Corrective color

So, we had an instructor come on Wednesday to assist with a corrective color. Originally, it was supposed to be a blonding class, but turned into corrective color. The client: She's a natural level 4-5, meaning that visually, her hair looks dark brown. She has 75% grey in the very front of her hair, getting progressively less as you move to the back of the head. She had been wanting red hair color for a while now, and wasn't getting it. Part of this issue is in communication. Something we should have in the salon that we don't is a "Look Book"...a picture book of the varying shades of each hair color, grouped by category. Those "haircutting books" we all have just don't cut it, no pun intended. And she was never asked what did she perceive as red hair. Now, at her hair level, she can support red hair, but only if it's done correctly. Therein lies the problem. So, the color the client picked out is a light, warm brown. A level 7, as a matter of fact. Which isn't completely inconceivable, however, with all that previous color, it's a challenge. The first procedure is a "Color Balancing". In Paul Mitchell world, this is what used to be called a "soap cap"...equal parts mild shampoo, lightening powder and 10 volume developer. Which was painted on the hair to gently lift out as much of the old color as possible. Which it did, after an hour. So, now, the client is a really warm "red" tone, which means she's a dark orange. And, because some of this formula got onto her regrowth, she now has "hot spots". While she was processing, the instructor asked us to create a formula to give her close to what she's asking for. Evelyn, who fancies herself (Ginger does too, unfortunately) the color expert, chooses 7A & 7N as her formula. I asked her "Why the ash??" "To counteract all the warmth she pulls" (EVERYONE pulls warmth, not just this nice lady) Mind you, we're working with permanent color. I said nothing after that and sat back down, across the way from Evelyn. Chrissy didn't pipe up with anything, and neither did Maude. So, when the instructor asked us what we came up with, Evie pipes up with what she said. So, the instructor tried to guide her to a different place. The 7A & 7N are going to be just too drab...which is what I had said. So, I suggested going with a CB ( cool blonde, which also happens to be a beige-ish color), so it wouldn't look muddy. The ash is a blue based color, which technically neutralizes the orange her hair has in it, but does nothing with the red still in her hair. The cool blonde is a violet base, which is both blue and red. Still doesn't neutralize the red, but isn't going to be muddy and dull...gives it some shine. The rest of the formula is a NN base, to deal with the grey hair. The instructor formulated high...9CB and the NN is lower, level 6, which makes the level about a 71/2. Okay for what we were looking for. I'm here to tell you, Evelyn didn't appreciate the fact that my formula was used. She'll never say anything to me about it, but she'll talk about me behind my back. If it makes you feel better, Evie... Evelyn had to leave, because her husband just can't stay up later so she can participate in these things, so she didn't get to see the end result. That's how I got to actually be involved in this process. I jumped in and helped apply the color. We had decided to use a darker formula on the regrowth, and lighter formula on the ends, which is technically correct. HOWEVER, Ginger, being Ginger, and always needing to be in control, decided to change things. The lighter formula was used all over the head, with only the front regrowth getting the darker formula. Sigh.... And when the instructor questioned this , Ginger got all defensive. (NOTE: when retelling this story a day later, Ginger made it sound like the instructor flipped out, which she did not). The end result?? I feel it was too warm. I also think we should have used a lower volume developer (since PM doesn't have an opaque demi) to make sure the lift was minimal. Because, what is permanent about permanent hair color?? The lift, not the deposit!! My fear, if this client was mine, is that the color is going to fade, big time, because of the shampoo she uses (professional stuff, but the wrong stuff because it's full of sulfates), and that will be her complaint when she comes back in 6 weeks. What I would have done was created a formula in the sheer demi that PM has (SHINES) and apply it over the top to take care of those hot spots. Ginger noted them the next day in talking to Evelyn about it and remarked that the client will never notice them. GASP!!! What did I learn about all of this?? I know what I'm doing, because I've educated myself on what color does to the hair, and my co workers, Ginger in particular, don't understand permanent color, AT ALL. I'm not saying I'm perfect...far from it. But, I've got this education, and I'm not afraid to use it!!