Autopsy of a Brass-free Blond

A new discovery with amazing results

With the loss of Renbow, I have been testing various obscure lines of color, when one of my concoctions turned out a unique beautiful cool baby blond I felt it was time to let you know. These tests take days and are not easy to do properly . The results of going blond always depend on your virgin hair color and your DURP ( dominant underlying remaining pigment), we all know that by now.

High lift blonds' are every color manufacturers strongest attempt at achieving the lightest blond without using bleach. So many of you prefer that method of going blond than any other - - always amazes me… but what is - - - IS!

I was completely surprized with this combo I came up with because I actually mixed different lines of color and a color existed that I had not realized they added.

Blond boosters or WHITE GENIE are all more of the lightening agent condensed and given to you in a tube or a powder (W Genie). So it makes perfect sense that using A BLOND Booster, White Genie or BLOND EXTRACT work in giving the highlift that extra 1/2 level to 1 1/2 levels of lift which I always feel they need.

I have nailed down some favorites, with today's post being on the newest and most successful duo – that was more of surprise than anything. In the past 3 months I have been searching through lines I’ve never owned, never seen, in my quest to become as knowledgeable about highlift blondes as possible. I am proud of the level of quality I give my clients, and I was having a hard time finding that ( on top of all the other things I must do to keep this trinity of sites a float)...

I mean, as a Colorist, I became very good at using bleach to work on my clients to give them the Blonde’s they wanted. But in this new era… people want to use highlift blonde’s with no bleach. So a quality high-lift Blonde was needed.

What I decided I wanted to offer was 4-5 high-lift blonds --- that produced appealing tones of blondes I feel that most people are looking for and then a dozen toners for blondes.

And that’s it. I was getting too complicated and too overloaded with information when it truly is a very simple issue. The problems only lie in doing the testing. I test all high-lifts on both Level 7 and Level 5 which gives me what I need to know. Now remember the most important hint I could give all of you, is to always ALWAYS run a STRAND test on your own hair THIS is what will prevent you from having a hole head of the improper color, you will only have a small strand.

ow what happened that ended up being such an easy answer to such a complicated problem was staring at me in the face.

I HAD NO IDEA WELLA HAD ADDED A VIOLET-ASH TO THEIR HIGHLIFT BLOND COLLECTION.

Once I discovered that, and then tested it with all 3 of the blond boosters - I had my very simple answer to my complicated question. Which Highlift blond would we use now that Renbow had closed their doors...........

My newest high lift blond with the incredible results is :

Koleston Perfect 12/61 Violet Ash - 1oz

added to

+ Wella Color Perfect - Blond Booster BB - 1 oz.

added to

+ ……40 Volume

or Any of the Blond Boosters – Killer Strands carries, adding equal amounts to what you squeeze into bowl to begin with. Do some experiments of your own. The high lifts I am behind are all in this section . . . there are not a whole lot of differences in highlifts , just mainly the tones they are BASED on.

It puzzles me why every hair color manufacture doesn’t have more violet based color lines, as that would work o n

Here is the array of Highlift Blonds FROM WELLA’S KOLESTON PERFECT LINE OF COLORS:

I was completely unaware that WELLA had added 12/61 to their line. They just redid their line packaging / everything.......and they slipped that in without me noticing!

ANYWAY.......................enough said, its here, I just ordered a case of it. . . . and I can now rest. The highlift color question is now solved for my clients/ customers..... Your blonde without bleach is now set.

Third from the bottom is the perfect highlift color.

Just add equal amount of one of the 3 various Blond Boosters we carry –

Blond boosters come from Wella Color Perfect and its called BB -- in Schwarzkopf its called Blond Extract E-OO and in Framesi they call it US/PLUS : Ultra Lift Series

Any combo of highlift color mixed with any of the BLOND booster makes the lightest blond possible which is bleach-free.

Killer Chemist

High Lift Blond, Achieving Lightest Blond – Zero Bleach

Battle of High Lift Blond Brands

I believe the last big new technology we’ve had in hair color was the product MAGMA, which is a one-step bleach and tone. Before that the next newest technology was the introduction of the high-lift blonde. Whoever coined the term “high-lift blonde” – should win an award… its brilliant. I mean if you are going to either go to a Salon and ask for a “blond” or chose one to do to yourself, wouldn’t the “high-lift blond” be the one you wanted to use? As opposed to just the “blond”? I certainly would . . . I mean to use a “high-lift blond” as opposed to a “bleach”….well of course you are going to choose the “high-lift'’ I mean – who wouldn’t? Just trying to make you all well aware of the “WORDING” used in this world of hair color and how misguiding it can be and to watch out for it. There are so many other factors to consider before choosing a process just for the “name”….PLEASE PLEASE do your homework, before asking from a Colorist, or performing on yourself. The technique called, “Bleach & Tone” versus the technique “High-lift Blond” are the 2 most popular blonding techniques and each of them are wonderful applications. Just depends the hair you are performing them on and the result you are seeking.

Many of you probably think blond is blond. Well, as in any art - - - there are hundreds of degrees of blonding…. from the darkest

level 7 Blond

to a

Level 8 Blond

to a

Level 9 Blond

to a

Level 10 Blond

to a

Level 11 Blond

or to the famous Marilyn Monroe

Level 12 Platinum Blond

Look at the range in just those 5 levels of blondes. They are completely different. Its always been my feeling that the Level System is just way TO SMALL. I mean for 50 years it was level 1 through 10, then about 18 years ago they added level 11 & 12 when the HIGHLIFT Tints were introduced to the world of Hair Color. To me I see such a vast amount difference from one level to another that I feel, at the bare minimum - - - the System should have 20 Levels not 12…or 24 would be even better. That way there wouldn’t be such a radical difference between 2 levels. I mean Level 1-2-3 are so close you need a magnifying glass and a headlight to distinguish them all from each other, they are so damn dark. But between level 6 and 7 it is a huge difference…..as well as between Level 7 and 8. When people ask me for a level estimation I almost always use 2 numbers to distinguish which end of the Level I am talking( or thinking) about. I will say “ oh you are a 7-8 if its on the lighter end of a Level 7 or a 6-7 if its on the darker end of a 7 ! Which is why I feel we need a 20 Level System as opposed to a 12 level system.

Now with the recent experience with Renbow, I went on a mission to try to test all the high-lift blonds on the market. We used to do this annually ( every january) within the Salon, when I had multiple assistants…all my assistants were always students from Sassoon so they were schooled in the same strict standards I was . . . as goofy as some may think it to be . . . I saw many talented individuals come out of that school. This time I have been doing it, which is good for me to actually see for myself & that way I can write from first hand experience as well. I have been experimenting with processing times, on 2 different levels of virgin hair…. level 5-6 and on Level 7-8 with various brands of high-lifts . . going off of what other Colorists I know use and like. You know something else I discovered? There are a few lines that have a product exactly like WHITE Genie !! Wella has one that works EXCELLENT called Blonding Booster.

I applied Wella’s Color Perfect in Pearl Blond which is 12 CV without the Blonding Booster and was not impressed, but with just a 1/2 ounce of Blonding Booster, it was a gorgeous BRASS-FREE Level 10 Blond……….absolutely LOVED it. ZERO damage – hair was in excellent condition much better than with White Genie….Makes me mad that I didn’t do this a long time ago . . So that is a definite winner and being added to the Store and my list of “loves” ! I am actually very excited about the entire move and change…..as I found at least 6 new high-lifts that I am proud to introduce to you and that I will be using myself…. I always restricted myself to using 100A exclusively…which was a pain in the ass, because “getting” it was a frickin’ nightmare….NOW I have so many options….something a busy colorist needs.. The high-lift blond kit is the number 1 selling hair color BY FAR on Killer Strands - - - of all the colors we carry, so that is why I have done this . . . I know this bores the brunettes . . . but have a heart for your fellow platinum-haired vixens! Apparently we have a lot of blonds out there, and I just thought it was here in California that people liked to adorn those golden locks . . . but I guess not.

Now with every single one of my strand tests I processed them for a minimum of 75-90 minutes, and I use a plastic cap over them to keep warmth “in” as I do on my clients. I know my Stylists who use hair dryers but that is where the hair receives its most damage… if you use the body’s own warmth and perform the process in a warm room - - the health of the hair stays INTACT.

The other 2 brands so far that I want to recommend are Schwarzkopf who’s 12.0 N which is a neutral . . and its /1 series is Lavender based Ash I was just thrilled to find out as well. Now Schwarzkopf was a brand we used way back at Sassoon but it was bought out by an American company so I lost interest in it - - quite a while ago. But, remembering back, yes, we all liked the high-lifts made by them a way back when……….. Something interesting to you . . . Schwarzkopf is the company that developed VANISH, a long long LOOOOOOOONG time ago when it was called MODULAT. So I was glued to this company via Modulat for years.. Then the owner sold Modulat off - the patent and the whole shebang for millions… But anyway…. what I have discovered is Schwatrzkopf’s 12.1 ASH is the single best HIGH-Lift on its own. No booster. So the replacement for Renbow’s 100A {our number 1 selling color ( by a LOT= btw) } is Schwarzkopf's 12.1. Now they also make a booster . . . which they call a Blonding “Extract” . . . which can be added. I haven’t even tried it yet, as I didn’t see a need to the 12.1 A …..maybe a tad with 12.0 N…and the 12.4 B (Beige) . . . they were all gorgeous without a booster. But for those of you with a need for more lift, I will definitely carry the Blonding EXTRACT – Schwatrzkopf.

Then the 3rd high lift that was yummy was MATRIX’s ( which surprised me) but then I remembered that all the girls that worked in the old Salon with me used this one particular High-lift

by Matrix called UL-PA . Ultra Lift Pearl Ash. . . . and it was sold out at both of the supply houses I tried to get it at. . . which now shows me that an awful lot of Colorists must use it. I did not notice a booster with Matrix, but again - - the color was so perfect I couldn’t think of why I would need one. . . . but will carry that as well. So watch for that in the near future. I truly cannot see why any of the boosters can’t be interchanged with any brand. I have not tested that theory, but will. . . .coming up. You know science formulas' and theories that are used with “hair color are plain and simple and just not that complicated so there is pretty much no reason it shouldn’t work.

I re-tested the 100A by Renbow in this same review of the high-lifts. . . because I had 2 separate people tell me they had weird lavender-brown deposits….using it. What I immediately thought of , was “of course” . . . Paul Mitchell should be just about at the sabotage point…as Renbow has just recently completely been shut down here in the USA. It now is going to be made in Europe, and then imported in the USA, under a different name ( by law). NAME…but[ that won’t be for a while. I didn’t want to leave many of you high and dry . . . and now I am very VERY confidant I won’t have to. I mean I still have 8 other brands of high-lifts to test. . . and would love to offer an array of high-lifts blonds to all you Crib Colorists to choose from so please watch for this to come to fruition.

In addition to high-lifts and lighteners, with losing the Renbow toners ( which I have never found anything even remotely close) I plan to put together a base line of opaque toners course and then demonstrate to you how to change the colors of the toners in order to reach soft pastels. It really is not that hard. Just comes with experience….which luckily YOU don’t need. . . because I have it - - - for you!

Matrix brought back its line of 4 opaque toners for blond’s I used to use and love so that is a great start.. I will also demonstrate the fairly simple technique of making an apricot-rose toner ‘from’ these toners as a base provided there is some interest for them. Soft Silver, Soft Raspberry, Ice Blue – All coming up in the future days and weeks of the NEW HIGHLIFT series.

NEW ADDITION TO THIS POST :

Please check out the store, I have completed all the lines of testing highlifts from some 20 lines of hair color.

The absolute 1st and best blonds without the use of bleach goes to the company FRAMESI, they actually blew both Schwartzkopf and the rest of them out of the water....just read the post on the page under hair color for the end of the testing results...

http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/high-lift-blond-color-kits-all-brands

Killer Chemist

I have Hair (TIA) Advertising “BLOCK”. . .

. . . heard of Writers “Block”?

Once again, in my never ending attempt to write a post educating you on the wonders of hair color . .  I get side-tracked and stumped by this one topic:

(TIA)   TRUTH-IN-ADVERTISING 

Not wanting to talk about it, as I dislike people that harp on negativity - - it just keeps getting in the way. Many times I hit “DELETE” and you all get nothing. Which is simply not fair . .  I have soooo much to say and a list a mile long of topics to write on. So for just this once and because it is the first day of the New year, I will show you what happens - - so you understand…that way I can just tell you, in the future, to see the Post from January 1 on TIA and hopefully I won’t have to talk about it much any longer.

Interspersed with this yucky topic I am going to give you some gorgeous new photos of blond styles and colors that will set the trends for the beginning of the new decade ….so its not AAAAAAAAAAALL bad !

Another slight problem is:  I can see my writing on this subject has hurt me financially in the past 2-3 months  - - I used to have big advertisers run ads on the Blog which did help me afford to keep this entity FREE to you, the reader. These advertisers have left, and I am very very sad. But if they have not come back yet, I doubt they plan on it in the future – so here goes:

I would guess most of you at one time or another came to Killer Strands for the same reason that many continue to do today and tomorrow . . . and most likely the next day - - - and that is for one of the “BIG 3” I call it.…

The BIG #3 Hair Disasters that routinely happen by the thousands – 24 hours every single day  -- 7 Days of the Week – 52 weeks of the year… Year after Year after Year…..that is one Helluva lot of people being affected by the following:

1. Unqualified Hair Stylist
2. Boxed Hair Color - disaster
3. Incorrect recommendation by S_ _ _ _‘s Beauty Supply via – unqualified Sales person

The Big 3 get in the way almost every single time I attempt to write a POST to you about so many subjects….WHY? 

Well, here was today’s predicament – I’m hoping this will clarify easily :  I wanted to write about how to put together a very simple kit for those men out there that simply wanted to color/cover gray hair, they can do it at home, at their own convenience and I was going to give a tricky little method Sassoon came up with so it looks a little more natural with a Level 8..Level 6 and a Level 5. .  Simple enough – right?

Being as I am not a writer, but a very enthusiastic hair colorist/chemist . . . I find I must get inspired by some new facts, figures or theories, formulations…. and know my subject – learn more than I already know…hopefully more recent info than what’s in my brain already. So I always do some research on whatever the topic is for the day….

Now, I attempt to research Men’s hair color that is in those ‘boxed kits’ to figure out why it looks so weird . . . then I discover that many of them use metallic salts to color the hair, their kits aren’t even advanced enough to be like the women's boxed hair color kits. Where a Tint + a Developer is used  - - mix together / apply & process –  a very simple chemical reaction that takes place in order to color hair – most of you generally understand & its been around for well over 50 years. It is not at all degrading to the hair – in fact quite the contrary.

….BUT, Metallic salts is archaic, its so old and unpredictable I truthfully thought it was a banned substance. . . . it is very similar to Henna. Henna/Metallic Salts are the 2 applications that I was sure were not used and if they were I was to stay very very far away from them – I was told this 17 years ago. What is it doing in Mens Hair Color Boxed Kits?  Also….one cannot apply regular hair color on top of them….some sort of fizzling and hissing and yucky- dangerous reactions begin to take place… and Lord knows what could or could not happen to the poor hair strands.

I will not touch a persons hair that has HENNA on it. I heard dozens of horror stories from European Hair Stylists, that pretty much scared the crap out of me. So if this is what a lot of these companies are using to color men’s hair, I just discovered why their hair looks so weird when they attempt to cover their own gray.  

THAT IS SO ILLEGAL, and just sooooooooo WRONG. Like so much of the PUBLIC HAIR COLORING choices out there, I don’t understand why these companies get away with… Why do they get to do things that are terrible for hair, encourage hair loss and don’t even color but build up layers of metal on top of the hair strands – that’s (vaguely) how the metallic salts work to cover gray. I never wanted to fully understand it, as I said I heard it was being banned and discontinued.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS when I go to write a post, I discover some other bizarre and weird/wrong and NOT COOL discovery about public hair color that I cannot believe exists and I am so shocked and confused….I can’t really tell the story correctly without telling people this type of background. This needs to be said, so that one person brings the topic up…its not fair to men. Why don’t they get a decent hair color system? Because they are men?? I LOVE MEN . . . . they are one of the greatest joys on planet earth… It would be absolutely no fun without them…and I feel they should be taken care of at the same level as we are. There is not a woman alive that would put up with Metallic Salts covering their gray, I guarantee you. Pieces of various colors of metal close to your own color build up on the gray hair ONLY to give the illusion of the gray disappearing. It does not work and looks bizarre.  . . .

SUN-IN used to used Metallic SALTS to lighten hair which is why so many had orange hair…. it depended on your DURP as to whether SUN-IN would WORK on a certain person’s hair. I had heard someone sued and won about SUN-IN and that is what stopped the use of METTALIC Salts for hair color about 18-19 years ago… so am still stunned that Mens Hair Color is using it..

I stopped writing about them… because of all the advertisers I lost, but I can see now they don’t plan on returning. I can understand I guess. But what I can’t understand is why these companies do this. There are such easy and gorgeous colors they could put in those boxes…. I don’t understand why they put crap in them . .  and why they don’t use the good products, I guess it all boils down to “PROFITS.

So, there you have it. . .TIA or TRUTH in ADVERTISING is a huge HUGE issue to me. It gets in the way of all the Posts…So, now that you (hopefully) understand I’m hoping it will be easier for me to just plow ahead…. But I have a BLOG that I am trying to use to get my message out, for everyone to learn how to properly care for their hair and to let them know that they too can have longer shinier, thicker hair. . .  if they just follow a few rules, its truly not that hard….

I know – first hand - - -  I live it. I follow every single thing that I preach to you about.

I’ve always lived a very disciplined life, 10,000 HEADS to me is just another extension of living a healthy life I feel. I can’t participate in any of the exercises….I come from a different place - - - I would give A N Y T H I N G to be able to exercise again. So its weird to hear people complain about having to exercise …or practice YOGA to improve their hair’s health. If I could do that again, I would be a super happy person. Remember that next time you check out the local YOGA schedule…

Remember how super lucky you are that you CAN practice YOGA, and that you have the health to do it with….it truly sucks not being able to to do those things. Boy do I miss it.. . .

Happy New Year one and all

Killer Chemist

Blond, James Blond

Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen leads off Pack of Undercover Blonds

Check out our many Posts and Photo Demo's all shot and taught by KILLER CHEMIST, our fearless Leader. As a Board Certified LA Stylist/Colorist she has tricks and years of experience "going blond" . . .http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/search/label/Bleach%20Hair - you will find 20 Posts teaching you the correct way to go Blond at Home.

Then visit our brand new Store, with all the tools and products you need with all of our products you will receive CUSTOM Directions written for each type of product by KC .... which makes your hair much easier to color (no 'fear' factor) https://killerstrands.myshopify.com/

About to turn into a Platinum Bombshell?

There are 2 excellent methods of application. Choose 1.

As Spring comes blossoming out of the sky, requests for blonde's and blonding come floating in the email "in" box. Most of the country. . ruffling their feathers from hibernating all winter . .begin thinking of warmth and brightness and sun. Many let their base (roots)  grow out much longer than at any other time throughout the year, but know.... its time to make that change, ever thought of going Stefani blond.... let the platinum begin.

This technique is referred to as double process, which is deceiving and inappropriate in my book, but I suppose I cannot re-write History. The 1st process would be the bleaching, the 2nd the Toner.  . . .Toning is not a "process" its an application. But there you have anyway.

Going Platinum Blond is a statement and a mission . .  I have seen meager timid guys go from mice to men and shy submissive women turn out as dominating. Its amazing what a hair color can do to a personality.

When mixing Levitation Oil Bleach ... (found in Killer Color Clinic) http://groups.google.com/group/killerstrands .. it may not seem like it but it is crucial that you mix in the order described.  The powder and oil should connect first. . .  mix well  . .followed by the addition of the Developer. If I for some reason forget and  begin doing it the wrong way I will stop and start over. I have tried it before and the results were NOT the same - so please remember that. You want the bleach to apply in a nice silky manner so it does not drip . . . nor is too dry - - so the moisture needs to be perfect. Following directions to a T will give you that.

The usual method of application for a full bleach out is similar to the double application method for single process color. First apply 1 inch away from scalp, then, when the mid-shaft is nearly the desired stage of lightening, apply to the scalp area.

Now here is an alternative method  . . . which when going through my old notes from the Academy, I remembered. It was refreshing enough to read, and my next bleaching will be using this method.

First , apply the bleach. . .scalp to ends . . using the parting and sectioning I have pointed out in previous posts. When the scalp area is the desired stage of lightening . .rinse and shampoo. Dry the hair with a cool dryer. Now with this method you can see where exactly the hair needs its 2nd dose of bleach and you won't have any overlapping or over-bleaching of more vulnerable areas of the hair such as over-porous end or a fine hairline

There is no more meticulous application of product than that for on-the-scalp bleaching.  The rewards for precision are even bleaching, even toning, and hair that doesn't break. Begin the application in the darkest or coarsest area of the hair. Take fine sections with your TAIL COMB. ..thin enough to see through. With re-touches, you MUST be careful of overlapping - - and its easier to just lay a line of bleach at the scalp, the lay the next section against it, rather than smearing the bleach in with fingers.

If you are lifting past yellow be patient. . .GOLD IS ALWAYS the toughest pigment color to eliminate. It will probably take longer to go from yellow to pale yellow than it took to bring the natural base to yellow.

With double process is important. When you rinse the bleach - -  be gentle and very thorough.Lukewarm water most efficiently rinses the thick oil bleach . . .followed by a very gentle SLS-FREE Shampoo . .  another rinse and then the final smothering in Wella's "IN DEPTH". Which will completely stop any bleach from continuing to work, HOORAY!  Rinse well and towel dry the hair gently. Leaving in IN DEPTH for 30-45 minutes is always what I end up doing but it is totally optional.  In DEPTH is a porosity treatment and there is nothing better  for lightened hair than porosity treatment. I have found this glorious new on from Redken that I feel should be included in the Platinum process. If you feel you need it sooner than when I get it in the store, please email me Killerstrands@gmail.com  in the SUBJECT Header....put  " Platinum Porosity" . Thank you.

TONER TIME

Check your Toners Directions  most of them can be applied to damp hair or dry hair. Toners are many times an oxidative tint (need a developer) Many of the Professional hair color lines including Wella have enlisted specific colors on their chart to be made into Toners...although using a TONER made just for Toning, will have less ammonia, a lower pH, and in general will be gentler to both head and scalp. Toners only need a very low volume of developer. Purposes of toners are to conceal or beautify underlying warmth, depositing the desired hue and evening-out small defects in the bleach-out.

The lightest, most delicate toners call for a pale yellow stage of lightening. Lighten too little, leaving yellow still dominant in the hair, and the tone achieved will remain too yellowish. On the other hand, if the toner calls for a yellow stage of lightening and you over-lighten to pale yellow, there will not be enough underlying warmth in the hair to offset the artificial pigment and the hair will display too much of the toner's base color.

How the toner takes depends on the porosity of the hair . . . and guess what helps the porosity become even after all the up and downs of chemical services? ? ?  IN DEPTH . . .  that crazy inexpensive product that you may purchase in  KILLER  COLOR CLINIC  .

Killer Chemist