Great Hair is More Important than Great Body

Men say that having gorgeous hair trumps a curvy figure

Trying to decide between a pre-date trip to the salon or Victoria’s Secret, ladies? 

Go for the fab hair option. According to a recent survey conducted by Pantene, 60% of men surveyed would rather date a woman with great hair than noticeable curves — and 74% of them said they notice a woman because of her hair. In fact, a full 44% of male respondents said that hair was the first thing they notice about a woman… even before her clothes (26%), legs (25%) and makeup (4%). Most of the men who took Pantene’s poll also said they’d be more likely to approach a woman at a bar with great hair than one who was wearing a low-cut shirt.
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FYI.... I thought it was just my guy who noticed when my hair wasn't great!

Glad to know my priorities are in order!
Nik

Thanks Nik for that, I just HAD to post it out here for our readers to catch, although as a Stylist you do learn that over and over. What I think is equally as fascinating?? The stock that men put in how nice their hair is. I have always told people : Men care as much as you do IF NOT MORE, about their own hair. .......................They are just better at hiding it !

KC
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What Is the Difference Between High-lift Blond & Blonde Hair Color?

I am answering Group Member's Hair Questions This Month....this is a great question Regarding Terminology in Blonding..

 Hi KC,
I am a little confused about whether to use the highlift blonde colors vs 'regular' blondes, I am scared to use high lift in case I get too blonde (don't want the platinum look!). I have level 6 mousy blonde naturally, my colorist has been doing a blonde base color on the roots (no idea what color) every 6-8 weeks, plus foil highlights (partial) usually every other visit.  However, I'm not happy with the color or service, the color on the length is probably level 9-10, bit yellowy and the roots seem to get a little brassy/orangey a couple weeks after I get it done, and I want to start doing it myself to save money and time on the salon visits.  I travel a lot on business and so many times have to cancel appts, then it's hard to get in when I want to at short notice, they always make me wait and the whole appt. including drive time can take 4hrs! What I would like to achieve is level 9-10 beige blonde. Seems like I should choose an X factor color, maybe a level 10? With a toner? But maybe a high-lift level 12 instead? And any thing I choose should just go on the roots until the rest of the existing color grows out? It's so confusing!
Hair is long, below shoulder length very fine, good condition.
Thanks for any advice!
L.

 L.,

 I bet you would be surprised by how many people ask this question. !! It sounds like a headache trying to get your hair done correctly, doing it yourself would be the perfect answer for you. As with any talent or job....how do you become confident in what you are doing?  You educate yourself on the subject. 

 While you are traveling you have plenty of time to read...so begin reading the Blog from the beginning.... skim the Posts and read the ones that pertain to what you want to learn (hair color). You can learn to be very confident choosing and applying your own hair-color I promise you. It sounds like you are trying to learn it all in a day or two..... THAT is when it becomes confusing. We have hundreds of excellent Crib Colorists in our Group, you can be one too.

 Now, to answer your question...............

People let the "high-lift" term freak them out sometimes and honestly it is just a marketing 'term' is all.  What happened was: there were originally Levels 1 thru 10 only and if you look at any swatch charts you can tell that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ HAIR COLOR SWATCH CHART(above)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 One of the hair color company's (WELLA) developed 2 more levels LIGHTER.....than the 'Level 10'. So, here they were, they came up with this UNIVERSAL HAIR COLOR LEVEL CHART.... they had even got many of the other lines to go along with this idea....and BAM! ... 2 new lighter colors were introduced. What those 2 colors are.... in reality are a  Level 11 and a  Level 12, and that is all. That is exactly what you were talking about "L." So GOOD JOB, my dear!

There is no 'super booster' in those colors, there is no 'secret high-lift juice' in the tube......it is just the next color lighter on a chart that originally was Level 1 thru 10. So, what happened next?  
 In comes the big marketing Team. Wella asks them how to 'market' the 2 new lighter colors they have developed when in reality they have had a Swatch chart with 10 levels for the past 30 years. In my opinion... the Marketing people decided to name it "highlift blond"..... and they decided not to call it what it was....... a Level 11 & level 12. Which is what happens when you ask a layman to do what is a Stylist/Colorists job.
What all this means?
There really is no such thing as a "high-lift" blond. As you will notice in the dictionary that word doesn't even exist.  It really is just a Level 11 or Level 12 color...most " highlift blonde's" you see in the hundreds of lines are just called Level 12. Then most will assign from 3 to 6 tonal qualities to each tube. You will see 12.10A (ash) or 12.00N (neutral) or what I suggest for you: 12.20: super high lift violet blonde....oh my Lord, I never even 
noticed it said that. There that shows you how silly some of these companies can be. Remember these lines are trying to
This is a very long answer to your short question about the term "highlift". Does that make sense to you? I hope so.
So, do not worry AT ALL about using the Level 12 colors, because there is no "super duper light lifter" in those colors I promise you. Its just a marketing ploy aimed at Colorists/Stylists. 

Remember I have let all you Crib Colorists into the world of Professional hair color - something that was unavailable to your brain and hands a few years ago. I mean I call it a high-lift because the hair color companies have crammed that term down my throat....I really should just say Level 12. So, please do not worry about using these colors.

Now for the specific answer to your questions:

• you cannot go platinum from a high-lift - Level 12 blond...when you are a Level 6 - so please do not worry about that being a problem. It just won't happen. Sounds like she was using a high-lift blond on you and not leaving it on long enough or it was an inferior brand (or one of multiple other reasons).
•  sounds like you have not read much of my Blog....once you understand Color Theory, then you will understand which color you need to use to cancel the orange-y yellow-y . We call those yucky colors: DURP (Dominant Underlying Remaining Pigment). So your DURP is orange-y yellow-y. You then look at the color wheel for your answers to the proper color to use, with what you have on your head. Using the opposite color from the color you are fighting - is how one can cancel the obnoxious tones in hair coloring. You see where the yellow-orange-y is.....??? in order to cancel those colors out?? Follow a line across the wheel....you  must use a Blond color with a violet-blue BASE.

 I hope this helps you . . . there are plenty of posts on Hair Color Theory.....and on going Blond on the front Guide to Posts....right hand side.

Thank You...

“Red-Hair Reaching a Roaring Rise” Thanks to a Couple of “E” named Celebs

A Lesson in Achieving Dynamite Red Hair from Killer Chemist

EVA    …………….  EMMA

#1 In answering a Question from one of our Group members, we begin the month of March with our 2nd question from a Group Member… Get your question answered by joining our group, learn a little about the Level System so you un-lock the secrets of hair color - - - I’ve had so many of you have “a-ha” moments while reading my Blog. Nothing could be more satisfying
                                                                   
So the discussion today is about becoming a redhead. Something I have avoided writing about for 5 years! The reasons? Hmmmm…maybe the fact that only 2% of the population are Red Heads, I felt there wouldn’t be many interested in reading them. There have been many reports about the fact that the true Redhead is on its way to extinction and I fear no one is fond of the hair color, but in the last couple months I have seen a mini resurgence in the flaming red hair some of us command.
Now, I am going to try something new for the month of March. I am going to be taking one of your questions from our Forum (Google Group), then post it here on the Blog and answer it, giving you the suggestions of which colors and which techniques to use. Any of our members may ask a question, or if you are new to the Killerstrands World (where have you been?) please join, our  Killerstrands Forum. Here os question Number 2 :
“ I have level 8 medium Blond hair and am interested in being the Red of star EMMA STONE (below), can you please tell me how to achieve that color without it looking faded, with your new line of hair color?  “ 
              
Well, I am so glad to hear people are beginning to desire the red locks, so many of you who turn to Blond would look so much more stunning with a head of red hair. I urge everyone to be a redhead at least once in life. You just never know. Emma seems to have chosen every color/tone we have in the swatch book!. Above is her current and most popular color.
Below she is a dark brunette:

And again as a Blond:

Lucky to find an actress that can afford us these photos to check out !
I happen to think she has found her home and that is as a redhead, don’t you think?? She looks the best as a flaming lock child…I would bet money that is her virgin color.

If you happened to catch this past weeks Saturday Night Live……Lindsay Lohan (of all people) was the host….and I honestly think they were trying to send her a subliminal message. She is this stark platinum blond now (just like Emma is above) and again > Lindsay is a virgin redhead. Now, in every single sketch – throughout the show - - they had her in a redheaded wig – at which time > she looked about a thousand percent better!  If she doesn’t re-watch the show and notice the difference….then they need to drug test her again…because she IS STILL HIGH !
But anyway, this particular question is fairly simple……a level 8 blond is about this:

One of the most bonus’ to this new line of color is that it has a wide array of “TONES” in each color and especially Reds. That wasn’t the reason I got it, but with this new trend towards Reds, I am certainly glad we have it. They have a Level 10 Red, which I have never seen or heard of, They have Level 6-7-8 “violet” reds….which is an excellent feature because it fights the GOLDISH tones I find in about every Red Color on the market.
So for this issue you do not need to “fill” the hair, not when you are using high quality hair color. The only thing you “may’’ have to do….this depends on the porosity of your hair….. is apply the color you choose twice. All over, but 6-8 weeks apart. The “RED” pigment is the toughest pigment to get to “stick” so that it doesn’t fade. There will be some fading, its just part of having red hair, I never heard anyone complain about it. As a matter of fact so many of my clients loved the fact that it fades, because about every 2-3 weeks you have a new color ! Red hair fades beautifully…so you slide in one shade gently from the past one.
 For the exact formula to the Emma Stone color we see above I would us the following formula:
7.0 N  : medium blonde + 6.34 dark copper golden blond + 7.62 medium violet red blonde + 6.26 dark red violet blond ……+ 20Volume ( for permanent) or 10Volume (to make the color demi-permanent).   Mix equal part of the 4 colors in the bowl. Then be sure to calculate the ratio of Developer TO Color….which is 1 to 1.5 . 1 ounce of color to 1.5 ounces of Developer. Use a calculator if you have to ! That ratio is important. We are including a card with all orders that helps you figure out the ratio. The best way? Use a scale. They have them at Target and are very useful in the world of haircolor !

I think the color she is right now is a 6.5 ( six and a half Red/Violet/Brown). Depending on the porosity of your hair, and “IF” you do not want to change colors completely, you might need to reapply to the entire head of hair again. This question from this woman did not state her VIRGIN color so I cannot address how she would re-touch the new growth. If its darker you would mix the same color with 1 developer and if its lighter ( highly unlikely) she would use a different developer.
As I close this Post I just read the new ELLE magazine, who also has chosen RED hair as “the” color for spring. So hopefully you can take a look at our Group – and find it interesting enough to join….we have archives of 3 years of hair health and hair coloring advice from both my 3 managers and I that you will find interesting.
Click Here to Google Group
Killer Chemist

Embracing That Inevitable Gray Hair

March Special: Killer Chemist Answering K/S Group Members Questions 


From one of our ‘down-under’ members:
HI All,
I'm back, I suspect many of us go away and try different things and
come back.
I am now a light salt n pepper in the lengths and white at the roots.
The last of my years of color was cut off a couple of months ago and
it was a relief more than anything.
I've had the Go Big or Go Home kit twice, the Thriven is wonderful and
I felt wonderful after using it.  I loved the Gleam as well - Gleam on
my hair, legs, arms just beautiful KS.
I'm saving so I can afford to the largest pack available of the
Thriven.  I'm not sure about the Gleam though.  Will it give my grays
and white a yellow tinge?
So what have I been doing in between.  Well, I've been seeking a
product here in Australia that does what Thriven does... the search
continues.  Most recently I went to Price Attack and explained my
issue with yellowing of the hair, the lady recommended a product and I
purchased it.  The next day I used the conditioner she recommended as
recommended and bless her, I ended up a member of the blue brigade.
Not what I expected or wanted.  Add to that my hair became more
brittle and suffered more breakage than ever before.  She wanted the
sale and got it.
I'm now in the process of getting that blue out of my hair and
returning to a local product that has a similar belief system to KS
(SLS and Paraben free).  It's produced in the next suburb to me and is
called Trichovedic - check it out and let me know what you think.
Today is day 1.
Once my hair is back to its naturally healthy state and color again,
I'm going to give myself a head full of lovely thin dreadlocks and
between now and then I'll be back to shopify hopefully finding a
beautiful shampoo that will keep my white, salt and pepper hair away
from the yellow and allow it to continue its journey to the white.
Yeah yeah!
Now I'll be the old dragon with the dreads.
What shampoo does KS recommend for white/gray hair?
Is it available in 1ltr bottles?
As Thriven is green, is it likely to turn my white hair green?
Gleam also has a little color to it, will that affect the color of my
hair?
Yellow dreads on a middle aged women would look awful.

Wow, that is quite a Post and I thank you so much for writing these lovely words....you have no idea how needed they were at this particular moment.
Thriven/Gleam/Intensive/ILLUMIN  all small miracles in my mind ...
I love to hear how my work has affected your life & your hair...so far away.
Let me suggest that you NEVER EVER purchase a hair coloring product at an establishment with names such as : Price Attack, Big Lots, 99Cents store, etc. I actually would suggest that you NEVER buy anything in the hair aisle at one of these stores. I am not just saying that to drum up business...I am saying it because this statement is NEVER more relevant : " YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR". I hear so many people who end up here after trying to cut corners…unfortunately it just doesn’t work in the hair world. Think of how important your hair is to you……….then shop at a store that equals the way you feel about it.
Top quality products do not turn your hair colors even if they appear a pleasant color such as Thrivens’ soothing Mint-Aqua color. The Color I use to color is so diluted and of such high quality there will never be a tint of any sort. I would bet money that what you used had actual tint in the mix.
We have hundreds of customers who turn platinum (Gwen Stefani style) monthly.....they all use Thriven/Gleam and there is much MORE OF A CHANCE of their hair turning a color from one of these products than your Gray hair.
Gray hair has a very characteristic porosity........it is not porous….it is the opposite : Resistant. 
Gray hair "twinkles" when you look at it which is unlike any other hair color – the reason it twinkles? Is because of its unusual texture.......Bleach & Tone Clients hair is VERY porous, porous hair sucks up color like a starving lizard in the desert.
Gray hair's characteristic's make it RESIST the color.  What is the biggest problem for people with Gray hair? The color won’t stick, it fades too soon. Again, because of the texture.

The Color in Gleam is NOT COLOR. That product is 100% natural. There is not one drop of color in there. You cannot purchase or make Rosehips Oil – or any high quality oil -- that is clear. To get that you would have to refine it over and over and over until all of the xclent benefits were removed. You won’t see me doing that.
I checked out your local line you say is like mine & me. How can I put this nicely…..??? I do not believe in Brazilian or any other country’s SMOOTHING Systems and that is what his is based on. I’m just not on the bandwagon of frying the Hell out of your hair to make it smooth. I wish I could show you all the people who have written me with French Fried Hair that has all broken off – due to those systems. I find it weird that random people from around the world will write me to tell me what has happened after using one of these Straightening Systems. It is so sad to me…so just be very careful in trying new systems out. Do Your research….the Internet can be a wealth of information – sifting through it can be tough….but use your head.
Once you try one of the bazillion “NON-YELLOWING Shampoos (there are not that many that are sulfate-free) I think we carry all 2 of them. Alterna, & Pravana
I added the Litre size of the Pravana PURE LIGHT Shampoo to the store, I have seen it make gray hair sparkle – white…..only if you have tough to cancel that yellow they make a conditioner that is also the lavender color – so its ‘2’ applications of violet …but your hair really needs to be Resistant.


Thank you for your question and I hope I answered all your questions……  KC
Killer Chemist