Hair Color HEADS To the Stratosphere : Alkali, Hydrogen Peroxide & Ammonia

As much as no one wants to talk about the technical part regarding Hair color, I want you to make yourself read it and re-read it, a light-bulb will come on I promise you. My first career couldn't have been farther away from being a Hair Colorist ( professional athlete) ...........therefore if I can learn this crap..so can you ! ! ! ;)

THE  EFFECTS  OF  Ammonia  &  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 hair.coloring products is ammonia.

In addition to maintaining stability of the color tint , 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 disulphide bonds found in the cortex of the hair.Now this is what a lot of people will ask me about...."Does bleach break the disulphide bonds in hair?" .......and to be honest I have to tell them YES. But if one uses Gleam prior to coloring that little process and application alone will help prevent those breaks....TRULY and that is because the lipids soak into the hair strands.

This IS IMPORTANT:....

Di-sulfide bonds are responsible for hair's stability and strength

• In a typical hair-color process, approximately 10% of existing disulphide bonds are destroyed. 
• In a high-lift color or bleaching, 15 — 20% may be permanently broken. The destruction of disulphide bonds leads to the production of a new molecule called cystic acid. Although this is an inevitable side effect, an
•  An appropriate protein/moisture balance can be achieved through the Deep OVERNIGHT  THRIVEN + GLEAM Conditioning Treatments I preach about all the time.

I am a true believer that overnight DEEP Conditioning can solve/repair the disulphide bond breaking that occurs when lightening hair. I've colored 15,000 Heads of hair, so the proof of my theories are all from actual experience
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.THIS DOES  NOT MEAN YOU CANNOT LIGHTEN YOUR HAIR AND NOT HAVE HEALTHY HAIR !! It means, take precautions before lightening hair by using Lipid replacing oils with ZERO silicone's in them.

• 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 hair coloring products and their primary functions.

Essentially, hair-color 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 and these are called semi-permanent hair color..

 




DEVELOPER (HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

In order for oxidative dyes to form colored dye molecules, oxidation must take place.

 Oxidation is the chemical process of a hair-color 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 hair-coloring 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.

Really sit and think about the fact that we can change our hair color any color in the rainbow and beyond. . .  it truly is a magical time for hair color and I love it ! 

Hope This Helps