Hair colour in the salon

Hair colouring in a salon is a regulated activity in several respects: the products used are cosmetics governed by retained EU law, the people applying them are workers covered by health and safety duties, and the prices charged are a commercial matter for the business. A salon that treats colour as a single task, rather than as a set of separate obligations, will usually find that something is missed. The practical answer is to separate the three strands, product, person and price, and to keep a written record of each.

What the law says about colour products

In England, cosmetic products placed on the market must meet the requirements of the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013, which enforce Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as retained in UK law. A responsible person must be named for each product, a safety assessment must exist, and the labelling must carry the ingredients list and any warnings. Hair dyes are among the product types with specific restrictions: certain substances are banned outright, others are permitted only at set concentrations, and some carry mandatory warnings such as "can cause an allergic reaction" or advice to patch test.

The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on substances hazardous to health, and hair colouring products fall within that scope for salon use. That means the employer has a duty to assess the risk, to provide information and training, and to make sure that mixing and application happen with adequate ventilation and suitable gloves. A colour technician who mixes developers and tints all day is exposed to a range of chemicals, and the assessment should reflect the actual products on the shelf, not a generic statement.

Where a salon buys professional products, it is buying items intended for trained users. The instructions on the packaging are part of the product, and following them is not optional. A salon that shortens development times or mixes brands outside the manufacturer's instructions is departing from the conditions under which the product was assessed.

Where do salons actually buy professional colour?

Professional colour in the UK is sold through wholesale distributors, direct accounts with manufacturers, and a growing number of online suppliers. Prices vary considerably between channels, and the same tube can carry different trade prices depending on volume, contract terms and delivery charges. For a salon owner or a purchasing manager, comparing the landed cost rather than the headline price is the only way to see which channel is cheaper in practice.

The same problem exists in other markets. In France, for example, a French-language price comparison site for professional hair colour, professional colour price comparison, sets out costs for 848 references across five brands and fifteen ranges, with delivery included, checked at more than ten retailers. Its product pages record prices observed in April 2026, and its guides cover topics such as oxidants, lightening, reading shade numbers and grey coverage. The site is aimed at salon stylists, apprentices and salon purchasing managers. The point for a UK reader is not the specific figures, which are French and dated, but the method: compare the total cost of a tube delivered, not the shelf price alone.

In England, a salon buying colour should keep purchase records, because the product safety information and the batch number need to be traceable if a client reports a reaction. Batch numbers matter for recalls, and a recall notice is only useful if the salon can tell which clients received the affected batch.

What should a colour service record contain?

A record for a colour service should allow another stylist to repeat the result and to investigate a complaint. The following items are the minimum that a workable record contains:

• the date of the service and the name of the stylist;
• the client's name and a contact number;
• the products used, with brand, shade number, developer strength and batch number;
• the mixing ratio and the development time actually used;
• the result, including any deviation from the intended shade;
• any adverse reaction reported by the client, and what was done;
• the patch test date, where a patch test was carried out.

A patch test is not a legal requirement in itself, but manufacturers' instructions frequently require one, and a salon that departs from those instructions carries the risk. Where a client declines a patch test, the record should say so, with the date and the client's signature or a note that consent was given verbally in the presence of a witness.

Records should be kept for as long as there is a realistic chance of a claim. Insurers commonly ask for records going back several years, and a salon's own insurer will state the period in the policy. Storing records electronically is acceptable provided they can be produced in full and are backed up.

How does colour work relate to employment and training?

Colour work is often done by junior staff and apprentices, and that raises questions about supervision. An apprentice who mixes colour under supervision is learning a trade; an apprentice who is left alone with a client's scalp and a bowl of lightener is a different matter. The salon's insurance policy will usually specify the level of qualification required for particular services, and the policy terms are the practical limit on who may carry out what.

The Working Time Regulations 1998 set limits on working hours and entitle workers to rest breaks. A colour service can run for several hours, and a stylist who works through a break to keep a client on schedule is not a saving. The same regulations cover the length of the working day and the minimum daily rest period.

Training in colour is not a single event. Manufacturers run their own courses, colleges offer qualifications, and the industry's awarding bodies set the standards for competence. A salon that keeps a training record for each member of staff can show, if asked, who is competent in which techniques. That record is also useful when a client asks for a specific technique and the salon needs to know who can deliver it.

What about pricing and consumer rights?

A colour service is a service supplied to a consumer, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies. The service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time where no date was agreed, and at a reasonable price where no price was agreed. A salon that quotes a price for a full head of highlights and then charges more because the hair took longer than expected is on weak ground unless the possibility of extra cost was explained before the service began.

Deposits are common for long colour appointments. A deposit is generally refundable unless the terms say otherwise, and terms that allow a salon to keep a deposit in all circumstances may be unfair under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Competition and Markets Authority publishes guidance on unfair terms in consumer contracts, and it is the reference point for what a salon can and cannot put in its terms.

Where a colour result is not as agreed, the first step is usually to offer to put it right. A refund is not automatically due if the salon offers a remedy and the client refuses it, but the salon should record what was offered and when. Complaints about allergic reactions are different: they may involve a product safety issue, and the salon should keep the product details and consider reporting the matter through the appropriate channel.

A workable routine

A salon that wants to keep colour work in order can reduce the whole subject to a short routine. Before the service: check the product instructions, confirm the patch test position, and agree the price and the likely duration. During the service: follow the mixing ratio and the development time, and note the batch numbers. After the service: write the record, file it, and keep the client's contact details current.

None of this requires new equipment. It requires a decision about who is responsible for each step, and a place to keep the paperwork. A colour record that is written on the back of a client card and never filed is not a record; it is a note. The difference matters the first time a client rings to say that something went wrong.

Sources read for this page: legislation.gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk, gov.uk, read on 15 September 2026.