGAIN brand , which is flavored floor stripper) get regular trims, and amp up the protein in her diet...all these things will improve the condition of her hair, over time. SHAMPOO: It's soooo important to use good shampoo/conditioner, especially if you're going to chemically treat your hair. You can't trash your hair with chemicals, then use cheap crap products. Your hair turns into a Brillo pad. REGULAR TRIMS: Regular is what you make it...every two months, every month, which ever fits into your budget is regular, in my opinion. However, regular it must be. You can't grow your hair as long as it will get if you don't trim it up so it's even every so often. That 2 inch wide long section that touches your waist doesn't count as long hair...the rest of the hair needs to be there, too!!! COLORING YOUR HAIR AT HOME: Not much is going to prevent this from happening. However, the directions need to change in the box. All you're doing when you "freshen up" the color according to the directions is ruining your hair. You're bringing ammonia down to the ends, where it isn't needed, and it blows the cuticles wide open, creating that rough texture that only a haircut will fix. There isn't enough product in the world to apply to your hair that will fix that hot mess. So, in conclusion, please don't lie to your hairdresser. We always find out in the end.