DL Hair - simply for fun

On Your Mark Get Set Color ! Begin Hair Color Formulating

Know why this is a good tool?

Once you realize what you have to consider to color your hair (correctly) it will prevent you from making mistakes (I hope).

Begin with answers to these questions:

1. What Level of color ARE YOU ? http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/2007/07/today.html


2. What Level of color do you DESIRE to be? http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/2007/07/today.html


3. What TONE or color do you want . . . Lordie,. . . . I forgot Tones ???! I am soooo sorry. This is so hard - every single company has different tones....but they are important. Like do you want an ASH Brown or a RED Brown > those are tones and are completely opposite colors and are very important.OK, I'll have to take one last hiccup and spend one full post on TONES /SHADES, that is the "key" to have a Chocolate Brown versus a Caramel Brown,it probably doesn't sound that different. It is. I swear. We've come this far, we must finish the race...correctly. What an Idiot. Well, now you know me...Space Case UNLIMITED. I'm sorry. Lets finish this.


4. Do you need a base ( first 1 inch of hair) Are you dealing with Grey hair (at all) how much?


5. Fine, medium or coarse hair?


6. What's the previous damage...?
7. The single most important question . . . . What type of artificial hair color do you have on your hair already? What was it and when ? Be completely honest about this answer please.
   

OK...get the answers to these down. If you aren't coloring your hair now, then make-up something you want to try in the future. Color the neighbors hair. Just play around, get familiar with 'Levels'. Be able to answer the questions easily. Tomorrow I'll zip over tones and shades. . . . so we will be complete...sort of! Thank you for hanging in there.

For those of you serious about learning and practicing home HAIR COLORING The Pro way... You will want to pick a line or two of color that you will use. There is a couple ways to go... I have been scoping out what you are able to purchase without a cosmetology license...its a whole different world. I have put the public lines of hair color thru a number of tests and I cannot find one that I would recommend - therefore I have made available to you the professional lines of hair color that will knock your socks off. Just send the store an email with ORDER in the Subject and I will get back to you Killerstrands@gmail.com.

The idea is to get AWAY from using a kit that only has ONE Volume of developer in the box. You need much more leeway in deciding which Volume of developer to use on your hair.

If a

• - - Red head
  
• - - a Blonde and a
  
• - - African American (black hair)
  

all go into a store to purchase a box of color to become a LEVEL 6 chocolate brunette - those boxed kits will lead you to believe that all 3 of you can purchase the same box to get that color. I hope you can see - simply from common sense that would not be true.
As a Top Colorist in LA I want you to know if everyone in those 3 groups - purchases that box of Color to become a Level 6 chocolate Brown.... NONE OF THEM will get the right result. Did you notice which category I left out?
Brunettes.
That is the only group that I could guess "might" get good results.

It has to do with which VOLUME of developer is IN that box.... and all the variables I have reviewed and will review with you - - of your hair . Its simple insane to think you can get the proper answers in 1 tiny box without considering all the variables to make a correct decision.

Alkali, Hydrogen Peroxide and Mohawks

THE EFFECTS OF ALKALI And HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Hydrogen peroxide alone will not lighten hair easily; it alone is not a decolorizer because of its acidic pH level. It must be combined with an alkaline source to produce a chemical reaction with the color dye and the pigment in the hair strands.

The most common alkaline agent used in haircoloring products is ammonia.

In addition to maintaining stability of the dye , ammonia swells the hair strand, which helps the dye molecule penetrate the cuticle and cortex layers. Ammonia also acts as a catalyst to activate hydrogen peroxide, which helps the dye molecules to couple and form.

Hydrogen peroxide in combination with ammonia will break some of the internal disulfide bonds found in the cortex of the hair.

This IS IMPORTANT:

Disulfide bonds are responsible for hair's stability and strength.

In a typical haircolor process, approximately 10% of existing disulfide bonds are destroyed. In a highlift color or bleaching, 15 — 20% may be permanently broken. The destruction of disulfide bonds leads to the production of a new molecule called cysteic acid. Although this is an inevitable side effect, an appropriate protein/moisture balance can be achieved through the Deep OVERNIGHT Conditioning Treatments I preach about all the time.

I am a true believever that overnight DEEP Conditioning can solve/repair the disulfide bond breaking that occurs when lightening hair. I hope this helps you see now, why I say "lightening the hair" weakens the hair strands....while "same Level or darker" hair color "strengthens" the strands.Read the paragraphs over and over a couple times... it will sink in promise.

• If you understand how the hair gets damaged then it helps prevent you from damaging it, continuously.
• It's important to understand the individual components of haircoloring products and their primary functions.

Essentially, most haircolor requires dye and developer to produce a result.

DYES
There are two general categories of dyes: oxidative and direct dyes. Oxidative dyes are extremely small colorless molecules that penetrate through the cuticle and into the cortex with the aid of an alkaline substance such as ammonia. Direct dyes are pre-colored molecules that coat the surface of the hair and do not require a reaction with hydrogen peroxide.

DEVELOPER (HYDROGEN PEROXIDE)
In order for oxidative dyes to form colored dye molecules, oxidation must take place. Oxidation is the chemical process of a haircolor dye reacting with a developer to form visible color. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the most predominant oxidants used to develop color.

Hydrogen peroxide can be considered 'super-oxygenated' water, and is categorized by volume — most often 10, 20, 30, and 40. "Volume" refers to the 'volume' of oxygen gas contained in one 'volume' of hydrogen peroxide. It is a measure of concentration.

Each volume corresponds with a percentage level as follows:

Developer (Hydrogen Peroxide)

Volume Percentage of H202 Lifting Ability

10 Volume or 3% Deposits only
20 Volume or 6% Lifts Up to 1 level

30 Volume or 9% Lifts Up to 2-3 levels

40 Volume or 12% Lifts Up to 3-4 levels ......................Memorize these - its easy

Lower volumes of developer are used for minimal lift and staining techniques. Higher volumes are used when increased lifting of the natural pigment is desired.

Hydrogen peroxide has a dual purpose in the haircoloring process. First, it reacts with the melanin, breaking down the natural pigment and lightening the hair. This is what is referred to as 'lift'. Second, hydrogen peroxide develops oxidative dye molecules creating 'deposit' into the protein structure of the hair.

Coming Into The Home Stretch of Home Hair Color

Into the home stretch on the Home hair coloring series…
..just a couple small categories to brush over.
What I’ve done is take tons of info and try my hardest to condense so once into specific cases, for ex: if you are a Level 4 and you want to be a level 7 what is the procedure, I will be able to refer to many referenced points in hopes of clarifying . I want everyone out there to have the tools & knowledge to "formulate your own hair color" as easy as you would bake a cake.
Know what?...that is basically what it is!


Lately there are many rifts going around the hair color industry aimed at the consumer about hair color “ammonia” content. There is one line of color proclaiming they are the new wonder color because they do not use ammonia in their line of hair color. Yes, of course...there are people allergic to ammonia, but there are people allergic to the sun…does that mean we should get rid of it? Try not to prescribed to blanket statements like that, they are a marketing tool to sell- period.
The line of color I am referring to is made by the “CHI” company…sound familiar? Yep the - Flat Iron -dash- BioSilk -dash- everything –under-the-sun company from Texas. What consumer knows what ammonia does or does not do in hair color or hair, most consumers think of ammonia as something in window cleaner. Ammonia opens the cuticle on a hair strand which enables the color to go INTO the strand. That is what one needs in trying to change hair color, why wouldn’t you want it? If you don’t want certain things that chemicals do then one should just eliminate the entire process -- period. Don’t spend time trying to wiggle around them and end up doing the complete wrong thing to your hair. That’s what happens all the time, I run into it constantly.

CHI should not be making Hair Color or Flat Irons….I firmly believe in sticking to what you are good at. After BIO Silk they tried to go into shampoo’s conditioners, and failed at them…they sure do not learn. 3 of the best hair color manufacturers in the world are WELLA , FRAMESI, & RENBOW. What else do these companies make? NOTHING. Hair Color and everything around & for hair color. They come up with new color and new technologies for existing hair colors as a good company should – all facets of business should operate that way.



CHEMISTRY AND EFFECTS OF BLEACHING THE HAIR

Oxidation in the decolorizing process means the hydrogen peroxide is mixed with an alkaline product such as bleach. Once activated, the decolorizing mixture changes melanosome structure and lightens the color of the hair. It does this by breaking the melanin into tiny fragments which are no longer able to absorb light to the same degree as before. The melanin does not immediately lose its color when oxidized. The hair goes through relatively predictable color changes as the pigment disperses and lightens the hair to a new level. The following table lists each level of hair color with its corresponding undertone, as well as shades that are achievable at each level.

Chemistry and Effect of Bleaching the Hair

Undertone
Level
Achievable Shades

Pale Yellow
10
platinum blonde silver ash blonde ultra pale pastel blonde

Yellow
9
strawberry blonde beige blonde tan blonde taupe blonde

Yellow/Orange
8
honey blonde light copper blonde dark strawberry blonde dark beige blonde

Orange/YellowOrange
7/6
copper redfire red dark blonde

Red/OrangeRed
5 /4
mahogany burgundy

There are no established times for decolorizing the hair to any given level. Processing time always varies, depending on the strength of the decolorizing mixture, use of heat, as well as texture, condition, porosity, type and density of natural pigmentation. The best way to determine processing time is to perform a strand test and to follow manufacturer's directions.

TYPES OF DECOLORIZERS

There are three general classifications of decolorizers used in the salon: oil, creme, and powder. Each performs a specific function, and has unique characteristics.

OIL DECOLORIZERS

These are frequently used for on-scalp applications when a mild lightening action is desired. Oil decolorizers are part of a 3-component system including powder activator(s) and hydrogen peroxide developer. Oil decolorizers have a pH of approximately 10.

CREME DECOLORIZERS Creme decolorizers also include developers and may also include powder activator(s). They are formulated to stay moist during processing in a no-drip consistency. They are popular for their versatile application techniques and are used in both on and off-scalp methods.

POWDER DECOLORIZERS Powder decolorizers are often selected when lighter blonde results are desired on darker natural hair colors. Most powder decolorizers are for off-scalp techniques, although some do provide the flexibility for on-scalp applications. The pH of powder decolorizers is approximately 10.5.

There are two basic classifications:
1. On-scalp: Used on-scalp for double processing and off-scalp in highlighting and creative color techniques.
2. Off-scalp: This type of bleach is usually stronger and faster-acting than on-scalp bleaches due to the higher pH and stronger peroxide activity.