Hair Color HEADS To the Stratosphere : Alkali, Hydrogen Peroxide & Ammonia

As much as no one wants to talk about the technical part regarding Hair color, I want you to make yourself read it and re-read it, a light-bulb will come on I promise you. My first career couldn't have been farther away from being a Hair Colorist ( professional athlete) ...........therefore if I can learn this crap..so can you ! ! ! ;)

THE  EFFECTS  OF  Ammonia  &  HYDROGEN  PEROXIDE

Hydrogen peroxide alone will not lighten hair easily; it alone is not a decolorizer because of its acidic pH level. It must be combined with an alkaline source to produce a chemical reaction with the color dye and the pigment in the hair strands.

The most common alkaline agent used in hair.coloring products is ammonia.

In addition to maintaining stability of the color tint , ammonia swells the hair strand, which helps the dye molecule penetrate the cuticle and cortex layers. Ammonia also acts as a catalyst to activate hydrogen peroxide, which helps the dye molecules to couple and form.

Hydrogen peroxide in combination with ammonia will break some of the internal disulphide bonds found in the cortex of the hair.Now this is what a lot of people will ask me about...."Does bleach break the disulphide bonds in hair?" .......and to be honest I have to tell them YES. But if one uses Gleam prior to coloring that little process and application alone will help prevent those breaks....TRULY and that is because the lipids soak into the hair strands.

This IS IMPORTANT:....

Di-sulfide bonds are responsible for hair's stability and strength

• In a typical hair-color process, approximately 10% of existing disulphide bonds are destroyed. 
• In a high-lift color or bleaching, 15 — 20% may be permanently broken. The destruction of disulphide bonds leads to the production of a new molecule called cystic acid. Although this is an inevitable side effect, an
•  An appropriate protein/moisture balance can be achieved through the Deep OVERNIGHT  THRIVEN + GLEAM Conditioning Treatments I preach about all the time.

I am a true believer that overnight DEEP Conditioning can solve/repair the disulphide bond breaking that occurs when lightening hair. I've colored 15,000 Heads of hair, so the proof of my theories are all from actual experience
I hope this helps you see now, why I say "lightening the hair" weakens the hair strands....while "same Level or darker" hair color "strengthens" the strands. Read the paragraphs over and over a couple times... it will sink in promise.THIS DOES  NOT MEAN YOU CANNOT LIGHTEN YOUR HAIR AND NOT HAVE HEALTHY HAIR !! It means, take precautions before lightening hair by using Lipid replacing oils with ZERO silicone's in them.

• If you understand how the hair gets damaged then it helps prevent you from damaging it, continuously.
• It's important to understand the individual components of hair coloring products and their primary functions.

Essentially, hair-color requires dye and developer to produce a result.

 
DYES
There are two general categories of dyes: oxidative and direct dyes. Oxidative dyes are extremely small colorless molecules that penetrate through the cuticle and into the cortex with the aid of an alkaline substance such as ammonia. 
Direct dyes are pre-colored molecules that coat the surface of the hair and do not require a reaction with hydrogen peroxide and these are called semi-permanent hair color..

 




DEVELOPER (HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

In order for oxidative dyes to form colored dye molecules, oxidation must take place.

 Oxidation is the chemical process of a hair-color dye reacting with a developer to form visible color. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the most predominant oxidants used to develop color.

Hydrogen peroxide can be considered 'super-oxygenated' water, and is categorized by volume — most often 10, 20, 30, and 40. "Volume" refers to the 'volume' of oxygen gas contained in one 'volume' of hydrogen peroxide. It is a measure of concentration.

Each volume corresponds with a percentage level as follows:

Developer (Hydrogen Peroxide)

Volume Percentage of H202 Lifting Ability

10 Volume or 3% Deposits only
20 Volume or 6% Lifts Up to 1 level

30 Volume or 9% Lifts Up to 2-3 levels

40 Volume or 12% Lifts Up to 3-4 levels ......................Memorize these - its easy
 
 

Lower volumes of developer are used for minimal lift and staining techniques. Higher volumes are used when increased lifting of the natural pigment is desired.

Hydrogen peroxide has a dual purpose in the hair-coloring process. First, it reacts with the melanin, breaking down the natural pigment and lightening the hair. This is what is referred to as 'lift'. Second, hydrogen peroxide develops oxidative dye molecules creating 'deposit' into the protein structure of the hair.

Really sit and think about the fact that we can change our hair color any color in the rainbow and beyond. . .  it truly is a magical time for hair color and I love it ! 

Hope This Helps

Strand + Allergy Test to Hair Color and Exactly How To Do Them !

Do a strand test

To avoid any embarrassing 'surprises' or weeks of hat wearing make sure you make time for a strand test before going crazy with any new changing color. It won't take long and will ensure you have chosen the fiercest color. Follow our top tips for stress free dyeing;

Rubber gloves are a must!  

Oxidative hair color and direct dyes (crazy colors) may only be semi-permanent but don't let that fool you! If you get dye on your skin it will stain, and nobody wants their hands to be the same color as their hot new hair so BEWARE!

Safety first, okay, so you have 2 options for testing.

To test the desired color of hair only

Cut off a small piece of hair (If you do choose to cut a strand to test, please note: allergies and skin reactions to dye are not being tested)

To test the desired color of hair only (recommended - color result only)

Choose a hidden section of hair to work with

Next, apply 1 tablespoon of your Crazy Color dye to your sample. Always apply the dye to wet hair for optimum results. (ps. Always evenly coat the strand to maximize full colour coverage, unless it's the tie-dye look you are after of course!)

Let the dye soak in for approx 15 minutes (ps. if your hair is thick or coarse you may benefit from leaving it on for around 30 minutes) before thoroughly rinsing the sample to reveal new color.

Ps. Remember it can take up to 24 hours for any allergic reactions to surface. If you experience no reactions you are free to go crazy and color!

Do a sensitivity test (allergies only)

  Firstly, clean a small area of skin for testing, some people often do it in the inside of the arm or behind the ears as these areas are relatively discreet.
  Squeeze a small drop of dye onto the cleaned area and leave it on the skin for as long as possible – we recommend 48 hours!

Allergies are very rare, but if during the test period you notice any abnormal reactions such as itching, redness or swelling in or around the test area,
 DO NOT APPLY THE PRODUCT
If no reaction occurs you are good to go and can color until you heart is content 

Enjoy One and All

 

KC's Malibu Summer 2015 Collection : Hair Color + Coloring Tools

 Hair Color can tell a story, 
check out this one. . . . just a little color and cut to depict the beach which  miss so much.......

 a little photo expose of my favorite place, the beach....which is just a few miles down the road here. Can't go there anymore because if skin issues, but I spent so much of my youth there and this is  an Ode to the 'bu..............Malibu that is

    

 

 

 

I

 

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend and Sunday 

I am going to shoot a Demo teaching you how to put a few thermal wraps into your hair to give it a little light later on this week so hang tight....

I just discovered the best little Coloring Tool....the Color Thermal Wraps by Product Club they 

• have different sizes/quantities/colors & lenths
• create their own heat ( helps blondes past brass stage)
• only need one fold, where foils are needed 
• incredible time saver .

The SOAP CAP + Your "POST-COLOR Treatment : the Advantages, When Re-Touching Your Color

 I've been asked about Soap Caps for years....at the beginning when the web was new and I was the only one educating the public on professional techniques........ for some odd reason a couple people screwed them up and I felt forever responsible.....when that happens I always delete the Post and make note in my file for Topics : TO NEVER-EVER DISCUSS !
But with all the info out there now, I'm sure someone has hit on that topic a lot of times.... but,    Alas - - - - here is the Sassoon description of how and why to do one.

Lets say you are in our Group and learning how to color your hair the correct way. You have done all my recommendations for your predicament to remove all or most of your old hair color -- prior to beginning your new formula and proper hair color application. Your hair begins to feel light as a feather and most every single person says to me, " wow I didn't realize how junked up my hair was, its starting to feel like normal hair again - it feels so light and soft " ! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that exact sentiment.... (or a light variation of it for 9 years & hundreds of Consultations).

So now you are ready to re-Color with your new formula.
Once you re-color, you will color all the hair the first time ...meaning all the hair
Then every 5-6 weeks all you will have to do is re-color the base (roots).
You process the roots 60 minutes so at 60 minutes you do a professional trick which refreshes the color on your lengths called the SOAP CAP  - ( a term that I have always disliked. It doesn't make sense in my head. It may to you - but not me)
Now you may only have to do a Soap Cap every other time, I only do it 3 times a year but I have so much hair + being sick -- makes it very hard... so it should be a breeze for all of you.
The trick is what we call a Soap Cap. When it gets to 50-55 minutes of processing the straight color on your roots or the entire hair (the 1st time)  this is how you will start. First.............

• with gloves on
• take all the hair and flop it down in the kitchen sink
• mush it all together on top of head, using save movements as if you are shampooing hair .
• Once all smushed together 
• take a 1/4 Cup of bottled water, pour over entire head.......where Color is mainly
• sprinkling every where. . . . lightly. . .  til gone
• begin shampooing the color/water mixture together = this forms a colored lather - making sure you get all hair in the heavy lathery mix.
• Cover with plastic Cap (which you may request with hair Color orders)

This is the SOAP CAP. Now let that soapy-Colorful hair mix sit & process for 5-10 minutes.

• Put head under luke-warm

•  water and rinse 
•  thoroughly...meaning 4-5 minutes longer than you think, there should be ZERO feel of any hair color goop at all in hair.... it should be squeaky clean
• Shake excess water out of hair, apply Killerstrands INTENSIVE,
  
•  pH Balancer & locks in color - the longer you can leave this on the better - I try to plan either leaving  INTENSIVE OR THRIVEN on over night after coloring ....sleeping with a Terry Turban or Sleep cap. I'm telling you if you do that you will be so damn impressed with your hair color and so will everyone else. 
• If you have loads of damage then leave GLEAM on braid the hair and leave it on overnight. APRIL the manager for the Group recently went from black hair to Platinum and her hair really took a tole. I sent her some Gleam and after trying Intensive and Gleam overnight, which helped a LOT............IN one night she said her hair felt completely back to normal after using Gleam and she wondered why I never wrote a post about the wonders of GLEAM - OVERNIGHT ??? Gleam truly works miracles because hair is made of lipids and Gleam is 100% lipids with every single addition strengthening hair...
  
• aloe vera oil
• 2 Vitamin E's
• Chamomile extract.................its just the bomb.....if you have damaged hair, 
•  
• but back to the subject ! !

Now refreshing the ends when you only Re-touch the roots -every 5-6 weeks goes as follows:

• Re-touch the hair by only coloring NEW-growth with color. Then to do the Soap Cap....... Again you can re-fresh the ends with new hair color - only when needed.
• At 55 minutes of color processing the new-growth
• Flop hair in sink
• Take a 1/2 Cup of bottled water - sprinkle on hair color
• Begin smooshing all together.......the color with the water added will lather, which is what you want
• work into lather adding a little more water to mixture if needed - the least amount of water the better, it should feel like a very heavy lather
• smoosh together and pile on top of head & clip.
• Apply plastic or shower cap
• Process 10 minutes
• Rinse with water - no shampoo for 2 days - there are cleaning agents in all hair color for this exact purpose.
• Shampooing anytime in the first 48 hours will fade new color substantially. Do NOT do it. Your hair will feel clean
• Always follow with "Killerstrands INTENSIVE" a pH balancer and color lock and you become "GOLDEN" !
  
  
  

The Level System : what in the Hell, Do All Those Numbers Mean?

I am finding there is a lot of confusion, and mixed up definitions of the numbers involved in the Level System coding on the sides of boxes and within the Level System. I'd like to clear up and clarify some of them.

First of all the Level System which is a system: defined "by numbers" is actually meant to be made "easier" by using those numbers. There are many times I feel they have just traded numbers for Letters and it truly hasn't helped much of anything....but I still teach it and feel it is the best tool we have for defining a 'system' for calculating hair color to be used on your hair in the correct manner.

It is referred to as the Level System of Hair coloring, beginning at Level 1 (Black) ---  all the way to Level 12 (platinum)....with all other colors sprinkled and spread throughout the middle of the two.

Here is the chart of a level 1 thru a Level 12 (after high-lift was added to the system)

Level 1 being Black and Level 12 being Platinum colored hair with all the other colors in between in a gradual scale of dark to light, or light to dark whichever way you choose to look at it.
{ this is a Wella chart -- Wella runs a Level darker which means a Level 2 is a Level 1 - basically}

The same holds true in the Tones.
Do you understand the difference between the two?
Levels are the lightness and darkness of hair color
and

Tones which are created by the way light falls on a object. Hair color tones can be put into three standard categories: warm, cool, or neutral. When I discuss color, or if you are choosing a color from a swatch book, the tones are often indicated with letters.......... standard examples of color tones are:

N = 0 = Neutral. Neither warm, nor cool. 
B = 7 = Brown (neither warm or cool)

Cool Tones
A: Ash............ 1
B: Beige......... 4
B: Blue........... 2
G: Green .......
V: Violet ........ 6
B: Brown........ 7

Warm Tones
C: Copper ( in the red series colors) OR Pearl..... 8 ( pearl means blue-violet based )
G: Gold ........ 3
R: Red ......... 5
( or Blorange) my own assessment of a bleached blond that pulls orangish

(not all company's use the exact same numbers for tones, but I find that each year they are all conforming more and more towards Wella who is really the Grandaddy of all hair color!

 Lets review what a few box ends look like........... so you understand this a little clearer

Here is Wella Koleston Perfect tube & the side of the box.
This color is used for excellent gray coverage, beautiful brow color and an all around beautiful hair color line. I recommend it for hard to cover gray and for battling the Blorange tones, none of us like ( the Matt series /2). Its the only line that does have a MATT series.

The number on the left side of the 'dash' or 'slash'  (EITHER ONE)..... is the Level of color that is in that tube of color. So this tube of color is a Level 6 ....( all colors & tones in this tube are a Level 5 because of Wella running a Level darker than all other lines)

The numbers on the right side of the dash or slash are...........the Tonal qualities within this tube of color. The one closest to the dash is the strongest , the next one being the lesser of the 2 tonal qualities.
Therefore in the above pictured tube is a Level 6 ( my favorite shade of brunette)  with a double shot of just STRAIGHT Brown tone. So no tones, either way no cool no warm....just straight up brown-brown-brown!  Unfortunately hair color has many gray areas that need to be learned by experience....so never expect it to be black and white I'm afraid.

Here is the color the above tube will be............. once applied and dried:

 

This tube from Wella's line Illumina color is listed as a 5/81...............

 So, for this color inside the tube is a Level 5 (I've found that Illumina, runs - only - about 1/2 Level darker)
and the tonal qualities are an "8" which is PEARL in this instance (Pearl has always been referred to as Blue Violet based which would fight any orange/blorange/gold & Brass Tones). Very handy for pretty much all of you! Then Ash which also fights the same tones, so this would be a very beautiful color for those of you with color that is stubborn in fighting those undertones. 
After its been a little while since coloring your hair -- does your hair pull any of those tones:

• blorange
• orange
• brass
• gold

if so then this is your color. You would want to add it to an appropriate Neutral if gray is also your enemy.
                                            This tube of color would look similar to this photo:

 The last tube is Color Touch 8/81 :

Color Touch is a Level 8 - 
8 = Pearl Tone
1 = Ash Tone


This is a great Toner in a Level 8 (7!) use either a 6 or 13 Volume which you would apply to a blond with brass or Blorange tones to it to BOTH...............
remove the annoying Tones 
and to add shine and strength to blonde's


which would look like this photo:

Hairway to Heaven : Remove, Renew & Begin Again (Killerstrands method : Remove Old Hair Color)

Removing Old Hair Color, for one of many reasons:

• lighten hair
• have used boxed (yukky) hair color & desire good quality color
• hair is unhealthy & damaged for one of many reasons
• color hair lighter than current color (the one & only way)

At Killerstrands we recommend a 2 step method to remove old hair color we call:
Remove, Renew & Begin Again.
Spring is the Time of the Year When Everyone comes out wanting to start anew with hair color and cut. 

Remember, VANISH & the Shampoo Train are the one & only Hair Color Removers that do not damage the hair ! 





Having noticed a huge increase in VANISH sales of late - -  which always happens in the SPRING/Summer of every year….it seemed a good time to revisit the process and some of the finer points. While I realize many of you may fear the procedure…I am always so happy to see that many of you are ‘going for it’ and are giving it a try. Let me assure you that I do not sell any products in our store that I feel need any type of super-duper special education to properly apply. I just would not and will not  - -  ever do that to any of you… or your hair.

Once I got into writing this BLOG and analyzing some of the procedures we do as professional Hair stylists: I began realizing how so much of what we do is very plain............ simple........... and it runs very close to cooking which is Chemistry as well.  I always compare concocting hair and hair color products to the same as following a Recipe and cooking a meal. cooking. If you follow the proper directions and theories you will have a good outcome or a poor one – how good the outcome is, always depends on -- how well you have followed the recipe or directions. Yes, its true there can be bad recipes --just like there can be bad formulations for hair color....and it takes time and practice in order to become a good Colorist. 

But to become a decent and qualified Crib Colorist is not that hard, you know why? Because all you have to learn is YOUR own hair................. as a General Colorist in a Salon we must learn how to deal with thousands of types of hair and hair color. Along with millions of different problems and hair combinations and disasters.

All that each of you have to do, to have a great little hobby in Hair Coloring, is to learn your own hair and what to do to YOUR hair, not one other person. I have explained in this Blog the entire method we learned at the best hair school in the country, all you have to do is to study what I have written and I have taught it in a simple manner I promise.

Yes, I guess with so many of you having such poor experiences with bad Hair Stylists  you could have some doubts when you first find us…… On April 15 was our 8th year Anniversary this year !  I doubt we would be around that long if I was a poor Stylist or more importantly a poor teacher. I try very hard in listening to as many of your requests as I can and responding in teaching accordingly. So just know that.

 Same with hair, which is why I do encourage you purchase all options with us that include directions. . . If you follow the directions I give in many of these Posts with the hair color you purchase from us, you will have good results. Unfortunately, there is a lot of counterfeit hair color out there and I just cannot endorse any color you don't get from us. I continue to have people complain to me when they decide to try to save a few bucks.  So, remember that first.

I only have 2 complaints, that is one and the other is  the "timing". All directions in every single color line tells you to leave it on 20 minutes………they never suggest a “long enough processing time! Remember....... It should be 65- 85 minutes for blonding and 45-55 minutes for processing time for any color darker.

     I’m very happy that many of you are taking the proper steps to properly color your hair. VANISH is the one and only hair color remover that works without damaging the hair. The manner in which it works  > > still fascinates me. . . as it truly reverses the way in which the hair color goes into your hair in the first place. No bleaches, no peroxide………….it’s a bizarre process to explain but hopefully as you repeatedly read about it will begin to sink in.

We now have 2 separate types of hair color removers.......Vanish And now De-Cap. Why the new one? Vanish does NOT remove Direct Dyes or Crazy Colors but - De-Cap removes it all ! Which makes it a wonderful addition to the hair color removing category especially being as it works on the same principal as VANISH and does NOT damage the hair AT ALL. It too, shrinks the color molecules of all 3 types of hair color and wipes it right out of the air with ZERO damage. I would suggest purchasing the application sponge at least, because you get a lot more coverage with it.

 

 One of our staffers just applied 6 applications of VANISH, which reminded me I forgot to tell her about the 1st Step which would have saved her a whole lot of time, and headache. 

 I was freshly reminded of the persistence one needs to approach hair color removal. Even yesterday I had the clerk at the supply house ask me what did she do wrong when she just applied Vanish and then her hair turn dark again. What I want to be sure to point out to you, is  - - the first part we call the "SHAMPOO TRAIN.

The Hair Color Removal procedure is not a breeze, so I don’t want to mislead anyone. The good part? It’s not complicated, The Bad?  (once you read directions)…….it IS ‘time-consuming’ and pricey. But nothing.............I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G beats how advantageous this procedure is for the HEALTH of the hair. The Shampoo Train is a necessity to begin with in order to make the Vanish Steps easier and work better. 

The longer you perform each step on my direction sheet the more successful your outcome. Just like anything in LIFE, ‘precisely navigating the steps as long as you are going to take the procedure ‘on’ you might 

as well do the best you can.

I mean not only did we have to apply 6 (common) separate applications – a step I worry many of you may be shorting yourself on – (remember there are 2 applications per box).

 Our staffer – Cassy - - had what is a very common issue I bet many of you are dealing with. She had highlights under her Level 2-3 DARK BROWN hair color… Black .. basically. Now, that type of situation will many times take a minimum of 2 boxes, 3 is more likely and 4 is not out of the question…just FYI. The reason I want you to know is hopefully you will only perform this procedure of hair color removal ONCE in your life.

 Now. . . after this you will have read through the BLOG, learn the 10,000HEADS :14 STEPS and study your color wheel and the Level System. So you will learn clearly how to care for your hair in a new and unique method.



The number 1 mistake most people make in removing their color is: they do not apply enough applications of VANISH. I don’t think in all these years I have ever gotten all the color out in 2 applications… it would be nice if you could…but almost always people are trying to get BOXED hair color out of their hair which is this ‘thicky syrupy gunk’. 

Professional hair color comes out of the the hair much faster/easier than boxed color. Why? because it is not made to color ANY color of hair it is properly formulated for your hair! . Formulating is done by the professional (or you) so the color that was used was the “proper” color for the situation. Boxed hair color is made so it works on any hair without any formulating knowledge necessary. Otherwise why would they be selling it every store in America to A N Y O N E  that wants to purchase it. The color in boxed color kits….uses the E X A C T same coloring process and formula that professional hair color does. There is not one hair color formulation for boxed hair color and another for professional hair color….they are made the same way only 1 has better ingredients (quality).

The difference? You (or your stylist) is taking the answers to the KILLER 14 questions and calculating the proper color to use. When that is done…the color process is done correctly and therefore REVERSING the process works flawlessly. Most people that are looking to remove color here @ Killerstrands, I find, are boxed hair color removal. Which I am very sorry to say is going to be minimum of 4 applications. . . . and upwards of 8 or 10. I had Cassy our staffer, working on the Shampoo Train and using the COLOR PREP and COLOR CORRECTOR packets every couple days (by Malibu 2000) for 5 weeks prior to our 2 days of VANISH applications. . .which completely helped. . .we would have had to do at least 8 apps. if we had not done that…. as it was we did “5” !!   I know - - I know, just keep in mind: this is a one time project….hopefully to never be done again. She had highlights underneath (which btw she neglected to mention until about 1/2 way through) – I was really becoming puzzled by the fact that the procedure was not working very well {after 10 million of these, you truly get a feel for how they should work}.

Malibu 2000Has now come out with a new packet called CPR - or Color Pigment Reducer, so I highliy recommend purchasing a couple packets of this. If you are removing your color once and trying to recolor, that simply will not work, you either to either go ALL IN or forget it. So many people try to take short-cuts, when that simply will not work in hair color. Remember its a science and the rules and laws must be followed in order for the result to come out correctly.

Then I asked her, “ did you have any blond underneath this black? The truth came out about her wanting to get rid of the highlights so she got a box of color from Target and slapped it on, then she did it again and again and again for a year… She will never do that again, and neither should you!ONE BIG TIP HERE: When applying new color ( of any type) you must only color the “NEW GROWTH”……the “ROOTS”………..the “BASE” – coloring over the lengths that have already been colored will do nothing but damage the hair, whether going lighter, the same Level and especially going DARKER…. see this photo . . . the color is applied on the root area and the “lengths” are left out….that way you are not coloring on top of color….it IS NOT NECESSARY, & I promise you is one of the biggest mistakes hair stylists make.



How does hair color get in the hair and stay there >>>??? The molecules of “color’ shrink, then they go in the hair strand through the cuticle…then they EXPAND while in there - - which locks them in there – they can’t leave because they grow and become too large to get out the way they came ‘in’.. Thus, the hair is now the color of those color molecules. VANISH works by reversing that process. VANISH shrinks those molecules that are locked into those hair strands The reason we have a VANISH KIT versus just the VANISH Box?? You need 7 odd little things to complete the application properly plus my personal directions assure you of a perfect application. 




The single most important fact of beginning and ending the VANISHING technique? Making sure the old color is all the way out. With the Kit comes the one trick of a way of checking if all the color is out of the hair or not, that way you will KNOW - - you will have a gauge of when you can stop and be assured that all the color is out.

Now in our little Vanishing escapade… I discovered 2 new wonder-products we recently added to the store I thought I’d point out to you…. (the new Portable Bonnet Cap BLOW dryer system - -  that I was completely impressed with, btw) she had been using it all month long with the COLOR PREP and COLOR CORRECTION packets. What she forgot to tell me was how well it worked. I guess I thought the dryer would blow-up . . . WRONG…. or that it would either be too hot or too cold….WRONG again!. She brought it back and we put it on her ends as we had put pastel colors in her drips for EASTER… OK – YES, it looks goofy, but who cares… it works so well, that just doesn’t matter…..I mean don’t look at yourself.  . . . and the price is sooooooo reasonable. Ours are black, is the only difference. The most goofy looking new tool  - - - and the most EFFECTIVE….LOVE IT!



LOVE IT

The second great discovery is…………really silly but supremely effective and I wished I would’ve had for my entire career. Truly. I’ve already had it posted in the store but getting these posts on here are getting harder and harder for me…I try - - I promise you  - - I try. This little item is an applicator sponge….and as goofy as that sounds…let me explain…….
 

Above is a shot of the little devil . . . One of the problems with VANISH, Malibu 2000 Packets and all those types of products . . . is, the product itself is expensive….even to me VANISH is expensive. So we all want to use every last drop of the product, which is why all Colorists use tube “keys” - - to get every last drop out of the tube. 

Same with VANISH…every little drop of liquid should be used. Over the years I have tried 6 different types of applicators: make-up sponges, kitchen sponges…and most lately I had found these sponge “cloths”… I cut them up and thought that was my final answer to the issue. NOPE! I don’t know why but it must be the density of this particular foam that its absorption and application of the liquid was just awesome. 

You see if you have not used Vanish before: there are 2 bottles inside, Bottle 1 and Bottle 2 - -To look in each bottle you would think you were looking at water. When you get ready to use,  you mix 1/2 the bottle of #1 and 1/2 the bottle of #2 for 1 application. Then tighten both bottles immediately – tight. Use a spoon to mix thoroughly, at this point you would reach for this handy dandy applicator brush. Not even expecting a thing I decided to give this new little contraption a go . . . now our staffer has hair a couple inches past her shoulders – so long-ish. Her hair was completely drenched after applying only 1/2 of the total VANISH liquid..in the bowl….( or 1/4 of the total liquid in 1 box ). That would have never happened using all my other contraptions I had been experimenting with. Plus with VANISH the more you douse the hair with the liquid, the better. 

This little wonder – brush wins my vote for “Tool – of -- the- month”  - - if not the year. But…..this little sponge for some reason holds the right amount of liquid and then disperses every last drop onto the hair strands….why? I have no idea  - - but I was just star struck. Cassy kept making fun of me and my enthusiasm for something so silly. . .
But I love finding a GREAT tool . . .especially at a great price .
That’s probably why Killerstrands has turned into the success it has. . . because I DO care about every little product I bring you . 
Once again - - thank you for your support . 
KillerChemist