Post-Coloring Conditioning Treatments

With The Demise of IN-DEPTH, Please Welcome IN-TENSIVE

Never thought I would be so sad to see a product go, with yesterdays shipment we sent out the last of the remaining 26 cases of IN-DEPTH I happened to get my hands on. Why companies discontinue ‘good’  - - - no ‘great’ products - - - escapes me, completely. Wella was bought out by Proctor and Gamble approx.18 months ago - - and I suppose that may have a lot to do with it. For whatever reason it just seems to happen way too frequently.
This one little trick I discovered on my own - - -  right out of Hair Academy - - - was discovered by simply reading and studying about pH and hair coloring. Not one person at Sassoon did this step, no one recommended it, I never saw anyone do it  - - anywhere….not even at all the hair shows I attended and worked at over the years. I just used my common sense when I read about what hair color does to the pH of the hair during all coloring processes.
The abbreviation pH stands for potential hydrogen. This abbreviation is always spelled with a small “p” and a capital “H.” It is the measure of acidity or alkalinity of ‘water-based’ solutions
In scientific terms, what pH would stand for is ability of molecules to attract hydrogen ions. An acidic molecule would have a low ability to attract hydrogen ions, while an alkaline molecule would have a high ability to attract hydrogen ions. The pH of a solution is measured on a scale from zero to 14. On the pH scale, zero would stand for the highest possible acidity reading, 7 is neutral, and 14 is the highest alkalinity reading.

What pH stands for in the human body is a study of the acid and alkaline within your bodily fluids. The human body strives to maintain a slightly alkaline pH at all times. Various organs inside your body help maintain pH. Once I read how influential pH was - - in general in the human body - - my common sense just rang in my ears : that hair color that changes the pH in everyone’s hair must be attended to – in order to keep the hair healthy. I had no idea it would also affect how long the color remained vivid and the amount of time gray hair would remain covered. ……………………………..But it did!    I think this one, little, seemingly insignificant process, turned out to be in the top 5 of my most effective discoveries. Right up there with the Secret Supplement, THRIVEN, GLEAM & 10,000HEADS.

The pH of different coloring products I discovered ranged from 8 – 9.5, so I discovered using a pH balanced conditioner on the hair after each and every coloring treatment to restore the “NATURAL pH” of 4.5 - 5.5 to the hair - - made me look like the most brilliant Colorist on planet Earth. My clients gray stay covered longer, all colors stay vivid longer ( especially reds – the most difficult), the condition of the hair improved, an absolute miracle worker on blonding ( bleached, high-lift, really > any type).

The benefits of using pH balancer? It closes the cuticle, restores the pH balance to the hair and will help to prevent moisture loss ad color fade. This is a trick that once you try it, you will never consider not doing it.
I laugh now – telling ‘you’ and the world this trick . .  as I used to go to the trouble of “hiding this trick” I mean to the point of putting the product in another products bottle. WHY?
When you are doing hair in LA, and all the high talented individuals are here . . . you must do everything possible to stay on top . . . a little trick like this was one of those trix I never even told my assistants about !

Killer Chemist

HO HO HO Hair-y Christmas

The Battle of the Hair Oils & GLEAM ( our own)

After reading this months trade magazine, I was blown away to see all the new “Hair Oils” on the marketplace. I read about at least 30 by ‘as many’ different companies . . . along with every one’s varying ingredient lists. Fascinating reading to me, as GLEAM has gone through many transitions over the years and I never thought there would be any competition. I’ve tried about 6-7 others for fun and never found anything close to the results GLEAM produces. Recently I had an old male client of mine call and tell me the trick he was using I thought I would pass on to you. I actually tried it personally, and I fully agree with him. . . its nothing life-changing but it is definitely worth mentioning to one and all.
Now when shopping for a hair oil, remember, when a company lists ingredients in any Cosmetic or personal care product the FDA states they must be listed in the order of percentage used. For example: if the ingredients in a product are:(hypothetical) Cyclomethicone, Sunflower Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Argan Oil, Rose Hips Oil & Vitamin E ( ingredients that ‘could’ make a hair oil) - - the manufacturer must list them in decreasing percentage order as I mentioned. If they weren’t the product ‘could’ have a completely different end-result - - so it is truly not fair to the consumer.
Let me demonstrate, here is my
example:

• Cyclomethicone………………65%
• Rice Bran Oil…………………10%
• Sunflower Oil………………… 9%
• Rose Hips Oil……………….. 8%
• Argan Oil…………………….. 6%
• Vitamin E……………………. 2%

Now, this product is perfectly legitimate, and would sell fine under FDA rules. The problem “to me” is……many times the ingredients are NOT listed in the “percentage” requirement law . .  and if it isn’t? The product would be completely ( C O M P L E T E L Y) different if the number 1 ingredient was Argan Oil or even more so if Rose Hips Oil was in the number 1 spot. As the formula up above stands now… the first ingredient is a silicone ( a filler with zero “positive”properties ) it is not an “oil by nature” it is a man-made oil-like – clear syrupy-goopy liquid substance. Nowhere even close to a golden liquid rich with anti-oxidants, carotenes, essential fatty acids, GLA, and vitamins as is Rose Hips Seed Oil. Rose oil is the single best (nature-based) anti-aging, skin/hair repairing substance in existence, that I have found – yes even better than Argan.

This oil honestly repairs stretch marks, makes scars disappear, moisturizes & cures dry chapped skin, heals nails that won’t grow, completely de-frizzes frazzled hair, heals damaged hair adds shine. . . and even more depending on the person.

I’ve never seen one ingredient --  do more completely on its

own. I’m actually puzzled why it isn’t more popular and spoken about all the time, than it is.  Organic Refined Rose Hips Seed Oil is simply amazing it truly is. . .  and it is the ‘basis’ for Gleam and our new facial moisturizer called “ILLUMIN” - - coming soon.

  I have a perfect family for this testing as well, everyone has dry-DRY skin and hair. A note: not one family member does manual labor – because of heredity ( genes),we all have this horrible dry/cracked/painful skin and also dry, breaking hair – naturally !  So, I gave my little experiments to 11 adults. They each received 1 -- 2oz. bottle of straight Rose Hips Oil along with 30 pairs of gloves – I asked them to put plenty of the oil on the tips of their fingers rub into their cuticles + nails as well as their hands.   .. The results were much more awesome than I had ever predicted . . . I had no idea it would help nails grow. But every single person’s dry hands had disappeared plus the backs of everyone’s hands looked so completely different. That was when it was added to Killerstrands GLEAM product, and if you have not tried GLEAM yet on your hair, you must - - especially this weekend as it is ON SALE for the first time.
Having determined years before … that the make-up of the hair strand and the skin are just so close, it was just a matter if ‘trying it’ – experimenting with successful skin ingredients to see if my hypothesis would be as successful and have as profound results as I estimated.  Many of you are loyal fans of GLEAM, so you know exactly what I am referring to.
The healing effects these various oils by Nature impart on your damaged hair strands are the most incredible, fast and long lasting as I have ever experienced.
After years of juggling oils I learned many tricks and a lot about the benefits of about every single oil available. According to about every piece of research I could find the absolute most powerful and vitamin packed oil (for the skin and hair) is ROSE HIPS SEED Oil. I believe GLEAM is the only hair oil I could find with that lists it as the # 1 through 3rd ingredient ( meaning it is in high percentage).Oh and by the way . . . the reason for this post to begin with ? ?
The new trick an old client had called to tell me to try with GLEAM…
Apply a couple squirts to the hands rub in and then rub in to just the ends of the hair, nothing else….sleep overnight. Watch your frizzy ends, split ends just disappear. His trick is probably the best NEW trick I’ve heard this year. Give it a try and let the magic begin.
Killer Chemist

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Female Pattern Hair Loss Gone Ballistic

There is just so little real-authentic-recent information on female hair loss . . . I look at my own work as valid as anyone’s. That may seem bold, but I am telling you from a person who has spent a whole lot of money on every single book in existence (including Text books ‘by’ & ‘for’ Dermatologists), trying to find some deep and extensive studies on FEMALE hair loss. Finding so much on MALE hair loss provokes so much frustration in me, I mean why not females? You should see what they use as their “guides”, to me they are laughable - - although I’m sure they feel as a Cosmetologist… I am laughable. A couple of the studies that are what they use today as guidelines, are so archaic to me – I mean they are using prisoners and mental hospital patients as the majority of their study groups. Logically, I would think that the meds they take would affect their hair growth/loss. . . . so why use them?
To me, when I first began studying how 1 strand of hair on the head lives its life on our head, is when I had my first revelation on how to try to get the hairs we have, to stay there and to not shed or fall to soon or too often. My hope here is - - if I can get you to understand the same concept . . . that it will help you with your issues with hair thinning or loss. It is estimated that over 50 million women suffer from this occurrence currently, and how it stands now to the medical community, they have no solution – no help at all  -- aside from Minoxidil (Rogaine).Be reassured that every pharmaceutical company on planet earth is working on a solution . . . try to be patient. Me? I came up with the 10,000HEADS --14 Step System: which has been around about 10 years. It began in a Malibu Salon – with a mere 3 Steps - - the additional steps were added after I would try different experiments on my 1100 people clientele base…my clients loved being involved in the research. If only half of the 14 Steps are followed (the last 7) I have about an 75% success rate, but - -  if all 14 are worked on – after 90 days – there is a 88% success rate – both remarkable in my opinion . No there is no 1 Step that will perform miracles, it is the synergistic quality of working on the hair strands from both the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’…. is my hypothesis. There is a Secret Supplement, which is mandatory if you truly want this system to work for you. A couple logical steps like – you must quit smoking and if addicted to any drugs/alcohol – well, of course, they must be stopped. There will most likely be a few steps you probably have never heard of… but all will both help you and your entire body move to a healthier state, so please take a look and consider it.

There are 3 types of hair on the human body, Vellus, Lanugo and Terminal. Follicles first produce Lanugo, which are soft, short and fine. Lanugo are typically shed between the 32nd and 36th week of pregnancy – although many are born with them as well. Most follicles then switch to produce small and almost imperceptible hairs called Vellus. Vellus hair is not pigmented and is commonly found on children & infants until puberty. On adults Vellus hair is usually found in places that are normally considered hairless ( forehead, eyelids, and bald scalp) and almost every other area of the body, except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Women usually have 50% more Vellus hair than men.
Then we have the larger follicles that form TERMINAL HAIR. Terminal hairs are found on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes at birth - - Vellus hairs are everywhere else.  Terminal hair is coarser than Vellus and with the exception of gray hair, are pigmented. All hair follicles can produce either the Terminal or Vellus hair, depending hormones, age and sex. Have you ever thought about that? Look at the hair on your arms right now….Short – soft maybe a 1/2 inch long - -  ever wondered why it doesn’t keep growing like the hair on your head? Out here in goofy California many of us shave our arms just like many do their legs….Still when the hair grows back it only grows back to 1/2 inch long. That is a Vellus hair.
So, the hairs on your head are Terminal. Terminal hair is just that…………Terminal. Which means what? It is alive and then at some point it “dies” or “expires”. Its not dead as so many people think . . . it grows, and it grows long - -  doesn’t it? The Terminal hairs which are on your head have a life span, and yes every hair on your head  - - dies. But in order for you to fully understand it I must explain the hairs’ cycle. Each complete cycle (of each & every hair) has 3 phases that are repeated over and over again throughout the life of your hair.
The 3 phases I always remember by saying the word CAT.
C : Catagen Phase………Transition Phase (lasts 2-4 weeks)
A:  Anagen Phase……….Growth Phase (long period of growth: 2-6 years)
T:  Telogen Phase……….Resting Phase (period of inactivity lasts 2-4 months)
In English, without all the technical talk . . . one hair strand: begins growing on your head….then comes a predetermined length . . . by how long the Anagen phase lasts.
So remember we are following the life of one strand of hair on your head. The first Phase is Anagen, which begins its life on your head. This is the Phase that lasts the longest and this is the one that determines how long your hair will grow to. You know how one person’s hair will grow to their waist, and yours never grows past your shoulders??? This is the reason. Her hair has a 6 year Anagen phase while yours might have a 3 year phase. Which means her hair strands while alive and growing – grow for 3 years longer than yours ( just as an example) before dying and shedding.
Scalp hairs grow faster on women than on men. Another of the long time rules about scalp hairs is:  Scalp hairs grow rapidly between the ages of 15 – 30, but slows down sharply after the age of 50. When I began having  17 - 18 - 25 year olds in my chair complaining about their unusual hairloss and begging me for help - - I began researching & reading all these longtime statistics on the matter. I became alarmed and wanted to try to figure out what in the world went wrong. . . what changed the previous statistics of female hairloss figures ??? To what they are now - with so many women complaining of the problem including women of high school and college age.


Anagen Phase :  During this phase, a new hair is produced…the hair actively manufactures new keratinized cells in the hair follicle. THE KEY TO THE ANAGEN PHASE?  This is the phase that determines the length of your hair … the longer this phase lasts….the longer your hair will be. So you want to do everything possible to get the Anagen phase to last just as long as possible. At any given time 86% of the hairs on your head are in the Anagen phase…..13% in Telogen……….and 1% in Catagen. If you apply those numbers  to the 100,000 to 150,000 hairs on the scalp the resulting NORMAL – EVERYDAY Hair loss on each of us is between 50 and 150 hairs per day . .  every day of the week. So in 1 week on average you are losing (a normal) 700 hairs, doesn’t that seem like a lot? Well, it isn’t  --  it is completely normal.         
Catagen Phase: is the brief transition period between the growing and resting phases of a hair follicle – it signals the end of the growth phase. During the Catagen phase the follicle canal shrinks and detaches from the dermal papilla. The hair bulb disappears and the shrunken root end forms a rounded club.Less than 1% of all the hairs are in this phase at ay one time although remember it is very short and lasts only from one to two weeks.     
Telogen Phase: or Resting phase is the final phase in the hair cycle and lasts until the fully grown hair is shed.  The hair is shed during the Telogen phase or remains in place until the next Anagen phase, when the new hair growing in pushes it out. This is where I realized that brushing your hair daily needed to be done. The hairs are going to shed no matter what. . . many of you think if you don’t brush your hair, then you won't lose as many hairs. Completely silly assumption. As you can see here, the hairs need to shed, once they do, then the newer hair can begin its life. About 10% of the hair is in the Teologen phase at any one time. This phase lasts for 3-6 months. As soon as the Telogen phase ends, the hair returns to the Anagen phase and begins the entire cycle again.
ON AVERAGE………….THE ENTIRE GROWTH CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF EVERY 4 –5 YEARS. 
Under normal circumstances, I hope you now see that it is completely normal to lose some hair every day.  Normal daily hair loss is the natural result of the 3 phases of the hair’s growth cycle.  The growth cycle provides for the continuous growth, fall and replacement of individual hair strands.
What this taught me was that the hair strand is ALIVE and not dead as so many people think. If it was dead it would not go through all of those phases and intricate maneuvers.     What I hoped to improve on with the 10,000 HEADS Protocol was how to keep that Anagen phase lasting longer. . .  I feel the Secret Supplement addresses that factor 100% from the inside and THRIVEN works on the outside of the hair in the Anagen phase. If you are having (unusual) hair thinning of any sort – I would really encourage you to give those 2 steps a try and truly the more Steps of the Regimen you can implement, will help those hairs on your head - -  stay right where they are.
Here is a link to THRIVEN in the store. . .  when you purchase THRIVEN . .  you receive a card that explains what the Secret Supplement is,where to purchase it, and how you can incorporate it into your life in the most successful method.



http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/thriven
Killer Chemist

There is No Such Thing as Gray Hair

Its an illusion, the hair is actually color-less or white
We will refer to what you are used to calling Gray hair – as WHITE HAIR for this Post and all future posts ( so we are speaking in the proper ‘Form’- I’m sure I will make mistakes – bare with me) The strands appear gray, but actually are white or color-less laying next to strands with color in them . . . that configuration gives the appearance of those hairs as gray hair. There is also the theory that as the pigment is being halted from filling those strands of hair – it goes from being a rich brown/black….to a faded color …..a faded color most of you call: …………….gray.          
                              
Visualize each strand of hair of your head as a tube ; like a plastic straw . . . when that tube is full of your natural virgin color / pigment / or melanin, you will have no “gray / white hair” appearance. As one ages that pigment begins seeping out of that tube - slowly. The rate, the amount, the speed all differ from person to person. Some never get gray – AT ALL – some begin getting it at 11 – 12 years old. The rate, the amount, the speed all differ from person to person. A lot has to do with heredity, ageing and some say stress ( I’m not a believer in that one).

White hair is also a completely different texture than pigmented hair, which is a result of there being no substance (pigment) in those strands. So if the texture has been changed, how would that affect the hair? White hair’s texture makes it resistant to permanent hair color. Typical white hair has a wiry texture and a tough compact cuticle. Remember the cuticle is what “opens” allowing the hair color IN to change the color, so if it is compact and not able to open easily - - that is just 1 of the many reasons White hair is tough to deal with. Coarse, resistant White hair can also be tricky to fully saturate with hair color…wiry gray hairs just naturally try to separate themselves from the whole hair color application by springing up here and there – which then allows them to dry out (keeping the hair color from working the solid 50-65 minutes it needs to) in order to last 4, 6, sometimes 8 weeks.
There is a unique trick to covering resistant Gray hair that I will be divulging in the book I am now working on, that I am just thrilled about finally getting to. This book is something I have wanted to write since beginning this BLOG over 3 years ago. . . it will include so many tricks and secrets I have been saving precisely for it ….at times I can’t wait to get it out to you, as I feel it will close up some of the holes I have purposefully left.
As a natural born red-head I have looked into, ‘why’ I had freckles and why I didn’t have skin that “tanned” even brown skin like everyone else. Living in southern California it was horribly frustrating to not be able to just layout in the sun and get that burnished brown skin everyone else naturally receives from having an even and flourishing amount of melanin in their skin. My melanin is spotted within my dermal layer. In hair strands melanin is made  by cells in the hair bulb called melanocytes. During keratinization, melanin is infused into the protein that becomes the hair strand
There are 2 types of melanin:

• Eumelanins – ( the darker pigments)
• Pheomelanins – ) the lighter ones….ranging from  red-brown to red-yellow to yellow    

All hair, no matter what color…,may contain both in varying degrees.

DURP and White Hair
Cool colors do NOT cover  white hair. Never use ash, it simply will not work.    White hair is lacking warmth people. Warmth is those colors that normally one would NOT WANT THEIR HAIR TO BE!  But to get that white hair to a pleasing shade, you must start by adding those obnoxious tones first. Tones like Copper, Gold, combinations like Brown/Gold – Red/Gold all will add the warmth one needs to go from White to wonder
When contemplating your formula for covering White hair bear in mind that you have to add depth and tone to white hair, because there is no pigment present.                                                                                                                                                                               

To Bleach Or Not To Bleach: That Is The Question

Level 12 Hair  =  Platinum Blond Hair

The fascination that comes with Platinum Blond Hair is something that I believe has more to do with the fact that for hundreds of years – that color of hair did not exist on people of either sex . Yes, many children are born as “tow-heads” . .  but as they age I would say 88% gradually darken to brunettes before 18 years of age, about 10% will remain a Level 7/8  and a mere 1-2% will make it to adulthood as natural light blonds. About 1% make it to adulthood as a “light” Blond and ‘none’ make it as the toe-head <> platinum blond we are talking about in this post.  I don’t ‘make up’ the statistics – I merely observe them. When things are “rare” they are more treasured. Its that way with anything …….cars, furniture, skin, jewelry, clothing – everything. . Especially beauty items such as  hair & haircolor  . . . platinum hair to men to women & to everyone… is just striking - - it is sexy – plain and simple. The Bleach and Tone process is what this process is called.
Hair Coloring just happens to be one of the oldest beauty procedures – it was used by various ancient cultures as a sign of affluence, much like it is today. When I was working the Salon in Malibu all those years, I would watch the 14 – 18 year old children of celebrities – ask for $200. – $600. procedures - - frequently. There is no way I am condemning a process in which my own children partake in as well, so please do not think I was judging.

The use of hair coloring was shown in records of ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, Persians, Chinese, and early Hindu peoples all mention the use of hair colorings.. Early hair dyes were made from plants, metallic compounds, or a mixture of the two. Rock alum, quicklime, and wood ash were used for bleaching hair in Roman times, and herbal preparations included mullein, birch bark, saffron, myrrh, and turmeric. Another early method of coloring hair was to apply powder. Pure white powder for hair or wigs was the show of high-class dress in Europe during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. White powder was made of wheat starch or potato starch, sometimes mixed with plaster of paris, flour, chalk, or burnt alabaster. Similarly colored powders were sometimes used as well.Think of how we have come full-circle, have you seen the products that all resemble TOPPIK ? ? For some reason since the dawn of time we have been compelled to alter our hair color. . .personally I simply find it ‘fun’ – a very non-interesting reason I suppose. When I first began my full-blown practice in the Salon (stopped educating) – I would think and I would actually tell people. . .” the joy I receive from transforming people’s lives with just their hair… is so rewarding that I wish I could do their hair free of charge”.



The reason for the admiration of this color? . . . because it is RARE. . . it is not easy to get, it is expensive to have (done correctly) and to keep up on.This is the hair color that the term “high maintenance” was developed. It is truly the most expensive hair to keep up on, people like Ms.Stefani, Ms. Aguilera will have their base re-done about every 10 -12 - 14 days in order to keep it fresh, new although mainly so there are NO ROOTS in any photos.Think about it . . . ever seen 1 photo of Gwen Stefani with roots showing? Christina?  When bleached roots are re-touched very frequently like that it must be done by skilled hands so there is no “overlap” taking place and there is a sufficient amount of pH balancing and Conditioning going on to keep the hair in “tip-top” shape. So no breakage takes place and the process can continue. All you need is the education this Blog exhibits and I am happy to announce we are finally working on a book in which all “like” Posts and all “like” Demo’s will be in the same Chapter. . . how about that prospect? Regardless of that, all the information is already here. Just do some sincere studying, reading and reviewing of all pertinent Posts to this topic. I have found many members who are truly trying to educate themselves in the Art of Hair Color, as a wonderfully challenging hobby to take up, are purchasing 1 even 2 mannequins to test their prospective hair colors on. 

I can tell you there is a completely different outside ‘visual’ assessment of a person when they have brown hair versus blond. I wish it wasn’t so, just like I wish there was no judging, no prejudice, or bias’ BUT Every single person I have ever changed from a dark hair color to …Platinum ( or any shade of LIGHT Blond, for that matter). . . has told me that their life has been completely transformed by the process. Just know that, keep that piece of information in your pocket - - because I do feel that every person should be a blond, at least once in their life. If for no other reason than for plain and simple FUN ! My one exception is natural born red-heads . . . they should NOT go platinum . . . a pretty widely known hair coloring rule that I am 100% behind.
There are so many hair stylists that will have a bad experience with the Bleach and Tone process, by leaving the bleach on too long and therefore creating lots of breakage (100% completely avoidable - btw). So many of you are afraid of bleach and there is no need to be. What IS necessary is learning how to properly use it. I am of the school that there is no better coloring tool than Bleach and I find different needs for all 3 types of Bleach: 1) Cream Bleach  2) Oil Bleach and last but not least 3) Powder Bleach. All 3 have different purposes and different consistencies . There is just no way to lighten most people’s hair “past” that God-awful stage of brass without Bleach, those hair stylists that bad-mouth Bleach and attempt to lighten hair with Tint, leave the mark of a poorly trained Stylist in most cases. So many of the people who end up on Killerstrands are the product of this situation and want to take back control of their hair and hair color - - by learning exactly how hair color works. Until I decided to open up the previously “closed” books of professional hair color rules, there was no where to go to learn this information.
 

Left side Bleach and tone . . . Right-side Bleach and NO Tone

This rare and wonderful treat of platinum hair, the next step is for me to teach and explain how to get this rare commodity in the most safe and correct method there is.
The Technical Names for the Oil Bleach System :

• 2 Step process
  
• Double-Process &
  
• Bleach and Tone

Its funny in the Vidal Sassoon Hair Academy we were taught to never use the word “bleach” – that people are afraid of that ‘specific’ word, to use the word “lightener” instead. That the fear comes from not knowing what “bleach” is (I have tested this theory out with my clients as to what they think and picture). People picture in their head the only thing they know to be Bleach…. You know > that weird clear liquid that smells horrific, which can only be put in with ‘whites’ when you do your Laundry, and if it drops on anything it removes the color immediately. . . so, understandably, its a scary concept to the public.That bleach and the bleach we use on the hair are completely different products, which is what needs to be firmly taught to everyone. They just happen to have the same name, although truly within the hair color world we always call it Lightener. . . except when referring to Oil and Cream Bleach
Hair Stylists do nothing ( I have observed) to alleviate that unknown fear – as most like to leave their clients in the dark. They act as though they have some super power knowledge of hair chemicals that they are not allowed to ‘share’ - - I continue to work towards the opposing theory of this… that has been prevalent for the last 50 years. I want the client…the public…the young and old hair color client… to have the complete knowledge of how hair color works. KNOWLEDGE ELIMINATES FEAR. I want to empower the public to: want to learn how hair color works :it is one of the most important topics to me: and is the goal of this BLOG.
No Colorist can deny the pleasure of turning hair that is dark into gorgeous – beautiful PLATINUM – TONED, hair. That transformation is absolutely the best feeling I have found in coloring hair. Why? It is taking the hair strand through all the stages of the Level System and basically hitting the GOLDMINE of not having any color left in the strands. Learning how to Bleach & Tone is the mark of a true master of Color, in my book.

This is Part 1 of my 2 part series on the Double Process of Bleach/Tone http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/oil-bleach-kit-exclusive-to-killerstrands
Killer Chemist

The Best Shampoo In The World in The Ugliest Bottle in The World

Sometimes the Package Really Shouldn’t Matter
What would you think of a shampoo that was Sulfate-Free 15 years ago? How about a Shampoo that ‘counters’ all the bad effects of hard water – naturally ? What about a shampoo that was a funky mix of Aqua Blue-Green in clear bottle with a label from the 80’s? You would never buy it ………..BUT YOU SHOULD as what it does – will really & truly make your hair squeeky clean, light as a feather and act differently than any shampoo you have ever used. The brand? Malibu 2000 the shampoo? UN DOO GOO. I have been using this shampoo since the first week of Hair Academy  - - Vidal Sassoon’s Colorists and Cutters both swore by it and that was 16 years ago. Not till I repeated that tidbit of information  to myself the other day was I reminded how brilliant this odd colored Shampoo truly is.
Lets tackle the “hard water” issue as its something – so extremely common and so horribly harmful to your hair.                                                       
80%+ of all households out there ( this means YOU) have hard water running through their shower heads and directly onto your hair strands. That is NOT ADVISABLE and is one of the mandatory Steps of the 10,000HEADS Hair Strengthening Regimen in which I plead for everyone to follow.
Condition: Hard Water
Over 85% of the population in the U.S., according to the Water Quality Association, are bathing with hard water. While hard water is fine for drinking (although I beg to differ on that subject as well), it can cause many problems for your hair, scalp and skin
These problems include:

• Hair feels dry
  
• Hair is resistant to color or perming
  
• Dandruff or eczema of the scalp
  
• Dry, flaky skin
  
• Thinning hair
  
• Colors fading too quickly
  
• Perms appearing to fall out
  
• Discoloration or darkening of hair
  
• Hair lacks body and shine

HOW YOUR WATER AFFECTS YOUR HAIR

The water you use to wash your hair, scalp, and skin comes from one of two sources:

• Ground Water
  
• Surface Water

Ground Water
If your water comes from the ground, it is either from your own well or from the local treatment plant that derives the water from wells pumping water from the ground. The source of ground water is from rain passing through aquifers, which are layers of minerals. The acidity (pH below 7) of the rain increases the dissolving effect of minerals. These dissolved solids are found in the water when pumped above the ground and used to bathe.
Surface Water
If your water comes from the treatment plant which derives the water from a surface source, the water is coming from either a river or a lake. Surface water usually contains less minerals because the water has not filtered down through the mineral layers. However, increasing populations are polluting the water causing additional bacteria growth. As a result, the treatment plants must add more chlorine to kill bacteria and then add lime (a calcium compound) to help control the chlorine levels.
Water hardness is determined by the level of calcium that is in the water either found naturally from the ground or put into the water by the treatment plant.
While calcium is the element that determines hardness of water, there are many other elements in the water that effect the texture, volume, shine, control and health of hair.
What are the minerals that effect hair?

• Calcium
  
• Iron
  
• Copper
  
• Magnesium
  
• Silica
  
• Lead

What other elements effect hair?

• Chlorine -a harsh oxidizer added to the water to kill bacteria also adversely effects hair.

How do minerals and chlorine attach to the hair?
Our hair, scalp and skin have an electrical charge and that charge is negative. Minerals and oxidizers are charged positive. When a positively charged mineral comes in contact with our hair, scalp, or skin, it attaches on like a magnet.

How do hard water minerals and chlorine effect hair?
Calcium - If your source for water is a well, then more than likely you have calcium in your water. If your source for water is coming from a treatment plant, calcium may have been added to your water. Calcium is the mineral that determines hardness of water.
How calcium effects hair:

• Calcium leaves the hair feeling dry and weighted down. It can even cause a perm to appear relaxed.
  
• Calcium builds up on the scalp causing flaking of the scalp, giving the appearance of dandruff.
  
• Calcium can choke the hair at the mouth of the follicle causing the hair to break off, then coating the scalp, blocking further new hair growth.

Iron - Iron is found in ground water from domestic wells and wells used by treatment plants as the source for local water.
How iron effects hair:

• Iron leaves the hair feeling dry, brittle and weighted down.
  
• Iron can cause dark hair to tint darker and blonde hair to turn orange.
  
• Iron can block perms and color from properly processing.

Copper - Copper originates in water in three ways:

1. It comes from the ground and is pumped into the water from a well.
   
2. Particles of copper can come from copper piping. The corrosion caused by hard water lifts the copper particles off the pipes and deposits them into the water.
   
3. Copper sulfates are added to swimming pools to control the growth of algae. Copper is often added to lakes (that are a source of drinking water) in the summer to kill algae.

How copper effects hair:

• Copper discolors hair causing blonde hair to turn green and dark hair to tint darker.
  
• Copper can weigh hair down and cause dryness.
  
• Copper can inhibit the proper processing of perms, color and relaxers.

Magnesium - Usually found wherever calcium comes naturally from the ground, magnesium is abundant in the soil and is very much a part of the mineral complex associated with hard water.
How magnesium effects hair:

• Magnesium causes hair to feel dry.
  
• Magnesium causes hair to appear weighted down.
  
• Magnesium can inhibit the proper processing of perms, color and relaxers.
  
• Magnesium causes hair to lack shine.

Silica - Silica is a sand-like substance found in desert or volcanic areas. It is usually bound to calcium or magnesium and forms very hard, virtually insoluble deposits.
How silica effects hair:
Silica causes many of the same effects on the hair as calcium.

• Silica causes hair to feel dry.
  
• Silica weighes hair down.
  
• Silica can cause dandruff-like symptoms of flaking.
  
• Build up of silica can choke the hair follicle causing hair to fall out.

Lead - Lead acetate is used in certain home remedy gray hair cover-ups.
How lead effects hair:

• Lead can cause the hair to feel dry.
  
• Lead can prevent the proper processing of perms, color, and relaxers.

Chlorine - unlike the other elements listed above, chlorine is not a mineral but an oxidizer. Chlorine is put into drinking water and swimming pools to kill bacteria. In addition to the following effects chlorine has on hair, due to it's oxidizing effects, chlorine also oxidizes minerals onto the hair causing worse effects of those minerals.
How chlorine effects hair:

• Active chlorine in the hair can cause hair to feel gummy when wet and straw-like when dry.
  
• Chlorine can damage the cuticle and proteins of the hair.
  
• As an oxidizer, chlorine can cause the air and sun to oxidize hair and worsen the conditions listed above.
  
• Chlorine can cause hair to feel dry.
  
• Chlorine can cause hair to become brittle.
  
• Chlorine can cause hair to lack shine.

O.K.
Feel like you have now been hit in your head with a brick and you better cut off every water pipe to your home?
Well, you don’t. Education – Education is the road to the Solutions to your problems - - how big or small.
All you need is

• 1 Treatment pack for Hard Water (we throw in a free plastic treatment cap to get the full effects from it. http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/hard-water-weekly-demineralizer-pack
• 1 - 9oz.Bottle of Un Doo Goo Shampoo or Well Water Action Shampoo         http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/malibu-un-do-goo-shampoo

These photos have been “Photo Shopped” for sure, or hey maybe its me and my taste. But I still stick by my “ worlds ugliest bottle” quote!

Sulfate-Free Shampoos – Pros, Cons + Scope

  People are Finally Paying Attention . . . . and to see a frequently running shampoo commercial on TV where the main TAG Line is : “Sulfate-Free Shampoo” (L’Oreal has Eva Longoria hawking a new one) – truly feels like a huge victory for me…my theory…and my work to get these damaging shampoo’s OFF the shelves for you. I have been hawking this theory of mine for 10-12 years (sorry, my memory sucks). 
16 years spent on over 10,000 heads of hair. . . that is my proof. I am 100% positive of this one theory. At the time of all my testing I would pick out random females in all age groups that I was concerned about ( in my regular clientele) that would get one of my “new” test shampoos. Unbeknownst to them, some had SLS-Free shampoo and some had SLS Shampoo. Remember now, this was 10 years ago, 98% of the companies used SLS in their shampoos. Why? It cost pennies and lathered up into super suds like nobody’s business. People like lots and lots of suds, I don’t know why but they do. Now, what would happen over the course of 3-4 months since I had seen them, would be the result of the test. EVERY SINGLE TIME – the shampoo with SLS in it  --  the client would complain of hair loss, hair thinning – & lots and lots of shedding. Plus, the clients with the SLS-Free Shampoo would not complain of it – AT ALL. Yep, it probably was not super scientific, but as far as I was concerned, the experiment gave me a 100% solid answer to the question that had me very upset and puzzled for over a year. . . .  I had a huge percentage of my female clientele { from 17—65] complaining of severe hair thinning/loss and I needed to find a common denominator. No one else was.
We did this randomly over the course of 1 year, all 6 { my assistants & I } of us were completely and undeniably convinced that we would never EVER use Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in our shampoos ever again in our life – Period. So, the battle began, I would get nothing but rejection when contacting the product manufacturers - - it was very hard at the beginning. I was fighting the “Big Boys” – basically alone. So again, with L’Oreal busting out their new “sulfate-free shampoo line” all over the TV screen just gives me this underlying thrill, for all the years I have been fighting the ‘big boys’. Finally  - -  all my work and research, is now rewarded ( in a weird way – but hey – I’ll take it). 

At the beginning of my research into this problem, I had a hard time believing it. I just could not believe that all these companies would be using something that would cause this. Seemed pretty important to me. It wasn’t till 2 years later and my study of Cosmetic Chemistry that I fully understood the ramifications of the Sodium Lauryl Sulfate addition to shampoo’s. The actual purchase of the product ( SLS)  was all I needed to completely lock up my hypothesis.( I am not a scientist) But as I studied and learned I also injected my “common sense” to the picture. Don’t ever think that part of your brain is not important - - because it is.
Now with my adventure into taking Cosmetic Chemistry courses and befriending 2  well respected Cosmetic Chemists – a whole new world of enlightenment began. I wish there were honest – Cosmetic Chemists who would speak up to the public - -  but I understand - - they make their weekly paychecks by the big companies and are on contract with the large hair care product manufacturers. So truthfully – they would be out of a job, and no, I don’t think I would give up my job to point out this problem either. I prefer being realistic here. There is that silly website, BEAUTY BRAINS….everyone asks questions of a team of (supposed) Cosmetic Chemists – I’ve always thought – they are a group of “smart” internet geeks – and just “Google” every question. They have slammed me many times, which I find odd . . . claiming everything I sell is to make money and screw you. If you truly read my blog, and hear my voice - - - that accusation simply is not true….for the 1st year, I thought I would be dead very soon ( I have a a very rare and deadly bone disease).  The first year I simply wanted to - “give back”  to a whole lot of people I did not know – for NO REASON - - - so that if my life ended in a year {as I felt it was}. . . I would have a tiny legacy. I was the first one to tear down the walls that hair stylists put up, to keep their clients/public out of. Every single person knew what I was talking about in that aspect. I will fully admit that I did that myself . . . I kept my formula’s secret. I kept the way to cover gray hair locked up. My tricks to the perfect blond were never given out. My tricks in going blond to brown and then back again  - -  locked up in a private cabinet. As a Hair Stylist the only thing you have is the knowledge you have learned and the successes you have produced – so you and I must understand there is a perfectly valid reason for it.

What I discovered (from talking to so many of you across this great nation) was that most of you live in small towns sprinkled across the country and you have tried every Salon in your town. . .  with the results being horrific. So you are forced to do it yourself. Many using my own named “Crap-in-a-box” Kits {Hair Color Box Kits} . .. ending up again, with horrible results - - so you begin the trek through all the hair web sites on the web. I cannot tell you how many people every single week: write me with a comment very similar to : I AM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS WEBSITE, finally a place where you can get the truth about hair. It might not be things you want to hear  . . . but if you follow 10,000HEADS – a 14 step Regimen to thicker – stronger – healthier hair……..your hair WILL CHANGE……period. I am not worried at all if it might not work for someone . . . because the success rate is just absolutely – completely – phenomenal. Seriously !

So I wanted to share my joy with the general acceptance of the idea that all shampoos need to be Sulfate- FREE .  Do your part and no matter where you purchase your shampoo – ASK FOR SULFATE-FREE and let your preference be known. There is not a Salon Shampoo made now-a-days that isn’t Sulfate-Free {another Victory for my movement I feel }. They all have learned and we are talking hundreds of brands of shampoos.

Killer Chemist

Are You “Up In The Air” About Which Color Formula to Use On Your Hair?

Think you have it all figured out, but want a professional to double check?

KILLERSTRANDS Store (www.Killerstrands.com) has a new kit for this exact situation. We have called it something very original … the “UP-IN-THE-AIR Kit” or UITA Kit well….maybe not.  Now, some of you may remember we tried this before, and it failed. No one does it on the Internet and I know why, its almost impossible. But, its much better than using boxed hair color which offers absolutely NO help… for the exact same process. I realize this is a big GIANT problem and probably too big for one person like little ole me . . . but I am taking it on anyway. With each attempt I learn something new….and who knows maybe this is the wrong approach as well . . . but at least I am trying.
On the previous attempt in trying to help people find their formula, I ran into 3 problems that needed to be conquered :

• answers submitted were much too long and had no bearing on outcome
• clients did not take time to learn “level System” ( mandatory - for this to work)
• clients answers required an email exchange which did not suit the system

In order for me to offer this economical and quick . . . hair color help, there just has to be some rules. Otherwise I receive “novels’’ of individuals hair history that I simply do not have the ‘time’ to read  - - PLUS . . .are not relevant to what we are trying to figure out.
I realize everyone wants to tell me their personal history of how they got to where they are. . . but, that simply just does not matter in this case……….. none of that is important, it really isn’t. The only thing that is truly important, is the answers to the VID questions:

1. V………. what “Level & Tone” your hair is VIRGIN (V- with nothing on it) ??
2. I……….. what Level & Tone your hair IS (I) now  ??    and finally
3. D………. what Level & Tone do you DESIRE your hair to be ??

With the UITA we do give you the advantage of answering the KILLER8, which does give those of you that have the misconception that MORE information is better a chance to add some additional knowledge about your hair.


Coming up with a person’s hair color formulation is an art, a very treasured and rare art. The most important part for this to work for you, is following the directions.
The remainder of the Killer 8 questions are as follows:
4. What is percentage of Gray?  ……………( example of a perfect answer: 40%)
5. What is your DURP? …………….(ex. of perfect answer: Brass) this is Dominant Underlying Remaining Pigment or that darn pigment that is hard to get rid of.
6. What is your texture?…………(ex. of perfect answer: fine/straight)
7. What is porosity & overall condition?…………(ex. of perfect answer: porous ends – damaged all over)
8. Length & Thickness ?……….(ex. of perfect answer: shoulder length + medium thickness)
The reason for this post is because we have already had some of our customers purchase the UITA and not answers the Killer8 correctly. I truly want to offer this service to many of you that need and want it, but if I am to do so . .  the only way it will work is if people follow the above example of how to answer the questions, exactly.
Please remember that the Up-In-Air-Kit’s longevity depends ON YOU, following the above directions. They are simple, but need you to take the time to read them and learn the Level System . . . which is so simple I taught it to a 12 yr.old last week.
Thank You and be sure to join our GOOGLE GROUP if you have not already, there is a lot of guidance in there about how things run here at Killerstrands . . . which can only benefit you.
Killer Chemist