Becoming a Blond Bombshell Lives On . . .

 Wella's Koleston Perfect Line of Permanent Hair Color has gone through an entire revamp of the line....new pretty Peacock feather boxes, and a new science they refer to as:  TRILUXIV TECHNOLOGY, which separates the hair color process into 3 stages of the way the color works and imparts 69% MORE shine than hair without Wella hair color. Something I have been trying to impress on you all from Day 1 of the Blog. Wella reigns for imparting shine into the strands of many a bombshell . . .

What’s new?

• Koleston Perfect's new and improved formula for even more expressive color result
• More intensive, vibrant colors, with now even better color balance!
• The big selection of color with exciting new nuances, where you surely can find the exact right nuance to fit you.
• Long-lasting. Especially in the reds range. Koleston Perfect Vibrant Reds now last even longer – up to 15%!
• Remarkable shine! What would you say to up to 69% more shine when compared with untreated hair?
• Unbelievably! Not just better, but also more gentle! New Koleston Perfect is now even more gentle for a worry-free color with no regrets

Also there are 2 completely new Tonal Categories :  /17  and   /38. 
The following Testimonial is the third positive response + PLUS my own,  I have had to this new tone line by Wella in their brand new /38 Line of Permanent Hair Color :

"Just wanted to thank you for the /38 series color suggestion.  I get more compliments on my hair color now.  The guy that just cut my hair even said he liked it and I did a great job.  Thanks again.  Heidi  "

The 2 new Tonal Categories are /38 - Gold Pearl  and  /17-Ash Brown
Hopefully we will be able to get our newly MIA; IT guy Andre to "bring-in" Color Samplers for you...they both are nothing short of scrumptious - in my humble opinion....I love them both and they are what the line was missing.

In /17 Ash Brown
there are only two:

9/17
7/17

which means for most Colorists they are trying to save money & space for us. Why...You ask?
Because if you mix 1 ounce of 9/17 with 1 ounce of 7/17 you have created 2 ounces of 8/17.
Much easier than carrying 3 Colors in the cupboard, takes up less space to carry 2 colors than it does 3.
This way we have access to all 3 Colors now, don't we?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now we have in the brand new /38 Tonal Family called: Gold Pearl, a beautiful color - although normally I would stay very far away from anything with the word "gold" in it. Hair already has too much brass and gold undertones in it, we do not need to be adding more. Although this is an exception, I can see some sort of violet undertone in this color although they have not stated anywhere what the undertones are.. I mean a /3 is a Neutral Gold and an /8 is a Pearl...yet I still can see a very mild violet undertone which is the undertone you want. All 4 colors are beautiful I hope they add them to Color Touch, what a nice present that would be.

 I spent an hour trying to find a photo of a hair color that was EXACTLY depicting the /38 Tonal Family and finally found the perfect one - to me its a beigey-pearl . . . . which is a very hard color to find and an even harder color to achieve with hair color. Remember a lot of it (unfortunately) has to do with the existing pigment in your hair as to whether you will achieve the proper color.

As Hair Color technology improves with each and every new year, they will come closer and closer to matching the beautiful shades, no matter what your existing pigment is. I sure hope to be around for those days.....

 How Totally Unique are these Drips of Copper at the ends of Platinum - H..E..A..V..E..N..L..Y

The Case Against Hair Conditioner

Why your Hair is Better off without it

This means the "Daily Hair Conditioner" The 10,000 HEADS daily hair care regimen is this:

• Shampoo 3-4 times per week w/ Sulfate-Free Shampoo with 2 ways to follow:
• #1) 60% of you will be able to go 'without' any thing at all after your shampoo. Your hair doesn't tangle, you just have been conditioned to 'think' you need conditioner (ha ha ) just give it a 2 week try. OR
• #2) If your hair tangles as much as mine does & step 1 scares you, a good lightweight Spray De-tangler is your answer,I found this a very long time ago, its amazing http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/formulas-ecoly-tri-wheat-leave-in-conditioner-detangler - plain & simple it detangles, & it does not build-up on the hair, its the consistency of water.
• #3) Deep condition 1-2 nights per week with Thriven
• #4) Gleam - 1-2 squirts daily

and that's it.

The 10,000 HEADS Hair Strengthen System is a strange regimen to new members of our system of hair care, but to look at our Sales the numbers have spoken. SLS-Free Shampoo with NO conditioner, seems to be a hot idea this summer, and many are wondering even how this theory - came to be. I mean haven't you been using the 1-2 step of Shampoo - - Conditioner for most of your life? What gives with getting rid of trusty Step 2 they want to know -- why should we?
The answer I am pretty sure you will see, was another of my accidental "discoveries". . . which Killer Strands is full of. As soon as I made this discovery I never used a daily conditioner again & stopped using them on my clients which was instrumental in the birth of 10,000HEADS and its STEPS.
You need to understand Cosmetic Chemistry in order to make the Formula for a shampoo, the formula for a lip gloss, a perfume, a body lotion or cream and yes, also to make all hair products. Cosmetic Chemistry knowledge and experience is necessary to understand the rights and wrongs of making these products.

I began my cosmetic chemistry experience focusing mainly on what I thought were 2 categories, Hair Conditioners and Body Lotions. Hair conditioners for work and body lotions for myself. I had never been able to find a decent Conditioner for my clients that I wasn't continually having to clarify their hair from (I'm talking Pre-Thriven, Pre- 10,000HEADS, remember) and wanted a very moisturizing body cream/Lotion for my horrific painful dry skin, I just could not seem to find.
Those were my initial 2 goals to seek - - - and conquer - - - 1 personal & 1 professional.
First you start learning some solid elementary examples that workbooks give you. Purchase the ingredients & make a product that is already a proven success. Learning along the way... many little weird things about the formula and how exactly to make it.... was a Trip at first I was so afraid I was going to end up as the "MAD SCIENTIST" with bubbles and things blowing up right and left {didn't happen} - things ended up just fine. To be honest, Cosmetic Chemistry is not near as difficult as I imagined. Looking at a formulation at the beginning was daunting - I was sure this was going to be impossible for me to learn. But it wasn't and ended up being just the most fun and rewarding of any sport/hobby/job I have ever taken up - I love it - I wish I had more time to be developing new and cool products. I remembered being terrified of Chemistry in High School & College....doing this, I LOVED IT. It was so satisfying to develop a product that worked so perfectly... I would continue to 'make' products that were wonderful AND "effective' finally to use...you could compare it to buying a cake in the grocery store compared to making a home baked cake from scratch. There simply is no comparison. That was, and remains, the difference in home made products versus manufactured products to me.
Now the interesting part of this experimenting that I'm hoping will show many of you "WHY" Hair conditioners are a horrible product to put on your hair, I did not realize it at first. It took a couple months, and only had to do with the manner in which I work and what my 1 -- 2 interests, were.
I want to show you a Formula to make a Body Lotion, its one of the very first ones I made and tweaked to my liking. I have made well over 70 Hair Conditioners, and still am making them. I love it and it is "fun" for me now.
Now check out this formula for a good body lotion. Its not greasy, AT ALL, it lasts all day or night.
Body LOTION #13
Part A

• Distilled Water ………………….81%
• Glycerin …………………………. 1.5%
• Hydrolyzed Soy Protein ……...... 2.0%

Part B

• BTMS................ .....………...… 5.0%
• Jojoba Oil ……….......……….... 4.0%
• Shea Butter ………………….….6.0%

Part C

• Optiphen ………………………. .04%

Fragrance or Essential Oil (optional)
the DIRECTIONS are:
Directions: Heat Part A to 75C/170F . Carefully heat Part B until melted. Add Part A to B with mixing. Continue to mix until cool. At 50C/122F (or less), add Part C with mixing
The directions are pretty simple, the only hard part? . . . is the mixing part. It has to be mixed with a high power STICK BLENDER, for a couple hours and stopped and started at just the right temperature. But that isn't difficult, just boring.
All these exact same procedures ( temperatures & mixing) go into making a Hair Conditioner
This is a bare bones formula for a body lotion, but what I discovered is, it's wonderful - better than any Lotion I had ever used, and look how simple it is. I hope you see why I get so upset when there are 55 ingredients in a list when one of the big manufacturing companies make shampoos. 7/8 of them are totally unnecessary . They think they are making a better product - - this is a better product!
Here is the formula to a
Hair Conditioner:
Part A

• Distilled Water …………………………83%
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein ….........…. 2.4%
• Panthenol ………………………… …. 2.0%

Part B

• BTMS………………………………..… 5.5%
• Abyssinian Oil .……………………….. 2.0%
• Rose Hips Seed Oil ….......……......... 2.0%
• Shea Butter....................................... 2.0%

Part C

• Optiphen ………....................……… 0.3%

The Directions are EXACTLY the same as the above directions.
>This is called is an Emulsion. > Both Body Lotions and Hair Conditioners are the exact same Class in the cosmetic chemistry industry. >Both are emulsions. >That is what I realized that really shook me up as I hope it will you as well.

Would you take that bottle of Lubriderm body lotion, and pour it all over your hair right after your shampoo? Or that bottle of Nivea, Jergens, Aveeno, even Philosophy (a higher priced) lotion on your newly washed strands? I will never forget the day I figured this out, I was lying by the pool reading my notes of the newest formulations and a cosmetic chemist reference manual together. It felt like a ton of bricks fell on my chest - it was that jarring to me.

Well, they are made the exact same way, with the exact same water & oil Emulsion formulation. Mixing water + oil with an emulsifier and coming up with an Emulsion, no matter whether it has a Label plastered on the bottle that says it is HAIR CONDITIONER or BODY LOTION - - - - IT'S THE EXACT SAME THING!
Of course there are modifications made to make one thinner and one thicker but that is only a matter of adjusting the water to oil ratio, and does nothing to the fact that the way they are made is exactly the same and Lotion is not how your hair will flourish. So, besides the fact that Sulfate based Shampoos are causing hair-loss and thinning. Crappie emulsions the huge manufacturers make are clogging up the pores in your scalp which is restricting "new" hair growth. HHHHHHelp.
Please think about this, please give this method a try . . . see what your hair feels like without that goopy daily Conditioner on your hair, it has to do with shampoo manufacturers and the neverending cycle they want you on. Apply their sulfate Shampoos that can scrub the grease off of Garage floors, then apply their Lotion-like Daily Conditioners, which then require their sulfate shampoo's to get the Goop out again, I mean what a living nightmare. None of these steps are good for your hair's health or shine and on the opposite side they really promote hair thinning & loss, which I would say most of you don't want.

That is why everyone gets so excited when they switch to 10,000HEADS, even before they get to the part of THRIVEN & the Secret Supplement, and GLEAM. Just getting rid of that cycle has helped many many people - which I discovered in the Salon when I would rinse people's hair ( no matter how good you are, no matter how many Assistants you have - -you always end up at the shampoo bowl for some reason). That is where I came up with , "OMG - this person doesn't even need a hair conditioner - their hair rinses simply clean out and there are NO tangles. As I've repeatedly said, my own hair is a tangled web of knots after a simple shampoo - - has been since a very early age, color or not. The only thing that helps? Tri-Wheat Spray Detangler . . . and applying Color Touch on my lengths . If you are not a Licensed Hair Stylist, you really have no cause to learn about various hair "types". You concentrate on your own hair and all its little trademarks, but as a Stylist - you must learn about ALL types of hair and trademarks on everyone's hair. Stylists kind of snicker when clients want to go to a Stylist that has their own hair type/texture. That is silly to think we only know how to take care of our own hair type.
We noticed a number of orders going out with the exact same 4-6 ingredients in them, and decided to come up with Killer Kits that would give the purchasers a bit of a discount. We want to reward you for getting what is needed to fully realize the 10,000HEADS method of Hair Care. To start off with this is our newest Kit
Its called the "Go BIG or Go HOME Kit"
http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/killer-strands-10-000heads-starter-kit

Killer Chemist

Long Story - Long Locks Will Never go Out of Fashion

How to Keep Yours Looking Fashion Forward

Growing hair can be a long process, one that many of us give up on, it takes patience....it takes time, it takes self-control and most importantly it takes having standards, rules and guidelines and the strength to follow them strictly in place. We are speaking about people 20 years and older as we generally do here on KillerStrands. Having long hair is heredity for about 30% ... the rest of us work very hard to have long hair.  For the first time in my own life, I have the longest hair I have ever had... its funny to have it tickling my lower back, I have never felt that particular feeling before, EVER in my life. So, for once, I know from where I speak . Some of us have made the long trek to long locks and for those here are my top tips for taming Long tresses:

1. This season natural and simple will be the buzz words for longer hair. I am from the school that you work WITH your natural hair, which means if you have curly hair, work WITH IT... don't straighten it.....If you have wavy hair - work WITH IT, wear it wavy and the same if its straight - wear it straight.....especially if you have long hair or are growing it to 'be' long hair. With long hair you have longer lengths that need to be cared for 10X as well as short hair. Short hair is cut and trimmed more frequently than long hair.  You must be focused on the health of the hair even more, when going long. This does not mean every single day of every single day in the year. I mean be realistic about how you read and follow the Killer Strands methods (and on anything I say, for that matter)....this is not prison....it is Killer Strands unusual rules for hair care, which you will find, when followed, your hair will be in extraordinary condition, just try them. Working 'with' your natural texture is left over from my Sassoon training, they are very adamant about that theory at Sassoon, and with 15 years 'after-the-fact' experience I relinquish my approval on top of it. I've spent years straightening - curly hair....while in the Salon I had Assistants doing the long arduous blow dry. Now, with just a couple dozen clients that are die-hards and continue to come to me - now "I" have to blow dry myself and I really see how much I feel that all of you need to re-consider how you wear your hair. I've had a couple converts lately....Go from Straightening their hair 2-3-4 X a week to applying the proper product and letting it just air dry.  They are so very very happy with their new "wavy" - -  natural hair. I invite all of you to give a try, hair should not look overworked -- instead opt for more unkempt, organic looks
2. If you have extensions, GET . . . RID . . . OF . . . THEM!  I completely am against extensions ('clip-in' type are O.K.), seeing the amount of serious damage to  both scalp and growth patterns in their head of hair (and scalp), I had to change my tune on those quite a ways back. Even people with strong hair have had the extensions rip out the hair right at the root and some of this damage I have not been able to repair - even with all the trix I have at my disposal. Say "NO" to extensions, if your hair won't grow long, work WITH what your own hair will do. Remember Natural and Simple.Extensions have been here in my area, available  for the general public for 13-14 years...so I have seen the damage for a very long time and I hope to help those of you that are thinking of trying them, now that they are available freely and cheaply in other parts of America, to either stop going thru with the idea  or take them out just as soon as possible. Save your hair now, its only a temporary fix, and they can ruin your own hair permanently.
3. Personalize your look by introducing a fringe (bangs) that flatteringly frames your face, whether its solid, long-

sweeping or a shattered choppy fringe ...doing this will update your look . Many people have long hair for many many years it starts to old, haggard, boring. If that's you think about an update either with color or a bit of a cut, such as a new fringe, there are some great photos out there of the 2. Another idea is choppy layers or tapering. Many of my newer clients always seem to be confused by the terms layers and tapering ( until I clarify them) I continue to believe that an educated client is a better client. So all of you Cosmetologists out there take my advice and teach and educate your clients, they hate how there seems to be a conspiracy between hair Stylists and against Clients. Not a single hair Stylist will speak up and try to educate them, so terrified if they educate them, they will leave them. Remember, when people can afford to go to a Stylist - they will. Wouldn't you?  For hair with length layers work great, suiting most face shapes while creating an easy, manageable style. Layers will always keep a longer style fresh and modern and by incorporating complementary colors and tones to the cut, it will allow the hairstyle to stay up-to-date and exciting.
4. Long Hair only looks stunning, if it has been looked after, which means regular trims. Long hair is considered high maintenance, so be prepared if you want to grow your hair. It depends on the type of hair you have but generally when growing hair out, I feel it should be trimmed every 3 but even better 4 months. Then only trimmed 1/4" to 1/2" the very least possible.  Every single other piece you will read on letting hair grow says to trim hair 1/2"  every 6 weeks....that has never made sense to me....EVER. I finally get to express it, my clients used to LOVE me for that rule, their hair would really grow. At that time I had 1/4 of the 14 steps of 10,000HEADS, so their hair would grow, but now its turbo-charged with the Secret Supplement, THRIVEN, GLEAM and the rest of the Steps in the regimen. But, for years the common rule that hairstylists would follow, truly would prevent people from having long hair...hair only grows 1/2" per month if you trimmed it 1/2" every 5-6 weeks - it would only grow 1/4" every 3 months or so.
5. To break up the monotony of long dark hair use contrasting color flashes to break up the long heavy look. Follow the directions and the DEMO in the Blog to produce your own paint drips, which look as if you have dipped random thin sections of hair in bleach (which makes them lighter) then add interesting colors to those bleach, such as Teal and Yellow or Forest Green and purple... we carry the best Krazy Kolors    http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/renbow-crazy-color-cream in the store they rinse out of the hair in the most healthy way possible / by not leaving your hair some wretched color, like  green/brown or blue/green as many of them do.  Plus they are all intermixable so you can create any color that your brain can possibly think of.  You can also leave the color off the dripped ends and just leave them lightened that is one of the more common seen hair color styles... as in the posts before this one.
6. Deep condition, yes that long hair soaks up the product so you may not want to be doing the deep condition as often as you should . . . give it your best shot and use the very best product you can. Of course I am going to recommend THRIVEN and especially the secret supplement. . . . if you want your long hair to shine, grow more, become thicker and flourish...those are the best tricks I can come up with. GLEAM is my new little surprise, I have had dozens of people write in to tell me the new surprise in their life concerning their hair  they have had with their applying GLEAM to their ends ( just 1 maybe 2 squirts ONLY!) rubbed into their 2 hands and then rubbed into the ends of the hair all the way around. You cannot imagine my surprise, I never knew.... I never knew that everyone was using the product in this manner and having such extraordinary - AMAZING results  - - - I laugh every day at the thought that YOU out there, figured this one out. That is amazing to me that I didn't know myself what my own product was doing and the happiness it was bringing to people. If you have not tried it and you have long hair, you have to.http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/collections/killerstrands-products
7.  Serum, use a top notch Serum . . . silicone serum with NO alcohol in the formula (denatured alcohol), to help the hair look sleek but not weighed down. I've heard the curlies have some 'thing' against serums...not too sure what it is - I guess what they are talking about is when the hair is left curly. But as a healthy hair freak, I find no other method of protecting hair from heat appliances and tools, but silicone serums. It is a man-made product, silicone, which coats the individual hair - - thereby protecting them almost completely from the radical heat and pressure of a Flat Iron or a Curling Iron. I can tell people all day long to not straighten their hair, but they are going to anyway...so with that being the case. . . I must address that. We have 4 silicone serums 3 are sprays 1 is drops . . . .2 are  made by KeraCare (an ethnic hair care company)..2 are made by RUSK. http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/collections/thermal-protectors-and-gloss-spray
8. My number 1 & 2 suggestion for styling long hair ? Velcro jumbo rollers + King Size round brush         http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/4-diameter-round - which actually I can't believe I am saying. All Sassoon educated stylists DO NOT use round brushes! WE are taught and educated not to use them, which I did for about 5 years. . .  and as I watched stylists around me achieve volume and styles you simply CANNOT achieve with our piddly-ass styling brushes of European descent....I gradually made the transition over to the "forbidden" ROUND brush. I mean it was to the point that they confiscated and destroyed them if they were found in our bags. After a while you just get used to the whole concept at Sassoon, but as I had no one confiscating the brush out in the real world I gradually worked in to the easier method of creating giantor volume.
The biggest round brush is just the best method of drying long hair, it looks truly amazing after using it, I have planned an upcoming DEMO showing how to create Va-Va-Voom Volume with the 4 3/4 inch wonder which I found for a great price and turned that over to you . . . I think both brushes are the best price you can find....anywhere http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/4-diameter-round-brush      Now if I could just find a tourmaline IONIC DRYER for a good price. . . .if anyone has a suggestion of a great brand they like, I will do some research and see if I can get a good price. I am determined to offer good prices for everyone, eventually. It all takes time & research, just stay tuned. Also, the 3 & 4" round Velcro rollers which are applied in smaller sections to the root area with a quick swish of hair spray/spritz to the root area - how high you say ?!

Blond, James Blond

Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen leads off Pack of Undercover Blonds

Check out our many Posts and Photo Demo's all shot and taught by KILLER CHEMIST, our fearless Leader. As a Board Certified LA Stylist/Colorist she has tricks and years of experience "going blond" . . .http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/search/label/Bleach%20Hair - you will find 20 Posts teaching you the correct way to go Blond at Home.

Then visit our brand new Store, with all the tools and products you need with all of our products you will receive CUSTOM Directions written for each type of product by KC .... which makes your hair much easier to color (no 'fear' factor) https://killerstrands.myshopify.com/