Every curly-haired woman has a curly hair horror story. It might involve going to a salon that doesn’t know how to properly cut and shape. It might have to do with a stylist getting a little overzealous with heat and causing your subsequent fear of flatirons. It might even center on someone using a relaxer to “tame” your curls a bit (yes, this happens). We have trust issues, and rightfully so. Our hair is high-maintenance and sensitive at the same time. Anything that threatens our natural curl pattern—which we’ve spent years coddling, moisturizing, and detangling—is met with a lot of well-justified hesitation.

Naturally, when I decided I wanted to get highlights recently, I experienced an unsettling combination of feelings: cautious, skeptical, and extremely nervous. Even with the research I’d done on how to dye curly hair—an essential step before any salon visit—I still had a deep-seated fear that something could go wrong.

Thanks to my extensive research, it turns out I had nothing to worry about. My biggest piece of advice from this experiment: Find a great colorist. That’s undoubtedly the most important part of the process. Below, seven more tips on how to dye curly hair that’ll ensure you walk away with perfectly colored curls.

Book a Consultation—And Explore Alternatives to Bleach

Before any color appointment, you should always book a consultation. It’s helpful to bring in reference photos, then work with your colorist to see if it’s possible to duplicate those results on your hair type. Seventy-two hours ahead of my appointment, I went to London’s 3Thirty Salon to meet with stylist and owner, Tiff J. During our consultation, she asked what I was looking for and gave me more than enough time to ask all of my burning questions. Since I was shooting for a warm caramel shade and had “virgin hair” (meaning it hadn’t been colored before), she informed me that we would skip the bleach and opt for a permanent tint instead. If I had wanted a lighter tone, though, bleach would have been necessary.

That’s not to say bleach isn’t safe; you can use it on curly hair and retain your texture when it’s applied carefully and properly. Curly girls are often told that this step can ruin our texture and the only way to save it is to cut it off. This is and isn’t true—many factors go into taking your hair from healthy to fried. For instance, if your hair has a lot of elasticity to it and you’ve been moisturizing, you’re likely a better candidate than someone who uses a lot of heat and skips their deep conditioners. Another factor is your colorist, which is why the consultation is so important. Ideally, they’ll talk through some alternative techniques with you and work out a plan to limit damage instead of immediately pulling out the bleach. If that’s the case, you might want to book elsewhere.

“[Some colorists] think any dark hair that needs to be lifted more than four shades needs bleach,” says Tiff. “That’s where people go wrong.” However, keep in mind that if you already have color in your hair and want to go cooler-toned or lighter, your colorist may need to use bleach to lift it and cleanse the cuticle.

Load Up on the Olaplex

According to Tiff, a big saving grace for women who color their hair—both curly and otherwise—has been the invention of Olaplex. “That’s our best friend,” she says. “Colors break down the natural bonds within the hair, so what Olaplex does is rebuild as much as possible. That way you don’t feel like your texture changes so much.” She mixes the salon-grade product into the color itself, then shampoos and conditions hair with the rest of the range.

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