April 25, 2008

Democrat & Republican of Hair Color: Permanent Hair Color > Holds Down 2 Opposing Jobs

Lift & Deposit ; 2 Jobs of Permanent Hair Color

Must Work Together For Good of Hair,

Come From Completely Different Camps

Permanent hair color, or single-process hair color is designed to permanently alter the natural pigment of hair. Oxidative color, henna, metallic, compound dyes and bleach are all considered permanent tints.











Today we are talking about permanent hair color. The only category of all the hair colors that performs 2 actions - while its on the hair - at the same time! With Semi & Demi Permanent hair color they have one job only and that is to "deposit" color onto the hair strand, which is why they do not lighten the hair.
There are 2 'jobs' that PERMANENT hair color is capable of performing
  • lifting &
  • depositing
It is also called subtraction of the hairs natural pigment and addition of synthetic pigment.

Permanent color is exactly as it sounds - it penetrates into the cortex of the hair and becomes "locked" in through a process called oxidation. Permanent color forever alters the texture of the hair, causing it to swell ( giving it body!)- which is why if you have thin hair, coloring it with permanent color makes you feel like you have a whole new head of hair. This is the #1 reason I color my own, and many like me do - I color mine the same color it is, I have no gray, I color it for the body... I have always felt my hair is in better condition since it has been colored with the top of the line professional hair colors, which is why I have made them available to you. If you are a fanatic about your hair, this is your web site.



Join the Group http://groupspaces.com/KillerstrandsHairClinic/ to view the color charts up close, drop me an email with PRODUCT ORDER in the subject line at: Killerstrands@gmail.com - for more info.
Permanent color means the color lasts until it grows out or is cut off. Once hair is permanently tinted is cannot be made "untinted". (unless of course you go through the Decolorization method http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/search/label/decolorization%20of%20hair )
Keep in mind if you are lightening, you are subtracting (-) or lifting color.
Lifting: Removing, subtracting, or lightening color from the hair. The lightening ability of hair color .... or the amount a certain volume of developer will oxidize

Depositing: adding color to the hair. the portion of single process oxidation when the color enters the cortex of the hair.
However in permanent hair coloring (not using bleach), there is also a stage that deposits color pigment into the hair. If you are depositing , you are adding(+), therefore, when you both lighten and deposit color, you are doing both subtraction and addition! This tint service is the highest in demand, BUT . . . it is the most difficult one to do correctly. Still, it is so much easier using the LEVEL SYSTEM which is why I have been trying to cram that into your head...the Level system will conquer so many issues for so many of you, just trust me and keep going over it , it took me over a year to thoroughly understand it. Just keep reading and using it - even if it seems foreign to you, I promise one day it will 'click' but you MUST keep reviewing it.

I realize we don't want to get too technical, nor into too much chemistry-head mumbo jumbo - but . . . in order to understand this we have to graze across those subjects for a bit, bear with me.

Permanent haircoloring products are designed to permanently alter the natural pigmentation of the hair. That line of demarcation appears when using this category of hair color,  demi's also produce this line, semis don't. The most distinctive point to permanent hair color is that it has the ability to "lighten" your natural hair because it is lifting the natural pigment out of the hair strand when applied. Ammonia (in the tube) combines with hydrogen peroxide in the developer to lighten the natural pigment, therefore making the change Permanent. With this technology you are able to go from a Level 7 to a Level 10 with a tube of color, NOT BLEACH. Many people like this idea, although this is where one will run into the "yellows" many times, if not performed correctly.







Permanent hair color has 2 tricks...2 jobs....2 missions : Lightening and permanent depositing, all permanent hair coloring products work about the same. The lift comes from the combination of the ammonia (or other catalyst) in the tube of color and the hydrogen peroxide in the developer that creates the lift.

Ammonia is a critical ingredient in permanent hair color and it must contain ammonia or an ingredient that does the exact same thing, or what we are trying to do with it, will not happen, and that is cosmetic chemistry ladies and gents. The problem comes from ammonia when too much ammonia is used, it can be damaging, at the same time...without ammonia -- deposit and lifting would not occur. Ammonia, or another product that is just like it - is essential.

"Ammonia" is picked on as the bad-guy in hair damage, which I can only deduct comes from its offensive 'odor' and again from its "name".

That is just not the case, almost every cosmetic chemist would agree with me I'm certain. Yes, unfortunately when breaks in some of the disulfide cross-links cause oxidative hair damage (damage from any permanent hair color), Stylists get the 'cause' mixed-up and think it comes from the ammonia, because that is what they smell as does the client....contrary to that misconception, the damage comes from the peroxide.

The problem being, in order to get that gorgeous beautiful "un-yellow" blond, you need all three components. As I have said before the best answer to this problem? . . . having a highly trained Stylist that knows the precise amount of the 3 ingredients ... not too much of one or too little of the other.. which takes years of experience.

When some say they don't want "ammonia" in their hair color, I scratch my head.... Its the exact same problem I find with the public and preservatives. People say they don't want preservatives in their products, but if they really understood the chemistry of it all, I am sure they would not say that. Preservatives keep your cosmetics, safe. Same with Ammonia in this respect, permanent hair color must have it - and it must be added in a precise amount. Manufacturers strive to put just enough and not too much ammonia in their hair color - I feel that is the key to which hair color works the best opposed to the slackers.

Alkaline substance: an ingredient hair color that has a pH greater than 7, causing the cuticle to open and permanent color to enter the cortex

Ammonia is an alkali; is SWELLS the hair shaft which helps with deposit/penetration. It is also a catalyst who's primary purpose is to facilitate the lightening by releasing oxygen -- supplied by the developer, to oxidize the (virgin) natural pigment. Ammonia, lastly creates the necessary alkalinity for the development of permanent color.

Permanent haircoloring is always alkaline in pH.

Alkaline substance is usually, but not always, ammonia. It causes the cuticle to swell, allowing for deposit of the color pigment molecules & promoting lightening action. You need ammonia to swell the hair shaft.

The refined color products available today use lower amounts of ammonia, making for little or no damage and less fading. They also enable the cuticle to close completely after the color process. The ammonia is not a free ammonia; its a derivative. You absolutely need it to open the cuticle. Most of the color products today have a very refined ammonia content that will readily wash from the hair with water, so the next time you hear 'ammonia' - I would suggest not making a "name" judgement {based purely on the name}. Its a much more complicated procedure than just the name.

The ammonia of a haircoloring product is not in the developer; it is in the tube with the dyes.

Lighter levels contain more ammonia than lower levels in order to provide more lightening capability. All Colorists know that distinctive WHIFF after opening a Level 12 Ash in the color room.

The higher the Level of color, the more LIFT and the less DEPOSIT. the Lower the Level, the less the lift and the Greater the deposit.

I'd like you all to be thinking about the following:

Most of you have seen Peroxide, or Developer, as I like to call it.

10 Volume, 20 Volume, 30 Volume & 40 Volume - are the 4 main 'boys'

6 Volume 17 Volume 25 Volume and on and on have been tacked on lately. The Volume of peroxide does not determine how strong it is, what the volume signifies is: "How Long It Will Lift" . Another point where I get frustrated is when people say to me they don't want to use 40 Volume, only 20. Well, its (virtually) the same liquid only one "lifts longer" than the other.
The higher the Volume the longer and more the Lift! So using 40 volume many times will help prevent the dreaded "yellows" or "brassiness" you see so much, again it is an art. Buy a doll's head with your hair color to practice on or I can sell you hair swatches of your own hair color to test with. Again make it a hobby, as soon as you get down, you will be doing your hair like the pros! Being sure to put in the proper amount of "practice time".

From just our Google Group and the comments posted in there, it seems to be the single most common problem for Crib Colorists the 'too yellow' problem . Lightening is the most common form of hair color we have so far, and why would there be too many yellows or problems with yellow?
4 answers:

#1.) Not leaving the color on long enough (or needing a 2nd application)

#2.) Using too low volume peroxide

#3.) Using the wrong tool for the job....Using high lift blond tint when bleach (lightener) was needed.

#4.) Not using a light enough tint/color/dye



Hate to say this but I have always felt the manufacturers are off about 1 level....they're never quite as light as you want, very very rarely will it be 'too light', that is a very hard problem to have and a super easy problem to fix.

Keep this list of 4 solutions to "yellow" hair.



To try when this problem lands on your head.

More on permanent color coming.
23 comments on "Democrat & Republican of Hair Color: Permanent Hair Color > Holds Down 2 Opposing Jobs"
  1. I am looking forward to hearing more about #1. Since, I have been doing my own hair (I ditched bleach & tone, as I am not precise enough with the back of my hair or feel I have mastered the regrowth, not overlapping process)with a high lift blonde from a level 5 or 6 I have noticed that when I overlap an area it does seem to get lighter which makes it perfect. Also, I am not convinced that my hairdresser was using a level 12 on me because my hair is soooo much lighter now and looks platinum on the side I initally start with. I guess because the tint is on that side longer. Anyway, I have been using Schwartzcopf but I think i will try Wella and see what i think. I will be sending an email shortly. Thanks again for the fab blogspot. I find all the info. you give very interesting even if its not necessarily a technique I plan on trying on myself.

    Toodles

    Mrs.M

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  2. mrs. m
    thank you for the comment... Most people do not leave the color on their hair long enough, especially with Level 12 high lift blond's...In Wella and Renbow you should leave it on 55 minutes, everyone is anxious and takes it off too early... shown in living color by your example. That is exactly what is happening on your hair. Leave it on longer! It will never go Lighter. It goes to the color you chose and STOPS. otherwise choosing a color would be useless. The very best highlift blond's are Renbow's....Wella's are second.
    Schwartzkopf used to be up there and then they sold the company and everything when to shit. The book is gorgeous and it even sold ME to buy a red I tried on myself ( which SUCKED) ....which is smart of them. But their color has gone horribly downhill(in my opinion). Maybe you have some of the old.
    have fun
    dakota
    killer chemist

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  3. i guess where i get confused, it that the box says leave on 35-45 mins on most of these color charm permanents...i posted some pics of my too yellow hair...(which i bleached on accident doing the bleach cap) and so maybe that's the issue with the too yellow. in the end i used a demi in 9A to fill (since the 10A color charm permanent did not stick on the bleach) and then used a combo of permanents i had kicking around (6A, 7N and 12A) to try and get back to my own 8A. It's not perfect...the ends are def more ashy (almost green!) than the top...but then again, my own natural color is SOOO ashy and almost green/grey that it looks alright. I'll keep re-reading and will be ordering Thriven this week so maybe I can try again some time next month. I guess the Gwen look I wanted just seems to unnatural on me...I want a more fun blonde than 8A but I'm not sure what will work for me.

    I was so happy to see your new blog. I really love this site and I'm an absolute nut about caring for my hair now.

    -Jenna/Jog

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  4. I meant to say GwenETH not Gwen. I wasn't ever going to platinum...I just liked the ashy light hair Paltrow had at one point. I also noticed you're right...she changes her blonde quite a bit!

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  5. hello! im looking forward to coloring my hair soon with permanent color and i have natural/virgin level 1 and i want to get it to a level 3.

    I am hispanic and i remember you saying somewhere that there is alot of red/gold in asian and hispanic hair so i wasn't sure if i should use like a level 5 ASH(green base) and 30volume in order to cancel the red? but then again its only 2 levels..so im not sure if i would need that ASH for only a 2 level jump

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  6. hello! im looking forward to coloring my hair soon with permanent color and i have natural/virgin level 1 and i want to get it to a level 3.

    I am hispanic and i remember you saying somewhere that there is alot of red/gold in asian and hispanic hair so i wasn't sure if i should use like a level 5 ASH(green base) and 30volume in order to cancel the red? but then again its only 2 levels..so im not sure if i would need that ASH for only a 2 level jump

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  7. Jog, I worte to you on one of the other posts you have going . . .about your adventures - so read those first...
    Never ever use color because it is just "sitting around"....

    That is the silliest thing I have heard in a very long time..

    If you had a room in your house painted a beautiful Burgundy Red . . . then your nieces and nephews came over and colored on the walls....so because you had black paint sitting around you covered up their crayons with black paint..... right in the middle of your gorgeous burgundy red room . . . .how silly would that look?? Same thing you are doing with old hair color sitting around...
    although I would rather ruin the walls than my hair...
    because they are more easily fixed..
    THINK about your next attempt, now you have very over processed hair it sounds like... first you must get that back in order!
    Come on . . . you are smarter than that

    KC

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  8. Anonymous,
    YES --YES-- YES you need the ASH, for SURE no doubt in my mind...Definetly!! Your hair will pull reds/golds even in the 2 level lift . I"m not sure a Level 5 will do it either...
    I am thining a Level 6ASH possibly even a 7...I wish I had some Level 1 hair too test on for you...
    Do you have a LOT of hair? Can you send me a snippet of it? Or you should test it...
    Every person is different some at level 1 can get to a level 3 with a 5 some need an 8....its very very individual and genetic...so you will need to do a test strip first.

    so you don't have to buy lots of color I was going to do it for you if you have enough hair to spare...
    let me know...
    but for SURE ASH no matter what color you use...
    KC

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  9. oh okay! thats what i had in mind but i just wanted to make sure.

    actually my hair is very very short, ive always had my hair short becuase i dont like having to spend time on it but im starting to grow it out, but thanks for offering to test it for me :)
    ill test it in the soon future!!

    oh i had another quesion, since i will be using a 30 volume on my hair, should i use a 20 volume on my roots? because i want even color and not hot roots :(

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  10. Am I missing some information? I see level 1 - 12, (almost black to very blonde) Where do reds fit into the level formula? I am currently a brown level 6 and would like to try red. There seem to be many shades of red. How do I pick a level to caculate what I have to do to acheive my choice color?

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  11. Good question shelly; I was also wondering where the reds fit in.I get confused - thinking they must be a level 5-6...

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  12. Shelly,
    That's a good question . . .
    it works the exact same way.....
    In reds...my hair is an 8R . . . what you do is look at the lightness or darkness in all TONES
    Even in BLUES there is a light blue to a dark blue. the light blue would be a LEVEL 12 the dark Navy Blue would be a LEVEL 1 - - - EACH TONE in every single color aon the planet has a Level 1 thru a LEVEL 12.... Ever seen paint chips at the paint store? Every "tone" has a dark and a light. just like hair. That's why if you can fully understand this LEVEL system you will be way ahead of most stylists....so many don't use it and it is necessary to color hair. I guess I need a better way to explain it. I wish I had a class room so I could show you on a chalk board..... go look at the color charts in the GROUP.... if you look to the side you will see the REDS on the WELLA Koleston Perfect Chart will show you exactly... There are many different "tones" of REDS, I try not to get too confusing... So there are RG = Red Golds(coppers) or R = Reds or RV = Red Violets, then within each of those....there is a 4RV up to a 7RV but most companies don't have an 8 RV or a 3 RV....if you look at the chart I think it will make more sense to you.... Maybe when I get a chance I will put the charts on the WIKI, I started. I just can't do it this week I have to write my appeal to the Insurance company I am sorry. Check out the chart in the GROUP. click on it so you can look at it up close.....and just study it, that's what I did when I started out in this crazy world....I had a hard time with it the first 6-9 months...so I just studied the color charts...it makes it all make sense to you I promise.
    Dakota
    Dakota

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  13. anonymous,
    who told you about "hot roots"? that normally only happens when going lighter than you are....the heat from your head makes the color change faster....so you are going to want to apply the color to the "lengths" first,about 1/2"to 3/4" off the scalp.... do you know how to do the parting? I just realized I don't think I have ever taught the parting....
    did that answer the ???
    Dakota

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  14. well my friend colored her hair a couple of months ago and it had hot roots (she told me what they were) and it looked horrible so she had to dye it darker like 2 times so it wouldnt be noticeable, i don't want that to happen to me!
    I dont know how to do the parting
    :(

    oh my question was if i had to use a different volume of developer for my roots? or would i just apply the same dye + 30volume on the roots for the last couple of minutes?

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  15. U can use the 30 volume , but you must apply the color to the lengths first... when that is all applied. . .. THEN apply to the roots.
    or in other words put it on the roots - - - LAST
    Dakota

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  16. U can use the 30 volume , but you must apply the color to the lengths first... when that is all applied. . .. THEN apply to the roots.
    or in other words put it on the roots - - - LAST
    Dakota

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  17. Oh i see, thank you so much for your advice and time! :)

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  18. Ok, I have a question about this paragraph in your post:
    "The problem being, in order to get that gorgeous beautiful "un-yellow" blond, you need all three components. As I have said before the best answer to this problem? . . . having a highly trained Stylist that knows the precise amount of the 3 ingredients ... not too much of one or too little of the other.. which takes years of experience."

    I know you talk about ammonia as the lift and peroxide as the developer, but what's the third component that you're talking about here?

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  19. Abaigeal,
    I'm such a wing nut sometimes....
    I read through the POST 2X, and have no idea what I was referring to..??..sorry.
    Age, its a terrible thing.
    Plus I made another mistake, saying there is no line of demarcation using Demi permaenent color...OOOOOOPS
    My sincere apologies.
    KC

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  20. Hi! My hairstylist uses low "natural enzymes" in the place of developer, but she refuses to tell me anything more about it, or where to find it. Go figure... She also says that she uses color with low ammonia to color my hair.
    My hair is super-soft and almost damage free and I was wondering if you know anything about these enzymes?

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  21. anonymous,
    Nope, have no idea what she is referring to. I can honestly say out of 10,000 Heads of Hair I have worked on ... 95% of them had super-soft and damage-free hair.

    Hair Color (done correctly) can be a wonderful thing and creates absolutely NO damage to hair. I have said over and over that the way hair color works in todays upper echelon is to:
    >> strengthen
    >> add body
    and the best trait of all:
    >> it adds tons of shine

    I don't believe she used any special "enzymes" to color your hair, I believe it is one more hair stylist perpetuating the unnecessary wall & shut down of communication that has gone up between hair stylist and client, that besides being absolutely ridiculous is just one more show of the paranoid insecurities that most hair stylists possess. You most likely have great hair to begin with...
    & she enriches it with a top hair color.... that is not a tough task.

    In my world that is the "norm", not the rarity that many of you think.

    I have been working on a post trying to explain to people if a color "claims" it has no ammonia, then it uses a substitute ingredient that does the exact same thing as ammonia.
    So why does that make it a better hair color to you?
    When it still does the exact same thing?
    MAKES ZERO SENSE.
    All permanent hair color uses the exact SAME TECHNOLOGY....there is no NEW technology for COLORING HAIR.
    When there is, I promise I will announce it here.

    KC

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  22. i would like to touch up my daughters roots.. she has probably about a 12 blonde now. I'm afraid of turning them orange or yellow, any ideas. the hairstylest uses a bright blue mixture when doing her hair.
    thanks
    JR

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  23. Dear Chemist: your blog is incredibly helpful. Thank you for such useful advice.
    Sami

    ReplyDelete

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