New clients
Welcome — Here’s What to Expect
If it’s your first time in Cait’s chair, this page covers exactly how it works, how to prepare, and what happens at each stage. No surprises, in the mirror or at the front desk.
The process
Your First Visit, Step by Step
- Book a complimentary consultationEssential for vivid color, and a good idea for any significant change. Around 15–30 minutes, no pressure, no obligation to book anything at the end of it.
- We assess and plan togetherCait looks at your hair’s real condition and color history, listens to what you want, then tells you honestly how many sessions it takes, what it costs, and what upkeep looks like.
- You get a firm quoteBefore anything is booked or mixed. Including the maintenance cost, not just the first appointment — that’s the number most people aren’t told.
- Your color appointmentBooked at the right length for your service, with K18 bond building worked through any lightening to protect your hair as it lifts.
- Finishing and aftercareYou leave dried, styled, and knowing exactly how to wash, protect and refresh your color — plus when to come back in.
Before you come in
How to Prepare
Six small things that make a real difference to your result.
Save your inspiration
Screenshot the looks you love. Photos in natural light are the most useful, and pictures of hair a similar starting shade to yours are more useful still.
Know your color history
Box dye, henna, at-home bleach, a toner that went wrong — write down roughly what and when. This is the single most valuable thing you can bring.
Come with day-old hair
A little natural oil at the scalp makes lightening more comfortable. Skip heavy dry shampoo or product build-up.
Allow proper time
Color work can’t be rushed safely. Check your quoted appointment length and leave a buffer rather than watching the clock.
Wear something you’re relaxed in
You’ll be gowned, but darker, comfortable clothing is the sensible choice around color.
Be honest about maintenance
How often you can realistically get back — and what you’ll spend — genuinely changes what Cait recommends. Say the real number.
Straight talk
Things Worth Knowing Up Front
Vivid color is a commitment — and that’s fine
Bright color fades faster than natural shades because of how the pigment sits in the hair. That’s chemistry, not a fault in the service. Expect to refresh it, and factor that into your budget before you start rather than being surprised at week five.
Going very light from very dark takes more than one visit
Anyone promising you platinum from black in a single appointment is either not being straight with you or is willing to damage your hair to do it. Cait will stage it properly — and staged hair holds color far better at the end.
A consultation is genuinely free, with no obligation
You can come in, get a proper professional assessment and a real quote, and decide not to book. That’s a completely acceptable outcome and it happens regularly. It’s better for everyone than committing to something you’re unsure about.
Please mention box dye
It’s the most common cause of an uneven lift, and it’s never judged — Cait just needs to know so she can plan around it. Hiding it only produces a result you won’t like.
Your maintenance budget shapes the recommendation
If a retouch every eight weeks doesn’t fit your life, say so. Cait will design something that grows out gracefully instead of something that looks wrong by month two.
Where to find Cait
Studio 360 Salon
650 Shunpike Road
Chatham Township, NJ 07928
Studio hours
Wed – Fri: 9am – 7pm
Saturday: 9am – 3pm
Sunday – Tuesday: Closed
Questions first?
Everything else
New Client FAQs
Do I need a consultation before my first appointment?
For vivid or fantasy color, yes — Cait asks all fantasy color, peek-a-boo and block color clients to book a complimentary consultation first, so the color appointment that gets booked is the right length and you know the price up front. For a standard root retouch, gloss or straightforward highlight you can book directly.
What should I bring to my consultation?
Photos of what you like and — just as usefully — photos of what you don’t. Be ready to talk honestly about your hair’s history, including box dye, henna, at-home bleach or a previous service that went wrong. None of it is judged, but all of it changes how your hair lifts.
Should I wash my hair before my appointment?
Day-old hair is ideal for most color services — freshly washed is fine, but a little natural oil at the scalp is actually more comfortable during lightening. Please avoid heavy dry shampoo or product build-up, which can sit between the color and your hair.
How long will my first appointment take?
It depends entirely on the service. A gloss can be under an hour; a root retouch one to two; full highlights or balayage often three to four; and vivid transformations longer still, sometimes across multiple visits. You’ll be given a realistic time at consultation so you can plan your day rather than guess.
What’s your cancellation policy?
Please give as much notice as you can — color appointments are long, and a late cancellation is very hard to fill. If something comes up, call or text as early as possible and Cait will do her best to rebook you. Studio 360 Salon’s booking terms apply to appointments made through the online system.
Can I bring a friend or my kids?
A friend is welcome if you’d like company. For longer chemical services, please bear in mind it’s a working salon with equipment and product around, so it isn’t a suitable place for young children to wait unsupervised for several hours.
What if I don’t like my color?
Tell Cait — in the chair, before you leave. Tone and depth can very often be adjusted quickly while you’re still there, and she would far rather fix it immediately than have you go home unhappy. That’s also exactly why the consultation and the pre-service conversation matter so much.
Is parking available?
Yes. Studio 360 Salon is at 650 Shunpike Road in the Hickory Tree shopping center, with parking directly on site — no meters and no hunting for a space.
Ready to book your first appointment?
Start with a complimentary consultation. Prefer to ask something first? Call or text 908-824-6418, or email Cait directly — she’d rather answer a question than have you guess.