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 hav . 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.         
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
Killer Chemist

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Education of How Hair Loss Hits Women

The most common cause of hair loss in women is “androgenetic alopecia” which basically means FPHL or Female Pattern Hair Loss, the women’s version of: aging/hormones/genetics affecting hair loss. It has been fairly well established that hair loss issues between the sexes is completely different. Not only does male pattern baldness ‘reveal’ differently, scientists believe the solutions are also down a different path than women’s. The men already have a quick-fix pill that works well (Propecia), while the women still only have Minoxidil (Rogaine) as the only FDA approved drug to combat loss.

We don’t even include minoxidil in the 10,000HEADS Protocol, although clients are more than welcome to use it. Our work & research at killer strands is focused mainly on the issue of Women’s hair loss as is this blog, we do see & help men at the clinic, but our focus has been forced to narrow lately.

Killer strands would like to introduce to you a new way of understanding the female hair loss plaguing America today. By recent estimates 40 million women are suffering from one form or another of hair loss and the numbers continue to rise. In order for women to understand why the 14 steps of this program work, we have found it helps to educate and explain the “HAIR GROWTH CYCLE in a little different method, one that is clear – simple – and concise . When we take the time to explain the whole process at the clinic you can see the light bulb’s going on over heads .
Every person is born with every single hair follicle they will have for lifetime, on the body, at birth. As a tiny baby you are born with 5 million hair follicles throughout your entire body , with 1 million on the head and 100,000 on the scalp. There are 2 types of hairs within all those, vellus and terminal…vellus are the short fuzzy, soft ones that do not grow, while the “terminal” hairs are just that, terminal. Think about that, as that is what will help you understand the reason behind alopecia, the hairs on your scalp have a life-span…they sprout ,grow, shed – rest, then begin the process all over again.

Now there are technical names for all of these stages which you can see on the chart, but what is important here, is that each and every single hair on your head sprouts, grows & sheds, & rests…shedding is a mandatory part of new hair growth. A hair remains in its GROWTH phase for approx. 4 years (fluctuates by person) – at the end of the growth phase it is shed {hair fall}; three months later another grows in its place. When the hair is shed there is the period of awaiting cell regeneration … which begins another new hair… and ‘that’ is where the diminishing numbers come from and  hair loss begins.

As we age the hair that once grew for 4 years – the next time it may only grow for 3 1/2 years, the next time for 3 years and so on. Therefore, if you had 50,000 hairs growing for 4 years when you were 20 years old and then each 4-5 years the amount went down another 2-3,000...you can see fairly well how thinning happens and that when it does happen it has been happening for months that you were not even aware of.

The result: an even...all- over or “DIFFUSE” pattern of hair loss which explains WPHL or women’s pattern hair loss .

I believe that the hair SHIFT term that we coined is the result of 10 years accumulation of changes within the body (for one reason or another)resulting in a  noticeable change in a woman's hair.

 

Every single hair on your head sheds, that is the completely normal process within the normal growth cycle of each and every hair. In order for a new hair to grow in the old one has to shed, so the “cycle” can continue along its merry way! Many people panic about hair shedding, 95% of the time it is within the normal range, it has just been combined with a person’s aging & hormones, so it seems more severe, which is understandable.

Compare the hair to the eyes to make it easier to understand. The eyesight of a 20 year old is at its peak, with many having 20/20 vision, move forward 20 years – and reading a menu all of a sudden becomes difficult & blurry, people panic 95% of the time its just age. Same thing with your hair, it was at its peak when you are about 20, from there it begins its retreat until one day the combination of your aging and some abnormal shedding just seems to hit you around about the same week When you are about 30, you will notice your first or second hairSHIFT. Many women are having babies around this age, and having a baby can do both make your hair thicker or make it thinner….there is just not one way it will go. If you were to implement the entire 10,000heads program, religiously you have a very good chance the hairSHIFT you have will be a ‘good” one. That is one fact we are absolutely sure of.

Each individual hair is formed inside a hair bulb deep in the hair follicle. The follicle is a tiny but powerful factory, which throughout many people’s lifetime hardly ever stops working. From birth to sometimes as much as a century in some people, the follicle continues to produce hairs! Each hair grows for years, it is shampooed, conditioned, cut, blown dry, coloured, bleached, permed…none of these treatments affects the growth of the hair in the hair bulb, even though some may radically damage the hair shaft. Finally the hair falls out, rests for a little while then produces yet another new hair! That is the HAIR GROWTH CYCLE, the cell regeneration that goes on in the hair follicle is the most prolific on the body, coming in second is the spine.

This is why you “shed”. Every single hair on your head has a life span . . . and at the end of the life span, that hair will shed. So we call that “terminal”. Many times if you have a lot of hairs on your pillow . . . or in your brush . . .or on your coat. . . . its because a number of hairs were at the end of their growth cycle and just happened to “bit-the-dust'” at the same time. Has nothing to do with hair loss.

One of the most common reasons for alarm about hair loss? Are people who rarely put a brush or comb through their hair. What? It amazes me but a lot of you will go days without using a brush or comb…certain people have the type of hair, the length of hair, or the hair style where they really don’t ‘need’ to put a brush through their hair. Then the day they do, they are alarmed at the amount of hair that comes out. Well, if it is totally normal to lose 150-200 hairs every single day . . .  ( and these are simply hairs at the end of their 3-4 year life span) accumulated over a week - - well 6 days X (times) 200 hairs = 1200 hairs and that my friends is usually when I get a client’s phone call or appt. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHelp, whats wrong with my hair?  Once this little phenomenon with the brush . . . and the ‘terminal’ hair life is explained 9 times out of 10 the solution is achieved.

KEEP A BRUSH going through those locks every day of every week of every year. I am a full believer in brushing and stimulating the scalp with a brush.

PHASES of the hair GROWTH cycle
Anagen 1000 days
Catagen 10 days
Telogen 100 days

Hair grows ½ inch per month, and faster in the Spring. I always noticed my clients hair grew faster in the month of March, so there is something to the Seasons and our growth.

Mens anagen phase is shorter than womens so genetically they are already pre-disposed to shorter hair then women.

Killer Chemist