The Magic of Hair Color Mixology

Becoming a Crib Colorist

Mix Colorissimo w/ RenColor & why

I am very, no…. make that ---> EXTREMELY proud of so many of you that follow the KillerStrands teachings and have taken it upon yourself to learn the proper way to color hair. I hear many of you talking in “Colorist-lingo” and speaking about it correctly and in the proper format. Makes me a proud Mama Bear. There seems to be a lot of questions about the mixing of colors when using the Renbow Lines and I can fully understand that.
Why? When I was in Sassoon Academy no one ever mixed the 2 lines together. . .when I got out and was able to order the color myself for my own Clientele…I began reading the Instruction sheets, Color Charts and Inserts that come with the color, I was very thirsty for knowledge back then, much like many of you are now.
It was not until this point though, (about 3 years after I started) that I began experimenting with mixing RenColor and Colorissimo together. I mean why wouldn’t these Master Colorists {that were my Instructors} not teach me the exact ‘correct’ methods of mixing & applying this color? ? ? It took me quite a few years to finally come up with that answer. [... because they never slowed down long enough to read the Manufacturers Instructions and suggestions which is what I did - sometimes 'ego' gets in the way of learning -be careful of that one!].
I highly suggest all of you read the manufacturers instructions periodically on hair color that you are using…you never know when they have changed the instructions so check it all over periodically. So I was not taught the way to use Colorissimo and RenColor together….that was one of the most amazing discoveries of my career…I still remember the day.
RenColor comes in 30 beautiful fashion and pastel shades. To this date I have never seen one other line of permanent hair color with this range and this unusual of colors. I keep waiting for anyone to get close or to understand that as a top Colorist. THIS IS WHAT TONES WE WANT…they may seem a bit unusual to many of you. But you ask any top colorist & most will agree. The thing about Renbow and why it was not nearly as big as any of the other lines? Is because it was owned and run and a famous italian Colorist Renato Bruno. Renato came to America and ended up staying here when he brought the line over… so he has a manufacturing plant and distribution in Italy and throughout Europe and in Pennsylvania & throughout the USA. The bottle contains 2 ounces of product and must be mixed with an equal amount of hydrogen peroxide..
Rencolor provides amazing lift & lasting ability, self-stopping coloring action, no build-up of color on the ends as is so with ALL Renbow colors. RenColor is also know for its superb transparency, unsurpassed conditioning…but mostly > its known for is SHINE!
There are 4 Shade Divisions within RenColor
DUSK ……………..….in Levels 1 to 6
DAWN …………….…in Levels 6 to 10
SUNRISE …………in Levels 7 to 10
SUNSET …………. in Levels 5 to 8
…………………………………………………………………
Lets Begin with DUSK
DUSK - An intermixed base that is predominantly a deep tone. There just isn’t a lot of tones that show up in dark levels. I have watched various companies try and fail -- attempting it. A 3 BRV, pretty much looks like black if you ask me. Or a 4A, which many companies, including both WELLA & Renbow’s Colorissimo have…I have a great eye for color especially hair color but anything below a 5 or especially a 4 is pointless….its just too damn dark. .Hey, I’m all for them keeping them in their lines, I used to use them – I LOVED them & used them all…. I felt bad for the darkies….. they had no fun/no variations…just ask me -- I’ve been the same dumbass Level 8-Red my whole life. . . with a few attempts at other colors, they just look weird on me. I understand boredom in hair color like no body’s business, I’m the queen of boring hair color….its sitting right on my shoulders day in and day out!

The DUSK series has a couple super stars though. If I had to pick #1 I would say it is #3 MOKA. I will give it to the Head of Vidal Sassoons Color Department she told me that MOKA was the most gorgeous, the most rich and the most beautiful Darkest Brown on the planet….gave hair the most shine….and was just stunning. She was dead right, so remember that boys and girls.

HOW IT WORKS
Gray Hair – Achieves a translucent type of coverage, allowing a shiny transparent effect.
VIRGIN & TINTED – Supplies a sophisticated shimmer of color.
BLEACHED & Highly Tinted—Use with caution. This is the wrong palette for very light hair, I’m sure you can see why ( its way damn too dark! ha ha)
So…my favorite 2 mixtures in the DUSK series are:
#1) Colorissimo 4N – 1 oz. + RenColor #03 MOKA – 1oz.. + + 2 OZ. of 20V Developer ……………The 4N would supply the Gray coverage, or even if you didn’t have gray, this is still the most gorgeous combo.. The color were made to work together like this and when you DO use them to work this way you get the perfect color. For years companies made “Liquid” hair color the way RenColor is made, they found that Liquid hair color imparted an incredible amount of SHINE…BUT, it did not cover Gray as well. So they had to go back to the Tube –(Pigment-rich) Hair Color for that. This is why you mix the 2 together. For both tremendous Gray coverage, and shocking SHINE! Lasts longer than any other line . . . believe I have tried. Renbow is not easy to get, the company has never been into the whole “marketing and sales” like most companies. So I have tried many times to find someone else with as good of coverage/shine/ all of it.
As I have said many times. . . Renbow, USA has been bought out by Paul Mitchel in 2009 . . . . So we will see what happens in this next upcoming year.
#2) Colorissimo 5N (or 6N) – 1/2 oz. + Ren Color 06 Velvet Brown – 1 1/2 oz. ++ 2 oz. of 20V Developer
DAWN…….An intermixed based of Violet and Blue Pigments. These are some great tones for all that brass, blorange, gold and on and on that you all know too well. I know they may not look to delightful on the page, but remember, you use hair color to fight (to oppose) the unwanted tones you have in your hair. Its funny when you are at my stage, I just LOVE the oddest colors, and it wasn’t until KillerStrands until I realized how truly funny the colors I love …are. Remember Renbow is the only company I know of that uses blue/violet for their ASH’s - - the way it is meant to be. ( American companies use green/ grey…YUK!….What color does “grey get rid of?) I
I mean look at the SILVER MINK, how absolutely gorgeous it is. Plus it is a permanent hair color + MOONLIGHT is WHITE…I call it Marilyn Monroe Blonde…Even 25 Opaline is yummy. Dawn and SunRise are my favorite groups…

I started to think whether or not I had ever used one of these colors alone…I”m pretty sure I have not. Where with the DUSK group I have used all of them alone - - these tones are all a case for canceling “unwanted tones”

HOW IT WORKS
The Dawn series is especially suited for neutralizing unwanted yellow to gold or orange tones.
GRAY HAIR…..NOT recommended for Snow WHITE or pure Gray hair, but will provide a beautiful shimmering effect on salt and pepper gray hair.
Virgin and Tinted – Provides a drabbing effect on excess yellow, gold, orange tones. An excellent series to mix with Colorissimo HIGHLIFT SERIES for one process blonding.
Bleached and Highly Tinted – A wonderful –Toner series for all Blonds. Nearly every single color creates a gorgeous effect on blonds.
In order to make it easy for you, I have added 2 new Blonding Kits – incorporating this new (to you) method of using RenColor in your Highlift blonding process.
. .There are 2 new Kits – that include RenColor (MOONLIGHT) for those that love it ( the highlift Kits are our #1 selling color ) including RenColor w/ a bit of a discount.
Its called:
1) High-Lift Twin Turbo-Kit (5 pc Kit)
Colorissimo 100A + 40V Developer………….Renbow – White Genie…………Rencolor (Moonlight 27)
AND
2) High-lift Turbo Kit (4 pc. Kit)
Colorissimo 100A + 40V Developer…..RenColor (Moonlight 27)
……………………………………….
I will finish this up tomorrow or Saturday. . . . . but wanted to get it started…
Something has happened to the COMMENTs on this Blogging System….they just don’t work very well anymore and I get lots of SPAM Comments, so I have to delete over 1/2 of them. ??? If you have any questions about this … please head to the GROUP and I will try to hang out there this weekend. . . .
thanks,
Killer Chemist

Fancy Meeting You Hair . . .

couple of Killerstrands monthly reminders...







just to keep you aware of what to avoid to help hair be strong & healthy...all 12 of these I have witnessed myself change in people when they have quit - their hair improves - substantially.



Just this week a long time client ( my closest,die hard clients still drive to my home - they refuse to give up on me)of mine quit smoking of about 25 years when she had booked some plastic surgery...so I decided to tell her again my theory on smoking and the health of hair, when she was NOT smoking. I have been watching her healthy hair go down the tube in the last few years See > though she had great hair for 47 years,it caught up to her, and when it did it moved very quickly. She quit 4 months ago and this appointment her hair was beautiful, healthy, shiny and full of luster AND her sides have grown in..I honestly think she has not returned to smoking because of the health change in her hair.

Which is terrific.













Just send me an email with "Product Order" in the Subject, I answer those first.
With every order comes a detailed color formulation work-up, I will help you calculate exactly what you need for your individual CRIB COLORIST formula.
The Color charts to all the lines will be posted this week-end, when asking for a color formulation work-up the one and only true way for me to help is for you to send me at least 2 photos of your hair up pretty close - I never realized how much the sense of touch and sight were imperative to color formulation - until I began doing it Online!
Once we determine what you need I get your zip code to calculate shipping charges, then send a "REQUEST FOR FUNDS" through PAY PAL, which has turned out to be the most simple - easy and Secure methods of web paying there is, everyone has loved it so far.
All my hair color comes with

• the appropriate developer/ Wella Koleston Perfect Permanent color- $16.00\ tube


• gloves / Wella Color Touch - Demi Permanent - $18.00\ tube


• tail comb (for parting) / Renbow Colorissimo - Ren Color - Crazy Color-$18./$16./$11.


• free sample of THRIVEN


• plastic cap / Redken Levitation Oil Bleach - $20.00 \ 1 Kit=2 apps. 2 Comes with 2 volumes/suggest: 20 vol. & 40 vol.

All other items can be quoted as well. . . . . MAGMA the COLORED bleach is available this is is the most amazing but expensive product...bleaches
and tones in 1 STEP!! There are reds & cool blonde's
ONLY so far.

Toner or Tone Him; Either Way its a Kick Ass Solution, For A Way Too Common Hair Problem

Tone her or Tone him !!  

ha ha 

Either Way a toner is an Opaque Covering in Hair Color that is used to fight off the

UNWANTED DURP (dominant unwanted underlying pigment) that is brought out, usually, by lightening the hair.

Toners are a long time celebrity secret, so many of them get one once a week, the deal is most of them have a Salon in their home.

They are applied to the lightest degree of contributing pigment that remains after the de-colorizing process. You may hear the term "double-process" application in association with a Toner. That means the first process is the application of the lightener; the second process is the application of the toner.

I try to explain it to newbie's in the chair using the reference to a "Nylon" on a leg. The leg is one color(white) and if you want it to look tan> you don't buy brown tights...you buy a "tan" colored nylon, opaque - sheer nylons. That is what a Toner is.... Opaque-sheer-pastel-color that slips over the hair. So you slip the nylon on the leg and poof - you have a Tan leg. Same thing with blond hair, applying the toner is exactly like the nylon, only the toner covers all the strands of your hair with the opaque-sheer- pastel color.

Why do I say "anyone can do it"? What's the difference between this color and any other? The hardest part of this process? Access to getting the professional versions which are the ones that are like silk when applied ! Which you can now get at our store

A toner is a very light color usually a Level 10, sometimes a Level 9 or even an Level 8. So its a very light color to make it a toner, the goal is only to deposit color so one uses a 6 Volume - 10 Volume - 15 Volume - 17 Volume - are the 4 levels of Peroxide I have in my Lab for this purpose.
{ Remember like a "nylon"} . So you have a low volume peroxide and a HIGH Level of Color which makes for "NO" lifting action. Therefore the chemical reaction is very mild, no color is being lifted out of the hair....so you don't need gloves (use them anyway) , the color does not stain your hands, or the furniture!, and there is NO line of demarcation, so you can kind of slap it on {although "I" never do}, being careful to make at least 1/2" parts to apply the product. Its just not that critical - I have put them on myself {a LEVEL 8RG-red-gold} without even looking at the back, just doing it by feel. Apply it every where then comb it through.... wham bam thank you mam.

This is an example of what a Toner "can" do.

Its even easier to apply BOOST & BURST, it truly is because there is NO MESS from the oxidative color pigment. ++ the biggest advantage to me is you are not screwing your hair up for your next color. Just be sure to apply the last toner application 7-10 days before your next appointment or the next time you will color your hair.

What do you need to apply toners? I use the tint brush and tint bowl method, I'm a colorist, I doubt I will ever be able to break that habit. But truthfully - for a toner - those bottles I see at the beauty supply should work just fine > If you buy Color Touch, the ratio is 1:2 which makes up 6 whole ounces of product with one tube. One tube will do 1 head of super long <> super thick hair. Everyone else may get 2 applications out of the one tube. 

Remember BOOST & BURST can give a variety of colors no one at any other Ecommerce store or Salon has.

• Toning highlights to give warmth ( gets ride of 'gray' highlights)

• Color Touch 9/36-Light Golden Violet Blonde (sugg.)


• Tone down Brassy highlights - CT 10/01 Lightest Ash Blonde


• Platinum toned Gwen Stefani style- combined Colour Touch 10/89 + CT 10/7 Cafe Latte  OR 9/16 is even better


• Tone blocks of platinum - silver - CT 8/81 Silver


• Molly - I used 10/6 Lightest Violet Blonde - was out of 10/89 the strongest yellow-killer


• ANGEL ROSE BOOST & BURST for that Rose Gold Look everyone loves today!

If you click on these charts these are the Color Touch Color Charts, the top 2 rows are the colors usually considered "toners".



I suggest studying these charts just spend some time looking at them, it will help the "level system" sink in. We will review them again and some additional ones, but for now try to become familiar with them.

Now to order any of the dozens of Professional toners I have  just visit our STORE .

We have lots of Goodies there . . . . for hair health and hair color. . .