Girl same lol. My client Jenna came in crying after her last foil bleach because she had so much breakage around her hairline. Switched her to a balayage with a bond builder and her regrowth is way softer now. Also noticed I don't have to touch up her roots as fast since the fade out is more gradual.

Brake cleaner huh? Guess I've been degreasing wrong for years but at least I'm not out of a job yet.

Man, that "working for free" part hit me hard. I did flat rate for about 4 years and had the exact same thing happen: one job that should have been a quick brake job turned into a whole day of fighting rusted lines and I made maybe $12 an hour after the math. The anxiety was real, I remember waking up on Mondays already dreading the unknown. Hourly took that weight off my shoulders completely, and even though my best checks aren't as high, I'm not living paycheck to paycheck wondering if I'll get screwed by a bad car. Peace of mind is worth more than a few extra bucks to me now.