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Live and In Color

BIONIC BLOND -- Toner Application

Bleach & Tone Process

Application of Toner

Shopping List

• Towels
• Tail Comb
• Latex Gloves (small)
• Clips
• Cape or Old T-shirt
• Plastic/Glass Bowl
• Shampoo SLS-free
• Peroxide - 10-20 Volume
• After/Treatment Rinse {Wella IN DEPTH}
• Cotton
• Toner
• Protective Cream
• Tint Brush
• Timer

Pre-lighten the hair to the "frozen butter" stage...ever seen frozen butter? Helluva lot different than room temp. butter...its very pale - frosty yellow/white, check your freezer....so you implant that color in the cells of your brain. That is the key to getting hair light enough, YET not too light, so as to do irreparable damage.That is one of the trickiest yet most crucial parts to nailing the proper bleached blond. Here's a couple photos. . . .to show you it is not white.

Preparation

1. Prelighten to FROZEN BUTTER.
2. Shampoo hair super lightly ( most likely this is already done), after-treatment conditioner, rinse, and towel-dry.
3. Select the desired Toner Shade - check manufacturer's directions as to whether the hair is better dry or wet ?...they are ALL different.
4. Apply protective cream around hairline and over ears.
5. Perform a strand test, for allergies. ( I have to suggest this, its up to you)
6. Toners are both --- sometimes non-oxidative (which means it does not use Developer - its used straight out of bottle or tube), some times oxidative, usually 10 -15 Volume is for Toners in the rare case. 20 volume. NO OTHER VOLUME. I can see a lot of you do not quite understand VOLUME'S. Remember 10 Volume - deposits color only. There is no lift ( lightening). 15 Volume is deposit only. The idea here is to deposit a very light OPAQUE ( think of Nylons or Opaque pantyhose in this case) "Tone" on top of the lightened hair. An Ice beige, a Platinum, Rosy beige, there are a zillion colors like this. If you cannot figure this out.... you cannot go wrong by using a Platinum toner. Platinum would be Gwen Stefani's hair, everyone loves Platinum.

Procedure

1. Part the hair into 4 equal sections, using a tail comb or tint brush...you must be VERY gentle to the scalp it will be very tender (on some), avoid scratching it.



2. Mix the Toner according to manufacturer's directions.

to be continued....

"Bleach" Versus "Lightener". . . . WAR OF WORDS

Wash your mouth out with....bleach?!?!

There was an article in one of the 2 million hair industry mag's I read, the other day that I cannot find again, but the jest of it was this, '

in today's world, women do not like referring to this procedure we have been studying as a "bleached blond" ....the terms have been revamped to please clients taste to : "lightened" "blonding" and "decolorization"...which I have started to use & will 'try' to incorporate into my vocabulary more & more.

On the other hand, Colorists between themselves know how bleach works, bleach is 95% less harmful than BOXED KITS, in my humble opinion. Those kits, produce different results every time they are used....Bleach is a "constant" it always works the same. We know what it does and how it works and love how it is extremely useful in hundreds of different ways.

There is no other product like it. None. Zip. Zero!! We would be lost in the world of Couture Hair ,Show Hair, Model's hair, Editorial Hair, Hair Contests, most common use: highlights, and to top it all off: the EMO kids would not be able to accomplish those crazy 'Do's

..........................................

................................Bleach; a crucial ingredient to the world of Hair Color

We use it to "Fix" many mistakes, so we are not scared or turned-off by the words. I do admit ....back before I started Hair Academy, I was one of those, and would cringe every time some one would call it "bleach" swearing to myself that I was going to be one of those that didn't use it!!!.........it took 1 full year before I understood the tremendous advantages of "lightener" (or bleach!) and how it would become my best friend .. I simply would not be able to do all the creative hair tricks without it. You come to cherish it. You really do. In my color closet right now , I have 7 different brands of powder bleach alone (some work faster than others)..2 types of Oil Bleach..Wella even has a colored bleach,I have 2 (Colored bleach? it both bleaches the hair and deposits colour -reds, excellent on Latino's with dark resistant hair ).

I hope to teach you to love it as we do and for you all to try to become friends with bleach. I will try my best to watch the words I use its just so much easier to say bleach.... if I blow it you will know why.

My suggestion?For those of you really trying to learn how to do some of these procedures, Read and re-read.....PLUS, either get some locks of hair -- Level 3, Level 6 and Level 8- most importantly your own level of hair... maybe some kids in your neighborhood are going to get their hair cut??? Ask around if you can borrow a swatch or two off of someone's head. Then experiment. Apply the bleach to your level of hair. See how long it takes to get to "FROZEN BUTTER" stage! Before you ever apply to your own head or someone else's hair.

I have found a few hair stylists are readers of Killerstrands... that is EXCELLENT. There are many schools around the country that did not focus on hair color which has left those of you with your Cosmetology License, yet no education on hair color. That will handicap you terribly if you don't learn how to do color. Join up....get yourself some hair swatches and a Mannequin Doll Head with real Human Hair.... an excellent site for you to get many supplies especially heads..www.WIMEXBEAUTY.com ...and begin coloring samples of hair. Never experiment on real clients until you know what you are doing. Please.

Killer Chemist

Dakota

Killerstrands 'Reader' Responds with Kick Ass Results

Breaking Use Of Hair Color Kits Isn't Easy, But...Well Worth It!

It was the most pleasant email response. . . . stemming from advice given to Killerstrands readers (just like you!) . . .she had been using Boxed Kits like so many of you . . .Listen to Jackie O, one of the readers, if you are hesitant to listen to me.

I am hopeful that many of you will try to escape the dreaded Boxed Kit...I am interested in getting everyone to have the wonderful experience she has.

Jackie had written me with a story of being on a boxed kit "merry-go-round" and never finding the answer to what she wanted, her hair was always the wrong tone and well, you can read the rest here..

from Jackie Ortiz on September 10, 2007.........

............"Seriously, I would have never known about this had I not seen your blog.
I was just going to buy another boxed dye and keep screwing myself over.Now I know I can do it on my own and now look down at boxed dyes.
No I don't mind at all, go ahead and post my story. I'm flattered. Thank you so much for the kind words. : )
First off I noticed a difference in the feel of my hair, it just looked and felt soft, silky, and
shiny, like I just came from the salon. The color was vibrant. Boxed dyes look like a thick
glob of paint stuck onto the hair, this looked luminous(which is rare for brunette/darker colors), brighter with a sparkly shimmering coating with that great multidimensional effect
I have NEVER seen on my hair before. With the boxed dyes I used to get a orange/reddish brassy tone or a plum flat color when I used boxed brown dye on my naturally black hair. It looked harsh and washed out my olive skin tone. Now my face looks radiant with my new
medium chocolate brown color with caramel and toffee multidimensional tones!
It is A LOT cheaper too! Now I am in control and know what to use if I want a warmer cooler, darker, lighter shade without any fuss. THANK YOU!!!

......................................................................Jackie O.

That Pretty much says it all

Taking The Asian Hair Blond, James Blond !

Pitch Black Asian Hair Turned Snow White


a bit of a side note here . . . . . . . . .
a Salon trade magazine ran a pertinent article on Taking Asian Hair Blond. Its funny, when I'm working on a post, I will see a million things along the same line ... in the weirdest places....Send out good energy . . . it WILL come back to you

anyway . . . .

Trends throughout Asia and with Asian-Americans all come from Japans Harajuka district and the tweens there. While practically needing dynamite to get Asian hair - - blond , super blond is the hottest color to have. Deep Burgundy is also popular because it is easy to achieve by lightening the hair to the orange stage, then add burgundy on top -- ends up very long-lasting.(This was accidentally discovered by Stylists while on their way to blond for people that gave up)

this is from a long time colorist from an artificial hair manufacturing company..........she has been a colorist for ever... her thoughts on going blond on Asian hair ( she too is Asian) :
Her theory:
she used Clairol Basic White bleach and 20 volume developer, claims it took 5 days to get blond. She left it on 5 hours every day, and at the end of the 5 days . . .only the tips were melting; the roots were strong.

That was printed in our top Salon magazine. I have a couple of my own comments towards her theory of bleaching Asian Pitch black hair in that manner:

• When bleach is applied the majority of its lifting ( Lightening) ability is done in the first 55 minutes...it still works for another hour or 2 ...but the speed of it comes crashing down on charts by the hair color manufactruing companies, plus by all my own tests and ultimately my clients
• I discovered if you rinsed and re-applied a new batch, the process will stay at a moving 'fast' stage and going strong , if you REAPPLY 3 times in one day (using Oil Bleach) beginning with powdered bleach & 40 Volume -- on the ends initially....
• You can get an Asian -- Blond in one day, is my theory. I've done it many times, and with nicely conditioned hair , as well.
• If you have put your hair through too much in one day.... wait a week. Do that very last bleaching a week later amd then apply the toner.... the best time to apply a toner is when the hair is freshly bleached.

I see no reason to take 5 days to bleach hair. I've heard of a few people doing it over 2 or even 3 days but never...5. If you follow my directions you won't have to do that either.

You can only tone blonde bleached hair........remember that.

The process needs to be called the BLEACH & TONE Process...ALWAYS always Tone bleached hair. ...........................Did I say..to bleach toned hair? Good.


This Asian girl has Red Ribbons in her hair,
The process begins with bleached "ribbons" { they are 1/4"-1/2" pieces of hair} ,(which do not need to be white,- yellow/gold is fine) rinsed, bright Semi permanent red applied to the bleached pieces. To get bright Red use a Semi Permanent line like MANIC PANIC.....altho FUDGE & CRAZY COLORS are my favorite lines. They fade after about 3-4 weeks, you can change the color, which can be big fun... if you've never tried it, everyone should once in life.


I put this in here to remind you of the Levels hair lightens.... With Asian Hair the first bleach may only get the hair to the RED/BROWN Level....its a lot more resistant than caucasian hair, the First bleach on caucasian hair will get to the Orange/Gold or Gold Level {most likely}.
......see why there is a lot of gold and Yellow blond's walking around ??
From talking to a lot of you I can see the biggest problem with most -- is hesitation with putting the bleach on more than once. I can tell you from 15 years of hair in Hollywood and MALIBU....I never bleached anyone's hair once.
Except Trevor. Remember Trevor? He is a Natural Level 10! Super Rare.

See the different "tones" of Blond here???

Underneath they are bleached the perfect, 'pale yellow/white'.......... then a different color TONER is applied.

Above has a Pale Golden Blond Toner, The second has an Apricot IceToner (tiny bit of copper in blond) . . . . the small photo below is Platinum Or "white toner" .... I used to call it the Marilyn White toner............Now can you see and thoroughly understand TONER??

Tomorrow you will learn to apply one. The Directions will double as directions for semi permanent Color (BOUGHT SEPARATELY --- at the beauty supply -- Tube of Color & Developer separate)

I am going to go over the Application procedures for EVERY SINGLE type of Color.

Using a HEAD SHEET ( piece of paper w/ 4 heads drawn) so you will know

• where to start,
• how large to make the partings
• width of the partings for application of color

all the particulars, so you feel more secure when you buying color and developer separate - - - trying to get you all away from KITS!!!! . Is it working???

HOW DOES THAT SOUND?

Killer Chemist

DECOLORIZATION of Previously Colored Hair : Introduction of the Shampoo Train

3 of the Best & Safest Steps to Removing Old Hair Color

This trick normally would be the one I recommend you head to a Professional for, it is about the toughest project you can take on, aside from the endless odd Color Correction procedures.
The many I performed took most of a day, are you ready for that? This is about the most expensive procedure that one can purchase in a Salon, are you ready for that? Just the first part...pre-lightening the hair can take hours, are you ready for that? This is complicated, many very talented stylists won't take it on, they send their clients to a "Color Correction Specialist" because "they can't be bothered". . . . are you ready for this ??? Truly? I want you to understand the scope. The TRUE SCOPE of it.
But, you CAN save yourself a whole helluva lot of cash in doing it at home.
I know you think you are ready, but this is the biggest headache there is...and to be perfectly honest just writing about it, has me dreading it, I have never put it in words and frankly feel like sending you all to another color correction specialist. The reason? Each one of you are a different case, there does not exist 2 identical cases, so for me to address the particulars that will suit each one of you is impossible. That's why you cannot find anything about it -- ANYWHERE....someone is a Level 5R(red)......someone is a Level 3 G(gold) with 2 other colors underneath the Level 3 ....someone is a Level 7RG (copper)with highlights......and inevitably one of you is a Level 1 the most impossible of all Levels and colors - can you see why this is as impossible as I make it sound. I can guarantee you will get discouraged at this whole procedure. I have taken a couple dozen people from Level 1 to Level 12..although they were done in 2 days not 1, to save the integrity of the hair. It can be done, but it takes a lot of dollars in products. There is nothing that can be done about that.
You want to perform miracles????
Its going to cost you and us a lot of dough and every single chemical product that is made to pull it off, correctly.
My suggestion to all of you that want to perform this miracle is to spend at least a full week (even 2 weeks) performing the SHAMPOO TRAIN (I dubbed it that years ago and it stuck -- in Malibu anyway). I've had about a half dozen Strands readers write in with how successful this has been for them.

Just know that throughout my years of Salon and Lab work I sported very cool... very progressive color ...that is one of the suggestions taught in Cosmetology 101 , I loved it and had a great time with it. I always have Level 7 Copper hair (born a natural redhead-- yuck, huh?! I discovered when I colored my hair for fun in Cosmo School long ago....color was the best thing my hair had ever seen!) I don't have gray hair, I have a full head of hair, its long and medium thick ( I developed a program that is killer as well.That will be coming up on here....as well....even sick I have the hair of a teenager! it's great!) My hair naturally was just kind of bland and not very interesting. Coloring it gave it body, shine and interest.... Never got complements on it until I colored it all these crazy combinations of reds and blondes. I colored it every 6 weeks, religiously...which sometimes involved taking a large section of hair from a very dark Level 4 or 5 Auburn to a light copper blond Level 12. I did this to my own hair for 15 years....so I could make these radical changes in my hair fairly often.
How?
Shampoo Train. I would start the Train about 10-12 days before I was going to change my color, I could only wash at night so would do it 4-5 times every night.... I have very porous hair ( fades easily) which helps. This is the most gentle form of fading the hair color and then would top it off with 1-2 applications of PHANTOM Color Corrector. This is the 2nd most gentle method of lightening hair. So if you have tinted dark hair and are anxious to be blonde please realize.....YOU HAVE A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD OF YOU.
3 PRE-TREATMENTS for DECOLORIZATION OF HAIR :

• Bleach Soap Cap ( 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon powder bleach + 10 Vol Developer) Directions are on yesterdays post.
• Shampoo Train (minimum of 1 week) (Malibu2000 - UN DO GOO Shampoo)Today's Post - below.
• Vanish Color Corrector - THE HOLY GRAIL, this is what all of you need > purchase it in our Killer Color Clinic....attached to our GOOGLE GROUP - Killerstrands

In order to begin, depending on the previously colored hair you will need to pick 1,2 or all 3 of these procedures first.

There is no magic, you must get the color out of your hair first

There is no schedule or any rules set in stone. Depends on how many layers of colors you have on your hair....and the most difficult are going to be the ones that have used boxed hair color kits, for some reason those need a stick of dynamite to get them out. I don't know why. That is why I feel there is something strange in them.

All the professional lines of color come out of the hair nicely the cheap ones are stuck in there with something weird. I wish I knew. There is no such thing as permanent hair color.....they all fade... and especially with the SLS shampoos everyone has been using. If you are going to go thru this process make it worth it and get the proper shampoo for your hair afterwards, please.

SHAMPOO TRAIN
Used to fade artificial hair color in preparation for new color or lightening.
Tools

• 2 bottles - Clarifying Shampoo ( #1- Malibu 2000 UN DO GOO or Well Water Action(depends on length/thickness hair)
• Wella In Depth Treatment pH Balancer - through the Killer Color Clinic
• 10 Plastic Caps - package of 100 =
• THRIVEN Hair Conditioner
• Timer

Kitchen Or Bathroom sink
Side of sink: Towel, Shampoo. In Depth Treatment, Conditioner
INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wet Hair & lather...this is different than shampooing, in shampooing you should be scrubbing the scalp....in the Train you're scrubbing the hair strands themselves. Picture in your mind the color molecules locked inside the cuticle of the hair strands.( clarifying shampoo on strands is trying to pull the minerals and gunk off of hair ) once you begin this process the shampoo will pull the minerals and gunk off in the first shampoo....so I have found in repeated shampoos it begins working on taking out the color !! with the very gentle citric acids (you know from the citrus of oranges,grapefruit,lemons, & pineapples)...a very cool and effective method.
2. Praying for Clarity.....while lathered take different sections of the hair working on the darker sections the most between your two hands in the praying position, rub back and forth quickly and with pressure....for as long as you can handle it....moving around the head....keep the lather up > keep the speed pray rubbing up for 5 minutes minimum.
3. After you've run your arms into the ground, make sure there is plenty of lather on the hair, put the Plastic cap on...if you have a blow dryer, lift an edge and shoot the hot air in on the shampooed strands for just 10-15 seconds is all..leave it that way > set timer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Rinse with tepid water, rinse 1 minute longer than you think (no one rinses long enough when shampooing) if you are stopping here for the time being...apply IN-DEPTH & Conditioner in the normal fashion.
5. If you are ready to proceed with 2-3-4-5 shampoos, no need for IN-DEPTH at this point. What you must do is let hair rest minimum of 30 minutes before next shampoo. You must do at least 4 per day. . 6-7 and above is best. Most effective schedule: 2 in the Morning / 1 @ Lunch / 3 in Evening.
6. Depends on the layers of color you each have, its impossible for me to tell you how many days to do this...If you plan on getting a couple boxes of VANISH, if you don't.....there are just so many variables in this. Are you going to begin with a Soap Cap and then proceed to this. Are you going to do all 3? It's totally up to you, your pocketbook, your timeframe, PLEASE keep the condition of your hair at the top of the list. I do.
7. Doing this for a minimum of one week is advised, after that will be your decision depending on the other factors.
8. I have put together a Color Remover Kit that includes

• 1 Box of VANISH ( 2 applications)
• 1 Sponge for application
• 2 plastic Caps
• UN DOO GOO Shampoo - 3 applications
• 10 Volume - Small bottle
• My Personal Instructions on VANISH application - Tricks of my trade for getting color OUT

I have finally explained the SHAMPOO TRAIN. As I said, you must take the 3 Decolorization Techniques and figure out which you will use...I would suggest using 2. Of course, I would suggest the shampoo Train and then VANISH - 2 applications. If you have Level 1 or 2 you are going to need all 3 and 2 boxes of VANISH. Vanish is the one and only product that will work .

The absolute easiest, best and most gentle on the hair is the VANISH Color Corrector. There are 2 applications per box and it costs $30.00, if you've followed the teachings here I will be glad to let you order it from me, I can tell if you've been reading it or not.

VANISH Color Corrector truly reverses the molecular action of the color molecules and they come out without the use of any developer or bleach so it is super gentle on the hair. Super.
How light do you get it? The million dollar question....You want to get as close to your virgin hair color as possible.
Vanish does not work on natural hair - - bleach does.
So when you get close to your own hair color with the bleach soap cap it will lighten it - VANISH won't.

You want to get as much of that artificial color out as possible, yet -- preserving the condition of your hair. If the condition starts to feel "spongy" "not right" or "rough & stringy"....and especially if you start to have hair shedding or hair fall...be ready as this will happen when going through these steps (the most radical of hair coloring procedures). A small amount is normal, if it starts to be a large amount .......rinse whatever it is .... > OFF - IMMEDIATELY. Rinse,shampoo and condition immediately. Re-assess when dry. Don't panic over this warning, I just need to throw it out there, I feel better if I know I have covered everything.
For Decolorization of previously colored Hair you now have the 3 PRE-steps. Me, I would use 2 boxes of Vanish and be done with it, I understand you need other options. In the Salon someone comes in and wants it done, you have no chance to ask them to do the Shampoo Train, although with a couple people I offered them the option of that or 8-10 hours in the Salon and better conditioned hair, they took the shampoo & we did it 10 days later. You cannot just plaster the bleach on and hope it will take the color out, if you do the hair will come off your head with the color. You must perform at least 1 of the 3 Pre-Treatments, preferably 2.

There is no reason to put the directions to VANISH on here, you only need them if you purchase the product....and you can only purchase it if you have a Cosmetology License. [I have not even seen it on EBAY!] So you have the 3 PRE steps now and then you would move to the previously posted Lightening of Virgin Hair with just a couple warning steps and a couple small tricks which will tie it all together.
Questions Kids?

1 Step Down ...1 Step To Go! .....BLEACH AND TONE IS HOW WE ROLL

In Prep For Toner Application

After Lightening the Hair, I ALWAYS...ALWAYS Tone the hair. I've explained it a million ways and still see many of you not quite understanding what a toner is....it is NOT a color. Again....it is an opaque - light coating - that gives the hair a "tone" only, not a solid color, thus the name. I have never bleached/lightened a clients hair without also Toning it, although I have seen others just do the one step. I highly recommend the toning process. . . once you do it, you will fully realize the advantages, some think they are so slight that it doesn't matter, but they have been so wonderful that I have never "not' used one. Most of your blonde celebrities have their hair 'toned' once every week or every other week depending on how porous the hair is. Gwen Stefani, Christina Aquillera, they use toners regularly.

Have I made clear porosity? Please let me know if I need more on that subject it is very important when dealing with color. The difference porosity can make on lifting time's can be amazing. Normally, in a classroom I would have the students sit down with wefts of human hair in Level 7 and Level 3 along with 2 different types of bleach (Oil & powder) a high lift blonde(12A) and a Level 10N Colour. This was usually their first go round with color and real human hair...just before they did each others hair...they were allowed to experiment and play around with different volumes of peroxide and those lighteners. ....

{ I hope to carry some hair wefts for you to order & experiment with. I needed that to give me security ( they should be pretty minimal in cost) although I guess on here most of you will just be doing your own hair, not a variety of hair as stylists do}

After the hair goes through the 10 stages of decolorization, the color that is left in the hair is known as its foundation. It is essential that you achieve the correct foundation in order to create the degree of porosity required for proper toner development.

Manufacturers of toners generally include literature with their products that recommends the foundation necessary to achieve the color you desire. As a general rule, the paler the color you are seeking, the lighter a foundation you will need. {There is nothing wrong with reading directions... no matter how secure you are with a product, as a chemist I know how often formulations are altered which reflects into the directions as well. It is imperative that you review directions for all the different lines and manufacturers you end up using } It is important to follow the literature closely and to understand that overlightened hair will "grab" the base color of the toner. Underlightened hair,on the other hand, will appear to have more red, yellow, or orange than the intended color.

It is not advisable to prelighten past the yellow stage. This will create overporous hair that will have inadequate amounts of natural pigment left in the cortex for the toner to bond to. Refer to the Post on the Color Wheel to select a toner that will neutralize or tone the prelightened hair to the desired shade...and you can always Post your comment at the end of this POST and I will get back to you within 24 hours ( my new mission ! )

PRELIMINARY TONER APPLICATION

Administer a patch Test for allergies or other sensitivities 24 hours before the toner application. Do it at the same time you do the tests for the lightener...so its all done the day before and you are ready to go on the same day, I feel its important to Tone the same day as the bleach because the cuticle is still open and the porosity is at its most right after a bleaching and if anything is a problem with toners, its that they wash out too quickly. If you apply it the same day, it will usually last a week to 10 days - - longer ( great for Toners). Proceed with Toner application if patch/strand tests are negative and hair is in good condition.

Toners are about the one and only hair color "I" do not wear gloves for, they are so mild and light they neither stain the hands nor sting them...so I don't wear them but I cannot speak for everyone .I like the feel of human hair in my hands and cannot stand gloves but after bleaching my fingerprints off my hands for years at a time I have gotten a lot better about that whole habit.

Tomorrow the shopping list for Toners - Directions....then the Lightener Directions for previously colored hair.

good nite;!

Killer Chemist

Bleach For The Stars (cont)

Part 3 (final) of the ONLINE Directions :

"HOW-TO-BLEACH-YOUR-HAIR : White

(not yellow) Leaving Hair In Excellent Condition

Quest for Platinum (part 3)

11.)Determine from a color chart or as best you can 15 minutes before the time is done, you are looking for a pastel yellow-white....the one major problem made by people bleaching hair is... that it is yellow. What does being yellow indicate? .... they have taken the bleach off too early... or that it was put on once....and not put on again. Many times...let me say, most times, the bleach needs to be applied twice. If the client has very light hair to begin with, Level 7 is the breaking point, a Level 8 would be darkest you can be to get away with one bleach is a pretty good guess.

Remember the porosity, the texture of the hair have a lot to do with how fast hair lightens...so it will be different all the time. You need to understand that person A with Level 8 VIRGIN Hair and person B with Level 8 VIRGIN hair can both have completely different lift speeds. Person A has straight, very porous fine - level 8 hair...while Person B has straight - non porous - coarse level 8 hair.....with my experience I will guess that person A will be light enough when all is said and done and person B will need an extra 30 to 60 minutes.

Just know that when hair is wet with this product on it....it will never look totally white,EVER...so do not look for totally white, what it looks like is a pale yellow-white, when it is dry it turns to white. Why do you not want it to be totally white? It will be over done....the product will be on too long creating too much damage. I do not mean to sound confusing, I mean to try to teach you everything I know through words, I want you to understand this process through reading words as much as possible.

12.)About 15 minutes before you think it will be finished, remove the cotton from the scalp area. Apply the lightener to the hair near the scalp with the 1/8-1/4" partings, very very quickly...(figure 16-54). If at this point you are running out of bleach prepare a fresh batch - at this point I would make up a batch of regular bleach - using 40 volume developer, to help speed things up.You have all the hair covered in the oil bleach so the oil is on all of your strands in order to protect it. The cuticle opens and lets the OIL IN....which helps the condition and controls the damage to the hair. If you just have some spots or stubborn areas put the 40 volume bleach on them and work it in with your fingers, rubbing it into the hair strands briskly and hard with your fingers..

Process and perform your strand test until the entire shaft has reached the desired stage of pale yellow/white.

13.)Rinse the hair thoroughly with tepid water. Shampoo gently with a Sodium Lauryl Sulfate--FREE shampoo.

14.) Apply "After-Treatment" of choice for a minimum of 5 minutes to get the pH back to normal.{Remember Wella's "In-Depth" is only $4.00 at Sally's and is an EXCELLENT Deep conditioner + an "after-treatment" as well}....this little step is one of those tricks that I added that makes a huge difference in this process, many discard it...don't! You want the best tricks? Use them. You will see why in the condition of your hair.

The idea is to perform only the necessary steps,in a Salon setting you are in a massive hurry,in my days in Salons,there was never enough time for people that wanted their hair done, ever...yet doing this step was one I would never axe. Only the necessary ones are on here I promise you.

Re- condition with the best conditioner you have for a couple minutes.

15.) Towel Dry the hair....under a cool dryer.....find out which way your toner needs the hair its about 50-50 1/2 the toners want your hair damp the other 1/2 want it dry.... if dry....be sure to dry very very gently and on a lo-warm temp. treat the hair with care its just gone through Hell and back.

16.) Examine scalp for any abrasions (See Figure 16-55)Analyze the condition of the hair. Proceed with toner application.

{ as a warning the color of this is too yellow (Fig.16-55), I would apply bleach one complete more time for how this looks.... it is in the yellow stage..... and needs to be AT LEAST in the yellow/white stage - - - see the DeColorization chart I posted... the lightest says "pale Yellow"...I cal it Yellow/White...because it is ...Yellow White }

the Decolorization chart shows what stages the hair goes through as it loses its color with bleach on it. As a Colorist we are trained to use the word "lightener" in front of clients...talking to each other we say "bleach" that's what it is and its easier

when bleaching the first few times....Click on it and Print it out....save for reference..

At this point you are completely done with the Bleaching process....your hair will feel kind of funny.....it will smell kind of funny...I LOVE IT ! ! ! .oh and why do I like this procedure better than any other in the world of hair???? Did you figure it out?

Its because it is the single procedure that changes the hair the most....at times going from black to white...especially when applying to hispanics or Asians. Also when it is done like this....with a gorgeous icy beige toner...there is nothing more beautiful. You will see once you do this.. You basically are changing hair from 'black' to 'white'....the more change I can do,the more I feel like a true artist within the world of hair. The very first bleach I did was to an Asian girl from Pepperdine College, she had come to Sassoon to get her hair done for free.... we had her for 8 hours,that was the penalty for "free hair" 16 years ago. I can't believe I can still remember that she was an Advertising Student so she was an ARTIST herself.....she let me put a 2 inch band (surrounding her entire hairline) of PURE White Hair so she had a GORGEOUS white frame around her face and then I took her Level 2 darkest brown hair and made it Level 1 > black-blue...so it was the complete opposite ends of the spectrum...as my VERY FIRST bleach. I cannot believe my mentor ( Lucie Doughty) had me do that first, but as she used to say, " it IS only hair". She had this great attitude toward hair which took me about 10 years to acquire, I had always held my hair dear to my heart....but as I matured and as I had quite a few severe tragedies happen in life...it finally hit me.....it TRULY is . . . . . . .ONLY Hair! Its the one object on the body that WILL grow back....!

Now find your Toner...this is as important as the bleach. You never want to leave it Un-toned that is like making a birthday cake and not frosting it. You can eat the cake and I suppose some would consider it done, but my Lord how much better is it WITH the Frosting!!

ITS THE BEST PART, just like the frosting is!

(Toners are tomorrow)

**** Just a note...I have gone through and added a few very important points to both posts that I both forgot and changed my mind on, so be sure to re-read them...if you have gone through the headache of reading all this. Sorry its so long, I wanted to cover everything....and I know I will still have questions.....

PLEASE >ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU WANT....I WANT TO SEE IF I HAVE MADE THIS CLEAR ! ! ! ! and what I might have forgotten or what you do not understand.... I want you all to fully understand it.....PLEASe . . . ASK, ANYTHING ON YOUR MIND.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB "QUESTION"

Coming in a day or so will be the Numbered thorough Directions to.......Bleaching Previously Treated Hair Blonde:White Blonde.

Bleach for the Stars (continues)

The Quest For Platinum Continues....

Now you have everything you need and its time to begin. First you are going to want to read and re-read the directions to mixing the oil bleach...its super important to mix it correctly and the way the ingredients go together is different from anything you have mixed together in the hair color world. So again...READ & FOLLOW exactly.

**Add > Plastic Applicator Bottle > to your Equipment list

The consistency of Oil bleach is more liquid-y than any other, so its a little trickier to use and a lot messier ...BUT...just keep in your head "this will make my hair healthier - when it is all said and done".

TRY hard to find a friend or pal of some sort to help you apply this, the back is going to be tricky if you are doing it to yourself, it can be done with mirrors...but be sure to use them if your are doing it to yourself.

Here we go! Read through the entire directions first. then get prepared and if needed read through again.

1. Divide DRY hair into four sections (see illustration 12-20)



2. Prepare cotton strips, tear cotton rope into 7-8" strips (have about 40-50 ready) depends on thickness & length



3. Apply protective cream around the hairline and over the ears.



4. Put on protective gloves ( buy 'small' Latex you want them tight)



5. Prepare the Oil Bleach in bowl, almost always I will mix 2 batches of oil bleach, if you have hair any longer than chin level is a good measure, mix with tint brush and use immediately to prevent deterioration. One of the bigger secrets of bleach is that the majority of its "punch" or "power" takes place all in the first 55 minutes. It has about 20% of its power left after that, but that would mean leaving the bleach on for 2-3 hours to get what you need out of it. Therefore the trick is.... to complete this entire regimen, and if and when "2" APPLICATIONS of BLEACH are necessary( see #11), you take this application off and reapply a brand new one. After years of doing these, you cut time off the process by doing it this way. Promise!



6. Begin in the Back on one side. Have comb, tint brush, cotton strips and lightener set-up. I have never done this procedure to myself, always to clients. I have always used a tint brush and bowl. But in reviewing how others accomplish this process, some put the mixture in an applicator plastic bottle. As a rule I do not recommend these bottles, BUT...if you are trying to do this to yourself ( a very brave endeavor I might add!) , I am thinking the applicator bottle might be easier especially for the back. Up to you...purchase the applicator bottle if you decide to... they have them at Sally's. Now be completely ready to go without having one thing interrupt you, this is a time consuming process and needs to be applied as FAST AS YOU POSSIBLY can there is absolutely NO room for breaks.

ILLUSTRATION 12-20(above)

7. Begin the application on the bottom of one side you are NOT putting it on the roots, you are applying from 1/2" off the scalp and extend the lightener up to, but not through the porous ends.Use 1/4" partings to apply the lightener, applying to the top and underside of the subsection in quick movements. Why? The heat from the head speeds up the processing on the first 1/2": therefore that is the last area you apply to.



8. Place strips of cotton at the scalp area along the parts to prevent the lightener from touching the base of the hair ( photo 16-51). So you will be 1st applying the bleach 1/2" off the scalp laying the cotton down on the roots to keep the bleach from running down on the roots....on both back sections and then the front sections, moving as quickly as possible. (FAST)



9. Continue to apply lightener, double checking application adding more if necessary. Do NOT COMB THRU the hair. Make sure all hair is covered and moist, with oil bleach that is hardly a problem....



10. Now if you have not done a strand test...so that you know how long it takes YOUR hair to get as light as you desire. You will have to keep checking it. To check lightening level use a damp towel and a water spray bottle to Blot do NOT rub -- the strand to look at the color. When its about 15 minutes from being ready...is what you are looking for. I am not sure how to teach you this trick....it comes from experience....and one way around experimenting on your own head if you are hesitant is to order a "Doll Head" they make them with real human hair that are made to color...and they cost $20-$30. http://www.wimex.com/ has many products for great prices....including the doll heads and all the supplies you need for coloring at rock bottom prices.

There is the first half of the procedure .....the second half comes tomorrow...........

On Your Questions To Me....

Lots 'n Lots of questions.....

Can I ask you all ...a few things....I am more than happy to answer your questions...but I do ask a couple things... Please read through the basics...I am trying to teach this and it takes a long long time for much of this. Read the Levels and whatever I have posted about your particular issues.

On your opening email, please post these 7 answers first:

1) what Level & tone IS your hair?
2) what Level & tone do you DESIRE?
3) What Level & tone of color do you have on your hair now? is it virgin?
4) Length of Hair?
5) Thickness ?
6) Texture?straight, wiry, curly, kinky etc..
7) Porosity? how easy does it take color?

Please Open with the Answers to this....it helps me like you cannot believe and its why I taught it. For me to give answers WITHOUT the advantage of touching and seeing your hair is not easy...think about that. 1/2 of the analysis is in the touch/feel of the hair. So I am working handicapped, I must at least have these answers and will send you to this post, if you have not given them to me.

These answers are time consuming...... help me...help you

Thank You,

Dakota

Killer Chemist

Bleach For The Stars : Complete Directions of Professional Hair Bleaching

Be Blonde Before Breakfast

I apologize for the break last week, I hope to make up for it with some of this months posts.
This week ? Bleaching and Highlights !

Today? We will begin with my absolute favorite procedure on the planet;
BLEACHING VIRGIN HAIR or......BLEACH & TONE
Why do you think this would be my favorite procedure?


Two of the most important parts of this process

1. the product you use


2. following directions to the T

The reason for my success in hair had a lot to do with 'who' trained me, but also
....following directions to the T.
I don't skip over steps, I feel doing the steps perfectly and precisely is important, in chemistry it is important. If any of you cook or bake...I'm sure you have noticed the difference if you measured your ingredients or if you just guessed when making a specific recipe.... Cooking is chemistry as well. Same with Hair color, measuring and following the steps are important. I have already had some readers try to jump ahead and they have had disastrous results. I am here for any of you to ask questions. Even if you want to jump ahead.

Please,if you learn nothing else from me....learn that....to follow directions.

Hair color Chemistry needs to be precise, thorough and meticulous,read and re-read until you get very familiar.
Do not cut corners, hair color chemistry does not work well that way.
I even added some steps to many of the procedures once I began studying Chemistry and had 6-7 years under my belt finding ways to help the hair stay as healthy as possible. Dealing with Hollywood, I had many clients that wanted to color their hair frequently, so with that as the criteria...their hair needed to be in top condition as well as different colors all the time...so I had to master both.


I find a lot of hair stylists would rather work with "SPEED" being their goal,so they work in volume.
That is one way I suppose..but it does not work in my world. My biggest problem was time, you cannot be fast when you add steps to what already is a very time consuming process.


PREPARATION
For this process you will need OIL BLEACH.

Oil Bleach was a trick from a famous Vidal Sassoon Colourist from England, Annie Humphries…and after many years of doing hundreds of them myself I would never do it any other way. So begin by either purchasing > Redkens - Levitation Oil Bleach through the Killer Strands Store.

I sell 1 Kit of Levitation for $19.00 which includes 2 applications + gloves, Developer of your choice, tail comb, Oil Bleach, and 2 - In-Depth samples. A complete Bleaching kit for you!

Killerstrands@gmail.com and put PURCHASE OIL BLEACH in the subject header.

Oil Bleach is used to not only lighten hair but also to protect the scalp from the harshness of bleach .

But the added PLUS from OIL BLEACH is what people do not know....
By adding the oil to the process??? What have I taught you to use on your hair as a deep conditioner? or a "PRE"- conditioner???
OIL
...what type matters only a little.....there are some oils that are better than others....but OIL is wonderful for the condition of hair - period.
So once the cuticle is opened, the bleach goes in the hair strand and lightens the pigment/melanin that is in there...with Oil in the mixture, the oil goes in the hair strand as well...which conditions and strengthens the hair while it is lightening --- at the same time. Its an added bonus of the oil bleach.....use it whenever you can.....I have used it on the damaged hair of clients that insist on highlights even though I have told them their hair is too damaged for highlights........if hair is damaged you will protect it by using OIL BLEACH.

It angers me that so many of the companies have tried to push "oil-free" everything on the public, OIL is the best thing on the planet for your hair and your skin. That subject is a very long and passionate post by yours truly, that I will skip for now.
Just trust me, Oils are Lipids...there is nothing better for your hair than lipids.

READ this for Preparation for Bleaching hair:

{ In preparation to color hair of any type….it is said and required for everyone to perform a “strand test” on all hair coloring products. I would be doing a lousy job if I did not mention this. This means you are to mix a tiny amount of the product and apply it to a few strands of hair and to your skin underneath a Band-Aid type application, to see if you have any sort of reaction to it. In over 10,000 HEADS of hair and 15 years, I had 4 people react badly to the hair products and it was to bleach. If you are an allergic type person I would definitely not skip this step. If you are a total virgin to hair color, never had any hair color on your hair or skin. . . . I would also do this step.} By Law, I am required to tell you this and I feel you need to be made aware of it.


TOOLS NEEDED

• Towels


• Combs


• Protective Gloves


• Plastic clips


• Cape (old Tshirt)


• Plastic or Glass Bowl


• Shampoo (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate-FREE)


• Peroxide 20 & 40 Volume


• After Treatment - pH Balancer - Wella IN-DEPTH Treatment (KCC Store)
  
• 
  
• 4 OZ. measurer beaker
  


• Cotton Rope ( by the yard)


• Tint Brush


• Oil Bleach Lightener .......Redken LEVITATION Oil Bleach
• Blondor (Wella) - Creme Bleach - thru Killerstrands Store
  

• Professional Powder Bleach ...if you plan on coloring hair regularly > buy yourself a tub - it will probably last you a year.
Contact me with your PayPal account Killerstrands@gmail.com

• Timer


• Protective Cream

Hair Terminology GLOSSARY #1

Color/Tint Remover > prepared commercial product designed to remove artificial pigment from hair (MOD-U-LAT now called Phantom Color Corrector)

Double Process > coloring technique requiring 2 separate procedures, in which the hair is prelightened with lightener, before the deposited color is applied (ex: bleach & tone)

Hair Lightening > chemical process involving the diffusion of natural color pigment or artificial color from the hair; often called bleaching or decolorizing

High Lift Blonde > single process color with a higher degree of lightening action & minimum amount of color deposit

Single Process Hair Color >Oxidative tint Solution that lifts or lightens while also depositing color in one application
Toner > a pastel opaque color used to give hair a desired hue after pre-lightening

Virgin application > Natural hair that has not undergone any chemical or physical or physical abuse

Killer Chemists > Most Common Question For August.

Below is a wonderful email from a Killerstrands reader, this seems to be a very common problem this month. At the end of every month I want to pick out an email that represents the most common inquiry to me for the month, in hopes of helping others out there, too timid to ask and answer it for you all in a post. I got Melissa's approval first to publish her email, so I thank her for giving us the peek into her hair world.

Please, I adore your questions and look forward to answering them. So ask away.

Here is melissa's Email...

I would estimate I had at least another 20 emails to me very very close to the same problem.... Melissa summarized it the best..

Aug 31 (3 days ago)

Killer CHEMIST,

i just found your blog, and i have to say i have learned a lot. i wish i found this earlier.
i need some help with a problem i have with my hair.

i asked my stylist to make my hair color a nice medium warm brown.
I have naturally black hair but has been highlighted, and then changed to a dark brown.

My hair looked brown when she was done, and i liked it. but when i got home it looked more of a dark plum red tint.
which i hate! i was pissed. in the light you could see this dark reddish purple tint to it. and even in pictures it looked like that.
so i panicked and bought a toner (demi-permanent), Loreal Gems. That made my hair black with a dark reddish tint! Yuck.

So i go to her to fix it. She doesn't lift my hair at all???? I thought that was weird.
Instead she said she put in more of an ash color in the mixture she made......It definitely got most of the red out but not all, there is still a slight red tint in the light, but its still black. Now in the light it will look brownish/reddish depending on the angle of the light.

Ugh! i don't know what to do. i want to be able to do this myself and i am worried about damaging my hair, meanwhile paranoid of hair loss.
i just want a nice medium but warm brown. is that so difficult. oh she said i would have to bleach my hair to get this color, which after reading you blogs, it sounds like she is right. she said my hair since i'm asian (technically only half, and I don't have typical asian hair) will always pull red.

i know when she did my highlights i got a nice brown. i don't know what i should do.




There is a whole art in the Hair Colour World called Color Correction. This would be a person that spends the majority of their time fixing others hair color mistakes. I did this throughout my career because I was trained by a Colour Correction Specialist, she was the top in the field in the United States and she continues to be. I was very lucky to have that training because there is no where to 'read' about it, one has to be trained or find someone that will let you intern/mentor underneath them... it is the only way. Most with the knowledge do not like to give it up they want it elite & private.

The very first point about this email that needs to be made.............
This is a HAIR COLOR Rule that is the most important one you will ever learn. Almost everyone that reads and comments on this blog....does not seem to understand what it means. I am upset that I have not explained it correctly & that no one understands what I mean.
Here it is:

Colour does not lift color.
Tint does not Lift Tint.
Dye does not lift Dye..............................all 3 of these statements mean exactly the same thing.
Its just what you are calling the hair color product. I prefer Tint.

If you put Tint or color or Dye....whatever you want to call it...on your hair.... once......like she did...she had brown colour put on her hair....
once you put that color on your hair.....you are basically screwed..... once it is on your hair, it is chemically impossible to take another color and put it on top....and have that color on top work....they do NOT WORK ON TOP OF EACH OTHER, that has not been figured out yet...
Once dark brown is put on hair.....the only way out of it is to wash it out or use a very expensive very long process called MODULAT a German color remover.

Modulat is how the Celebs all change hair color so much and their hair is still on their head. It does removes the color/tint/or dye....safely - it does not destroy the hair.... but it takes an entire day and can cost $200-$500. in the Salon.

Now we are right back to where we started......

Colour does not "Lift" Colour. ( lift means 'lighten') Can you grasp that statement? I think if you do it will help you all in so many ways...

So for Melissa and the many others that wrote to me with this problem.. ....I am making available the MODULAT to any readers of Killer strands that want to do the procedure to themselves. The product ( 2 applications normally) costs $23 and is not difficult to apply I've helped a couple people with it :very successfully. That is one option.

The other is to start right away with the shampoo train.
I have quite a few people in this stage right now. This is what we use in the hair color world with hair models.....If you shampoo the hell out of hair, with a CLARIFYING shampoo....
the color begins to come out....you loosen the color molecules and begin to fade the hair color...exactly what we want.
It goes like this.....
The best shampoo is Malibu 2000 UN DO GOO.....if you can't get that....buy a crappie CLARIFYING shampoo
....leave shampoo ON THE HAIR for 5-10 minutes ( longer the better) rinse...........wait min. 30 minutes & repeat..... Do this 4-5-6 times - EVERY day!!
That will lighten that black....which is what you want.

just give me the word and I will send you some Modulat!

First you have to work at getting that black and all those colors out of it......start that shampoo train up....so many people have tremendous success with this.....trust me. It's the beginning you need.
.....

Solve Brassy Highlights for Pennies

with age-old Hollywood Hair Stylist Recipe

With your emails please include answers to the above 6, don't let #4 freak you out

One example of an answer to #4 is this:

Have newly tinted blond hair that is too brassy ?? or highlights that have a brassy (yellow-ey) cast to them, how would you neutralize that?............go to the color wheel........where is yellow on the wheel ?? remember to neutralize or cancel it out, you go where?????

to the opposing side....

That is the one and only way to cancel out an objectionable colour

So to cancel out a yellow cast, you would use a toner that has a violet base. You may have seen the many colored conditioners they make for the public now which are basically Toners. A Toner is a transparent color, I relate it to nylons for the legs. Transparent, but adds a cast of color to the hair (leg) . You've seen these in drug stores now for Redheads -Blondes - Brunettes they call them "colored conditioners", when in fact they are Semi Permanent Toners as they are depositing color in the hair strands. { be careful if you purchase these...they will screw up color you do to your hair, after applying them }

here is an example of one of the brands

...as hair stylists we have been using these for 20 years....don't ask me why we kept them secret from the public...?

that whole method of hair is ridiculous to me now....I plan on blowing it wide open because of its stupidity. I think you all should have access to all knowledge that is available.

As I've said before hair and cooking are 2 very similar arts. They are both elementary chemistry at work to please the human being.

If this was the cooking world....it would be similar to elite Chefs keeping from everyone the ability & recipes to make frosting. You have the recipes to make cakes but there is a trick to making frosting, it had been figured out, the elite chefs made them, but those of us without our own Chef could not figure out how to make frosting. We didn't have the recipe, it was never allowed to be published in cookbooks. They thought only the wealthy should have the recipe? Why?

Knowledge should be made available to everyone.....

Every single person on the planet

The easiest way to solve this? Purchase a semi permanent color you know either - like Fudge...Manic Panic...or Crazy Colors in purple/Lavender....... take about a teaspoon of that color and mix it in with a 2 Cups of hair conditioner in a bowl stir with a whisk and return to jar, POOF you have made your own Lavender toner that works better than anything you can buy. How easy <> how cheap.