Color Talk: Terry Porter

Meet San Francisco-based colorist Terry Porter. Terry currently works at our Mission and Hayes Valley Color Bars, where he helps shade-match clients with their best color, applies their color—and often, gloss—for a stunning transformation, totally makes their day, etc., etc. Below, Terry reveals what he loves most about working at Color Bar, his dream celebrity client, and what he’d be doing if he wasn’t a professional colorist (spoiler: it involves dinosaurs).

Q: How long have you been a colorist?
A: I’ve been a colorist for 8 years, and have been at Madison Reed Color Bar for the past year.

Q: What do you love most about coloring hair for a living?
A: I have always been fascinated with the chemistry behind how hair color is created, how it interacts with the client’s natural hair color, and how we’re able to predict the best outcome for our clients based on factors like their starting point, gray coverage needs, desired tone, and so on.

Q: And what’s your least-favorite part of the job?
A: No least favorite thing about coloring hair!
 
Q: Fill in the blank: If I wasn’t a Color Bar colorist, I’d be a ___________________
A: Paleontologist.

Q: What’s your favorite hair color transformation from your time at Color Bar so far?
A: This gorgeous “after,” done right here at our Mission Color Bar. I applied Napoli 6NGV to her roots and Rimini Garnet 5VR to her ends for amazingly vivid, vibrant and shiny hair. Check her results out:

 
Q: What’s the best experience you’ve had with a Color Bar client so far?
A: The most emotional experience, for sure, happened with a client who was going through a really hard time. It was the one year anniversary of her husband’s passing; she was understandably feeling very emotional but was still super sweet during her appointment. My manager and I added on a complimentary blow out that completely turned her day around. She cried and we all hugged. It’s the little things like that that really make this job a meaningful one.
 
Q: On that note...what makes Color Bar special?
A: It’s a really unique concept, this idea that you can either take your professional quality hair color home with you to do yourself—or sit down in the chair and have it applied for you. Our omnichannel experience is what makes us special.
 
Q: At the end of an appointment, how do you advise your clients to care for their freshly-colored hair at home? Any tips on how to make their color last longer?
A: Use our Color Protecting Shampoo + Conditioner to ensure longevity for your new color. Or use another sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. The same goes for styling products—it’s important for clients to always use products that are safe for colored hair.
 
Q: Your dream client is…
A: Kim Petras!
 
Q: What do you do for fun when you’re not coloring hair?
A: I love traveling and spending time with my family. I’m very social, so I’m usually at some sort of event, surrounded by other people.
 
Thanks, Terry!