SMOKE and MIRRORS Hair Color Magic ...

How exactly does the "Lift & Deposit" chemical reaction in permanent hair color work?

A question was posed on the previous Post about this, which I felt warranted its own POST. Good question =(equals) Post is kind of how it works here in the Killer Strands Land of Hair Care.

All permanent hair coloring works the same. Which I would like you all to understand, especially in the ongoing debate of "Professional Hair Color versus 'Public' Hair Color" and the difference between them. Some of the licensed Hair Stylists want you to believe there is a huge difference in the products you can purchase at Sally's and the ones "we" licensed ... Board certified Professionals purchase. Now, available in the Killer Strands Store. Just so you know, as I was readying to launch the new Killer Strands store, the Publicity Release went out announcing that Wella would be soon selling their professional color to the public, the same way they do in every other country in the world.

They like you to believe that, you ...the public, don't have the talent or education to use Professional hair color, that it takes a year of schooling to be able to use it properly.

Well, you should know me by now... and I, of course, would like to blow the top off of that stupid theory. . . I would make a 'conservative' guess that 80 %-90% of all Cosmetology students are not even taught practical hair color education when they go to school ... you know what they teach them? How to pass the State Board Tests, in order to get your license. Which to me and to the Vidal Sassoon Academy's --> is TOTALLY ridiculous. State Board Tests are so antiquated, they test for your ability to perform finger waving 'speed' and roller setting swiftness as if that is how we all wear our hair on a daily basis. I am not kidding, it is completely and utterly ridiculous the testing they put you through to have a license here in the state of California, and am told California is the hardest 'Board' test in the union {and you wonder why the last cut/color you got was horrific}.

Vidal Sassoon where I attended, did not teach passing the state board Test (you were left to your own devices to figure that out) they taught Hair Color Theory ...Hair color application, Hair Color Formulation, Hair cutting theory & Hair cutting practice....there is a reason it is referred to as the "Harvard of Hair Schools" -- it truly deserves it. But...such a very small percentage of the millions of Hair Stylists out there have attended either of the 2 schools (1 in LA & 1 in London - period)- - it leaves the majority of Cosmetologists ; untrained and left to their own devices to learn on poor unsuspecting clients. Yes, that is where they learn - - - on YOU. When I finally figured that out, I was terrified for the 'client'. What the solution to this is - - - is finally surfacing, various Hair Color Companies are starting their own "specialty" Hair Academy's. I have heard Aveda, Paul Mitchell & now Redken are the first with sporadic academies popping up around the country. The smart companies are hiring 'ex' Sassoon-heads to build their schools around and to know "how" - "what" and "where" to do this successfully. No one will ever have the brilliance and finesse of a Sassoon Academy....until you have been engrossed in one - - you won't know what you are missing. It was one of the smarter moves I've ever made...it truly has stayed ingrained in me for the last 16 years.

Since viewing the problems of unqualified Stylists, from different angles, I try to remain semi - compassionate to all sides of the story -- but its hard. I'm so driven, that I will go to any lengths to get the proper training I need for a certain purpose, I don't understand why everyone can't be that way. Alas, it just is not always possible for everyone to have the fortunate situation I had, in growing up 30 miles from the 1 Vidal Sassoon Academy in America.

But, there are books, there are tapes, there are DVD's - Videos, U-TUBE - - there are always, some form of advanced hair education going on all over the country. . . ALWAYS. Use it, invest in yourself & your talent, it will pay you back, I promise...having a full book of clients is a wonderful thing.

The difference between Professional Hair Color & "public" Hair Color (for lack of a better word) ......is ......"quality" yep, that's it. Which is why when you get your hair done by a professional - - you wonder...." why, does it not look this good when I do it myself" ? ? Its the quality of pigments in that tube of color,the quality of ingredients that provide both SHINE & Vivid color, its the quality of Developer - that I even call "premium" Developer that is different. Remember there is no other time that the hair cuticle is open; allowing lipids, and conditioners of all types to get into the strand of hair, than with the Permanent Hair Color process. But, the actual "process of how" they both work ("professional" and "public" hair color) is exactly the same.

There is no reason on this planet that if you understand both the:

• Level System of Hair Color and
• Color Theory (related to Hair)

you cannot color your hair with professional hair color - at home - successfully. There is no secret, there is no trick, no talent we learn as Licensed hair Stylists that you don't have access to. I just want that to be CRYSTAL CLEAR to everyone, because it is not fair that the people at home are not allowed to have access to better quality hair color. So many of the stories I hear are " I have tried every hair stylist in my town and every single one has destroyed my hair" - I want to take back control of my own hair color and learn how to do it myself.

You know what my argument is when a licensed hair stylist starts to get in my face about this? I say: at least I teach the Level System and Color Theory - in going to Sally's they can buy anything without teaching them a thing, and 9 times out of 10 point them in the wrong direction. Hundreds of millions of women/men go to Sally's Beauty Supply every single week and they are mis-guided by uneducated, uncaring individuals that CAUSE most of the Color Correction cases we Colorists see on a weekly basis. Both, Sally's & Boxed Hair Color Kits are the 2 main "causes" of most Hair Color Disasters across the USA. Its an eye opening experience to have a hair Blog and Group such that I have, the privilege of owning these has opened my eyes to what is going on nationwide ... not just here in my little corner of the country. Once people started writing in to me from every state, I realized the problem was a whole Helluva lot bigger than I ever realized. Someone needs to help all these people have some decent education on how to properly care for their hairs health and their hair color.

Its not a matter of the education not being there, its a matter of the 'wall' put up between Hair Stylist and Hair Client. With the Stylist acting like they have some "other worldly" powers over hair, that they are keeping secret...and will disperse a little bit at a time, but only if you keep coming back to them as a good client should... I cannot say it loud enough: R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S .

Of course, I don't mean every Stylist...but just today on one of the most recent "comments" a new reader left, here is the Comment:

Hi! My hairstylist uses low "natural enzymes" in the place of developer, but she refuses to tell me anything more about it, or where to find it. Go figure... She also says that she uses color with low ammonia to color my hair.
My hair is super-soft and almost damage free and I was wondering if you know anything about these enzymes?

here is my answer:

anonymous,
Nope, have no idea what she is referring to. I can honestly say out of 10,000 Heads of Hair I have worked on ... 95% of them had super-soft and damage-free hair.
Hair Color (done correctly) can be a wonderful thing and creates absolutely NO damage to hair. I have said over and over that the way hair color works in todays upper echelon is to:
>> strengthen
>> add body
and the best trait of all:
>> it adds tons of shine
I don't believe she used any special "enzymes" to color your hair, I believe it is one more hair stylist perpetuating the unnecessary wall & shut down of communication that has gone up between hair stylist and client, that besides being absolutely ridiculous is just one more show of the paranoid insecurities that most hair stylists possess. You most likely have great hair to begin with...
& she enriches it with a top hair color.... that is not a tough task.
In my world that is the "norm", not the rarity that many of you think.
I have been working on a post trying to explain to people if a color "claims" it has no ammonia, then it uses a substitute ingredient that does the exact same thing as ammonia.
So why does that make it a better hair color to you?
When it still does the exact same thing?
MAKES ZERO SENSE.
All permanent hair color uses the exact SAME TECHNOLOGY....there is no NEW technology for COLORING HAIR.
When there is, I promise I will announce it here.

KC

Now, the shine, the vividness, the pigment are all better with professional hair color. The technology is absolutely NO DIFFERENT. There is not one thing different we do as professional's. What we have is more experience on working on all types of hair....you - - you have experience with your own head of hair and maybe your sisters or best friends. But not on all types and textures of hair...which still doesn't make us an expert. I never feel like I have learned everything about hair color, nor will I ever. The best part about doing your own hair color is just that....its your own, you are experienced with all of its little traits, and flaws. I can ask hair color clients if their hair -- "takes" color well or not. 8 out 10 will know the answer to that question, which tells a colorist a LOT about your hair. That is the porosity of your hair and that little piece of information can save you from having a color disaster, if you are new to learning hair color.

Now the way permanent hair color works. Permanent hair color has 2 aspects:

• lightening/lifting and
• penetrating/depositing

Lightening comes from 2 key ingredients:

• ammonia ( or other catalyst) : in the cream
• hydrogen peroxide: in the developer

Ammonia is a critical ingredient in permanent hair color. Permanent Hair Color ALWAYS contains ammonia (or another catalyst that does the exact same thing) {remember this point}. The issue with 'ammonia' is the same issue as 'preservatives'... too much of it is unnecessarily damaging, but without ammonia, penetration, lightening and dye development would not occur. It, or something like it, is essential. Manufacturers of professional products strive to put just enough--- and not too much---ammonia-- in their permanent hair color.

Now if a hair color says its "ammonia-free" then it will have an ammonia substitute. Therefore, if it has an ammonia substitute, which does the exact same thing, then all it is doing is tricking the consumer. Get it? Its still doing the exact same thing only with a different ingredient ( MEA; monoethanolamine is the one I know of, there are others).

Ammonia is an alkali: it swells the hair shaft, promoting penetration. It is also a catalyst and its primary purpose: to facilitate lightening by releasing oxygen, supplied by the developer, to OXIDIZE natural pigment. Ammonia, creates the necessary alkalinity for the development of permanent dyes; permanent haircoloring is always alkaline in pH.

Ammonia is not in the developer which so many people think, it is in the tube of hair color with the dyes. Lighter levels contain more ammonia than darker levels, in order to provide more lightening capability. Many of you have only dealt with 1 color range, but as a professional we deal with every range....clients range from level 1 to 12, which we may be dealing with in the same hour as clients come in all sizes and colors.

The higher the level , the more ammonia (lift) and the less pigment (deposit). The lower the level, the less lift and the greater the deposit. That's why a medium blond will cover gray better than a very light blond. It is also why a medium brown will not lift as many levels as a high-lift tint.

High-Lift colors contain the most ammonia, to have the most aggressive and extended lift cycles. That much ammonia in darker levels , however would be overkill. Ammonia is calibrated by levels in all professional products.

Another critical component of permanent hair coloring is hydrogen peroxide. The developers for permanent hair coloring products, (whether clear or cream) are hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide is the oxidizer of permanent hair coloring, providing the oxygen for lightening of natural pigment, and for the development of artificial pigment. Permanent hair coloring is sometimes referred to as oxidative haircoloring. It is the hydrogen peroxide

in permanent hair coloring -- not

the ammonia -- that causes

oxidative hair damage. Top Colorists are

aware of the damage created by excessively high developer volumes and use only that which is necessary.

The chemical shorthand for hydrogen peroxide is H2 O2 meaning 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 order to develop the dyes of permanent haircoloring. Just to get the 'dyes' to color the hair, an oxidizer has to be present. ( and peroxide all by itself won't lighten the hair, either - sometimes an email comes in with someone trying this....and I want to cringe...it needs to react with ammonia in order for efficient oxidation to occur.) peroxide,ammonia and the dyes all need each other to get the hair coloring to work properly and to its fullest.

When people start quoting these silly sayings like " no ammonia" or "low ammonia" hair color... I just quietly look at them and think......" you will be right back in to see me fix the mess you are going to make of your hair". Because they have no idea what "low ammonia" means ... I will ask them , " what does ammonia do to hair color ??? " Not one of them ever knows, in 16 years I have never once run into a 1 person that can answer that question. I just completely explained what ammonia does in the hair color process, just a few paragraphs up. . . and I bet 50% of you still can't tell me what it does . .? ? ? ? So if you don't know what ammonia does, why are you trying to eliminate it ? ? ? How do you know its bad? Personally if a hair color says anything about having "Low ammonia or No ammonia in it. . . I just turn and walk away, why? ? ? because I know how necessary it is for a perfect....beautiful ....head of hair color.

In order for permanent hair color to work properly, it is a chemical reaction and ammonia is needed for the chemical reaction to take place properly. I have found that every single person that sits in my chair does not really care how it gets there . . . but what they want is a rich - - - gorgeous - - - vivid - - - - shiny - - - properly toned KNOCKOUT head of hair with Hair Color to match. As long as their hair is as healthy and as luxurious as I can possibly make it . . the ingredients I use to get it there are going to be the Top-of-the-Line for what I need to make that process take place. I doubt there is a person on the planet that wants orange or yellow hair, because their hair color says "no ammonia" on the box or tube. When hair reaches the proper color, the most beautiful wheat blond or the most yummy Matt (non-brassy) blond you have ever see then NO REPAIR has to take place - which adds to the processes the hair has to endure. Think about everything you are saying or thinking before pronouncing the big plans you may have for your hair. . .

Sit back and relax, I care for my clients hair as if it were my own or my childrens . . I now give all of that to you - - - as a gift.

KillerStrands the Group,

http://groups.google.com/group/killerstrands

KillerStrands the Blog ...........you are here

KillerStrands the Store

http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/

Killer Chemist

Holy Roller Commandments of Sinfully Rich Hair Color

9 Steps to Pray About Before You Color Yo' Hair

In order to color hair so it stays nice and beautifully rich some of us have acquired tricks that we like to keep to ourselves. That way we keep a nice stream of clients filling our chairs on a regular basis. A point to remember ... the steps and ideas noted here are not taken into account when you purchase those boxed kits. So if none of them are taken into account, I simply do not understand how the manufacturers of those kits can assume the hair will be colored correctly.



They won't because there needs to be some education that people understand before they attempt to color their hair. Let me relate it to cooking once again. Lets say you have purchased a Rice-A-Roni Boxed kit in the grocery store. You take that home to make it, read the directions on the box ...follow them and have something pretty darn close to what the maker hoped you would. Otherwise, I can guarantee you would not keep continuing to purchase it...it would be history, and why? There are lots of other boxed kits of food to chose from. Now, on that box of Rice-A-Roni it tells you to measure 1 Tablespoon of this and 1/2 teaspoon of that, and to bring to boil. Where did you learn what a Tablespoon is compared to a teaspoon? Where did you learn what a "boil" is ? cooking is chemistry as well ... just like hair color. Which is precisely my point within the boundaries of hair color, certain rules, or laws, or guidelines need to be known before the task is taken on so the result is not a disaster. Nowhere does it say that on those boxes, it gives no instructions on hair type, texture, structure,prior hair color treatments, light, porosity, color saturation...none of that. Which is 'why' the results are most times atrocious. Why can't they all go to separate color and developer stations - with instruction sheets. That's all I am saying. I have never felt that the entire idea needs to be scrapped, I just think it all needs to be sold like it is in the beauty supply - separately - with a sheet of instructions. It does NOT work in a boxed kit, nor will it ever.





Every time I look at the new ads with Eva Langoria shouting the wonders of a $8.00 boxed hair color kit and how it has done this





to her hair, I want to scream bloody murder. For the most important point there are a minimum of 4 colors in this look, so how in the bloody hell can she even claim to use one box with one color in it, is beyond me. It makes me lose total respect for the women that choose to do these commercials or ads. They could choose to do another ad, do mascara, do foundation - Hell do shampoo, but to lie about what the color is on your hair? I couldn't do it myself - and I need the money, they don't.





I have done this exact look on others, when I do a stars hair I either sign a piece of paper called a Confidentiality Agreement or I verbally agree to one. Being a 31 year member of the Screen Actors Guild makes me stick to my word so I will not give out names - as I never have. So you will never hear who, you will just have to trust that its the truth. I know my information is top notch so I have no worries, no doubts & no guilt. A million dollar movie star has never ever put an $8.00 boxed kit on their hair, their Stylist,Colorist,Lawyer, Publicist, and Agent would not allow it...let alone the star. One move like that could destroy a perfectly gorgeous star's career, seen Rene Zellwegers hair lately? Thank the Hair Gods above for gorgeous wigs.





I have 2 words I'd like to define for you... they both are difficult to understand and explain, which is why I have been avoiding them...today I begin the battle:





Porous: Describes condition of cuticle when it is raised and open, allowing moisture and liquid to absorb





Porosity: The hair's ability to absorb liquid or moisture





9 Steps to take seriously before coloring hair





1. What is Your Ethnic Group





This is a little trick learned from the Europeans I find handy . Because each type of hair responds differently to color, its important to understand the nature of the hair you have. Do you have Nordic, Celtic, Latin, Mediterranean, Asian, or African Hair. Refer to the 2 families of Hair charts below. Across the top are the LEVELS, the more you understand the Levels - the better for your success as a Home Pro Hair Colorist remember.











The number 1 color of hair in the entire world? .........BLACK





The most rare: RED





Just one more way of understanding how hair color works the best











2. Evaluate Your Hair Texture





Different weights and types of hair will respond differently when color is applied. Texture refers to the diameter of each shaft of hair, Usually categorized by fine, medium or coarse. It is essential to be familiar with how various textures of hair will react to color. Hair density differs not only from one individual to another but also from strand to strand on the same persons head - to further confuse things. It is best determined by feeling a single dry strand between the fingers if you do not know your texture - give it a try. The 3 types of hair have the following characteristics

• Very fine hair is more fragile, easier to process and more susceptible to damage than is coarse or medium hair. As a general rule fine hair will take color darker. Therefore when formulating, go one half to one level lighter will always be a good idea


• Medium hair is the most common hair texture. It is considered normal and does not pose any special problems or concerns.


• Coarse hair has the largest diameter which usually requires more processing than medium or fine and will take color lighter because of the resistance factor...formulate one half to one level darker. It is usually more difficult for lighteners, and color to penetrate.


• The most difficult? Hair with a high degree of uneven porosity (see above) needs to be formulated with a partial portion of bottled color - helps with even-ness.

3. Determine Your Hair Density





Hair density measures the number of strands of hair on the head, indicating how thick or thin the hair is. Individuals with the same hair texture can have different densities, I know - I know it all can be so damn confusing, just hang in there with me. Some individuals with fine hair texture, characterized by each hair having a small diameter, may have high density, with many individual hairs per square inch. Others with coarse hair texture, characterized by each hair having a large diameter, may have low density, with few individuals hairs per square inch.





4. Determine your Natural Level





Take a good close look to see exactly what color it is in its natural state, this will give you the information you need to plan the coloring process.





When in doubt about which exact color you are match the hair with the charts in the "N" row of the Wella Koleston Perfect chart over on the Google Group of Killerstrands (with the charts over there you own the ability to close-in on the color for precise control & decisions) http://groups.google.com/group/killerstrands?hl=en





5. Determine the Amount of Gray Hair





Since white or gray hair acts differently with hair color than pigmented hair, even a home hair colorist must first assess the amount of gray present on their noggin'.





If hair is more than 30 percent gray, choose your target level, use the "N" series on those charts again and now add the tonal group to the assessment. I have not gone into this to the depth I need to yet, but its coming... you will need to use the "N" series to implant the base in that colorless (gray) hair and the tonal choice will give it the warmth or coolness desired. If needed some haircolor from the "Beige/Brown series will also increase coverage of gray. A 20 Volume amount of hydrogen peroxide is always recommended for deposit in this area.





Gray hair can turn orange if the lightener used is not processed long enough.





If you are 80 to 100% gray, a haircolor within the blonde range is generally more flattering that a darker shade. Gray hair has many tricks and complications and deserves a post of its own and its on its way.





6. Have any Previous Hair Color Treatments





Whether or not you have previous color on your hair or not is the single most neglected and misunderstood step. I have the hardest time with getting through to people about this. This is another point that the boxed kits should point out immediately which they do not, the reason they don't? No one would purchase the stuff if it said that, there are figures like 85% of the country is now coloring their hair, so with a figure like that why wouldn't they WANT to put that on the Kit?





Be honest ... with you, with your hair, so many people put color on their hair and then think a stylist won't see it or can tell. Nothing is farther from the truth and nothing could be worse for the outcome of your hair. It affects the outcome - be real , be honest - all color on that hair counts unless its been cut off .





In my opinion hair color must be removed at all times if you are going lighter. Removed, not bleached. There is one and only one color remover I would recommend - it is a professional level color remover and a patented formula from Germany that at one time was known as MODULAT. I still call it that. I guess there are some other knock-offs out there, that claim to do the same thing - who knew?? !! I'm finding out things even I didn't know with the life of this site. For color removing services in Malibu the prices started at $250. for 1 treatment, usually 2-3 are needed, the price of the product from Killerstrands is $33.00 and does not take a rocket scientist to operate. If you have interest in the item please send an email with "product order" in the subject header to Killerstrands@gmail.com .





7. What Is The Result You Want?





Seem silly? You will not believe the amount of people that do not clarify this to themselves before heading to the Beauty Supply. Look through magazines, tear out pages of looks, comb through my sites...even though its been too much for me to do both...I still have an entire blog of photos only...and continue to get emails from people thanking me because they are current hot photos of hair, so look there ...its hooked up so you can download a very clear photo to your own computer. http://www.killerpics.blogspot.com/ . Print the photo out and think about the colors - look and style. Ask others for opinions and try not to make rash decisions. There is something about chicks and hair color and doing it - - - "NOW"- - I have newly discovered thru this site. Come on team lets try to put some proper preparation into this, its a pretty substantial change you are trying to make, I really don't recommend just stop-drop and rolling! Lets plan - prepare and execute, OK?











What is the exact color you want to achieve and how will you get there? Are you prepared for the maintenance work, which is one thing very few of you ever consider. How much maintenance and re-touching will this new color require? Can you handle it? Have you ever used foils? Ever used semi permanent Pink? Consider all the angles and cover what you need to know - prior to D-day or C-day I mean (color)!





8. The importance of the Right Light





Metamerism, which refers to the reflective property of objects as subjective to the type and power of light source, also effects the coloring of hair. How the room is lit where you make your decisions can make a huge difference in the way the color looks on your head and needs to be carefully planned and accounted for.





Do not look at your hair under fluorescent lights when dealing with hair color, it will just not be a happy ending. If you must get a lamp and purchase some incandescent lights with the whitest bulb possible to use just to determine and work with your hair coloring projects, you will thank me in the end. The most highly recommended lights are the halogen white lights, a bit pricier but the oooohooo color is slam-damit-right.





9. Plan for color Saturation





Dyes are different arrangements of molecular structures and tend to modify the light rays that fall on them. This phenomenon is known as color saturation.





It needs to be understood that the intermediate content in a tube or bottle is obviously dependent on the amount of depositing and saturation of color to achieve. The lighter the color level, the less intermediate it will contain. The darker the level, the more the content as you can see by the chart.

Hair Color Cowboys Go Crazy

Back to the Books

Had a couple over enthusiastic hair color cowboys plow into coloring without realizing this is a serious business, and improper technique can bring disastrous results. As much as I have been thrilled with many success stories, a couple of disasters can erase it all.

It makes me feel like maybe I have failed and did not stress the importance of reading through the entire Blog and all of its steps. Or maybe my explanations were not clear enough. No, I don't have everything posted yet, that will never happen.

There will always be new procedures to bring up-to-date and refresh but the basics are here and if you plan on trying to learn the CRIB COLORIST method you must review the entire blog.

If you are interested in this process I am teaching here , I think I should put it in perspective for you so you understand what an accidental gold mine you have stumbled upon. I bet it was accidental too wasn't it! People spend $40,000. - $50,000. to go to Vidal Sassoon Academy for a year to learn all the information I am delving out here. FREE. Truthfully only top stylists would recognize it, and why would they be looking for it? They wouldn't. That is a pretty damn good deal for all of you and the only reason I am doing it is >

because I am sick. I had a whole other plan, and this sure wasn't it.

So please,

take advantage of this odd occurrence - use it in the way it should be used....correctly. Please, read through the entire Blog, take a week to do it - if it seems overwhelming or 'too much' ... it doesn't take that long and everyone I ask to do that - 'Thanks me' they really do! Absorb and learn it so you have the advantage

BECOMING LLLLLEVEL HEADED

I want to go back and review some of the Level System. Of course in this small arena I have I have not covered it all. I tried to focus on the important parts, but I realize there are additional areas I must cover so the education is more thorough.

What I'd like to do is to get everyone on Killerstrands talking in 'Levels and Tones', as a Sassoon Colorist that's how we roll. Everyone is known by their hair color level & tone, every single person has one, even if they have never colored their hair. So as you go through your day, as you stand in the line at the post office - start guessing everyone's Level and Tone - practice makes perfect

The first task in learning hair color theory is to understand the difference between LEVEL and TONE. These 2 characteristics of Color are the most important and vital to understanding the concept.

Level, I feel fairly confidant that most everyone understands this concept, it simply refers to the lightness or darkness of hair color be it natural or artificial. If anyone out there is having a difficult time with the concept of "Level" I want you to post a comment at the end of this post OR email me so I know. Everyone here needs to be able to name every person in your life's Level/Tone of hair. Think about that. . can you?

Everyone is a LEVEL 1 thru 12 .

I guess the confusing part comes from the fact that as soon as the major hair color manufacturers decide on a basic 8 Tones, one of the companies decides to add a new tone or two, for Pizzazz! As colorists we are never more thrilled when we hear of a new tone coming down the pike. They call that a Lab-Rat, and sadly I may fit well into that category -- what a loser.

Manufacturers Level Systems vary somewhat from one another. Some products have ten levels, some 11, some 12. Regardless of the variations the lowest number will be the darkest color in any given system - highest number the lightest color.

Levels are precise degrees of lightness standardized across the manufacturer's tonal groups. All colors of the same level will have the same degree of lightness or depth, whether natural (neutral), ash, gold, matte, Pearl, Brown-Red-Violet, or any other tone.

To illustrate this, visualize a tall building, black is the basement and white is the penthouse, graduating from dark to light each story a grade lighter than the one beneath it. That is the International Level System, with numbers identifying those grade of dark to light. If you wash this image with a hue, such as gold, then you have a tonal series. Imagine a "black and White" photograph - in that you are only seeing 'Levels" of color. Before color in our TV's and in our photographs we only had this "tonal" look. Its taking one color and going from the dark to light in each.

TONE

Tone refers to the hue of a hair color, be it natural or artificial. The main tones, or hues, of hair coloring are natural,ash,gold & red...although I would add Brown, matt,pearl, brown-red and a few others.

Another point I know I didn't clarify was the labeling of hair color, so when you go to buy that first tube of color you won't be thoroughly confused by what's printed on the end of the box. Manufacturers usually indicate the tones of their colors with letters: 'A' for Ash ....'N' for Neutral and so on. Numbers are also used to designate 'tone', for instance, if ".1" means ASH , then a Level 6 ASH would be a 6.1. That's the method, my European based WELLA line uses and to make it easier on the end of the box it says : 6/01A, so you get both.

Any color can be described in level and tone. If the sky is blue and darkest blue almost navy along the horizon and then graduates up as you look into the sky. Those are also distinctions in "level". The level system pertains specifically and only to haircoloring.

If you are having problem distinguishing between level and tone, give it some more time. It will come to you. Its just foreign lingo.

FYI: the painters use of these words are totally different than the haircolorists and should not be related -- each has different vernaculars.

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

Home Hair Colorist - Lesson 4 - How In The Hell The Color Wheel Relates to Hair Color

The Color Wheel and Hair Color...
having nothing to do with those CRAZY COLORS you have seen on Hair Models.

Identifying your Natural LEVEL is the first step in understanding PROFESSIONAL HAIR COLOR for the Home Hair Colorist.
The next most valuable tool is the Color Wheel, remember the color wheel from elementary school? That probably sounds odd, let me simplify it.

Its important to have a general understanding of how colors work together, you may already know but let me review and how it relates to Hair Color. Remember I am trying to help you learn to Color your hair correctly at home and that's it! If you can understand the color wheel.... when you have colored your hair blond and it has this weird cast of green to it ??? knowing the color wheel well -will help you understand how it got there and more importantly how to get rid of it. I still to this day will glance at it - I love color, but looking at the wheel can settle many questions with hair.

The LAW OF COLOR is a system for understanding color relationships. When combining colors, you will always get the same result from the same combination. Equal parts of Red and Blue together always make violet. The Color Wheels on this page should help you understand the relationships.


PRIMARY COLORS: are pure fundamental colors that cannot be achieved from a mixture. The primary colors are blue,red and yellow. All colors are created from these colors. Colors predominantly blue are "cool" toned colors...many hair colors are referred to as Cool - Icy ...which usually means have a 'blue base' or 'blue cast' to them. Colors with a predominance of red are "warm" toned colors ... on the flip side many hair colors are also referred to as "warm" in hair color meaning they have red base.

Blue is the darkest of the primary colors and is the only cool primary color. In addition to coolness, blue also brings depth or darkness to any color to which it is added.

Red is the medium primary color. Red added to blue-based colors will cause them to appear lighter. Red added to yellow colors will cause them to become darker.

Yellow is the lightest of the primary colors. When you add yellow to other colors, the resulting color is lighter and brighter in appearance.

When all 3 colors are present in equal proportions, the resulting color is BLACK! It helps to think of hair colors in terms of their relative proportions of primary colors. NEUTRAL BROWN, for example, has the primary colors in the following proportions: blue --- B, red --- RR, yellow---YYY.

hang in there . . . don't want to put anyone to sleep..........

Secondary Colors: a color obtained by mixing equal parts of two primary colors...secondary colors are: green, orange and violet .

Blue + Yellow = Green

Red + Yellow = Orange

Red + Blue = Violet

Tertiary Colors is an intermediate color achieved by mixing a secondary color and its neighboring primary color on the color wheel in equal amounts. Tertiary colors include blue-green, blue-violet,red-violet,red-orange,yellow-orange, and yellow-green. Natural looking hair color is made up of a combination of primary and secondary colors.

Last one! and this is the one that saves your butt every time!

my fav...

Complementary Colors are a primary and secondary colors positioned opposite each other on the color wheel. The colors of the BLOGGER website are complementary and many logos and insignias because they "pop". Complementary colors include:

blue........and orange

red..........and green

yellow ....and violet

This where they come in handy... Complementary colors NEUTRALIZE each other . When formulating hair color, you will find that it is often your goal to emphasize or distract from skin tones or eye color or to NEUTRALIZE or refine unwanted tones in the hair. Understanding complementary colors will help you choose the appropriate tones to accomplish that goal.

A very common problem, so that you can "picture" this in your mind.... which should help you understand it.

Ever seen a bleached blond who didn't leave the bleach on long enough??? and its this horrid shade of YELLOW , its a very common problem. If you take that head of hair and purchase what is called a "toner" I have always used the analogy of a "NYLON" to my clients . When you shove your arm into a pair of nylons you can still see your arm it just has a "see-thru" cast to it....? correct?? the cast is whatever color "nylon" you chose.

Same with Toners, you can "see" thru them.

So with the very YELLOW bleached blond hair....

WHICH color toner would you track down?

To NEUTRALIZE the YELLOW . . . . . .??? ? ? ?

Look at the color wheel.......................

which color NEUTRALIZES --Yellow ................follow the color wheel ............where??............opposite side.............

Violet.

Violet based Toner.

A COOL BASED VIOLET toner,will knock that yellow out of the ball park!

Fun and Games

The missing primary color in this game is what you would use to neutralize the unwanted tone.

Find the missing primary to neutralize the following:

TONE MISSING PRIMARY

Orange ?

Green ?

Violet ?

Answers tomorrow.............

Home Hair Colorist - Lesson 3 - Learning The "Levels" Into Your Brain

The Level System
What level are you?