During a hair coloring service, what should be done to prevent staining the client's skin?

Applying a barrier cream around the hairline is an effective preventive measure against staining the client's skin during a hair coloring service. This cream typically creates a protective layer that acts as a barrier, reducing the risk of color products coming into direct contact with the skin. When coloring hair, especially with vibrant colors or strong chemicals, it's common for some of the dye to inadvertently touch the client's skin, leading to unwanted stains. Using a barrier cream not only helps to prevent this but also makes it easier to clean the skin afterward, if needed.

In contrast, using a darker tint on the hair does not address the issue of skin staining and may result in heavier color application where the product could still reach the skin. Thoroughly wetting the hair might change the way color adheres but doesn't minimize the risk of dye staining the skin. Only coloring the tips of the hair is a technique that might limit potential staining, but it doesn’t fully resolve the risk if the client is getting a full color or if there is any overlap along the hairline. Thus, the application of a barrier cream is the most effective and direct method of preventing skin staining during the hair dyeing process.