Back to the Basics, where I Belong
Hair color is a funny thing, it cannot be reduced entirely to a science, as there are so many parts that are given to objective analysis by a experienced individual. That’s why you cannot just order a book on the subject. Dozens of Colorists before me have thought about writing one, I can guarantee you, its a daunting task…because of the variables we all know exist. Many aspects of hair coloring defy an exact system . . . the level System as I have tried to teach here on Killer Strands is the only universal system that truly works, I know it lacks in many areas…but when you get used to it I promise you figuring out your own hair color will be a snap. Learning it takes time, now that I have watched thousands of people absorb it I can solidly report that it takes some reading, some research and some thinking and experimenting to begin to work it…I am proud to report many of you are successfully working the Level System and reporting in with beautiful hair coloring stories.
What I hope for, is more of you to take the plunge, invest in your own hair….in your own hair color, in the power it takes you to take control over your own hair, NO MORE DISASTERS… you only have to learn the variables on one head of hair…YOUR OWN ! A great colorist has to be able to calculate for every type of hair that exists – every head of hair that walks through that door, sits in that seat and looks longingly to me for a perfect color. I took that look very seriously, but the more I listen to war stories of hair color disasters, the more I’m finding there are just not a whole lot of qualified Colorists out there. So to figure just your own out, really does not take that long, nor is that hard. I really encourage you to begin the reading it takes on this Blog to find the answer to your perfect hair color….Remember, IT DOES NOT COME FROM A BOX. 
If I were to line up 10 of you with the exact same level 6 (completely) virgin hair, and every one of you wanted the exact same result…. I would not use the exact same formula. I’m estimating there to be 4 to 7 different formula’s to reach that same color and THAT IS WHY the Box system doesn’t work. Remember, Boxed Hair Color is known as “job security” to Salons and Hair Stylists, they count on you showing up with your hair color botched, that kind of says it all. I’ve always wanted to know how many people walked into a Salon across the entire USA one day of the week, every week of the year. …I would love to know the true exact amount. I’ve often thought it is probably around 50,000 per day, that to me is incredibly sad. You see all the stylists around me used to act like hunters waiting for the kill, during the day…in Malibu, the owner & I were the only one’s with a jam-packed book. They would wait for “walk-ins” with botched box color . . . I never had to live that way. But still, it just isn’t fair to the public, I don’t think anyone has ever brought that topic up, I won’t stop bringing it up.
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Your natural base level is foremost among the key factors one wants to use in calculating your new hair color formula. Your best bet is to remove all old color (using VANISH only) if its blond or blorange, blass or blellow (my personal fav.) begin growing your hair out - - - N O W! There are methods of turning those 3 colors normal while growing your hair out, all involve “filling” the hair. In Hair Academy some of the Color Instructors that lived in the Academy world would say: there isn’t a color I can’t make a client. Which at first I took on their attitude….UNTIL >>>> I got to the “Salon” world and dealt with the public on a daily basis that is when I learned the Salon world was completely & totally different than the Academy world. In the Salon world I would become close to my clients, I cared about them, cared about their hair ……the future of their hair. In the Academy world you do one person’s hair and never see them again. You constantly are doing the hair color of people you will never see again – models you do once, spending all day on one person for a photo shoot….never to see them again… which is just not normal. If someone walks in, is Asian with Level 1(black) hair and wants to have a soft “mint green frame around the face” …. you do it & actually have a blast doing it. YES, I can make anyone – ANY COLOR -- I did that for one full year, but I quickly learned that is NOT how you introduce hair color nor take care of clients you care about.
3 tricks I learned that made my client list so strong?
- Always have their “next” or “future” hair color and most importantly their hairs health in mind (for them) .
- Listen to their requests for their new hair color choices, look at the photos they have chosen . . . .but never ever forget what the consequences of their choices will bring.
- I always felt it was my job, to talk them out of a hair disaster. It was a gamble I took at the beginning. Most all top Colorists I knew at the beginning would turn the clients hair whatever color they asked for. I care about “people” too much to
Now I live by the Rule:
NOT ALL HAIR CAN BE ALL COLORS
- - and that, is my own PERSONAL Rule.
I took the hundreds of clients I had and pretended they were all my family. Would I straighten a girls hair who begged me for it, if I knew with the next appointment she came for… she would be in tears with her hair breaking off. NO Would I tint the platinum(Level 12) woman’s hair…. black (Level 1), because there was a dance or Halloween was coming up that she just had to have it for? NO Would I apply extensions to a woman's hair that was of medium or fine texture and was of medium to thin thickness? NO Could I have done any of these procedures? Of course. They all rake in a whole lot of $$$ as well. This is the stumbling block most stylists fall into, they worship the almighty dollar instead of the almighty hair strand. Big…………….no, HUGE mistake.
So for all of you that remain on the path to your Colorist, you must learn this for yourself, take the care of your hair into your own hands and stop any procedures from happening that do not protect your hair. Learn the Steps I have taught you through the pages and posts of this Blog. Go back to the beginning, read the entire Blog….It does not take that long and I get more compliments from that one suggestion than any other suggestion.
Join in on our Google Group http://groups.google.com/group/killerstrands ask questions, read the archives…. I hate to repeat myself. I look to the group for questions to write about in these POSTS. I hope to spend the next 2 months on Hair Color and Color questions the group brings to the surface will be the basis of my coming POSTS. You know when I had to wipe all my computers clean the only list that I lost that I truly miss is the one that I have collected since the beginning of the BLOG on “POSTS I HAVE YET TO WRITE”…I had about 40 titles on there and all these clever titles for them as well….I’m just so very sad about losing them. It took 3 years to put together that list. I have learned a lot from this experience, most things I didn’t know anything about, people keep trying to point out the good parts of it…which I appreciate, I truly do.
I'm looking for ideas to write about as "COLOR" is going to be my subject for the next 2 months...I'm going to really concentrate and get back to explaining and teaching hair color to you.
You will need to have an order number to enter/ post and read the group, and your questions will need to pertain to your purchased products....- If you don't know exactly what color you need, purchase 2 tubes of the brand you want, some In-TENSIVE, Crib Colorist Kit ( gives you all tools you need to begin at a Killer price), a Sulfate-Free Shampoo …when you check out - there is our little "KILLER BOX" at check out - Write in that box:
"JOINING GROUP - Hold Order 4 Help w/ Color Selection " - Everyone joining the group, MUST join with the answers to the KILLER 8 which will be discussed in todays POST.
Which ‘yes’ means I am forcing you to learn. - I know that may sound mean, but it is truly not that hard, I have taught my little niece it ( she is only 17 and will be attending Vidal Sassoon Academy when she graduates high school!) - - if she can learn it - - - SO CAN YOU !
- I mean learn about your hair, so you never EVER have another hair disaster.
Every single day of every single month - - - all year long - - - I get an email from at least 2 and up to 10 people saying the exact same sentence, " I wish I would’ve found this BEFORE my hair got destroyed” … I am guessing my site is pretty high up there on Google’s ratings for Hair color disasters. So I thank Google for that…although I wish there was a way to for them to find me BEFORE the disaster happened. { I’m looking for miracles now, aren’t I ??}
This is what I started this group doing and to be honest my little mishap of November got me so rattled that I want to return back to the basics…..Teaching Hair Color to the Crib Colorists and Hair Health to the 10,000HEADS Regimen devotees.
...we are getting so many new members I want to concentrate on helping the people who decide to take the plunge and give professional products and KillerStrands brands/protocol a "go".
Don't panic anyone, I will still be helping out in here a few days a week - exactly as before.
I was also considering bring the Consultations back.....when I do though they are going to cost a lot more, unfortunately.
I'm so much busier now, but I get so many requests that it truly makes me feel bad.
You can look at it as one hair appointment, to save yourself a life-time of mistakes....if that is worth it to you, then maybe the price will make more sense.
As I have said many times, the answers to many of your questions are already here.....Free - in Posts I have written over the past (almost) 3 years! So if you just do a small amount of research { the Search system Google has on my BLOG works very very well } Nik is very good at learning how to "SEARCH" so is Amber, if you ask either one of them they may help you as well.
Now as I gather material and get back to writing about hair color and hair health….let me give you the KillerQ8. These 8 questions are as abbreviated as possible, to come up with your new hair color formula for your new KS Color. It includes everything possible, short of being able to feel the hair…the one and only missing variable in this system.
I can’t wait to hear some of you being able to figure out other member’s hair color formula’s as we use this system of mine in full force ad over and over again many of you will start to get it…You’ve already amazed me in your answers to many peoples questions. So in any questions from now on regarding you or your color and you wanting to change your color answer your questions with SHORT answers to these KILLERQ8
Just today I had one of our newbies answer the KillerQ8’s first question wrong.
the first question is this:
- What is your VIRGIN hair color level & tone? Her answer was: Copper-Blond base with blond high-lights.
Now that is someone who is trying to beat the system, please get the answers right, its only 8 questions…. VIRGIN HAIR is hair that has not been touched by anyone. This doesn’t mean when you were 10 years old either, it means when you were full grown, mature and your age today…no has natural blond highlights ( z(except 10 year olds)….or if they do they are less than 1% and in 10,000 heads, I have never seen them. Anyway you get the picture now don’t you?
2.What is your PRESENT Hair Color level & Tone?
3. What is your DESIRED hair color Level & Tone?
4. What is your percentage of Gray? Is it Resistant? ( which means is it stubborn to hold hair color)
5.What is your DURP? Slight….to….Strong
VIP question….DOMINANT UNDERLYING REMAINING PIGMENT analyze what each one of those words mean – one-at-a-time ??? Then you can decipher the question…………What color do you or your Colorist fight, when tinting your hair? Blorange, Blass & Blellow are the common ones for clients trying to go blond.
6. What is your texture?
7. What is the Porosity? Along with the Condition ??, many times the two of them go hand in hand….be clear on both, please
8. What is length and thickness?
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So now you have the KillerQ8, the 8 questions we need in order to do a Consultation and or to speak about your hair color concerns in the GROUP….please, everyone figure out the answers to the 8 before bringing your question to the boards and to the GROUPS….Begin by putting the answers to the 8 on your questions.
Not in Group? Google:GOOGLE GROUPS / Killer Strands
Systems are good, but in hair coloring the level System does not capture it all, remember that. That System is good for a base, but a good analysis must also be considered in calculating your new color application….DURP, texture, previous artificial color, porosity, the hair color product you are using.
Join, shop the store . . . study the Color Charts they are the most wonderful tool for learning to color hair.
I look forward to writing more on color for the next 2 months….so get ready to learn.
Killer Chemist
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