Two questions come up in every salon, every month. What does a colour service actually cost me in product? And how many tubes and developers do I need to order so I do not run out, and do not fill the stockroom either? The answers usually come from experience and a bit of guesswork.
The Colour Calculator answers both in a few seconds, with the manufacturer's mixing ratios and your PRO prices. It is a free working tool: it does not add anything to the cart, it only gives you the figures.
Where to find it
Log in with your PRO account: the calculator is on the homepage, in the area with the salon tools. It has two tabs, Service cost and Monthly stock. Only PRO accounts see it, because it calculates with your reserved prices.
Tab 1: Service cost
Here you rebuild the formula of a real service, exactly as you mix it in the bowl.
- Choose line and shade. The amount is already filled in with the manufacturer's full dose (for example 50 ml for Grace and Vibrant, 35 g for bleaching powders). You can change it.
- Add other products if you need them. With "+ Add product" you can build a mix, for example 50 ml 6.0 + 10 ml 5.6 + 2 ml 0.66, or add a Pure Pigment.
- Check the developer. The calculator proposes the brand's developer and the ml based on the mixing ratio of each product (Grace 1:1.5, Vibrant 1:1, bleaching 1:2). You can change the volume and the ml by hand; if you do, it shows you the proposed value so you can go back to it with one click. Products used without developer, such as Gems or Pure Pigment, are calculated without it.
- Read the result. On the right you see each product with its quantity and cost, the developer, the total mixture and the product cost of the service.
If you also type in the price you charge for the service, the calculator shows your margin and how much the product weighs on the price. A tip: try it on your three most frequent services. Many salons are surprised by how little, or how much, the product really weighs.
Tab 2: Monthly stock
Here you do not choose the shades: you tell the calculator how much you plan to work, and it tells you how much to order.
- Choose the line and the size. If the line comes in several sizes, such as Grace in 60 ml and 100 ml, you choose which one you use.
- Enter your work for the month. How many full services and how many root touch-ups you plan. A touch-up counts as a reduced dose (30 ml instead of 50 ml for Grace).
- Choose the developer. Volume and size of the bottle.
- Optional: a reference shade. Without it, the cost is calculated on the average price of the line; with it, on that shade's price and mixing ratio.
The result is the shopping list for the month. An example with Grace Color by NIKA, 60 ml tubes:
- 20 full services = 1’000 ml of colour;
- 1’000 ml ÷ 60 ml = 17 tubes (rounded up);
- 1’500 ml of developer at 1:1.5 = 2 bottles of Activators 1000 ml.
Packs are always rounded up on the monthly total, not service by service, so you order exactly what you need. Then the "Choose the shades in Quick order" button takes you straight to the line in Quick Order, where you pick the shades and add them to the cart.
In these pictures the prices are hidden: when you log in, you see the costs calculated with your PRO prices.
Which lines it covers
Today the calculator covers NIKA colour (Grace Color, Frozen Blonde) and Code Zero colour (Vibrant Color, Gems, Pure Pigment), plus the bleaching products Blondeness, Extreme Lift, Level Out and Lightening Cream, with the right developer for each brand. The mixing ratios and doses are taken from the manufacturers' technical sheets.
Why it is good news for your salon
- You know your real cost per service. Not an estimate: your formula, your quantities, your prices.
- You price your services with confidence. Type in your service price and see straight away how much the product weighs.
- You order the right quantity. No more running out on a Saturday, no more tubes forgotten in the stockroom.
- From calculation to order in one click. The Monthly stock tab takes you directly to the right line in Quick Order.
The other tools in your PRO area
- Quick Order: the whole catalogue on one page, with your last orders
- Kits that pay off: what each service kit earns you
- Earn on retail: your margin on every product sold at the counter
FAQ
Where do the mixing ratios and doses come from? From the manufacturers' technical instructions for each product. They are indicative values: always follow the technical sheet of the product and your experience with the client's hair.
Can I change the developer quantity? Yes. The calculator proposes the ml based on the mixing ratio, but you can type your own value. The proposed value stays visible, so you can go back to it with one click.
Does the calculator add products to the cart? No. It is a free working tool that only gives you the figures. To order, use the "Choose the shades in Quick order" button.
Why is the stock cost "indicative"? Because the shades you will use are not known in advance: without a reference shade the calculator uses the average price of the line. Choose a reference shade for a more precise figure.
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