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

Bits & Pieces : Learn To Formulate Hair Color

Here are bits and pieces to help with Tuesday's Post and your first HAIR COLOR FORMULATION problem

Try the first Formulation quiz

You are a Level 4

and you desitre to be a Level 7

Reachin for Bleachin'

How light is "white"
when bleaching the hair the only answer is "WHITE"

Lighteners / Decolorizing

Lighteners are the chemical compounds that lighten hair by decolorizing the natural hair pigment. Just like color in the tubes. As soon as the lightener formula (powder or liquid) is mixed with the hydrogen peroxide, it begins to release oxygen. This process is known as oxidation, occurs within the cortex of the hair shaft.

Hair lighteners are used to create a blonde shade that is not achievable with permanent hair color , and are called BLEACH.

The lightest color one can achieve using hair color is with the type of color called HIGH LIFT BLONDING. Every line has their own version of HIGH LIFT blonde tones that ‘claim' to lift 4-5 Levels by using this tube of color plus a double dose of 40 Volume Developer.

...So there are 2 ways of going very blonde.....

#1) High lift Blond ( which you will NOT find in a HAIR COLOR KIT) these must be purchased as a tube of color and the developer SEPARATELY.

or

#2) Bleach or Lightener : In Powder, Creme, Liquid or Oil form.

As a seasoned colorist I have learned that very few of them actually do lift that much color, especially when you are dealing with the entire head or large sections of hair.. When doing something small like highlights most likely you can get the 4 -5 levels of lift (lightening) as you are using foils ( which add HEAT > Heat helps color work faster - and more intensely - altho it is tougher on the condition of the hair) …it all depends on the texture and porosity as well ...just like in all lightening procedures.

THE DECOLORIZING PROCESS

The hair goes through different stages of color as it lightens as you can see in FIGURE 16-19. The amount of change depends on :

· how much pigment the hair has
· the strength of the lightening product
· the length of time it was processed

During the process of decolorizing ( Bleaching), natural hair can go through as many as 10 stages FIGURE 16-20. The most common problem? would be when you see yellow hair..which would mean what? Check the stages....

As the hair is lightened....it works its way up the chart... if it stops at "gold"level 7 or even "yellow/gold"level 8...

it means the bleach has not been left on long enough....

Most people do not understand that.

Be very careful . . I am not promoting everyone going out and leaving bleach on for hours and hours...or putting it on 2-3 times - like I do.

It takes constant monitoring...it needs to be washed off the minute it hits level 9 or 10 if you can.

But it can move from one level to another WITHIN 60 seconds !!

Are you READY for that?

TO MOVE THAT QUICKLY?

If not ....................DO NOT TRY IT.

Not all hair will go through all 10 degrees of decolorization. Each natural hair color starts the decolorization process at a different stage. Remember, the goal is to create the correct degree of contributing pigment as the foundation for the final haircolor result.

The hair is never safely lifted past the ‘pale yellow stage’ to ‘white’ with lightener. Going that light with bleach even oil bleach causes excessive damage to the hair strands. One must be a seasoned hair colorist when going into the light blond range....we know how far we can go and be safe...and its nothing you can really 'teach'...... its simply experience!

10,000HEADS was the number I was at about 2 years ago !

I can tell by clearing the color off of a strand of hair EXACTLY what stage its at, so that prevents me from leaving the color on too long.Now the problem with most bleaching or lightenings you see done at home? They only bleach the hair once.

Big shot Colorist's trick?

> use OIL BLEACH - Redkens' Levitation is the best....Wella's Wellite will do...

> apply it twice . . . . sometimes 3 times - yep . . .in the same day -- the trick is...in knowing when to stop.

> OIL Bleach continues to work for 3 hours. Each hour the speed at which it works slows down. Therefore, the first hour the bleach is jamming & working quickly, then depending on costs - timing - etc...is how we determine if we are going to wash it out and reapply a new fresh batch or leave it in and let the speed diminish.

Sometimes that will be the best answer.

MY usual protocol : I apply Levitation Oil bleach and 30 volume > 1 inch FROM ROOTS and thru ends.... (apply to roots as very last step).. for 1 hour.

RINSE

Reapply - new batch of oil bleach on ends and in the last 1/2 hour apply to roots.

Being very careful to use very small sections to apply the product.

Many many moons ago (16 years ago) when I did my very first RADical hair color ( I still have the photos).I took an ASIAN gal (PITCH BLACK hair) gave her a Halo around her face of 1 inch -- surrounding her hairline of WHITE hair.... my mentor wanted me to learn how to get to "white" on the most difficult of hair. Asian hair is the toughest to work on because of its 'texture' (its coarse) and its porosity ( it has none)...But, when you have completed either colour or a dynamic cut on it, it also looks better than any other hair.

So its worth the effort -- if you think that way!

It took from 7:00 AM in the morning to 7:00 at night. But it was a pure snow white HALO with JET black Base that I actually made a BLUE-BLACK so the most extreme contrast possible.

That was the day I knew I wanted to master the art of HAIR COLOUR.... and I never looked back.

It was a very sweet ride and I can honestly and proudly say. . . . I can do do ANYTHING in the art of hair color...anything and everything.

Even ended up making up some procedures like "tattooing" hair....

I would bleach white the hair and then paint a Tattoo on the back of the head at the base

Back in the day I was not so into computers... so i didn't take photos of all my crazy work when i should have I knew I could always re-do it...never thinking this would happen...of course...

as a matter of fact computers are the opposite of hair color....so I understand why many of the TOP colorists are not ONLINE, I would have never done this . . .

had I not gotten sick.

here is one guy I had some snap shots of

- lousy photos -

-but you get the idea . . . . He's hispanic so black hair again...

see what color a bleach should be?

WHITE!

He wanted flames to match the flames he had a car painter > paint on his jacket....

for PROM at MALIBU HIGH - -

- - of course!

It kicked ass

Home Hair Colorist - Lesson 6

PIC 20-40

HOME HAIR COLOURIST - Lesson 6

In an attempt to stay interesting and not bore you, I am going from “hair” theory back to “color” theory and back again. It’s an odd of way teaching the info but am assuming we have no closet Cosmetology students out there and it will be OK.

Remaining Pigment Contribution

Primary, secondary and tertiary colors can be found at any level of natural hair color ( See Pic 20-40) .Remaining pigment contribution is the color that will be left in the hair after the lifting process. Knowing the colors that will be present at a given level of color ensures that you will select the proper base color formulation to either neutralize or enhance the desired color.

A huge problem you will face is that most color swatch charts display color selections on “white hair” swatches, another weird move on the hair color manufacturers’ part… My complaint with Boxed Hair Color is how they do not take into count what color the hair is underneath when selling them. It matters, as much as they like to pretend it doesn’t, when new colorists ( like you) are just learning how to do this, that can really throw them off. It irks me that the damn companies cannot just make the charts right to begin with. It wouldn’t cost a penny more, but it would be correct, therefore eliminating all the improper color on women in those first few years of learning hair color and when buying hair color “kits”. Hair color is a science and does not have to be “guess work” which is what these companies make it , by supplying the wrong information. By the way, the charts are just as messed up for us in the professional lines as well, so they are not prejudice, we all get screwed up with improper color charts and information. Wella's line Color Perfect has done the most brilliant thing...The chart for this line of color displays what each of their colors would look like if applied on white hair on blonde hair and on brown hair….brilliant..!

Can’t they just spread that technology so all the companies can benefit ? Like I said..its not rocket science.The entire problem with both Boxed Kits and their charts boils down to them not taking into consideration the pigment contributed from the natural hair UNDERNEATH that will remain during the lifting cycle.

( Figure 20-40 is just a rule of thumb there is no way to make charts like this on every line for every company)

Contribution of Underlying Pigment

Decolorizing the hair’s natural melanin pigment allows the colorist to create the exact degree of contributing pigment needed for the final result. First, the hair is decolorized (bleached) to the appropriate level. Then the new color is applied to deposit the desired color. The natural pigment that remains in the hair contributes to the artificial color that is added. Lightening the hair to the correct stage is essential to a beautiful, controlled, final hair coloring result. Many times you see people walking around with just awful “yellow” hair, for a Colorist there is nothing worse to see “yellow” or “orange” that is a mistake by not leaving the lightener on the hair long enough, sometimes you have to reapply it, sometimes with very resistant hair…you may need to do it one more time the next day. The point is Stylists that leave hair this way, don't need to, it might take a while but ALL hair is fizable in my mind. My mntor taught me that as I watched her many times work for 1 or 2 full days on a tough case. She would be proud, I have spent many a long night in that same spot.

Toners are semi permanent or demi-permanent hair color that are used primarily on pre-lightened hair to achieve pale and delicate colors. They are applied to the lightest degree of contributing pigment that remains after the decolorization (bleaching) process. Toners are one of my passions…there was a time when I had hundreds of toners on hand at all times….you can perform magic with them. If you like to be blond – becoming a Picasso of Toners is a suggestion of mine you can vary the color of your hair with something as simple as a Toner application once a week & using the proper brand can also lend a tremendous amount of shine and strength to your strands. One of my favorite’s - I call boysenberry crème - it’s a very soft purple-rose-cream color….. to 1 full ounce of Ivory color Toner I add just a squeeze (½ inch) of a color called boysenberry to an ounce of color - mix & add 10 volume peroxide. Using 10 Volume Developer makes any color “Semi – permanent” ( we go into tomorrow).

TEN DEGREES OF DECOLORIZATION
See the 10 degrees of decolorization? Those are the stages the hair goes thru as it loses its color or as the color is taken out with lighteners…bleach, etc. Not all hair will go through the 10 degrees, each natural hair color starts the decolorization process at a different stage. Remember, the goal is to create the correct degree of contributing pigment as the foundation for the final hair color result . See figure 16-20

In my opinion there is only one way to lighten hair this light, safely… and that is with oil bleach. Its been around for years, the absolute best oil bleach on the market is Redken’s -- Levitation (cool name). Annie Humphries taught me that (Mother of Color)and since that day I never have used another, because it makes the most beautiful blonds on the planet – with hair so healthy and conditioned its as if it wasn’t bleach. I am making this available to Killerstrands members email me killerstrands@gmail.com or post in comments at the end of this post. Other wise there is Wella’s Wellite, the next best version, which can be found at almost every Beauty Supply on the planet.

The hair needs to be very carefully taken care of when lifting past the yellow stage to white with lightener. The extreme diffusion of color necessary to give hair a while appearance causes excessive damage to the hair strand. The result is the hair feels “mushy” and will stretch without returning to its original length. When dry, the hair is harsh and brittle usually suffers breakage and will not accept a toner correctly.

The way to that beautiful “baby blond” or “Marilyn Blond” ?...it can be carefully achieved by lightening the hair to pale yellow and then neutralizing the unwanted undertone (contributing pigment) with a toner.






Look at the 10 degrees on this chart
If hair is dark brown, you want to go blond
These are levels hair must go through in that climb
(the most common complaint I hear is "orange" hair)
Watch what happens:
the hair starts to lighten, goes from Red-brown to Red to Red/Orange to Orange !
Then it stops at the Orange stage, why?
The entire problem is the color 'choice' was the wrong one and the peroxide was the wrong one, otherwise it would have kept going and gotten lighter.
That is what you will learn when we are finished, how to avoid this.