Boxed Hair Color Versus Killerstrands Hair Color Education

I want everyone to take a look at GOLDWELL'S (haircolor)  new advertising campaign...

Where do you think they got this idea?

 ___________________________

" THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX   

You wouldn’t do your own dental work or give yourself a tattoo, so why would you think it’s OK to do your own hair color?

Professional results are only available with a trained 

color professional. 

Learn about the advantages of a Goldwell Professional 

Color Service "

_______________________________________________________

 Killerstrands receive's dozens of emails DAILY > You know what they forgot to say in the ad?

1) What happens when you have gone to every Stylist in your town?

2) What happens when you have tried every top Stylist in your  town as well as in a 100 mile range from where you live and every single one of them has destroyed your hair? 

 That is the single biggest complaint I receive.  

That is why everyone turns to KILLERSTRANDS.... to learn how to color their own hair. They want their results to be their goal. It really is a science. It is not guesswork as so many Hair stylists 'think' it is. It is a complete and genuine scientific formula. You put 'in' certain pieces of information and out pops the formula that will give you the color you desire. Its truly that simple. Of course you need some education, but its not much. We supply it all. We supply demo's, and on top of all of that, you also have the ability to ask for help in the group. Killerstrands will solve what Goldwell is missing. Many people have asked me about Goldwell over the years, I have always said the exact same thing....they are great at marketing

  - - - but the quality of their products pretty much sucks. 

This ad is no different, they have not assured you that they are  focused on educating the 20 million hair stylists who don't know what they are doing with hair color .....they have just come up with a way of slamming boxed haircolor....

Gee, I wonder where they got that idea............

Just because someone has a "Cosmetology License" does not mean they know how to formulate hair color.....and you know why?

They do not teach it in Cosmetology school.  Formulating hair color is an art and a science. 

You do not need to know how to formulate hair color to receive your Cosmetology license. 

Educators at hair schools across the United States do not know how to formulate hair color.

It is just heartbreaking to me that not one state requires that one piece of knowledge in order to obtain that states Cosmetology license. I feel bringing it out in the open will hopefully begin the path to solving the problem

Do you know that 2200 of the 3000 people in the Killerstrands Group are brand new Cosmetologists that have answered the questions to get in the group with the following words, 

" I did not learn how to formulate hair color when I went to Hair School..." so I need to join your group . . . 

Now, how does that make you feel about sitting in the chair of a color professional?

I would be terrified.

Healthier Hair with Heat : From a Product Line & a Few of KC's Tricks

Sound like the opposite of what I teach? Well, it is. But...........

I have to admire this company,  many times I feel as though I am the only one on planet Earth that seems to be concerned that HEAT is Hair's number 1 enemy. Thermafuse, apparently chose that to design their entire product line around and besides be commended for that, I feel it needs to be explained in more clear detail.

I wonder if many of you remember back to before there was such a tool as a Flat Iron? That was about 20 years ago - I had ordered my first one from England and was the star of the Academy - while going to school. Everyone - even the Instructors would ask politely to borrow it. To where we are today, where you can buy a teeny-tiny one that actually works and hang it on your key chain ! There is only one reason that I don't sell the very best Flat Iron (which no one ever talks about) on the store's web site - - I just cannot bring myself to sell something that is soooo bad for your hair.  Think about what happens there .... you open two flat metal plates that have been heated to at least 250 degrees, lay a section of hair ON ONE PLATE ... then close the other heated plate down and hold them together as tight as possible and slide the hair through. That whole concept is just COMPLETELY NUTS!

C-O-M-P-L-E-T-L-Y  f'n  N-U-T-S !

For so long when the Flat Iron was this new novelty - I had this knot in my stomach knowing what would happen....I had no idea how bad it would get. I haven't talked about FIA in quite a while - but a quick review right now might be in order. FIA stands for Flat Iron Addiction, and there are millions of 'tweeners', 20 year-olds, and God knows how many other ages that are addicted to running a flat iron over their not-exactly-perfect (but beautiful) hair. Why this is so fascinating to them is because prior to this there was no tool that performed this little miracle. The problems arose when unbeknownst to these new Flat Iron owners ; repeated flat iron passes begin to tear down the structure of the hair. That   frazzled cuticle reflects a frizzy look so the patron continues to make pass on top of pass with the Flat Iron virtually going in a non-ending circle that will never end in that once seen : GOAL of flat - shiny hair.

Enter the room : the THERMAFUSE line of products.

What this line of products has done is create a "patented" complex they decided to call "Proprietary Heat Smart Complex". The theory being that there is a conditioning molecule within the complex that is released when 'heat' is applied. HeatSmart Complex^® combines a silicone molecule with a wheat protein molecule. Together they stay on the hair AND in the hair, penetrating to smooth any frazzled cuticle while also adding shine. The icing on the cake? HeatSmart Complex is accentuated by and activated with heat. Where in the past blow dryers, curling irons and flat irons damaged hair, with ThermaFuse they repair it!

It has been scientifically proven to protect and repair hair from heat...more importantly, when using any type of heat styling (flat-iron, curling iron, blow-dryer) the benefits of the Heat Smart Complex are multiplied by 3 times over use at room temperature. 

 Now that is brilliant...simply brilliant.Finally someone has focused a product line on exactly where the damage comes from. So many people try to blame hair color.....or lightener......or ammonia......or peroxide.......... or highlights for the damage to their hair.  

NOTHING is more responsible for damage to your hair . . . than heat

I PROMISE YOU,  if one of those other options, was the culprit ... we would have many options to cure the 'damage-problem'.  But because 'heat' is the root of most every persons 'damage' problem ... people don't want to hear it, they grab at straws and want to accuse, ammonia / bleach / developer / environment as the problem to their hair damage. It just isn't so.  Pull one little hair from your head....look at it. See how thin and small and fragile it looks....???? Well, that little tiny hair is still little and tiny when you are wrapping it around a metalized round brush and then BAKING it with a Hot Blow Dryer at the same time in order to form a wave or a curl. Its still fragile, it still doesn't like heat. I'm sure every single one of you has burned a hair accidentally - if you haven't or you forget . . . please pull one off your noggin' and light it up over the sink. Just let the warmth get close to that one hair and watch what happens. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE TIME.... the flat iron or any of the hot tools are used. 

So, what I propose is the following:

• Try to guess at the amount of hours you use your weapon of choice (flat iron, curling iron, blow dryer, hot rollers...). If you style your hair every morning before work, just ballpark the minutes. Or from whatever your weekly pattern: try to write down how long your best guess is. If you can just cut back by 1 hour of hot tool use, you will be helping more than you could ever realize. Or move to an every other day schedule - just some sort of cut back.....it will help tremendously - I've seen it.
• Try to wait till your hair cool's down before re-using. I find many of you will re-peat a flat iron pass OR  round brush roll when the hair is done, its completely dry and finished and many just keep going. A great trick is to clip the hair into place while you move to your next section. Let it cool that way, its what all runway hair stylists do for optimum results.
• Get yourself a good hair Sunscreen, all those rays need to be kept from the layers of your hair. Redken makes a great one. Color Extend Sun, we carry in our store 
• 
  
......purchase direct - Redken Sunscreen for Hair

• Get Gleam & THRIVEN - Killerstrands top 2 products that I promise you fight damage & dullness created from Heat. Even the sun is detrimental to your hair.

• Begin using Thermafuse products. If you insist on using heat, which to be honest - I understand - then use all heat preventative products at your disposal. Thermafuse's line is amazing. Its Sulfate-Free and has been for quite a while, they are very aware of which ingredients are good for the hair and which are not. Here is a button to purchase any one of the THERMAFUSE shampoos or Conditioners. If you purchase the products here, be sure to include 'which' of the 6 you would like. 
  

To Dye-For Hair ColorTrends (this week !)

Smashing new Hair colors that are top of the Trends on stars and celebs. 

How I used to take these new trends and convert them to everyday people like you and me was to talk to each individual client when in my chair..and see how we could modify it to fit their lifestyle. Remember I have been doing what now has the name: OMBRE .... as Paint Drips and about 10 other "names" we all throw at different techniques we try,  since 1999. Every time I see the way OMBRE has been transformed on every single starlet. . .  well I smile. 

What I think about though is the"next"style - you never want to be giving your clients the trends everyone else is wearing today, you should always be thinking about what's next. Even for all of you at home. Even if you wearing one style, keep your eyes peeled for the next up coming color and cut!

                                                    Krazy Kolors

                      Bright Ass "Reds"

  Krazy Kolor extensions

 

 For Platinums there is the trend of going: ROSE?Soft Rose.....one of my favorites, just wish they had a way of holding that color on the heat for more than 7 days !

                                   ROSE

All the versions of OMBRE

Haircolor's Best Friend : Developer

H2O2 = Peroxide = Emulsion = Developer : What it is and Why You need to Love It

 One of our illustrious readers asked a question about 'developers' and how they worked... and in the process of attempting to send her a link to a Post I had written I discovered there were none !  

Are you kidding me, no wonder some of you have been having a hard time with formulating ....THAT subject is "key" to having some "A-Ha moments"... OMG its up to you all to bring that missing subject to my attention. See how I turned that all around and blamed you, instead of me ! Ha, I am completely sorry, my bad and all that ! You will now learn more than you ever wanted to learn about developers that are half of the entire process of coloring your hair whether it be light or dark.    

A couple blips from research on the web as far as what H2O2 is  & is used for :   

                        

.... Peroxides are found in nature and it is 100% true, they are. So Peroxide is a completely "100% Natural " product. So many of you are looking for "natural" products and want "natural" hair color. Well, using Developer (peroxide)is natural...

.... The main usage of hydrogen peroxide is in production of chemicals (approx. 40%), bleaching pulp and paper (approx. 30%) and bleaching textiles (approx. 20%). Small quantities are used in cosmetics. Hydrogen peroxide is used for hair bleaching and for oxidation in permanent hair dyes and in oral hygiene products such as mouth-rinses and dentifrices as well as in tooth bleaching products.  
So those of you worried about putting it on your hair...you have been putting it in your mouth for years --- get over it...

OK... now for the grass roots explanation and what you will need to know for coloring your hair! 1995: Sassoon declares that the use of the term: Developer will now be used exclusively for all Peroxides. For some odd reason Americans get nervous with the term: Hydrogen Peroxide / or Peroxide ... so to not have anyone nervous we will now be calling it developer. Got it.

 For this Post we will refer to those tubes of color you purchase and are in those Swatch Charts, as 4 different names, in order to get you used to what they are called. They do not have 1 name. 

They are referred to as all of these names:

1. Tint
2. Colors
3. Highlift Tint
4. HairColor

Hydrogen Peroxide :Technical Description

A developer is an oxidizing agent that, when mixed with a oxidative hair-color, supplies the necessary oxygen gas to develop color molecules and creates a change in hair color. Developers, also called oxidizing agents or catalysts, have a pH between 2.5 and 4.5. Although there are a number of developers on the market, hydrogen peroxide  (H2O2) is the one most commonly used in haircolor.

VOLUME : is the measure of the potential oxidation of varying strengths of hydrogen peroxide.
OK here it is: . . . .the lower the Volume ; the less lift is achieved ; the higher the Volume the greater the lifting action. Remember "lift" translates into the word "lighten" .... when going blond you want to "Lift" that color out of the hair so you may achieve a more beautiful shade of blonde. You want to "lift" out that darker color so that you can go PAST the brassy stage. The more lift the better for blonding. It is rare that there is too much lift, I can honestly say I don't think in all my years there has ever been one case of too much lifting. I know that would be one remarkable moment.

Actually that is one of the drawbacks of 'tint'...they just have not mastered getting a lot of "lift" out of hair yet.  Yet, do not get me wrong - the fact that 60 years ago someone discovered this marvel just blows me away ... STILL TO THIS DAY !  You apply Level 10 Blond + 40Volume to Level 7 dark blond (looks light brown) - and that tint combination "LIFTS 3 levels of color out of the virgin Level 7 hair and then DEPOSITS a tone to give it a nice tonal value as well. NOW THAT IS A COMPLETE AND WONDERFUL MIRACLE in MY BOOK !   Do not ever think that is an easy thing to accomplish. That miracle happens only and BECAUSE we have Developer.

So.......... Developer has created this miracle.

 

So when people tell me they have used 30 Volume when going blonde - -  I always cringe. Worried they will have landed at Brass and that is a tough color to get rid of. With Lightener it is not a problem.... because Lightener is not doing two things at once like tint.
Lightener is only LIFTING hair color out of the hair.
Lightener does not "lift" and "deposit" like Hair colors do.
Tint (haircolors) especially highlift colors have 2 jobs....all blonde colors when you are not using them as toners.... have to lift the dark color of the virgin hairout of the hair strands ( all of them) AND THEN... Deposit a Toner on top. I mean there is no incredible feat like that in skin care or in many other personal care categories that I can think of.

 I'm always stunned that so many of you are trying to color your hair and balk at using Developer.    WHY?
You have been gargling with it for years......Bleach your teeth? You have your teeth & mouth and are swallowing it all the time and you never put up a stink about it..That is much more invasive than haircolor. Using it, is a complete miracle....and if you don't want to be near it, then you need to just not color your hair.

Its so funny back in the Academy they had giant drums of 100Volume developer and we were all required to calculate and make gallon containers of 10 Volume 20 Volume, 30 Volume, 40 Volume. Now a days there is every variation in the world which only makes my formulating even more fun & complicated.....There is 3,5,6,9,10, &13 Volume for Levels available below 20....which classifies it as a DEPOSIT-ONLY Volume of developer. All the different Volumes makes for even more fun in personalized hair-coloring.
Here is a basic chart from the book used to study for the State Boards of California.
Oh how archaic this is!

 

This Chart is the standard chart from a long time ago before we began pushing the borders of hair coloring. It shows you how the developers were made to work. But in Chemistry (which is basically what hair formulating is) there are a set of rules with how each Level of colors were supposed to use. 

That is your first introductory Post on Developers, with a lot more to come, just give in and order yourself some hair color. Developer is not your enemy I promise you, it opens all the doors to achieving haircolor that is flawless. Yes, it took me a long time to realize that. Now I look at it with love not hate as I did when I didn't understand how hair color worked. I hope you will to. There will be more posts on developer and all I have learned about it.

James Blonde Series - Bleaching Your Hair At Home

How the State Board Outlines: 'How to Lighten Virgin Hair'

First we will learn the manner in which the State Boards of Cosmetology require this technique be accomplished. Yes, each state may have little variances from this exact description....but the California State Board is "supposedly" the toughest in the USA. We have some absurd amount of hair stylists here - over 100,000 - is the figure I'm pretty sure I remember hearing, so they try to keep the standards up.

 It is my opinion, after running this Blog/Group and Store for 5 years, that this battery of test include NOTHING in how to formulate hair color. I mean, that should be the number 1 thing they teach them (in my opinion). So I don't put a whole lot of stake in their Tests and the Hair Stylists that become licensed any longer. 

Implements and Materials

• towels
• comb
• gloves
• plastic clips (not metal - bleach & metal do not go together)
• tint cape
• plastic tint bowl
• shampoo
• peroxide
• finishing rinse (Intensive)
• cotton
• note card - for recording times/results
• tint brush
• lightener
• timer
• protective cream

Preparation

• Perform a preliminary Patch Test, 24 hours prior to Lightening procedure. ( See its required by law !)
• Perform a Strand Test ( this is the best advice the State Board has ever come up with)
• Apply Protective (Barrier ) Cream around hairline and over the ears
• Record the results from both Tests and log on computer as well.

PROCEDURE

• Divide hair into 4 sections
• Put on protective gloves
• Prepare the lightening formula you are using for this procedure, which in real-life would be the Oil-Lightening Kits found in the store http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/killerstrands-oil-bleach-kit 
• Apply the lightener. Begin the application where the hair seems the resistant, which would be in the back quadrants. First outline the quadrants with the lightener, moving quickly, proceed by starting with 1/2" OFF-OF-THE-SCALP and then along the parting and up "to" but not  through the ends. The ends have nothing on them - Zippo ! Apply the lightener to the top and underside of the subsection in quick, rhythmic movements.
• Place strips of cotton at the scalp area along the parts to prevent the lightener from touching the base of the hair. Complete all four sections in this manner.
• Continue to apply lightener, double check the application, adding more lightener where needed. Do NOT comb lightener through the hair. Keep the lightener moist throughout the application by reapplying as the mixture dries. Many Stylists don't understand that concept, but, Lighteners dry out very easily -so using more developer help keep the mixture moist....which then keeps it working steadily.
• Check for lightening action about 15 minutes before the time indicated by the preliminary Strand Test. Spray a hair strand with water and remove the lightener with a damp towel. Examine the Strand. If it is not light enough, then reapply the Lightener and continue with the application until all hair is as light as desired.
• Remove the cotton from the scalp area, prepare a fresh batch of lightener to apply to the base (scalp area) Apply the lightener to the Scalp area (NOTE: there has been NO lightener on the first 1/2" to 3/4" closest to the scalp - until this time) with a 1/4" parting. Process. According to your strand Test, if needed apply whatever is needed to the ends to bring all 3 area's of the length of the hair to the same color. 
• Rinse the hair thoroughly with lukewarm water , many people will have a tender scalp after this procedure so go forward carefully . . be gentle and using cool water  to help soothe the scalp and hair. Use a gentle sulfate-free shampoo and perform a light and quick shampoo. Rinsing thoroughly. Apply a pH balancer (Intensive - which uses many oils and plant extracts to calm the hair and scalp after that procedure is perfect - athough it is not mentioned in the State Board Description of this procedure.)
• Neutralize the alkalinity of the hair  (by using INTENSIVE - OOPS !) Then use THRIVEN ...overnight ........creates both a healed scalp and hair color.
• Towel-Dry the hair, or dry it completely under a cool dryer. If you must style and go.

• Examine the scalp for any abrasions. Analyze the condition of the hair.
• Proceed with a Toner application if desired, needed or wanted !
• Perform clean-up of entire area and check to be sure client is clean and perfect !

Now that is the technical and stuffy directions with have loosened up TREMENDOUSLY from when I went to school, let me tell you .
Now, I will be back to explain How to Lighten Tinted Hair in a day or 2.
Plus all about Toners and any other subjects having to do with Blonds.

Killer Chemist

Chalk It Up to Hair : Semi-Permanent Color - Perfect For Tweens or YOU!

There is a new hoppin' Hair Technique that has been around the last month out here in crazy California they are referring to as: Chalking (I was hoping a new name would blossom). I tapped dance around the idea of carrying the Chalk I found to be the best...but there are already a million and one online stores carrying it. Some of these hair fads come and go so fast here in California - the feathers were in and out in 30 days I swear. ...I don't know what happens in the rest of the country. Please..........enlighten me.

What I did was find the chalk that works the best. This brand has 442 different colors and each stick is less than $6.00 ! I put together a kit that makes this particular chalk work to the optimum - we tried it with and without and I promise, the kit is not a waste....it includes my Instruction Sheet of how to apply so you look cool and not like you just missed the chalk board !

•  CHALK-IT-UP KIT

• Malibu2000 Color Prep treatment packet - preps hair for brilliant color
• 2 prs Gloves
• Teasing brush - there is a trick to making the transfer from one color to the next is smooth
• Setting Spray: This "sets" the Chalk in the hair and keeps it as brilliant of a color as you originally chose
• Shower Cap (terry cloth inside)

The Chalk-it-Up Kit : $19.85

http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/chalk-it-up-kit-make-chalking-the-hair-last

Finally I can get some of you to go a full week in between shampoos, because as soon as you have this in your hair you will be running from the shower .

As you can see below the Sennelier brand of pastel chalk is the dynamite one... NOT oil chalk.....that is a big "no-no" so careful on that one.

 

Sennelier Brand of Pastel Chalks ONLY

 

  

It looks sooooooo much fun, I cannot see why EVERYONE can't try it . . . bring out that artist in everyone of you.................and enjoy.

Killer Chemist 

The Bleaching series continues, with the next post...