Reachin for Bleachin' - Why Is My Hair Yellow & Not Beige-Blonde ??

How light is "white"
when bleaching the hair the only answer is "WHITE"like you see in this photo - everyone can achieve this.You MUST use an oil bleach to protect the hair from damage though!

Lighteners / Decolorizing

Lighteners are the chemical compounds that lighten hair by decolorizing the natural hair pigment. I try to explain hair color education in as many ways as I can possibly think of to help everyone understand the theory behind it.

 I like you to understand so it helps you learn how to get yourself out of problem situations. I listen to how distraught everyone is and it really breaks my heart, so the more I teach the more I want you to do your part and READ ! ! 

In order for me to explain what "blonde hair" IS.... I need you to think of hair strands as tubes..... Picture color in tubes, and lets just say the tubes are hair strands.....those hair strands (or tubes are filled up with hair color or pigment that IS your hair naturally, or if its  colored then you have put in there by applying some of your old hair color applications....

 Make sense so far?

Then here comes the Tint brush with the lightener and developer mixed with it to be applied to those tubes....or hair strands.....as soon as the lightener formula (powder or liquid) is mixed with the hydrogen peroxide, it begins to release oxygen. This process is known as oxidation, they call permanent hair color of ANY type ....OXIDATIVE hair coloring.....because of that process that takes place at just that moment.... and it is permanent.......because it occurs within the cortex of the hair shaft.

Hair lighteners are used to create a very light blonde shade that is not achievable with permanent hair color and it is referred to as Bleach. Bleach means lighten if you look the word up up in the dictionary....it does not mean all the terrible things everyone has conjured up in your minds. The one and only reason you have terrible things conjured up is beCAUSE some damn hairstylist has applied bleach and then done what you are not supposed to do she OVERLAPS it the next time she gives you a re-touch..... 

...........and having lightened hair means you are NOT supposed to lighten it on top of the already lightened part AGAIN ! ! ! You are only supposed to lighten the dark part...... and THAT is what gives you a bad feeling about Bleach. Its the Hair Stylist who applied it incorrectly. It actually is thought of as our most useful and loved tool by all top colorists. It just needs a person properly educated to use it. All you need to know is in our Blog, just put the words "blond, bleach, lightener" in the SEARCH Bar and you will learn everything you've always wanted to know!


Otherwise bleach is the single most useful and most handy product in a Colorists arsenal for changing hair color - PERIOD !

The lightest color one can achieve using hair color is with the type of color called HIGH LIFT BLONDING. Every line has their own version of HIGH LIFT blonde tones that ‘claim' to lift 4-5 Levels by using this tube of color plus a double dose of 40 Volume Developer.
Something I have found not to be true.....
 

...So there are 2 ways of going very blonde.....

#1) High lift Blonde's ( which you will NOT find in a HAIR COLOR KIT) these must be purchased as a tube of color and the developer SEPARATELY.

or

#2) Bleach or Lightener : In Powder, Creme, Liquid or Oil form.

As a seasoned colorist I have learned that very few of them actually do lift that much color, especially when you are dealing with the entire head or large sections of hair.. When doing something small like highlights most likely you can get the 4 -5 levels of lift (lightening) as you are using foils ( which add HEAT > Heat helps color work faster - and more intensely - altho it is tougher on the condition of the hair) …it all depends on the texture and porosity as well ...just like in all lightening procedures.

THE DECOLORIZING PROCESS, which in common terms is bleaching!

The hair goes through different stages of color as it lightens as you can see in FIGURE 16-19. The amount of change depends on :

· how much pigment the hair has ( how light or dark)
· the strength of the lightening product
· the length of time it was processed
- the texture of the hair
- the porosity of the hair.....etc....

During the process of decolorizing ( Bleaching), natural hair can go through as many as 10 stages FIGURE 16-20. The most common problem? would be when you see yellow hair..which would mean what? Check the stages....

As the hair is lightened....it works its way up the chart... if it stops at "gold"level 7 or even "yellow/gold"level 8...

it means whatever lightener has been used  has not been left on long enough....

Most people do not understand that....I think I have 20 questions alone just today (1/26/2016 )  about why their hair is yellow and what should they do about it.....

Be very careful . . I am not promoting everyone going out and leaving bleach on for hours and hours...or putting it on 2-3 times - like I do.

It takes constant monitoring...it needs to be washed off the minute it hits level 9 or 10 if you can.
If you have dark brown hair the color will go from brown to orange quickly.
BUT, then going from orange to Pale yellow will take multiple applications.....that is the only way to achieve properly lightened hair.

This chart show the levels

 But the answer to those with gold hair and why is it  yellow or gold? 
9 times out of 10, the hair stylist PANIC - stricken ....took the bleach off....then frantically tried to cover it up with a toner....so for a couple days you have"OK" hair color ( I use that term VERY VERY LOOSELY ! ! ! !)
Then you shampoo it a 3rd or 4th time and you think YOU did something wrong when all along it was a badly trained hair stylist. 

From my point of view 2 out of 10 Hair Stylists know how to color correctly. I worked in 2 very cool Salons in Malibu. In both of them they had over 20 hair stylists but in each there was me and 1 other person I would trust to color my hair and that is the average in LA. where we have the top school in the world. ! ! !

Not all hair will go through all 10 degrees of decolorization. Each natural hair color starts the decolorization process at a different stage. Remember, the goal is to create the correct degree of contributing pigment as the foundation for the final haircolor result.

The hair is never safely lifted past the ‘pale yellow stage’ to ‘white’ with lightener. Going that light with bleach even oil bleach causes excessive damage to the hair strands. One must be a seasoned hair colorist when going into the light blond range....we know how far we can go and be safe...and its nothing you can really 'teach'...... its simply experience!

10,000 HEADS of hair I had colored 1 year before I was diagnosed.
 Here is a chart I made so you can see what I am talking about......
It shows the color of hair and the arrows indicate each application of bleach to the hair!

I can tell by clearing the color off of a strand of hair EXACTLY what stage its at, so that prevents me from leaving the color on too long. 
Now the problem with most bleaching or lightenings you see on the street are done at home? 
The main problem all of you who have contacted me today is you need another application of OIL LIGHTENER>>>> which we sell kits AND i KEEP THE PRICE DOWN BECAUSE OF ALL THE PEOPLE i HEAR THAT NEED THEM......

WHEN YOU ONLY  bleach the hair once.....look at the chart above.... the color leaves the hair REALLY REALLY fast on the first APPLICATION as you can see it dips almost 3 full levels.....THEN, it gets stuck and that is where the majority of America gets stuck .... see where the arrow is after application #1 its on 5. ORANGE!!!.....some of you get lucky and it passes orange and lands on what we call BLORANGE... the chart calls it orange/Gold....I don't care what you call it.......
its hideous.
The only way to get out of this mess is to keep lightening the hair. 
I promise you.
What keeps people in these horrific golds & BRASS is FEAR from using  the lightener again. But when I lighten hair I can't wait to use the next application because the next application will get the hair color OUT of this crappie color.

Big shot Colorist's trick?

> use our OIL BLEACH Kit  !

> apply it twice . . . . sometimes 3 times - yep . . .in the same day -- the trick is...in knowing when to stop.

> OIL Bleach continues to work for 3 hours. Each hour the speed at which it works slows down. Therefore, the first hour the bleach is jamming & working quickly, then depending on costs - timing - etc...is how we determine if we are going to wash it out and reapply a new fresh batch or leave it in and let the speed diminish.

Sometimes that will be the best answer.

MY usual protocol : I apply our Oil bleach and 30 volume > 1 inch FROM ROOTS and thru ends.... (apply to roots as very last step).. for last 45-50 minutes.

RINSE

Reapply - new batch of oil bleach on ends and in the last 1/2 hour apply to roots.

Being very careful to use very small sections to apply the product.

Many many moons ago (16 years ago) when I did my very first RADical hair color ( I still have the photos).I took an ASIAN gal (PITCH BLACK hair) gave her a Halo around her face of 1 inch -- surrounding her hairline of WHITE hair.... my mentor wanted me to learn how to get to "white" on the most difficult of hair. Asian hair is the toughest to work on because of its 'texture' (its coarse) and its porosity ( it has none)...But, when you have completed either colour or a dynamic cut on it, it also looks better than any other hair.

So its worth the effort -- if you think that way!

It took from 7:00 AM in the morning to 7:00 at night. But it was a pure snow white HALO with JET black Base that I actually made a BLUE-BLACK so the most extreme contrast possible.

That was the day I knew I wanted to master the art of HAIR COLOUR.... and I never looked back.

It was a very sweet ride and I can honestly and proudly say. . . . I can do do ANYTHING in the art of hair color...anything and everything.

Even ended up making up some procedures like "tattooing" hair....

I would bleach white the hair and then paint a Tattoo on the back of the head at the base this was 15 years ago so very early on tin the world.

Back in the day I was not so into computers... so i didn't take photos of all my crazy work when i should have
 I thought I would be doing hair forever I never knew something like this woud take me down....I always thought I'll take photos the next time......I could always re-do it...never thinking this would happen...of course...

as a matter of fact computers are the opposite of hair color....so I understand why many of the TOP colorists are not ONLINE, I would have never done this . . .

had I not gotten sick.
Doing hair is working with people and talking to people so sitting working with and ON computers was the absolute very last thing I thought I would have to do in my life......

here is one guy I had some shots of

- lousy photos -

-but you get the idea . . . . He's hispanic so black hair again...

see what color a bleach should be?

WHITE!

He wanted flames to match the flames he had a car painter > paint on his jacket....

for PROM at MALIBU HIGH - -

- - of course!

It kicked ass


I hope you get the idea with what the problem is when you have brass gold or orange in your hair. Invest in our OIL bleach kit, you will be so glad you did, it doesn't damage the hair at all!

Remember once you have bleached white hair using BOOST & BURST can be one of life's better pleasures. 

High-Lift Blonde Versus Bleach . . . Which Is Healthier For The Hair

............. is one of the #1 asked question of going Blonde. The decision for each of your hair should be simple. If there is brass of any sort after using Level 12 with double 40 Volume. Then you should use Cream lightener, If its beautiful after Level 10,11 or 12. Then that should be your choice

Almost always you get 2 different colors from the 2 procedures on the same hair....one person doesn't like the color she gets from the high-lift, but is very concerned about the health of her hair.
Here's what I have experienced:
Certain Level 7''s can achieve a gorgeous blonde with Level 11 or 12 or Level 12 with a booster...
Certain Level 7's cannot - it still has brass in it so you end up constantly applying Toners and purple shampoos / conditioners - - the more you do shit like that - it DOES take its toll on your hair.
The goal is to achieve the lightest blonde so you don't have to use Toners or anything else so that its a color that is beautiful and you can live with it.
If you can achieve that with a Level 12 & double 40V............then that should always be your first choice.

On the same subject, if you use bleach, it should be cream bleach - NEVER POWDER....
and Gleam, Intensive should be used & THRIVEN should always be left in overnight. ...after the application of either, if you take the time to do it right, then you will not have damage.

Aveda makes one of the worst colors and lighteners on planet earth, so I would stay away from that line completely ever again. Never use powder lightener. That's what cream lightener is made for, why don't people use it more???
Its more expensive.
but as a Crib colorist you are only doing your own hair so it shouldn't be that bad
The most important part of blonding are the other steps you do:

• always begin with a Malibu2000 Color Prep package
• apply Gleam to hair then
• use cream or oil bleach if using bleach
  
• use Schwarzkopf 12.19 with Double 40Volume violet developer
• I have had some people get remarkable results from Level 10/69 Illumina, always worth a shot
• the most important step is following the color up with INTENSIVE to bring the pH back to normal as fast as possible - this step helps with shine, stabilizes the hair, locks in the color.....keeps hair healthy.
• Thriven over-night

If you do this every time with 1 -2 Thriven treatments in between you should have

Bleach Re-Touch....Re-Touch .....Who Wants A ReTouch - Part 2 (demo)

Re-Touch, Re-Touch . . the story continues
Part 2 also lost in the weight of this Blog... 
 
In our little project I decided to tackle 2 birds, as I get this additional question and problem all the time. It is the single biggest battle and conflict between clients and Hair stylists there is, and that is the battle between hi-lift blond versus bleach as the best and LEAST damaging lightener. I've spoken about it many times, people get all wrapped up in the "NAME". .for some strange reason the word "BLEACH" just plain and simply freaks people out when a hair stylist mentions it.

ALL people are afraid of the word BLEACH. I still haven't nailed the reason - 'why' - but its a universal problem. Some of it has to do with the fact that they have had bleach used on their hair and it was used incorrectly and destroyed their hair. All hair color if used INCORRECTLY can destroy your hair. But, there are just so many precautions set in place now with professional hair color. Do you realize that is the manufacturers main goal ??? to produce a shiny -- rich -- vibrant -- head of hair color - - I know this because a former best friend of mine was the regional VP for a large European Hair Color manufacturer. Remember your hair color is their calling card, that is why they strive to have the best color possible, its not something that one can hide, hair color is right there....IN YOUR FACE!

 But I can tell you that I have seen 50 times more destroyed hair from people using Boxed Hair Color Kits than from clients whom have used the bleach - wrong. So why isn't there a big terror factor with the words Boxed Hair Color Kit ? ? There should be, there really should be. ..


Today we will go into applying the high lift blonde on one quadrant in the proper mannerr . . . and then applying Killerstrands Oil Bleach  (so gentle and moisturizing) to the right back quadrant. 

This way we can see twice how to apply a re-touch. . . showing you no matter what color or product you are using a re-touch is a re-touch and its all applied the same way. Here are your supplies and some gloves!

Now on this Mannequin I was told her hair is completely natural with no treatments on it to prevent my color from working exactly as it would on a human head. But you just never know. I'm going to bet that she will end up with Level 7-8 roots. . . . 8 at the very lightest . . .but Trixie is a mannequin with tricky hair - so we will just have to see.



The 2 back sections we will be working with today. Left will be the high-lift Blond and the right will be the Killerstrands Oil Bleach. Treat each section as its own little quadrant. Don't even think about the rest of the head when you are working on the one section. It will help with your speed. Being able to apply the color quickly is a tremendous advantage, and the only trick to learning that ? ? ?

Is ............PRACTICE................. PRACTICE ................PRACTICE....... !
                        


 Always start with outlining the section - FIRST with the color or bleach.
have color on the brush so you can flip it around and apply color after you have parted off section.
Its a little tricky at first - - but again - practice - practice -- practice which is why

<<<<<< LOOK HERE
Working from the bottom of the quadrant to the top:
in 1/2 inch partings again, I really encourage all of you to purchase a doll head and use her to practice on - this is your new hobby - - take it seriously and purchase the products you need to begin a new hobby 

. .There are about 20 different mannequins - so any thing you want is available. 
If you want me to carry them, please just fill in the FEEDBACK button on store....
 

  Apply the product to the top and bottom  of the parting/roots - at the same time, to enable you to move quickly - which will help you get the job done quickly.


You will notice the partings go up the head within a quadrant till reaching the top.


Now for interest in this project I have decided to apply bleach to the other side back quadrant . . . my absolute favorite 'on-the-scalp' bleach is Killerstrands Oil Bleach, you cannot get Oil Bleach ANYWHERE in the country, currently, but here. I will not do a bleach and tone without it. It leaves the hair in the best condition while also lightening the quickest and leaving the most striking tones. Its available in our store. KILLER COLOR CLINIC, you join our group first for access to the store. We like to remain small - quiet - and personal, there are 3 of us.... to help when you make a purchase with guidance and help on the products you choose.
We are trying to promote HAIR COLOR as a new American Hobby and want to get it off the ground on the right foot.
So lets start the Bleaching side . . . 1st Step? Again OUTLINE the quadrant with the Bleach.

So this section is done the exact

same way as the high lift blonde. I

encourage all of you to practice

the DIP- PART - FLIP & APPLY

TECHNIQUE- once you get it

down, your application will go so

quickly and smoothly you will think

you were a PRO!. Seriously, its not

that hard and once again all it takes

its a little PRACTICE PRACTICE

PRACTICE

There you have it, the 2nd quadrant completed. I hope you got the feeling of working on each quadrant as its own little project...zipping through the slices with DPFA
the faster you get the better your retouch is going to look, so each time you will get a little better and faster.

Time for them to 'cook', is what I like to call it.
Then when doing 1-1 1/2 ' of hair it will take 65 minutes, after that the procedure is always the same...........
Rinse for 5 - 10 minutes with clear luke-cool water.
Follow with INTENSIVE on entire head..........apply more on new color ...............process 30-90 minutes. rinse and Tone with
MATRIX SPV + SPN...10Volume
or
Color Touch 8/1  (darker blond) + 13Volume


I'm always calling the two hobbies the same - - - cooking and hair . I feel hair should be as natural and as organic and as fun as cooking I suppose, that may sound strange but I feel it can be . Can you imagine if you would have been offered a class in "Hair Care" or "HEALTHY HAIR" and then the advanced class was "HAIR COLOR 101 " in High School, what a great and productive Elective that would have been! Can you imagine the amount of people that would want to take the class ?

Any questions? Please leave them in FEEDBACK button in store please. . . Have a great weekend everyone - I love you all . . . .
This is a RE-POSTING of a lost Post from 2007 !

KILLER CHEMIST
Killer chemist

Pink Hair By Use of Pink Toners

 All you ever wanted to know about Toners . . .

Pink hair is only achieved by using a Pink Toner. Pink Toners are made in 2 different manners...the first being as you see here....bleach the hair soft yellow.... That is why you never choose the color you want by the color in the tube. If you were to use Soft Pink you will never EVER achieve this color. Always start darker!

There is a unique class of hair color called 'Toners' and... since beginning Killerstrands, I have always had a difficult time explaining them to both the public & hairstylists. Not much about Hair color formulation is just easy to understand, but if you promise me you will just keep reading concepts you don't understand...I promise it will come to you. Why is it not just a snap, to understand?
Because. . . It involves many different fields:

• Art knowledge (Color Wheel)
• Chemistry Knowledge ( How developers & hair color work)
• Cosmetology Knowledge ( understanding the art of changing hair color)  
• Experience, So much of what I know comes from 10,000 heads of hair in my chair

The Level System means how Light or dark your hair is. The number that is first on the box of color is the level the color is that is inside that tube.

Lets start with the tube of color on the right ( X.Factor !) --->



The tube on the bottom is 5.18






That means the color is a Level '5'  which is what level this young lady with the headband has:

 All the numbers AFTER the dot . or after the slash / in any hair color line is the demonstration of the "tones" in that particular tube of color.
The next number on our lower box of color is a "1"  ...  which means "Ash" . Because the "1" is first, it means the Ash tone in this particular color is the strongest tone.
The second number is "8" which in this line stands for
chestnut brown.

So all together this color is a Level 5
                                                Ash
                             Chestnut Brown

Now you do the color on top ......Level_______
                                  Tone 6 : Red
                                  Tone 2 : Violet

Just to make things confusing not every single line has the EXACT same tones, but every year I watch more and more lines start to go with what everyone considers "Universal".

There are no real books that teach these concepts in 'layman's terms'... and you cannot teach complicated concepts to NEW students without using simple explanations.  I keep hearing that Cosmetology Schools across this country give the Killerstrands Blog as required reading before they start working on people's hair.  Scary, huh?
See, those of you that read and begin understanding the concepts I teach you are miles ahead of NEW
Hairstylists. Take control of your hair by coloring it yourself. It truly is not that hard.
 I always insist you learn the Level System, there is no way around that, so if you give up, you will not understand how haircolor works. I feel since I started this I just have not come up with the perfect explanation as to how it works... I keep trying though ! I have tried many different examples.. including exactly what they teach in HAIR ACADEMY...
 But, I'm not quitting now, so I will keep trying.

What is a Toner?
A toner is defined as an "Opaque" haircolor, that is used with a very low volume of developer - that merely adds a translucent color -- laid on top of the current color.  It began with the 2-Step Process called a Bleach & Tone - way back in the Marilyn Monroe days. She would get her hair bleached white - then need a "toner" to get rid of the yellow ( ... I can guarantee you everyone has a certain amount of yellow when doing this process) . Yep, even Gwen Stefani needs a toner after her bleach touch up.

I would say ... one of the top 10 questions asked a Colorist year in and year out, is, 'what is a Toner'?? I have always explained them as similar to a nylon on the leg....you know when a person has a white leg....and then instantly it is 'tan'...I'm a redhead I've HAD to wear nylons since the age of about 12 my legs are so damn scary!But regardless of that, that change is what a Toner does... it "coats'' the hair and adds a tad of gloss. I love them and they are used in the TV and Movie industry all the time. Did you watch the Emmy's ?? Most of them would have a toner that morning....but again they spend an entire day getting ready for a couple hours.

Yes, I would say 8 out of 10 people wanting Toners are Blondes. The look above is huge right now.... she has platinum hair underneath then uses a custom color ( which I am happy to give the formula's for with order- - purchase 2 colors, write in "notes" box : ''I need the formula to create "rose-gold" or whichever color you desire''.

 But that is not to say they are exclusive to them. For anyone darker than a Level 8, you would use a toner to mainly help you get a couple weeks more life out of your gray coverage. I see all these goofy mascara's & sprays & the goofiest of all is that one you put little fibers all over your head. I will never for the life of me understand why you wouldn't just apply a toner to the roots only. So if you want to get longer life out of your color - - lets say it is our beauty from above.... she is a level 5 . . . lets pretend she has 40% gray and wants to make it last another week. All you have to do is use your regular color : The formula for this color is: LANZA 5N + 6A +20V, which is your every 6-8 week formula. But you want to get another 7-10 days out of the color ...just mix the color plus 10 Volume or DEMI - developer and and apply the color to the roots around the face and parting and a little bit deeper in all areas. It will take you the same amount of time as all those other tricks that are for sale, but this will last more than 1 night till your next shower. ! Yes, it is a toner.... then you can see how a toner helps your hair along with covering up your gray....shampoo out and treat with INTENSIVE if you have time, but is not at all necessary.


 I wish hair color manufacturers would concentrate on this category. Instead they come up with these mickey mouse "foam" hair colors. . . .in which the entire concept is nothin but a gimmick - NEVER USE THOSE + they are  horrible for the health of your hair.

Remember, when you re-color your hair every 4-8 weeks, only color the new growth, hair color is not made to apply on top of itself over and over ....which is what foam is designed for  and all the other silly gimmicks you see on stores shelves. Use your head, check in here, join our group and if you are making a purchase... just click that FEEDBACK button on the stores pages for a response for help.

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

Blonde, James Blonde - Blonde is a Science - its Not Guesswork

I’m Furious w/ Gwen Stefani – James Blonde Series #5

Lately, Gwen Stefani has had commercials running swearing she lightens her hair at home with some fricken’ L’Oreal box-o-crap. There are very distinct ‘laws’ against that type of advertising in our country and the Hair business is not immune from them, I wish someone had the (b)alls to fight the ‘false advertising’ aspect. I know – that is not what she uses. She wears a wig in the commercial, and the one and only reason I care is because I want “YOU” the consumer and hair aficionado not to follow in her footsteps. If you do you will NOT end up with her hair color, I promise you. When I began this Blog 5 years ago, I had a completely different take on the whole idea of commercials – I know they are illusions – I worked on dozens of them, my daughter works on hundreds of them. But for me… 5 years later and thousands of tearful emails from you – I’ve learned my lesson to guide you more than let you think the advertisements are authentic.

Lets say we took 20 people – all 20 of them wanting Gwen’s gorgeous hair color – 19 of them will have horrific results – that 1 that is left began as a VIRGIN Level 8/9 to begin with, had NO prior color on her hair and I promise you she had the luck-of-the-Gods at her back. There is a science to the art of lightening hair, it is not guesswork, I promise every single one of you.

Normally, I would not bring the false advertising to YOU, which only gives it MORE publicity….but she herself … busted her own deception to you the unsuspecting public. Play both . . . see if you can see what I am referring to. But, PLEASE – PLEASE do not run out and purchase this product because it is on my Blog – it is here to show what NOT TO DO.

In the 2nd Video, is the final commercial. It’s a wig. I’ve done commercials like this, I’ve used wigs. We all do it. I am guilty as well. I never knew what damage it was doing, until I jumped the fence, and came to the side of the consumer. I am happier here. It’s a wig. I am certain the way around the lie is:she would claim she uses the color on “her wigs”…. like so many rock stars she has an entire room devoted to her wigs/hairpieces. How do you feel about that ? ?

Remember, when someone is worth millions, the very last thing they will do is send their assistant to CVS / Target to buy a box of hair color. IT JUST NEVER HAPPENS. Please don’t fall for it. I hope to explain this week all about going Platinum – and why this could not be the case: Gwen Stefani ‘leads’ you to believe..

Many people think the Art of hair color is guesswork…I’m here to tell you: it is not. What do you think happens if a ‘virgin’ redhead, a medium blond, a light blond, a brunette, dark brown and the most common color in the world: Black haired person runs into Wal-Mart and purchases the same Platinum box hair color? Each person will have a different result…and as I said only 1 will be OK. The rest will come to this web site or the local Hair Colorist in tears looking for help in covering up the disaster. Terrible…..don’t you think?

The Science of going Blond

I know that we all wish the rules for hair coloring were : just apply and “POOF” it was the exact color you desired….but unfortunately they are not. There are a set of rules to go from point A to Point B….so choose the set that apply to YOU & never lose them.

Platinum Hair

If you have previous hair color on your hair …….you must follow 1 set of rules.

If you have previous hair color on your hair and the color is a Level 8 or lower ……. you will follow another set.

If you have previous hair color on your hair and it is a Level 8 or higher – you would follow yet another set of rules.

There are 4 classifications of lighteners:

1. Powder Lightener
2. Cream Lightener
3. Oil-Bleach Kit Lightener
4. Hair Color (Tint)

All 4 are useful for specific techniques..so one cannot say one is better than the other…that is not how it works.

Powder Lighteners are used primarily for ‘off-the-scalp’ applications – I would say right now in todays Salons across the country – is the number 1 lightener in use. It never was for me, because I spent a lifetime of trying to talk people down from the whole “highlighting” look….there are many other techniques to use besides that one. Powder lighteners are the quickest of all lighteners – which is why Stylists like it. The more people getting foils in one day the better. http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/framesi-decolor-bleaching-powder

Cream Lighteners are used for more ‘control’. They don’t drip, they are infused with oils and conditioners, they work a little bit slower, but I never worry about speed. You may use foils if you want to hurry the processing time up, the heat generated by foils (is why we use them) .http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/framesi-decolor-bleaching-cream

Oil-Bleach Lighteners: are the only one used for on-the-scalp. http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/killerstrands-oil-bleach-kit

High-lift Colors or Level 8–9-10-11 & 12 : in a professional line of color are more for a subtle blonding effect. Remember, these are used to lighten and are gorgeous but their effectiveness really only works on hair that is virgin (no color). Many times that is why they cannot being used. If you have virgin hair, I always encourage these first.

More in depth blonding advice this week. Stay tuned !  http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/x-factor-hair-color

Killer Chemist

Strand Lightener Re-Touch - James Blond Series #4

Once you have lightened your hair significantly, many do not think of the future of that step. It can be overwhelming to some, and actually exciting to others.

 As part of being a great Hair Stylist I always felt that it was MY duty to think about what each client would do "in the future. As Crib Colorist, you all MUST be that person to yourself. Do not just blindly decide one day to go buy a box of hair color that says it is Gwen Stefani's Platinum. As much as I used to admire Stefani, lately I cringe when I see evidence she has signed with L'Oreal and "claims" she got her hair color from the company of the same name. It is completely and utterly impossible. But, she 'sold-out' -- she wears a wig in the commercial, that wig is tinted with that horrible Color-in-a-Box crap she is promoting. I would bet big....no huge.........money on that fact. I need to stop doing that, back to the topic.

When thinking about the future as you decide to lighten your hair, remember this is where the term "High Maintenance" began.

Depending on your Virgin Hair Color  get set for some dark roots to begin growing in round about the beginning of the 3rd week. For those starlets whose hair color I took care of we would re-touch approx. every 14-16 days to keep it fresh all the time. I have learned that frequent re-touching should NOT be done by Crib Colorists. Why? Close care needs to be taken that NO overlapping takes place, and it cannot be done on oneself. This piece of advice varies from what I recommended at the beginning of this Blog. I have realized many of the standards I had for myself as a busy Malibu Colorist, just don't work for Crib Colorists. The soonest I would recommend would be at 4 weeks....for general public I don't think anyone came to me for lightening re-touch before 4 weeks. I know it seems weird, but the rules we have for Celeb's are - in fact - just for them.

When you re-touch lightened hair (of any type) care must be taken to only apply the new color to the NEW growth . This is where a Cream Lightener really shines as a product, of course, only if you have Level 11 or 12 platinum Blonde.  The consistency of the Cream Lightener (Framesi or X-Factor) http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/framesi-decolor-bleaching-cream    is such that it PREVENTS overlapping. Remember my little rule that I repeat over and over for 5 years now : Use the Right Tool for the job !  With the lightened re-touch in Level 11 or 12 :

• Cream Lightener and 20Volume (no higher) is your option - process 30-55 minutes checking at 30 and again every 10 til desired result

For those of you that choose the lower blondes = level 8-9-10 ... Use a color higher than the Level you wish to become .......apply with 40 Volume apply to the regrowth exclusively  . Process for 75 minutes with low heat from a Diffused hair Dryer !

Another superb blond in the X-Factor line I have not talked about, is 11.20 - Level 11 colors are usually very interesting and beautiful. Try one. http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/x-factor-hair-color

hope -that-helps

hth

Killer Chemist  or 

KC