Hair Colour at Kohort Studio, Colour Specialists, Richmond Melbourne
Colour designed around your hair, your lifestyle, and how you actually want to look in six weeks.
Colour designed around your hair, your lifestyle, and how you actually want to look in six weeks.
Hair Colour at Kohort Studio Richmond
Hair colour is the reason most guests first walk through the door at 234 Bridge Road. It is also the reason they come back. The colour work at Kohort covers the full spectrum, from a single gloss refresh through to full balayage, lived-in blonde, colour correction, creative fashion work and invisible grey blending. Each stylist at Kohort runs their chair as an independent specialist, which means you are booking with a colourist who has chosen their own niche rather than a rostered generalist covering everything in a 45 minute slot.
Richmond sits at the centre of inner Melbourne's colour map. Clients come across the river from South Yarra, Toorak and Prahran, down High Street from Northcote and Fairfield, out of the laneways of Fitzroy and Collingwood, and in from the Boroondara belt of Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell and Balwyn. Each micro-demographic asks for something slightly different, and our stylists are booked specifically for the way they handle those differences.
The Kohort approach to hair colour is built on three ideas. First, colour should be designed with hair health at the centre, not as an afterthought. Second, it should grow out beautifully, because most guests do not want to be in a chair every three weeks. Third, it should be honest. You will be told what is possible in one sitting and what will take two or three, and you will be told before you book, not halfway through the appointment.
This hub page walks through the full range of colour services we offer. If you already know what you want, you can jump straight to a specific service page for balayage, lived-in blonde, colour correction, creative colour, or our dedicated blondes hub. If you are not sure, start with a consultation and we will help you land on the right service for your hair type, history, and maintenance tolerance.
How KOHORT Approaches Hair Colour
Colour work at Kohort begins before any product is mixed. Every colour appointment, whether it is a root refresh or a ten hour correction, opens with a consultation. Your stylist looks at your hair in natural light, asks what you have done to it in the last twelve months, whether you have tried box colour or at-home gloss kits, whether you swim in chlorine or ocean water, how often you use heat, and what your actual morning routine looks like. That conversation sets the formulation.
We work with a deliberately curated set of products rather than whatever is on special that month. Our in-salon treatment menu is built around Kérastase, Davines, Olaplex, K18, L'Oréal Metal Detox and Bhave. These are brands chosen for the way they perform inside a colour service, not just on the shelf. The L'Oréal Metal Detox is used pre-colour for guests whose hair has been exposed to hard water, mineral build-up or old box dye, because unaddressed metals inside the hair cortex are one of the biggest causes of unexpected colour shifts and breakage during lightening. Olaplex and K18 are used through and after lightening services to protect and rebuild internal bonds. Kérastase Fusio Dose and Davines Liquid Luster finish a colour service with the shine and softness that makes a good colour look like a great one.
The Kohort co-working model changes the rhythm of a colour appointment. Each stylist books their own column, controls their own pricing, and decides how long a service should take. There is no front-of-house script pushing anyone toward faster turnover. If your stylist has set two and a half hours for a full foil, that is genuinely what they need to do the work properly. You will not be handed off to a junior for the final toner or a rushed blow dry, and you will not be asked to sit under a dryer for an extra twenty minutes so the schedule lines up. Independence is the reason guests describe Kohort appointments as slower, calmer and more thorough than the chain salon experience.
Consultation is treated as the contract. By the end of the consultation your stylist will tell you what they are going to do, roughly how long it will take, and a realistic range for the investment. If the look you are after requires more than one session, you will be told that upfront so you can plan the journey rather than discovering it halfway through. This is especially important for anyone moving from dark to light, anyone correcting a previous colour, or anyone chasing an editorial shade that sits outside natural hair pigment.
The finishing end of every colour service matters as much as the formulation. Colour that looks right under salon lighting but flat in daylight has been toned wrong. Colour that is dimensional in photos but muddy in person has been placed wrong. Our stylists check both. Every service ends with a styled finish, product recommendations that match what your hair actually needs, and honest guidance on when you should realistically come back.
Colour Services at KOHORT
Balayage
Hand-painted, freehand lightening designed to sit soft against the hair line and grow out without a visible line of demarcation. The most requested colour service we offer. Full details on our balayage page.
Lived-In Blonde
A blonde style that looks sun-lightened rather than salon-pristine, with deeper roots and a brighter mid to end, designed for guests who want to stretch appointments out. Full details on our lived-in blonde page.
Blondes (hub)
Everything blonde, signature classic blonde, platinum, foilayage, baby highlights, blonde refresh, toner work. Full details on our blondes hub page.
Colour Correction
Fixing box dye, brassiness, banding, colour disasters, and unwanted warmth. Typically booked as a longer session or across multiple visits depending on the starting point. Full details on our colour correction page.
Creative and Fashion Colour
Copper, cherry, rose, silver, pastels, vivids, money piece, face framing colour. The more expressive end of the menu. Full details on our creative colour page.
Grey Blending and Invisible Coverage
Soft, low-maintenance grey work designed to blend rather than cover hard, often paired with a gloss or demi-permanent finish for natural movement.
Gloss, Toner and Refresh
Shorter services used between main appointments to refresh tone, knock back brassiness, or add shine before an event.
Who Performs Hair Colour at KOHORT
Every stylist on the Kohort floor offers colour, but each one has specialised in a slightly different corner of the craft. Choosing the right stylist is almost as important as choosing the right service.
Sheree, Colour Correction, Balayage and Short Hair Colour
Sheree has been colouring hair for over twenty years and is one of the most technically versatile stylists on the floor. She is the stylist guests book when they need a correction handled calmly, or when they want colour designed for a pixie, crop or sharp bob. Book with Sheree.
Zoe, Blondes and Colour Correction
Zoe is a precision colourist with a reputation for blonde work and correction. Guests book Zoe when they want a high-impact blonde transformation handled by someone who plans the process across sessions rather than forcing it into one. Book with Zoe.
Billie, Creative Colour, Blondes and Short Hair Colour
Thirty years in the industry and still the stylist guests book for the more artistic end of the menu. Billie loves bleach and tone, copper, fashion work and anything that pairs colour with short hair. Currently welcoming existing clients only. Book with Billie.
Taylah, High Impact Low Maintenance Colour
Taylah specialises in colour that gets attention without tying guests to a six week rebook. Her signature work is the kind of blonde or brunette that looks finished on day one and still looks good on day sixty. Book with Taylah.
Sheridan, Lived-In Colour and Blondes
Sheridan is the go-to for guests chasing soft, natural lived-in tones. She is meticulous about hair health and home-care, and her consultations are genuinely educational. Book with Sheridan.
Grace, Natural Blondes and Foundation Colour
A third-year apprentice trained at Biba and Billie Jean Hair, Grace offers approachable pricing on foundational colour services and natural blonde work while developing her own style. Book with Grace.
The Hair Colour Process at KOHORT
1. Consultation
Every colour booking includes a consultation built into the appointment. Your stylist will look at your hair dry, in natural light, talk through what you want, what you have done, and what is realistic in the time booked. If you are unsure, book a standalone consultation first and come back for the colour on a separate day.
2. Preparation
Depending on your hair history, your stylist may use L'Oréal Metal Detox or Olaplex Chelating Treatment before any lightener goes near your head. These remove metals and build-up that would otherwise interfere with colour lift and cause breakage.
3. The Colour Service
Formulation, application, processing, rinse, tone. Application technique varies by service. Foils, balayage, root touch-up, global, teasylights and hand-painted techniques each have their own rhythm.
4. Bond Protection
K18 molecular repair or Olaplex bonding is applied through lightening services and after toner. This is not optional for us on any significant lift.
5. Finishing and Home Care
Blow dry, style, and product recommendations. You will leave with a clear picture of what to use at home and when to book in next.
Hair Colour Pricing at KOHORT
Colour pricing at Kohort is set by each individual stylist rather than a salon-wide menu, which means ranges rather than fixed numbers. A root refresh typically starts from around $150. Half head foils from around $220. Full head foils and balayage from around $300 to $450 depending on hair length, density and the complexity of the work. Colour correction is quoted per consultation because the starting point changes the scope significantly.
Add-on treatments from the in-salon menu are priced separately. K18 Molecular Repair from $50. Olaplex Bonding from $50. L'Oréal Metal Detox from $45. Kérastase Fusio Dose Ritual at $50. Davines Liquid Luster at $25. Bhave Keratin Smoothing from $250 when booked alongside colour.
We do not quote colour pricing over Instagram DM without seeing the hair. If you want an accurate number before booking, the best option is a free in-salon consultation. You will get a realistic quote, a realistic timeline, and no pressure to book on the spot.
Aftercare for Coloured Hair
Home care decides whether colour looks good for four weeks or eight. The non-negotiables are sulphate free shampoo, a bond-supportive conditioner, heat protection before any hot tool, and a weekly mask on lifted hair.
For blondes and balayage, a purple shampoo used once a week keeps unwanted yellow in check without over-toning. For brunettes and copper, a gloss-supportive shampoo keeps the tone rich. For anyone with lifted ends, K18 leave-in is the single most useful at-home product for maintaining elasticity between appointments.
Wash frequency matters. Washing every day strips colour faster than any other single factor, particularly on fashion shades and fresh blondes. Three washes a week is the sweet spot for most guests. Cooler water helps. Hot water opens the cuticle and lets pigment rinse out.
Chlorine and salt water are the two fastest ways to shift a fresh colour. If you swim regularly, wet your hair with tap water and apply a leave-in conditioner before going in. That saturates the cuticle so less chlorinated water gets absorbed. Rinse immediately after.
Kohort carries Kérastase, Davines, K18 and Olaplex retail in-salon. If your stylist recommends a specific product, it will be on the shelf and they will tell you exactly how to use it rather than reading the back of the bottle to you.
Who Hair Colour at KOHORT Is Ideal For
Kohort is a good fit if you want a colourist who treats the appointment as a design process rather than a service ticket, if you care about hair health as much as colour payoff, and if you would rather book less often with better results than book monthly.
It is also a good fit if you have had a bad experience at a chain salon and want a slower, more independent environment. The studio is quiet by design. No music blasting, no phones ringing constantly, no receptionist trying to upsell at the chair.
It may not be the right fit if you are looking for the cheapest colour appointment on the strip. Bridge Road has a full spectrum of pricing and Kohort sits in the professional independent range, not the discount end.
Hair Colour for Clients Across Inner Melbourne
The colour chairs at Kohort are booked by guests from across the whole inner-Melbourne grid. Richmond locals walk in from the streets around Bridge Road and the Cremorne tech precinct below Swan Street. Burnley riverside families drop in on the way home. Abbotsford guests come up from the Convent arts pocket, and Collingwood and Fitzroy creatives walk over from Smith Street and Gertrude Street for bolder colour work.
From south of the river, we see a steady flow from South Yarra, Toorak, Prahran and Windsor. South Yarra and Toorak clients typically maintain signature blondes and invisible grey coverage, while Prahran and Windsor clients lean toward the creative and fashion end, booking copper, cherry, silver and bleach and tone work. The Chapel Street corridor has one of the widest colour appetites in the city, and it is well represented in our books.
From the east, guests from Hawthorn, Kew, Camberwell, Balwyn and Hawthorn East come in for polished classic blonde, refined grey blending and healthy brunette work. The Boroondara colour brief is usually about longevity and discretion. We also see a lot of formal season and bridal colour from this side of the river.
From the north, Carlton and Carlton North guests come across for brunette work and student-friendly fashion colour. Fitzroy and Fitzroy North clients are the ones driving the creative colour book, with mullets, bixies, micro fringes and bold tone work. Clifton Hill, Northcote, Fairfield and Alphington clients lean toward natural, lived-in tones and copper work. St Kilda guests from the arts and hospitality scene book a mix of fashion colour and beach-friendly polished blonde. And the Melbourne CBD apartment belt keeps the corporate keratin-and-colour combo full, with lunch-break tone refreshes and event styling for the Collins Street gala circuit.
East Melbourne clients, closer to the MCG and Fitzroy Gardens, tend to be our refined blonde and invisible grey coverage guests. They often pair colour with cut on the same visit.
Wherever you are coming from, Kohort is fifteen minutes or less from every suburb listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hair Colour at KOHORT
How often should I book colour appointments?
It depends on the service. A root touch up typically sits on a four to six week cycle. Balayage and lived-in blonde can stretch to eight to twelve weeks. Fashion colour and vivids usually need a refresh every four to eight weeks to stay vibrant. Your stylist will give you a realistic cycle at your first appointment.
Does colouring my hair damage it?
Any chemical service has an impact on the hair. What changes the outcome is the products and process around it. Using pre-colour treatments like L'Oréal Metal Detox, bond builders like Olaplex and K18 through the service, and good home care afterward keeps coloured hair strong. Hair that breaks after colour has almost always been pushed too far without proper support.
How long does a colour appointment take?
Root touch-ups from around ninety minutes. Half head foils two to three hours. Full head foils or balayage three to four and a half hours. Colour correction from four hours to a full day depending on the starting point. Your stylist will confirm the time at booking.
Do I need a consultation before booking?
Not for straightforward services like a root refresh, toner or gloss. Yes for anything that involves a significant change, lightening dark hair, correcting a previous colour, or moving to fashion shades. A consultation is free and usually about thirty minutes.
Can I book colour without a cut?
Yes. Every colour service includes a blow dry finish. A dry cut or wet cut can be added if your stylist has time booked, but most guests either book them together or alternate between visits.
Which stylist should I book for my first colour appointment?
If you are chasing balayage or lived-in, consider Sheridan, Taylah, Sheree or Zoe. If you are blonde, Zoe, Sheree and Billie are your heavy hitters. For fashion or creative work, Billie. For colour correction, Sheree or Zoe. If you are not sure, email salon@kohort.com.au and we will help match you.
Where is Kohort and how do I get there?
We are at 234 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121. The easiest train is Burnley or East Richmond on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines, both about an eight to ten minute walk. Tram 48 and 75 run along Bridge Road directly past the door.
Is there parking near the studio?
Yes. There is metered two-hour street parking on Bridge Road and free longer parking on the residential streets running off it. Most guests find a park within one to two blocks. From South Yarra, Toorak and Prahran, crossing via Punt Road or Hoddle Street takes ten to fifteen minutes.
What is the co-working salon model?
Each stylist at Kohort runs their chair as an independent business. They book their own clients, set their own pricing, and choose their own specialty. Kohort provides the studio, the retail, and the shared in-salon treatment menu. For you, it means a more personal, less rushed appointment with a stylist who owns the outcome.
Do you offer vegan, cruelty free or ammonia-free colour?
Yes. Davines is our go-to for guests who prefer a gentler product with a cleaner ingredient list. Let your stylist know at booking and they will formulate accordingly.
Can you colour hair that has box dye in it?
Usually yes, but with a different plan than virgin hair. Box dye often has metallic salts inside the cortex that interfere with lightener. We use L'Oréal Metal Detox before any lift. If you have used a lot of box colour recently, the stylist may recommend two sessions rather than one.
Do you do bridal or formal colour?
Yes. Bridal and formal colour is one of our busier books through spring racing and wedding season. Ideally we like to see you six to eight weeks out for the first session and again a week before the event for a finishing refresh.
What if I hate the result?
We do not expect you to. But if something is genuinely off tone or placement, contact the salon within seven days and your stylist will bring you back for an adjustment. We would rather hear from you than have you walk away unhappy.
Related Reads from the Kohort Blog
- Balayage vs Highlights vs Foilage, The Honest Guide
- The Lived-In Blonde
- How to Fix Box Dye Hair
- Why Your Blonde Turns Brassy
- How Long Does Balayage Actually Last?
Book Your Hair Colour
KOHORT Studio · 234 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121
Phone: 0423 979 900
Email: salon@kohort.com.au
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, bookings by appointment.
Book directly with any of our colourists:
- Book with Sheree
- Book with Zoe
- Book with Billie (existing clients only)
- Book with Taylah
- Book with Sheridan
- Book with Grace
