The Way Hair Color Works is Scientifically Magic to Me

1 Color = 2 Uses

To me? The only true “permanent” hair color is Bleach ( which I refer to as lightener) All Hair Color Tints, very lightly fade – every single one of them – there isn’t a tint made that doesn’t fade. I appreciate the fact they very lightly fade, I mean all the color I support and recommend comes out vivid, adds body and volume and a color resurgence. After 5-6 weeks of wear and tear the color fades to about the perfect point to either keep the same color, lighten it 1 level or darken it to pretty much any color of the rainbow. So the name “permanent” hair color is not only mis-leading it is completely wrong. If it remained that vivid for all 6 weeks, then you would have overlapping problems with hair tint the same that we have with bleach. So looking at the mild fadage that comes from 6 weeks between appointments, is a plus. Very few of my clients wanted to be the exact same color month after month. They would go a bit ( or a lot) lighter in spring/summer . .  going darker in the fall/winter months…it made that very easy to accomplish with the minor fading.

Hydrogen peroxide ( developer) is the OXIDIZER for permanent hair color, providing the oxygen for lightening of your natural pigment and for the development of the ‘ARTIFICIAL PIGMENT”. If any damage occurs to the hair strands… It is the hydrogen peroxide in permanent hair coloring – NOT THE AMMONIA – that would cause it. I am constantly trying to explain this difference to clients / readers.  With ammonia having such a strong and jarring odor, it is always taking the heat for the damage it brings to the hair strands when nothing could be further from the truth.

 

Top colorists realize that using the lowest Volume of peroxide (“for the job”) is the key and secret to minimizing any damage to the hair strands while coloring. Just yesterday, I was testing the brand new color line we will be carrying in the new Group : TCE…I had not re-colored the “lengths” of my own hair in over a year ! I applied the permanent color to my base and then mixed up this new line of Demi-permanent color for the lengths of my hair. 2 words:

Vivid….Velvet

My hair has never looked or felt better, I have never found hair color to be damaging….EVER. The one and only reason it would be damaging is if you are not applying it correctly and for that? Well? You will need to do some reading, join one of the 2 groups we offer, or get a consultation if need be…Because having properly colored hair is just a few steps away and I promise you its just not that hard. You must be ready to realize one of my most poignant statements:

NOT ALL PEOPLE CAN BE ALL HAIR COLORS; many need to compromise

The chemical shorthand for hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, means 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms. Higher volumes of  Hydrogen Peroxide provide more oxygen for more extended lightening. Higher volumes create more lift and less deposit ; lower volumes create less lift and greater deposit. This is why better gray coverage is achieved with 20 Volume rather than 40 volume.

Some strength of hydrogen peroxide has to be used in to develop the dyes of permanent haircoloring.  Just to get the dyes to color the hair, an OXIDIZER has to be present.( In turn – peroxide all by itself will NOT lighten hair, either…it needs to react with ammonia –or similar ingredient- in order for efficient oxidation to occur. Peroxide, ammonia, and the dyes all need each other to get the haircoloring to work.

Something I found in the Salon, was that 95% of my clients, while all health nuts and environmentalist-types . . . when it came right down to it . . .what  they ALL really wanted was superb hair color and that is what I wanted to give them.  I would use permanent hair color pretty much most of the time, by using various Volumes of developer I could do anything with (so-called) permanent hair color. If you were to take a tube of Koleston Perfect permanent hair color . . .lets use one of my new favorites…

See below in this swatch chart. . . . 9/38  or  9GP Gold Pearl

       The GP colors have an iridescent violet base almost, so I love ‘em. 

The client has level 7 – 8 ASH Virgin hair she would like some Level 9 Ribbons & Drips added for the summer ( a very common request here in southern Cal.)  

 

Using 10/38 GP and 40 Volume using the proper foiling technique for the desired look , developing for 60 minutes . . . we would get the lightened pieces we were looking for.

rinse, light shampoo, In-Depth , TOWEL DRY…..

Say those strands were just a little brassier than you desired… you could also “tone” them using the exact same color…

how?

by changing the peroxide VOLUME…..by using 10Volume mixed with 10/38 GP – you have created a TONER ! ! See how versatile permanent hair color can be ? ? Depending on the amount of brass you would like to knock-down – Apply the 10/38 + 10V accordingly.

If the brass is just a ‘little’………… process for 10 minutes…a lot? Process for 35 minutes…Rinse ( NO SHAMPOO)  and style. You would NOT be able to do that with a semi permanent or Demi permanent line of color.  So that turns all of the level 9 and 10 colors of the Koleston Perfect Line of color we carry into TONERS. Which gives you such a wide selection I should have taught you this a very long time ago.

                                                                                                        The dyes in permanent hair color, all aniline derivatives or aniline relatives of various types, are most of all indirect dyes, which must undergo oxidation in order to color the hair. These are also called dye precursors or intermediates. The dye intermediates are tiny, colorless dye molecules that develop into large, colored molecules when oxidized. Hydrogen peroxide is required as an Oxidizer (developer) .  

Shortly after the dye-bearing cream is combined with the developer ( peroxide) – dye molecules begin developing, rearranging into bigger, complex, colored molecules. That is the number 1 reason  hair color should not be mixed until just before application – that and the fact that the lift cycle is underway soon after mixing. Color Deposit and lifting capability begin ticking away approx. 10 minutes after the colorant is mixed - -  which gives you 10-20 minutes to apply the product.

The tiny size of the dye precursors ‘before’ oxidation enables them to  pass easily into the cortex of the hair, penetrating it fully. As, the color processes………..the tiny dye molecules change  structure, beginning to form bigger larger  -- colored molecules.. These newly created dye molecules , now  - -  are too big to leave the way they came in, affix themselves to the keratin chains in the hair.

I suppose the most distinct and remarkable trait of a permanent hair color? This is the only category of hair color that “lightens” virgin hair. Think of how often you have wanted to lighten your hair???….. As a Colorist, I would venture to say,75% of all my color work is “lighter”. That is a lot.

There fore  this is a super important hair color category to be concerned with

Happy Memorial Day- - Hug a Soldier

KC     

Hair……….Styles/Colors……….Summer 2010

The big product for summer? DRY SHAMPOO

DRY Shampoo is a dynamite little product. I mostly use on everything BUT shampooing. Plus the ingredients in most are actually non harmful for the hair ( Rice Starch, grape fruit Extract,)- -  such a pleasant surprize.

The reasoning behind them 40 years ago when they first came out, was simply to absorb up the excess oils at the root area…

Today they are used to add texture to the hair ( as well as absorb the oil ). . .  and for a while the pricing was prohibitive to most, and me frankly. I won’t buy something that is completely ridiculously priced if its not a great product. ON the other hand I will pay anything ( nearly ) for a GREAT product.

Finally I’ve seen a couple dry shampoo’s come out in a much more reasonably price.  Presently we have in:

• KMS : Hair PLAY : Makeover Spray – Dry Shampoo

Kms-makeover-texture-dry-shampoo-spray

• Rockaholic Dirty Little Secret by TIGI  Dry Shampoo

tigi-rockaholic-dirty-secret-dry-shampoo

• SUDZZ  FX Design Powder is one of the most versatile products to hit the market in ages. It’s a lightweight powder designed to create volume, lift and separation at the root, but it can also be used as a dry shampoo or even a face powder!

products/sudzz-design-powder

Piecey – choppy hair will come very easily from a Great Dry Shampoo

FYI . . . in the new G2:TCE we will be carrying a line that has one of the top 5 Dry shampoo’s I have tested. So think about that….

June 1 is G2:TCE

 

Get yourself one

killer chemist

Hues That Girl? Hair Color Removal 101

Whoops, now what?

The minute you figure out your hair color is not what you want, or is a complete mistake . . . the very first thing you should do? Walk into your bathroom, find the crappiest shampoo you can. Shampoo your hair and leave the shampoo in the hair for a couple hours. What we are looking for when we need to correct the wrong hair color is to begin loosening the hair color molecules that are trapped in the hair strand. As silly and simple as it sounds, one of the most common and gentle methods of fading artificial hair color is the “shampoo”. It is the number one method that fades color from color to re-coloring. Therefore it only makes sense to use it. In hair color as in life, common sense can be your best friend.

The title of the procedure? the Shampoo Train. Why? Because it involves application after application of shampoo, while waiting for your color remover to arrive and for you to do the research needed to fix your hair color. One of the most alarming realizations I came to in listening to the women of America talk about the problems they have with getting the proper hair color ? Was not that they couldn’t afford to go to a competent hair colorist, it was that they could not “FIND ONE”! !! !! What a horrible thing to hear….Wow that was a wake-up call. You will find if you read this Blog from the beginning until now, that I had completely different ideas at the beginning. I had absolutely no intentions of teaching America how to formulate their own hair color, it is hard enough to teach certified Hair Stylists how to. When I found that to be the biggest problem I changed game plans … I truly wanted to “give-back” and I felt by teaching what I knew about hair color and hair health it would probably be the most appreciated advice I could give. That’s what happens when you fall ill ( you become reflective!)

As simple as shampooing sounds it is always what I have recommended to anyone stopping by, or calling me in a panic about their hair color. I prefer you order and use our SOMA Shampoo with for that process, but if speed & panic is in the equation - - use Prell! Using the most gentle manner to fade unwanted color out of the hair is always the best decision so grab the shampoo wet your hair and wash those strands like they did in the old days on a ‘wash board”… rubbing your 2 hands together with strands in between. I am dead serious this is the key to getting the hair color ready to be fully removed.

SHAMPOO TRAIN

• Wet hair
• Cheap lousy shampoo application
• Use plenty of shampoo
• Scrub hands together w/ strands in-between
• leave suds on hair, apply plastic treatment cap
• use heat from hair dryer/sun {helps color molecules loosen}
• leave suds on 45-60 min
• rinse & repeat
• up to 5 times daily

Now the modified version of the Shampoo Train for those of you that don’t want to bother ( always puzzles me) :

MINI-SHAMPOO TRAIN

• Wet hair
• Cheap lousy shampoo
• use plenty of shampoo
• Scrub hands with strands in between
• leave suds on hair while sleeping or 10 minutes
• rinse
• repeat daily

The Full shampoo Train is the best ……….with the mini-Train the next and obviously none… is not so good. I promise you, this step is the beginning of a safe and healthy home Hair Color Correction. This is what is used on celebs whom want the health of their hair kept in tact. As always, I am always watching out for the health of the hair. This is the single healthiest manner of removing artificial hair color ( of any type) from the hair.

The next step is using the color remover I recommend, BUT . . . the day you apply the color remover, you should be prepared to ‘re-color’…..about 50% end up with a decent color the other 50 will be some horrendous shade of Orange/Yellow. Depends on a million and 1 variables. So I recommend that you be prepared to re-color at time of Color Removal. In order to not make the same mistakes, this is when I hope you will take the time to read as many posts that I have written over the past 3 years that have to do with what you would like to do to your hair. Your options have been minimized but still remember - - YOU ARE LEARNING to take control of your own hair.

Many times I will get this question, “how can I take the blond “out” of my hair . . .( for whatever reason) ?? This takes a lot of explaining . . . and there are many times, like right now, when I simply cannot figure out exactly how to explain it…its a bizarre concept. Nor can I think of one other correlation so I can compare it to something familiar for you…………….It is a fairly UNIQUE concept. You cannot take blond “out” of hair. When you are beginning with darker hair and going towards BLOND, the way you get there is NOT by putting “blond” into the hair. It is by taking your own darker pigmented hair color OUT OF YOUR HAIR, that ‘creates’ the blond. We call it, “lifting”in the hair color world which basically equals “lightening”. When I say that 30 Volume Developer “lifts” hair 2-3 levels, it means: when a particular hair color mixed with 30 volume developer is applied to your hair it will “lift” (lighten) your hair 2-3 levels lighter than what it is. Therefore, if you have applied this color and to achieve the blond – the process need to take your existing color out of the hair strand….in order to lighten it. Then does it now make sense to you that blond is really “not” a color….what it is, is your own hair color – lifted out of the strand. Which I hope makes it clear to you why “DURP” is so damned important.

DURP is Dominant-Underlying- Remaining-Pigment. When I explain that if you have “good DURP”, this is what I am referring to. The stages in which Levels of your hair color “leave” the hair strand can leave in a ‘good way’ or they can leave in a “bad way’. What does that depend on? The Lord up above!

Therefore if you were a level 7 and were headed towards a level 10B and ended up with some weird horrific level 9G…that would be what we are talking about. You did not apply a blond in order to achieve that 9-GOLD you applied a tint with a 30 volume developer that was working to subtract your own pigment from your hair strand and what happens is , it stops at some point. The color stops being “lifted” from the hair strand at a certain point, where that color stops is the blond you are left with. There fore it is NOT blond you have put “IN” to the strand, but. . . . Color (your very own pigment) that has been “lifted” out. When I refer to DURP . . . and why it is just so very very important . . . it is for this very reason that as Colorists, as Chemists, as Magicians we have no control over. The DURP you have and the blond you “become” are a total equation of God’s making!

As Colorists, and what I try very hard to teach you here . . . we try to work with your DURP and “counter” it or “enhance” it depending upon what your is. That is the making of a “manufactured blond” . . or a manufactured color of any color for that matter. I know it sounds confusing and is a bit hard to swallow, but just keep reading this post over and over . . . I promise you - - if you do, you will begin to understand the concept of hair coloring and hair coloring gone wrong.

When you have strong orange tones in your hair, those will be the ones that keep your hair from going to that pretty baby blond you want …so we try to use a “blue” based Blond to “counter” the orange pigments, in picking our blond. Using the new MAGMA Blondor bleach that actually bleaches and tones in one step actually tones the hair “blue” while it is lightening it. Just the fact that one entire product has put blue pigment in the mix, should show you how strong that (God-awful) orange pigment really is and why so many people end up with that horrific brassy- orange mess.

Now, once you have got the shampoo-train going on your hair to begin loosening the molecules, the next step should be to begin your research on the product VANISH.

More to come……………… this is Color Removal Month . . .

Killer Chemist

Twinkle, Twinkle : Stars with No Make-up ?

Now if we can just get them to drop the fake hair

 

TV & Movie Stars are exposing themselves to the public with no make-up, and proving what they really look like. In first noticing this trend earlier this week w/ Jessica Simpson on the cover of Marie Claire {completely bare} – I found a trace of hope

 

Now here is the most wonderful and inspiring trend, I just had to Post about – in the middle of my “Hair Color Correction Series { I promise we will return quickly}

Simpson not only was the first to do the above bold move, she also completed a new series on VH1, that I encourage everyone to watch. A show on Beauty habits from around the world. . . completely unique and groundbreaking. Worth the 30 minutes, I promise.

There is a specific reason I don’t pepper KillerStrands Blog with Celebrity Hair, receiving requests for it all the time, its hard to “Not Do”. My reason is purely for all of you. You should see what the trailer or dressing room of any one celebrity looks like in preparation for a hair shoot or a day of shooting: rows and rows of hair strips, weaves of every type and length of hair style imaginable. The figure is: about 80% of all hair you see on TV/Film is manufactured hair.

Wigs, extensions, clip-in’s, glue-in’s, they have really gone insane with the whole manufactured hair thing. So many people look up to Celebrities, with knowing so many personally, I truly feel it is a 100% disadvantage to YOU – the public to use them as a guide for what to “strive-for”. We all must work with what we have been given. Majority of the photo shots I use on Killer Strands are real women with their own REAL hair, growing out of their own head! Just like you and me!

Now what they need to do is to send Simpson, Kardashians,Wendy etc., etc…to the photo sessions without all their extensions, pieces, weaves, and wigs. Some of the wigs they use today are from $5,000. - $50,000. with the average one checking out around $25,000.!

Cher was the pilot of this program, in the 80’s she was wearing wigs 95% of the time. Know why?

PURELY to protect her own hair from lights, make-up, heat, sweat, elements, you know all the bad things out there. I still remember thinking…”wow she must be paranoid”. Turns out she had it nailed and the rest of us hadn’t a clue - - She has always had a wig room in her homes . . . which is the size of a master bedroom to you and me. But I commend her for knowing what truly affects hair and in taking control of her own body and protecting it. She still wears wigs to this day, (her own locks have been tinted a special Black/Violet for years & she only has about 3% gray – she too, knows the advantage of great color), and her own hair is as glorious and magnificent as it was in her youth. Smart woman my dear Cher.

So rejoice in the new trends, and demand to see real(unmanufactured hair), I know for an absolute fact that most of you have just as healthy of hair as most Celebrities out there. They all cheat, a LOT with their wig rooms and personal hairstylists they cart with them from city to city . But when I saw some of the photos of the celeb’s this morning on the news with their absolutely unmanufactured face, I was very disappointed they forgot the most important part  < the hair ! >…make them take their fake hair off too, I was yelling at the TV. NOT FAIR!

Great hair can make up for a lot  misfortunes, one has to endure in any given day. I have heard that every single woman on planet earth has copped to having at least 1 bad Hair Day. . . but I have never heard them complain of having a “bad skin day”.

I sure hope someone will be brave enough to step forward with the Glamour shot of any ( or all ) of these women with their 100% own real hair, so the public may truly see what they look like bare and La Naturele as most of us end up being a majority of the time.

Killer

Chemist

Shear Genius meets the Perfect Storm : Houston, We Have A Problem

Hair Color Correction …….. I-Color

Hair Color Correction: the # 1 subject people head to the Internet searching the category of HAIR for . Problem is, most of you have never heard of that term, it has not been used enough publicly so 90% of people don’t know what to “SEARCH” for. Another one of those subjects that are not taught to the client. Whether you went to Wal-Mart – bought a boxed color, slapped it on yourself or headed to an expensive Colorist who sent you home telling you “ how the lighting was off” and you would love it tomorrow…BOTH are in need of Color Correction. Slap that term in your Blackberry, everyone seems to need it at one point in their life.

Very rarely do I see the proper information about how and what to do in this situation therefore I want to concentrate on this subject and different angles of it over the next couple of Posts. Eventually I would like to answer all questions so we have one complete folder on the subject. Sound Oovy Groovy?

Lets start with the basics Causes

of Color Correction

Prevention: if possible will always be preferable to Correction. Some corrective work can be avoided some cannot.

Next, the emphasis needs to be put on the area that it should always be put in all aspects of hair color : Analysis & Communication. It is very difficult to correct something, if you are not even sure what the problem is. I am going to make up a sort of Corrective Hair Color Trouble Shooter, for there to be a sort of quick reference, so Killer Stranders will be able to figure out a direction to turn to in each particular case.

When people begin to start their own personal hair color horror-stories that sound like a longer version of War & Peace, they lose me after about the 5th sentence. Why? To be perfectly honest?

The only thing that matters in color Correction is: VID

VIRGIN: What is your Virgin level?

IS: What IS your hair color level/tone now?

DESIRED: What do you DESIRE your level/tone to look like ?

Yes, for finer tuning we should always use the rest of the Killer8 ( elasticity, condition,texture, gray ? etc…) But truthfully it can be accomplished perfectly fine with just answers to the VID 3…..as long as what???????????????????????????? Adem??? As long the 4th question is answered: have you applied Henna, or Sun-In or any color with metallic salts (like JUST-FOR-MEN boxed hair color – BIG BAD NO on that – never,never,NNNNNNEVER!)

PRINCIPLES OF COLOR CORRECTION

1) Hair that needs to be lightened if too dark

2) Hair that needs to be darkened if it is too light

3) Changing the unwanted existing artificial color tone to suit your desires

Again, this does not mean that all color correction has to be a long drawn-out affair: it could turn out to be a quick process, so assessing your hair correctly is very important.

The one lucky part you have of doing this to yourself, is you will know the truth. I cannot tell you how many people come in and sit in a Stylists chair and ‘fib’ about what happened, what was involved, or the most common: will say a Stylist screwed their hair up and truthfully it was by their own hands. 50% of Stylists will not be able to figure out the truth, but the rest of us have sit there biting our tongues.

In the case of heading to a Colorist: My best advice?

cut the crap and tell the truth.

For today I am going to give you a list of questions to ask yourself. So many of you get all hung up on this brand and that brand name throwing in Volumes and time’s - - when none of that matters, once the damage is done

It is……………….What It IS

Here is a list of important questions that I would truthfully, sit down on that pretty ass of yours and ask yourself . . . it will help you keep on the right track and focus on what I would if your ass was in my chair :

• How did you like your last color?
• Did you want to keep the same color?
• What Tones do you really dislike?
• In your head point by use of a photo as to what YOU thinks “Ash” means ….or “warmth”…so much is lost in 1 person’s translation of a single world than anothers. Use photos, If you are doing this exclusively yourself, get a second opinion on what someone views your idea of “Golds”. Your thoughts and ideas may need adjusting – be open to it
• Would you like a slightly lighter shade?
• Confirm your idea’s of the Level System – and your Stylists, they could be completely different. . . or yours and knowing full well and good that Wella’s European lines (Color Touch and Koleston Perfect are 1 full level darker than any other line )
• Do you want it darker?
• Remember, pinpointing the problem is 1/2 the battle
• What do you think about using a few lighter slices, ribbons, panels, or ropes ?
• What change are you seeking?
• Do You think subtle effects are more your style?
• There is always what I refer to as either : “sticker shock” or “Color Hangover“ ( my fav) which does not mean the price nor the inhalation of chemicals, it means the shock of having a different color hair, it will undoubtedly be a shock to any- and every-one when the change is more than 3 levels. 60% of the time – If I really believe in the color I will ask them to go home and sleep off their Color Hangover – 9 times out of 10 I never hear back from them till the next time they come rolling in happy as pie. Don’t initially panic….I know it can be hard….but remember, its only hair.
• What colors do you like wearing?
• How do you feel about your hair today?
• If your hair was perfect, what would it look like?
• Which Celeb’s hair is close to your hair type ( including most factors) ? Ask someone else if they agree
• Reality sometimes is a bit of a walk from Hopes and Dreams. As fun as Hopes and Dreams are . . .REALITY is your best friend when dealing with hair color.

Now remember the idea here is to assess the situation correctly in order for the Color Correction to go perfectly.

Remember one of my favorite lines:

Chemistry/Chemicals don’t make mistakes – People Do

Color Change is the reason I got into this gig at all in the beginning. When ever I did anything that had no artist expression to it, I felt cheated – I felt something missing…its weird how you have ZERO control over that.

A colorist is like a composer, I’ve always felt that nothing moves the human spirit more than music. I can hear a song that will truly stop me in my steps and I HAVE to find out who it is in order to get that feeling back in my soul that just occurred…its almost addictive when an awesome song rings through my ears. For example it hit me numerous times this week: it was JAY-Z and Mr Hudson’s version of FOREVER YOUNG – that he dedicated to Betty White on SNL

…. Just took my breath away……….Thank the Lord up above for I Tunes, just makes my day sometimes.

Once I began coloring heads of hair and looking at them as works of art.. I began getting that “deep-in-the-soul” feeling as well. Now color affects me a close second to music. Where is Jobs when you need him?

I-Phone……I-MAC…….I-PAD…..…. I-COLOR

The 2 share so many of the same terminology: A scale has 7 different notes, white light has 7 different colors. These 7 notes (chromatic colors) of the color spectrum give the composer (colorist) unlimited opportunities for creativity. Hue corresponds to the notes, value to the scale, and chroma to the pitch. Like notes come together to form a beautiful melody,all the elements of light and energy join to create the visual sensation, I know as color.

Almost like fingerprints: No 2 heads of HAIR are alike. . . and That my dear friends is why there are not 55 books on how to color hair for the public or anyone for that manner.

Anyone that knows a lot about it, knows what a risk it is planting ONE SOLID formulation for a level 7Ash head of hair to end up a level 12 platinum.

I sure as Hell would never give 1 answer to that question.

What would I say?

…….. STRAND TEST

killer chemist

BLOND.TOURAGE : a Group of Perfectly Toned – Cool Blonde's

New Wonder Product : How To Accomplish

A little humor for the day

  Very little excites me in this industry anymore, but yesterday it happened multiple times and am thrilled to be introducing to KS new products over the next couple weeks. Yep, I actually said ‘thrilled’. Not only did I find one, I found 5-6  completely new lines that have new technology that surpasses A N Y T H I N G --  I have ever used – these are exactly what I was looking for when I went to the LA Hair Show…exactly.  Nothing like this was there.

I’m waiting for my initial shipment. . .I have been absolutely shocked/thrilled with the results of all my Strand Tests using these new companies. The new Color Line, - - has some unique healthy and gorgeous tonal categories.

Meanwhile back at the Corral . . . while we wait for that to show uP.

I was introduced to an absolutely incredible new Blonding product from Wella ; and that is what today’s post is regarding. This is something I and many of my Colorist friends thought of 9 years ago when MAGMA was introduced to us. MAGMA being the only Bleach/tone in 1 Step any of us had ever seen worked – and worked well. I’m not sure how many of you have heard of it or tried it ( Link to MAGMA in KillerStrands Store ………………but MAGMA is 12 colors of tinted lightener powder (bleach), that was originally intended for the Hispanic community – but ended up working well for everyone. I immediately began using it for my hard-to-Lift clients – one of the colors is always in my arsenal…as it tones dark hair’ <> while lightening …….getting rid of annoying oranges/gold/brass like a champ. Its just the BOMB! One of the best “pros” to MAGMA ?  It is a bleach so it can

• remove color
• lighten   &
• Tone

all in 1 STEP     Cool?     I think so

Well, what they did and what we all thought of 9 years ago was to make a BLONDOR-MAGMA….in other words a Platinum – Magma that would work on Level 1 through 8. The great bonus to this new Blondor? It does remove previous color, which does NOT MEAN IT IS INTENDED TO USE on the full  head-of-hair – in that manner. Absolutely not. It is made to use in foils and in foil work  - -  so the color removal is controllable, and able to be watched.

Blondor the Bleach, has won awards for (at least) the last 5 years as the #1 Bleach used by all Colorists/Stylists in the USA. Its gentle, moisturizing, yet it lifts 7 levels without damage.

What I hope to do is get more of you comfortable with using bleach. Lets call this BLONDOR from now on. I honestly feel the name of  “BLEACH” is what freaks people out. I mean, you know what bleach does when you accidently drop it on your clothes, you know how ‘rank’ it smells, any reference you have of bleach is a ‘bad’ one - - no one knows that the chemical in this lightener powder has nothing to do with the bleach of those origins. It is a completely different chemical make-up and is a completely different bleach than one uses in the washing machine. All Colorists I know believe Bleach is the single handiest, most versatile tool in the Colorists arsenal. I hope many of you will begin playing around with it….testing it. I’m in the process of trying to find some reasonably prices hair swatches . . to include  with purchase in the very near future. For now I will be sending one swatch of a level 6-7 hair that I have, with purchase. This product is superb it claims 7 levels of Lift which I actually had no problem with reaching.

What I have put together are some BLONDOR TESTER PACKETS. Which will include 3 oz of the new BLONDOR  and a hair swatch, for you to run a Strand Test

Practice takes Fear Away

Repetition   Removes ..FEAR

In addition to the powder they have also added a Soft Blonde Creame for gentle lightening. As I’ve said many times before when working on damaged hair, I will mix 1/2 cream and 1/2 powder….for gentleness ( always preceded by GLEAM – remember there is not one oil on the market place with the amount of Vitamin E that Gleam has - - Vitamin E must be formulated in a certain way to benefit the hair)

When you are applying Blondor, remember to mix small batches - - -  the first batch you will use with 20 Volume . . . the last will be with 40 Volume             .. so they all are completed their processing at the same time.. Just like cooking a big Thanksgiving meal and wanting all the different parts of it to be finished cooking at the same time. So the entire dinner is warm and ready to eat at the exact same time.               

Always – Always……..apply GLEAM before Blondor application . . just love love love the results.

So for the first month with purchase of 1 Blondor, you will receive 1 human hair short extension to test it on.

I’m one of the few who do NOT recommend heat with bleach , for ANY reason. There is no reason to use it….it may speed the processing up  - -  but it is not made to be used with heat. When heat is used with bleach – you will get damaged hair.  Damage does not come from using bleach properly . . . look at Gwen, look at Reece, look at any blond in the film/TV biz….Their hair is not damaged. WHY??  They follow 10,000HEADS or some metamorphosis of it – they use a top Colorist – who doesn’t use heat, uses Gleam (or substitute) all the rules you now have at your fingertips.

Killer Chemist

TOMMY–TONER, EENIE – MEENIE—MYNEE – MONOR – This Is How You Have A Blonde With Honor and a Great TONER

With Spring and the new Blonde’s being settled I realized that I must begin getting my favorite class of colors in line for you. I feel if I get them in line and give away some of my secret formula’s I will get all the Blonde’s KS has as regulars playing around with their light locks. I mean how much fun is that, to have light enough hair to play around with new Toners every other week or so. It’s one of my favorite past times with my bleach ‘n’ tones ( I”m not afraid of bleach – in fact many times its the right tool for the job “please see my recent post in Group, in which I lost my cool on…!!!!”) as well as with my high-lifts.

Back at the ole corral ( Sassoon ) we would have days of boredom and come up with the craziest of experiments – may days were drawing color names out of a hat and having to go make that toner for a blond. I mean that may sound easy, but when someone writes, “ light turqoise blue” ( which we named “St. Barts”) it really is not that easy. Especially when its a contest, and you have 20-40 eager beaver Colorist’s chomping at the bit.

First of all one must have a stable ( notice todays “cowboy” theme!! ha ha – after that dear post in the Group) of “counter” toners. Your basic toner that will knock a lot or a teeny tiny bit of brass right out of that hair strand. We would Tone everything, I know many of you go by the rule, “ if there is ‘no yellow’ we need “no toner”… That is not really the professional way of doing things.

WE ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLWAYS TONE BLONDS. Why? Because that is the professional and TOP NUMBER 1 manner in which you should send someone out into the world that has either paid for one of 2 services:

1) Bleach and Tone. This does not say, only ‘tone’ if need be…it says BLEACH and when finished with that TONE the hair - - PERIOD.

or

2) HighLift blond and Tone: same here, we ALWAYS tone. Why? Because toning is professional. Toning is the Icing on the cake. Can you imagine getting a cake with NO ICING ? ? ? ? TO us, it is the SAME --- EXACT---- DIFFERENCE. In England they always tone and would ever send a blond out of the Salon without a toner, it just is not done at the level of hair / hair color that I teach – and perform so when you go blond in my chair, you leave with your hair pH balanced – TONED- Conditioned and AWESOME. For all you Stylists out there, if you want to bring in and keep every single client that sits their pretty little butt in your chair….follow my lead. I promise you, people appreciate your passion for your work.

Yes, I do understand money constraints, but after watching people for 15 years give me that excuse and then walk in with a $400 Handbag, or their face newly frozen from BOTOX, I truly do not have much sympathy for peoples’ excuses for hair and their finances….so please don’t waste them on me.

People who are truly poor are not coloring their hair AT ALL. I find it fascinating that so many of you think I was born yesterday and you are pulling the wool over my eyes. NOPE , I’m laughing on this side when an excuse is given to me – I want you to know that. If you are involved on this site and ordering from KS, you are not that poor. You know how I know? I’ve been there. YES, I’ve had wealth and riches…..but I have also had a dirt poor and impoverished life at an older age, as well.….having both teaches you a lot about life. I never seem to do anything small. . . .its always big. I was poor in a big way. I know what you think about when money is a issue……..and it is not YOUR HAIR.

So – back to Toners….and what they are all about ? ? …there is no easier color to put on in the world. IT DOES NOT STAIN the hands, so NO GLOVES….. They are a wonderful easy-to-apply consistency, so its a joy to put on. . . . and most of the times you will get 2 applications out of 1 tube. (Long (thick) hair needs a full tube). What’s not to like about them? Only 1 thing…

THEY DON’T LAST AS LONG AS WE WISH THEY DID!

But they are working on that ( SO AM I ! !) Watch for my tips….

Now in today’s Post, I will run 2 of my to 7 lines of Toners by you.Toners that will kill any remaining brass/yellow/gold and give your hair that amazing Beige-Blond of a Reece Witherspoon – Gwen Stefani blond.

I have used all of these since Academy. My mentor taught me to make the TONER, my best friend, and I did. It has paid off well, I promise.

I’m going to start with all the Color Touch Toners ( a LOT) and the MATRIX Toners, one that I named “marilyn” a very long time ago . . . as I feel on many people it gives you the blond of Monroe. Now remember with Toners, it depends on what you are putting it on. Toners are OPAQUE. Think of a NYLON you are putting on a leg, that is toned with beige color….you can still see the leg and its color, but it now has a beige ‘cast’ to it, doesn’t it ? ? Now if you were to take that exact same leg with the same tone and apply a Black toner…..it would appear Gray-ish,wouldn’t it ? ? ? Why? Because the Leg was Beige (virtually an off-white) mixed with Black equals Gray. That is how Toners work – they are transparent/opaque. They always use either a 5-6-10 or 15 Volume Developer.

Matrix has a line called COLOR SYNC. These are the same toners I have been using for 15 years - - they just gave them a new box – a new name but thank the Lord they left the formula alone, except for adding CERAMIDES, whenever you see CERAMIDES, just know its a VERY VERY GOOD ingredient for hair.

3 MATRIX -- COLOR SYNC TONERS -- SHEER PASTELS – Demi-Permanent Toners

• SPV..SHEER PASTEL VIOLET: my number 1, if you are confused just use this one you can’t go wrong. Its Sheer/ has violet to ‘counter’ any brass/ yellow/ gold …..leaves hair well balanced.
• SPN…SHEER PASTEL NEUTRAL : Excellent neutral looking for that blonde BEIGE…so popular now.
• SPA … SHEER PASTEL ASH : Another Ash to counter those DURP’s so many of you have..
• GWEN / MARILYN … is a mixture of SPV + SPN , the ratio ? 1:1 – which means 1 oz. of SPV + 1oz of SPN : MIX = Add 2 oz. of 10 or 13 Volume

ALL 3 of these I use constantly/daily… When you are a Top Colorist, information like this (which toners I used to produce such Killer BLONDS) were kept very TIGHT LIPPED – as everyone does….its just part of the game.

I never told anyone this info. I even confused my assistants on purpose, the last thing you want to do is give 4 brand new up and coming Hair Stylists all your secrets that have taken you years to gather. Lucky all of you . . . I don’t know one Stylist of my caliber that would do this. So please, treasure the information. I am an overachiever, a passionate artist who gives this information with the hope that many of you will use it to better your hair color - - better the hair color knowledge you use at your Salon.

One of my goals way back when …..I was in Academy . . . my girlfriend and I said ( naively – VERY naively) , “hey, lets cure all the bad color/ bad hair in the USA”……. we shook on it, we were very excited about that prospect…..I recall that moment all the time while writing this BLOG. Snicker at the thought of it.

Bleach/tone

I mean I used to try to cure all the bad hair I could I was much more lenient with so many of my tricks and education once I got into the Salon world than any other Stylist.

The Salon world and the Academy world are completely DIFFERENT WORLDS! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

But to think I could actually cure all the bad color/bad hair of America myself, was just so insanely naive. Who knew I would end up ill, that I would be forced into quitting the job I had plans of going to the top in.

But, the funny part is……………………………

I would never have reached as many people as I do through this Blog, our Group ( closing in on 2000 ) and the STORE . . .working any other way. !!! FUNNY HOW LIFE GOES………

This is the way I will reach the most people and hopefully do the most good. . . and who would’ have figured that one out ! !Level 9

Back to Toners and the importance of them…. many of you slough them off, I hope to inspire some to try them, I have never tinted a blond without using a toner. I would feel like I hadn’t finished the job…I was lucky and had assistants to help and they would all fight over who got to apply the toners (!!), so that end of the procedure was covered for me. I always applied the color to my clients ( yet the Assistants would mix to my spec’s - - and then comb through – add the plastic cap and rinse after I checked it,….. right when I was forced to quit… I had finally built a well-oiled machine, it was just such a shame to losLEVEL 8

The next Set of Toners I would suggest:

Color Touch has the most TONERS for 1 Single Line:

• 8/0 N ….….. Turns out a level 7 because of the Wella chart,being a full level darker than ours
• 9/0 N ….…...A Level 8 Neutral Toner
• 10/0N ….…. Equals Level 9 Neutral always use 6 Volume
• 9/01NA….… Natural Ash = an 8
• 10/01NA ….. Natural Ash = gorgeous level 9, now with the CT Toners many times I will mix 1/2 6Volume & 1/2 13Volume which gives you about a 10 – lasts longer SPECIFY if you want….1/2 & 1/2 Volume
• 10/1A…….. Lightest Blonde Ash
• 9/16AV…….ASH VIOLET - a level 8 excellent
• 10/81PA…..Pearl Ash – again equals a level 9
• 10/6 V……..Lightest Blond/Violet – Awesome level 9
• 10/73BG…..lightest blond/brown gold – watch that gold although this is as “gold” as I recommend
• RELIGHTS
• /86 PV……..Pearl Violet – another perfect color and is MADE to be a toner….

all the colors are visible on the Wella Color Touch Page in the Store, just click on this link

:Color Touch Line of Hair Color : Killer Strands Store

I apologize to those of you that are not blonds, but truthfully we sell blonds 20 to 1 in any other colors…..its funny BLACK is the number 1 hair color in the world but you would not know it by our numbers.!

Always – always consider using a toner, no matter what your color. . .I can’t wait to teach you some of the SECRET-SPY TONERS. . . . a LA KC

Level 9/16AV

Killer

Chemist