Color Correction Orange County: What to Expect & Pricing | That Chic Happens
Are you dealing with brassy highlights, a botched box dye job, or uneven color that just won't quit? You're not alone. Color correction is one of the most requested services at my Orange, CA studio, and I've helped dozens of Orange County clients restore their hair after DIY disasters and salon mishaps.
As a color correction specialist serving Orange County, I've seen it all—from at-home bleach attempts to faded balayage gone wrong. Here's everything you need to know about professional color correction, what the process actually involves, and what it costs in the Orange County area.
What is a Color Correction?
Color correction is the process of fixing unwanted hair color OR making a dramatic color change (3+ levels lighter or darker) by:
Removing or lifting existing pigment
Neutralizing brassy or uneven tones
Rebuilding damaged hair structure with molecular repair
Achieving your desired color result safely and intentionally
Common color correction scenarios I handle:
Box dye that turned out too dark or the wrong tone
Going 3+ shades lighter or darker than your current color
Brassy, orange, or yellow highlights
Uneven balayage or ombre
Color buildup from years of home dyeing
Patchy, splotchy, or striped color
Green tones from chlorine or incorrect color mixing
Dramatic transformations (dark to blonde, blonde to red, brunette to vivid, etc.)
The Color Correction Process: What to Expect
Step 1: Consultation & Strand Test
Before we touch your hair, we'll discuss:
Your hair history (previous color, treatments, damage level)
Your desired result
Realistic expectations and timeline
A strand test to see how your hair responds, this often takes place during a stand-alone consultation service; rarely will we conduct a strand test immediately before a service
Important: Most corrections require multiple sessions to protect your hair's integrity. I'll never compromise your hair health for speed.
Step 2: Color Removal or Lifting
Depending on your situation, I may use:
Color remover (for dark box dye)
Bleach bath (gentle lifting for minor corrections)
Full highlight/balayage (to break up solid color)
Toner application (to neutralize unwanted tones)
Step 3: Toning & Finishing
Once we've lifted or removed the unwanted color, I'll:
Apply custom color/gloss to achieve your goal shade
Deep condition and treat your hair
Style and finish
Time Investment: Most color corrections take a minimum of 3 to maximum of 5 hours, per session, depending on complexity.
Color Correction Pricing in Orange County
At That Chic Happens Studio by Victoria Waang in Orange, color correction pricing starts at:
Basic Correction (Toning & Minor Adjustments): Starting at $150
Light brassiness correction
Toner refresh
Minor uneven color fix
Moderate Correction (Lifting + Toning): Starting at $275-350
Box dye removal (1-2 shades lighter)
Going 3+ levels lighter or darker
Balayage correction
Highlight adjustments
Full Correction (Multiple Steps): Starting at $500+
Dark box dye to blonde (dramatic transformations)
Severe damage or uneven color
Going 5+ levels lighter
Most likely requires multiple sessions
Pricing varies based on hair length, density, and complexity. Complimentary consultations available to assess your specific needs.
Before & After: Real Color Corrections
Case Study: Emergency Wedding Transformation - Black to Dark Honey Blonde
Before: This guest has been my treasured regular for 2 years, and we'd been maintaining a professional black color the entire time. When she decided she wanted to go significantly lighter for her wedding – a natural dark honey blonde for her bridal look - we were working against a tight timeline.
The Challenge: Transform 2 years of black color buildup into dimensional dark blonde on a compressed schedule, without destroying her hair before the most photographed day of her life. This required aggressive but strategic color correction with no room for error.
The Process:
With a tight timeline, every appointment was crucial:
Session 1: Two rounds of color remover back-to-back, followed by toner application, so she had wearable color while we continued the process
Session 2: Additional color remover round, then strategic ombré bleach application on stubborn areas that wouldn't lift further with remover alone
Session 3: Finessed the ombré into a seamless balayage with lowlights for dimension, added root tap for natural blending, and final toning to perfection
The Result: We achieved a beautiful dimensional dark blonde that photographed gorgeously at her wedding. The balayage technique meant a graceful grow-out for her honeymoon. I also had the honor of styling her bridal updo on the big day.
Time Investment: 3 intensive sessions on a compressed timeline.
Why This Matters: Most stylists would likely refuse to do a black-to-blonde transformation on a wedding timeline. However, with proper technique, high-quality products, and careful monitoring of hair health, dramatic transformations can be achieved safely even when time is limited. The key is knowing exactly how far you can push the hair without compromising integrity.
Book your hair appointment with @victoriawaang HERE!
Case Study: Damaged Purple Revival - From Over-Processed to Vivid
Before: This guest came to me after years with another stylist who had consistently overlapped bleach during her purple color maintenance. The result? Severely dry, damaged hair with multiple banding issues and an unintentional, patchy purple that looked nothing like her goal. Her hair was crying for help.
The Challenge: Rescue extremely compromised hair while achieving the vivid, even purple she'd been trying to get all along. The damage meant we had to be strategic about every step - one wrong move could cause breakage.
The Process:
Session 1: Complete overhaul starting with color remover, followed by careful lightening only on areas that wouldn't lift with remover alone. Pre-toned to neutralize underlying pigments, then applied a custom-blended vivid purple. We also did a deep treatment to begin the healing process.
The Problem: She experienced significant fading within the first month. After discussing her home care routine, we realized she was using products that were stripping her color.
Session 1.5: Tailored her entire home care regimen to color-safe, purple-preserving products. We recolored (no additional lightening/bleaching needed this time) with the same custom formula.
The Result: Zero major fading issues since correcting her home care. Her purple now stays vivid and even between appointments. We maintain it with regular trims and treatments at every visit to continue improving her hair health. She's now a loyal regular because she finally has the healthy, vibrant purple she always wanted.
Time Investment: Ongoing maintenance.
Book your hair appointment with @victoriawaang HERE!
Case Study: Banded Blonde Nightmare to Natural, Blended Beauty
Before: This guest came to me after a salon disaster that got worse with each "fix" attempt. Her stylist failed to lift her roots properly, and when she returned for a correction, they made it significantly worse. She arrived at my chair with three distinct, harsh bands that made her hair look completely unintentional:
Band 1 (Roots): Her natural dark hair (level 2) - untouched and creating a stark contrast
Band 2: Completely brassy orange from an unsuccessful lift that was under-processed
Band 3: What I call a "platinum halo" - severely over-processed, nearly white hair from the correction attempt
Mids/Ends: So brassy it looked orange, even though it was actually a pretty honey blonde underneath
The banding made everything look worse than it actually was - this was a case of bad technique, not bad hair.
The Challenge: Blend three dramatically different levels into a cohesive, natural-looking blonde in one session, while rebuilding the integrity of the over-processed sections.
The Process:
Single 5-hour session: I applied color remover to the mids and ends to lift out the unwanted tones. Using a strategic lightener application on the banded areas and roots to create an even lift, starting with the darkest area first. The mids and ends responded beautifully and blended seamlessly. Finished with K18 treatment to immediately rebuild bonds in the damaged areas.
The Result: A natural, intentional-looking blonde that's brighter, more dimensional, and noticeably healthier after just one session. She'll need one more appointment to achieve perfection, but the transformation from three harsh bands to blended, beautiful blonde was dramatic. She left my chair feeling like herself again – not a hair color experiment.
Time Investment: Single session with one follow-up session recommended.
Why This Matters: If you've had a color disaster, you don't have to live with it. The right correction techniques can fix even severe banding without destroying your hair. You deserve to leave the salon feeling beautiful, not stressed about what went wrong.
Book your hair appointment with @victoriawaang HERE!
Case Study: Overgrown Highlights to Blonde Bombshell
Before: Over a year of growth left this client with high-density, disconnected highlights that looked dated and harsh against her natural brunette base.
The Challenge: Transform grown-out 90s-style highlights into a modern, cohesive icy gold blonde.
The Process: Carefully isolated all previously lightened sections, then systematically lightened the remaining brunette hair and new growth. Toned to create an icy gold finish with beautiful dimension.
The Result: A completely transformed, modern blonde that's soft, dimensional, and cohesive. The meticulous sectioning work paid off - no more blonde streaks, just beautiful blended color.
Time Investment: This level of transformation requires significant time and precision work. Multiple appointments recommended.
Why This Matters: Grown-out color can be revived, but dramatic transformations like this take patience and skill. The result is worth the investment.
Book your hair appointment with @victoriawaang HERE!
Ready to Transform Your Color?
If you're in Orange County and ready to love your hair color again, I'd love to help. Book a complimentary consultation at my Orange, CA studio, and we'll create a custom plan to get you from color disaster to color perfection.
Currently offering: Use code WAANG15 for 15% off your first appointment.
📍 Location: That Chic Happens Studio by Victoria Waang, Orange, CA
Book: Gloss Genius
Instagram: @victoriawaang
Need a balayage touch-up instead? Read my at-home balayage refresh tutorial;)