Becoming a Brilliant Crib Colorist - Blonding & Its Warnings

PIC 20-40

Crib Coloring

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.

D.ominant U.nderlying R.emaining P.igment      
Contribution or
DURP
Its very important to understand DURP. 
 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. Lifting is the term used for lightening basically. 
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 to achieve 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 world as well, so they are not prejudice, we all get screwed up with improper color charts and information.

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 DURP
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 become 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 lightening the hair enough times or leaving the lightener on the hair long enough. You must always reapply lightener as it stops work after 65-70 minutes. So taking it off and re-applying is the best way to achieve that brass-free blond you desire ! 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 fixable in my mind. My mentor 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 colors 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…one 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 every other 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 it MAUVE - CREME -

 it’s a very soft-rose-cream color…use Maroon BURST maybe to achieve it (having a platinum base). This is a Color Top Colorists strive for constantly....why? Because it is next to impossible to achieve!

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





BLEACHING POINTERS

In my opinion there is only one way to lighten hair this light, safely… and that is with oil bleach. Here at Killerstrands we offer an amazing Oil Bleach Kit, check it out on our website!

The hair needs to be very carefully taken care of when lifting past the yellow stage to white with lightener. 

• Don't let people put you under a dryer when you have Bleach on your hair that will surely cause damage, 
• it is absolutely WRONG to use heat with Bleach. Stylists do this sometimes in an effort to buy themselves some 'time' when they are busy. 
• Just kindly say to your stylist: "No Thank You, I would prefer not be under a dryer"- I don't mind waiting. 
• DO NOT RUSH LIGHTENING THE HAIR................
• Another Red Flag is :  Overlapping. If you have previously lightened hair and you re-touch....... you must apply the next batch of lightener 3/4 " away from your previous bleach line....because bleach EXPANDS as it develops and many people are unaware of this fact.The extreme diffusion of color necessary to give hair a white appearance causes excessive damage to the hair strand. 
• The result is the hair feels a bit “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.Treat hair like expensive crystal at this stage. Gleam & THRIVEN can save your hair at this point. I have had to repair so many other Stylists hair...that I have seen - everything, pretty much.

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 check out the long route the hair must transition.
Check out where #1.is...you apply lightener and then the hair begins to lighten going up 1 Level at a time on This chart 16-20 to the right here....

So it starts at Brown and then goes to dark red-brown first ( you notice a fast change in the beginning) and at the beginning 20 ,minutes you will notice the hair lightening pretty quickly - heading up the levels from #1 to #2 ...to #3...to #4... to #5... to #6 at Level 6 it gets stuck and sits there for about the last 25 minutes. The GOLD molecule is very difficult to lift, which is why so many of you end up with Gold/Blorange/Brass hair !

 This photo is after 1 bleach application.

At this point you must take the initial application of Oil lightener off Rinsing with cool water...for 5-10 minutes. Then a very light quick shampoo, then rinsiing again. Dry the hair and re-apply for application # 2.

 Mix Oil Bleach Up Again Re-Apply for a 2nd and most times a 3rd application. But checking for health and strength after each application . Crib Colorists - ALWAYS ALWAYS have a set of helpings hands with you. Never Lighten alone.
 

 See in this photo the virgin Brown hair color ???? The gold piece underneath is 2 bleaching's and the section on top is done, we call it the color of frozen butter when wet as a guide for what to look for . When its finished it does NOT LOOK WHITE, it still appears a bit brassy. So make note of that.


These are levels hair must go through in that climb (the most common complaint I hear is "Blorange" hair)
 Basically that comes from the fear of leaving lightener on too long. Or not applying the lightener enough times. But if you really want to master this and get your timing down. Buy a swatch of your hair color (some extensions) and do a practice run at home. If I receive enough request for TEST strips I will be happy to carry them. 
Send us an email: Killerstrands.info@gmail.com

Check out all the colors of Blonde, which is your favorite?