Who'll emerge with flying colour?

WOVEN or streaked, highlights or lowlights . . . check any woman's locks and chances are she's not entirely natural.

Indeed, changing hair colour is the one quick and easy pick-me-up which millions of women indulge in. Which is why, over the past few years, hair colour has become a fashion trend in its own right. In short, the tint of your tresses now says as much about you as the clothes you wear.

As a result, salons have jumped on the technicolour bandwagon, and created their very own award-winning catwalk-inspired seasonal hair colour trends. But such expertise - and colour - costs.

Prices for woven highlights, lowlights and all over colour have rocketed in price in Edinburgh and a half head hair colour can now set customers back as much as £105 - and this for a process most women are told to have done every six weeks.

However, wander off the beaten track a little and those small, independent salons, many of which look like they still only provide a shampoo and set, charge a more reasonable £30.

So, what exactly are people paying for? Are they just forking out for the ability to boast about which salon they just stepped out of, or is there more than a hair's breadth of a difference?

According to hair and tricologist expert Aileen Hamilton, hair and beauty curriculum manager at Telford College, you should be paying for expertise - including diagnostic tests before colour gets anywhere near your hair.

"Clients should be getting patch testing, skin testing and porosity testing before a treatment. They are paying for an in-depth consultation.

"High prices should also be because clients are paying to have their natural depth and tone of colour assessed to determine what colour is going to be suitable. Taking it to extremes, if someone had black hair, it would not be possible using a normal strength colour to make them blonde.

"You can only achieve a certain degree of colour lift on hair. So, a colour technician may decide to remove the colour of the hair first by bleaching and then apply the colour. This is what people pay for, the knowledge and expertise they don't have themselves.

"They also pay to be assessed as to which colour, techniques and application will be suitable for them. It's basically the professional judgement call - that, and also the staffing hours used to carry out a colour session which can take up to three hours, and the amount of product used."

Aileen, who has been in the hairdressing industry for 32 years, stresses that certain salons invest a lot of money in the training of staff and it's these salons that tend to charge a lot. But she does admit salon image comes into play. "There is that to a certain degree. But you can still go to a small salon and they'll charge you £100. It's more to do with product range, technique and salaries.

"The problem for customers is that unless they know the products used, the price they pay may not be reflective of true value for money. They may be getting products that are budget range as opposed to more sophisticated products. However, most hairdressers use one of the major suppliers to buy their colour."

So while you may be worth it, is your dye job? We asked 14 city salons - seven big names, seven small independents - how much they charge for a half-head colour and whether or not that would include a blow dry. Remember, this doesn't include a cut. The differences are hair-raising.

CAN OUR EXPERT HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE?

IS it possible to tell who's paid a visit to one of Edinburgh's elite salons and who's happy to visit a less expensive rival? We put Aileen to the test with three highlight devotees.

• Nancy Brown, a 51-year-old from Newtongrange, has been getting highlights for over 20 years and is a loyal customer of Gillian Brunton at Not Just Hair in Bonnyrigg, visiting the salon twice a year for her colour.

"I have never had any complaints and must say I am very pleased with the service - I'm in and out within an hour and a half. She charges £30 for capped highlights and this includes a cut and blow dry which I think is excellent value."

Aileen says: "It's been done with a cap and is a half-head colour with average root growth, which means the application was good. It looks as though bleach has been used and most salons would use a high lift product. It's subtle, suits her complexion and is good, but I'd say just by looking this is the cheapest job."

• Advertising executive Suzanne Robertson has visited many Edinburgh salons but now travels to Stirling, where she pays £30 for a base colour and highlights.

The 24-year-old from Tollcross explains: "Having been to lots of 'over ego'd' salons, and left usually wishing to get home as fast as possible to style it, I finally found my perfect salon in Stirling. I am willing to drive up every month because it still works out cheaper including the petrol and I actually feel good when I leave the salon and can go straight out on the town."

Aileen says: "This is fashion colour and some areas have more colour than others to emphasis her short hair. Overall the application is fine, the base is dark and the highlights vibrant. It looks professional, although I would opt for more vibrant colours through the front next time. I'd say this was the second most expensive job."

• Call centre worker Jo McTavish from Leith is more than happy to shell out for her blonde highlights as she feels it's money well worth spending - but she only has her T-line done, which is £35, rather than a half-head, which would be £55.

The 23-year-old says: "I am a massive Cheynes fan - it's definitely an extravagance - it's £35 just to get my roots done - but I think it's worth it.

"I started going there three years ago when I had home-dyed black hair and Rosie sat me down and talked me through how she was going to achieve getting me back to blonde. Even when I lived in London I would wait until I came home for weekends to get my hair highlighted, they are that good.

"It's so easy to get a bad highlight job, you can spot them a mile off. I don't think its worth scrimping in that department."

Aileen says: "The application is good, was close to the head and was even. The colour matches her complexion. She's just had her T-section done and it was a good job. Natural with good shine to it. I'd say this was the most expensive job."

Aileen adds: "I could instantly tell they all had professionally applied colour, rather than doing it themselves. They all had good, even application, and a good choice of colour, and the price doesn't vary too much. But it's always up to the individual - if they feel happy with the result and are comfortable with the salon, then that's the most important thing."

THE HIGH STREET ELITE

PATERSON SA
A half head of highlights starts at £60 although the technicians can't clarify a price until they've seen the length of your hair, it's thickness and the amount of colour needed. And if you want a creative director you're looking at a starting price of £70. These prices automatically include a blow dry - but from a trainee. If you want a stylist you can add anything between £25 and £35 to the total cost.

TOTAL: £60 to £105

TONI AND GUY

Anyone who's anyone has heard of the Italian brothers, Toni and Guy Mascalo, who have created one of the country's most commercially successful hairdressing chains. Which is probably why here a half head of highlights costs . . . a lot. The George Street salon highlight costs range from £59 to £70. You can also add between £20 and £32 for a blow dry from a stylist - or if you request a trainee it's still £14.

TOTAL: £73 to £102

CHARLIE MILLER

Arguably the highest-profile salon chain in the Capital - there are five of them - award-winning stylists here have tended to the tresses of countless celebrities. The current price for a half head of woven highlights is £65, going up to £75 if applied by the head technician plus a £15 fee for a trainee blow dry. And if you want a stylist blow dry, add on £20-£25 for the salon director.

TOTAL: £80 to £100

CHEYNES

Jennifer Cheyne now has six salons in Edinburgh taming the tresses of 130,000 people each year as well as a celebrity client roster. A half head of highlights costs £55 plus anywhere between £20.50 and £26.70 for a blow dry afterwards, although you can request a trainee to dry it for free.

TOTAL: £55 to £81.70

MEDUSA

It's unpretentious and relaxed, and Medusa's three sleek salons are always bustling. A half head of highlights starts from £52 for the technician and from £55 for the head technician or creative director. But you can add on between £20 and £29 for a wash and blow dry. And Medusa doesn't offer trainee blow drying.

TOTAL: £72 to £84

KLOWNZ

Owned by hairdressing guru Derek Preston, Klownz in Stockbridge has been around for 25 years. A half head of highlights is a set price of £50 plus a set price of £25 for the blow dry.

TOTAL: £75

SASSOON STUDIO

A new salon with an la carte menu of hair services where all Vidal Sassoon-trained stylists charge the same price. The Multrees Walk salon charges from £40 for highlights with £24 for a stylist blow dry. Almost a bargain.

TOTAL: £64