What are the benefits of using Colourstart?
- You can do it at home – no need to visit the salon. Saving you time and petrol.
- It’s quick, clean, and easy to use with a simple app.
- You can swap between colour brands and ranges with no need to re-test.
- Colourstart is accepted by many top salons. Should you be away from home and want to use another salon, you can just show them your colour passport.
Many clients tell us that the traditional skin testing method is inconvenient for them as they need to make an extra trips to the salon, purely for allergy tests. Colourstart avoids this whilst giving us creative freedom to change shades and ranges without the need to keep re-allergy testing.
Why is Colourstart Ventura's chosen allergy testing method?
The Colourstart patch test is the most sophisticated and advanced skin testing method available. It is licensed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as the only clinically proven method of screening for potential allergy to PPD (which is the chemical that causes a reaction).
It also gives us complete creative freedom on the day of your visit. If you’ve tested and had the ‘ok to colour’, we're happy to go ahead and use any colour products in any way we need to.
Getting started with your Colourstart Passport
1) Start by downloading the free ‘Colour start’ app using the links above, then answer the pre-screen questionnaire. NB Please make sure you take the pre-screen questionaire BEFORE buying the test as if you are unable to do the test for any reason, we are unable to refund you. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please contact the salon.
2) Buy and apply your Colourstart Patch following instructions in the video below. PLEASE NOTE: Your test needs to be done at least 5 days ahead of your hair colour appointment, so please order in plenty of time to allow for delivery and processing.
3) Upload your results to your online passport. Share your results with Ventura – we are registered with Colourstart.
4) Once you have created your passport and completed your first test, any subsequent colour treatments will require you to login to your colour passport to answer the screening questions. Re-testing with a Colourstart test may not be necessary unless something changes. Your Colourstart Passport will confidentially store your records.
How to order your Colourstart test
You can buy it directly online yourself from https://colourscreen.me/ Alternatively, contact the salon and you can purchase a test from us.
Please don’t buy a test from anywhere else as it may not be genuine, and the barcodes won’t work with the Colourstart passport app.
How much does it cost?
The test costs £15. It is licensed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), so legally we have to charge for this product.
This is a one-off charge for the lifetime of your passport and over the years it saves you numerous trips back to the salon just for allergy testing. If nothing changes, you may not need to purchase any more tests in the future.
Skin Testing FAQs
Will I need to test every time I have colour?
No. You simply answer a short health-related ‘screening questionnaire’ to check that it is OK for you to have colour again. It’s only in exceptional circumstances that you will not be able to colour, such as if you have had a black henna tattoo.
Why do I need a skintest?
Reactions to hair colour can be serious and even life threatening. There are strict guidelines from manufacturers, insurers, industry bodies and the MHRA around using hair colour. We endeavour to give you peace of mind so that you can safely enjoy your visits to the salon.
Need more information?
We understand this new system may feel a little confusing to start with but it really is super simple once you get used to it. It will save you time and hassle in the future.
More information can be found on our social media pages or visit https://colourstart.com/. Check out the video below for further advice on carrying out your test.
