Melanin - and Why This Concept is Important to Learn About Hair

We are changing back to LANZA, Schwarzkopf, Wella, & Kaaral for Hair color, I just completed the LANZA page and I will fix the Kaaral page next week. This is great news for all the present redheads and people considering red hair. Kaaral has more reds than any line we have ever seen ! I tested a new line that just came out out called OYA and frankly it did not compare to the lines we carry. They all have recently tweaked their formulas adding violet into their Ashes, which is all colors that 'end' in "1".  Have you noticed that I haven't really spoken too much about that BUT. . . . in every color line they are all getting on board and realizing the advantages of the LEVEL System so now all colors in all lines have the Same number for the same Tone.

We all now know the Level System:
Level 1 
is 
Black Hair

and
Level 12 
is Platinum Hair!

and all the colors in between are obvious, you just go up a little bit or down a little bit for all the Levels in between. We have many many Level Charts in the past pages of this Blog, just put that title in the SEARCH BAR and many references will show up. But, come to think of it... that sounds like a good idea, its time for an updated version of the Level Chart and now a Version of the Tones" (which are the numbers "AFTER" the Dash or the dot in a Hair Color Title on the side of the Box.  
I'm not too sure if I reviewed this as much as it is important and will make your life easier, when you step out to become a Crib Colorist ! 

Here is the side of some Kenra boxes, just happens to be their new metallic's, which I did some strand tests a few Posts back...just FYI ....

But the main point of this photo is to explain what all lines are doing to make it easier for you, in figuring out your Color formula's, which is every one's main problem...pretty much.

This particular color doesn't have a DASH -- or a POINT . in between the Level and the tone....but because no one else has a metallic line they are making it easy by using the first 2 letters of the word. SM or Silver Metallic.

                                                         OR

 This a photo of some Schwarzkopf boxes
you see 5-3.......that is Level 5 Medium Brown  - (dash)  3 , 3 always stands for "Gold"
so if you see a Level 5-3 it will always be approx.Medium Brown then with a 3 - Gold TONE to it as you see here and on and on...

Next is an important Concept no matter how weird the words sound, don't let them scare you....... I will always try to break down a subject and make it easier to understand .

What makes the hair have Color so that it CAN Change to New Colors... and why?
This was an excellent recent question from a gal in our group. Remember, I am happy to tackle any subject you would like me to review in Hair Health & Hair Color, just email the question to : Killerstrands.info@gmail.com color . I t may not happen right away but eventually there WILL be a post regarding whatever you ask !

The molecules in the hair are set in a specific pattern in VIRGIN hair.
Say you applied Demi-permanent color with 13 Volume last December.
At that point, those molecules - change - somewhat and remain like that, even when the color washes out, those molecules do not go back to the beginning pattern NO MATTER WHAT.
As far as the color of hair?
All virgin hair is the result of the pigment inside the cortex called MELANIN. I've known that word for a lifetime, asking my mom "why do I have freckles"..........she would tell me that my melanin came in my body different than the rest of the world....it did not give overall color it instead, formed spots of melanin. So I really disliked that word as a child, I would imagine a lot of redheads might. ! ! !  

I have since forgotten about it . But it relates to this subject today because melanin is what colors the skin, eyes AND hair in the body !
Melanin are tiny grains of pigment in the cortex that gives color to hair.
BUT....BUT,  there are 2 different types of melanin: 

• eumelanin AND 
• pheomelanin

eu-melanin= provides brown & black color to hair
pheo-melanin= provides red- copper & yellow

BUT, DURP is not really pheomelanin

As I've said many times
there can be 8 females......... all the same age, with the same texture, color - Virgin Level 7 hair........ lined up ( for example)...
Then I mix up 1 mixture exactly the same of 8 - Neutral Violet and 20Volume. So the virgin hair will be lifted 1 level from the developer and 1 level from the color.
Apply the color wait 1 hour
Rinse, INTENSIVE, and dry.

Will they all look the same?
ABSOLUTELY NOT !
every single one of them will look different and that is because of the unique melanin & DNA to every person on the planet.
So the DURP will be the unique colors that remain AFTER hair color has lifted out color to achieve the newly desired color.

pheomelanin provides red-copper & yellow hues which are present in all colors apart from Level 9 - 12 + Gray & white hair.  
Even black hair has red-copper & yellow pheomelanin, so I hope this makes a  little more sense now.
So, if dark hair has all those colors in it, it makes it a little easier to comprehend how all those funny DURPS - Dominant.Underlying.Remaining.Pigment appear as hair color is used, doesn't it?
Will it should silly !

thank you one and all, and with fall upon us, please let me know if you need any topics about all the new hair colors coming up.....discussed !

.

'Tones' In The Level System of Hair Color : Part 2

Tones and understanding them are more important than the Levels...even though that is what they named the entire System. When you applied your Hair Color you aoolied or even that you had done at a big fancy Salon and it was goofed up...what do you complain about? ... not the Level ...you don't normally say "OMG my hair is too dark or too light" (most commonly, I should say) the issue normally is with the "Tone"..... 'its too brassy or too red or too BLORANGE ! ! ha ha or something in one of the many many tonal categories. 
Learning the intricate part of each Brand is so finely tuned you must study each line separately.....Because each one has its own directions and ratio's and tonal categories !

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Now here is a great chart that shows you the under-"TONES" on every Level  when it is virgin hair the category that says:"UNDERTONES of Existing Shade" is the virgin hair category. 
Then it shows every tone that becomes exposed as you lift ( lighten) the hair. Even if you are using a Level 9 on a Level 7, By the way which category would that example put you in? ? ? ?Anyone Know? Guess Below??

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 



What we will do here today is speak about the Tonal categories in most lines of hair color today. I'm going to use the chart that has the most categories so you will see the wide range these companies can reach to in making their lines of color.

    Tonal Categorys (for fun!)

So here is the Category that is in every line and the one we use the most. NATURAL or NEUTRAL. There are no tones it is just flat and given the number "0" to describe it. This is used to get a neutral tone with no warmth and no coolness - right smack in the middle

  Next is INTENSE NEUTRAL, or NN is how it is described in most lines. This has double neutral pigment, & what do u think we would use that for? To cover stubborn or resistant gray. This tonal category would always be used for that no matter which Level. This would always be used for resistant or hard to cover gray. Always!
Natural Tan or Beige is the most commonly used term, which creates natural looking rich warm tones. Perfect for gray coverage as one must use warm colors when covering gray even if u don't want a warm tone. Its the whole having no tone in the hair thing.
Natural Ash, which mean a little bit of Neutral and a little bit of Ash, with a blue-violet base it produces neutral cool tones and controls unwanted orange.yellow tones. This works well in gray coverage.
A Blend of Ash and Gold equals Beige and equals a classic beige blonde which is one of my favorite tonal looks.
Ash is such an argued about category...I mean every single company uses a different color to use for their Ash base...I mean look at this one they use BLUE! Which to be perfect honest it makes me want to try their color, and you know why>? Blue gets rid of BLORANGE ! and so many blonde's have enough of that tone floating around.Wella use's green, Kaaral uses gray, LANZA uses Violet which in my mind is what it is supposed to be....to get rid of all the brass that flys everywhere!!
Pearl is Violet/Blue which controls all the unwanted orange tones that come when lifting.

VIOLET :Blue & Red make violet therefore when one uses violet based darker colors it comes out in Burgandy colors...when added to lighter levels it kills all that nasty brass we fight when lifting. I love me some violet when blonding.Nothing is better.
Red/Gold base produces luminous warm reds, most people would reffer to this as Copper


Red mahogany is referred to as /Red brown or Auburn I guess....base creates beautiful natural reds


Red : Formulated with a true red base that ensure rich vibrant tones.....this is that bright ass Red I call it.


Intense Red base creates extremely wow red tones....even redder than above!



Red/Orange Base  this produces bold red- copper tones. Now all of these can be use in tiny amounts or 50% of the formula, that's where the experience comes in and strand tests work for...


Copper: orange base, which may sound really weird but if you have some blue you need toned down this is your girl !



Gold/Red Base produces beautiful rich, warm mahogany tones. This is the tone that the actress : Jessica Chastain has ...that is so darn popular right now.

Gold - gold base creates gold tones and if you have blue tones u would use this to tone it down......every tone can be used for both a base and to cancel unwanted Tones out your color.

Intense Gold: Creates radiant brilliant golden tones.



So that is about the biggest tonal chart I have ever seen so I wanted to use this one. Now if you have any questions please ask them now so I know what to continue writing about within the Tonal category. Which I would love to do but I need help with the direction to go in....
I hope this has helped a little....It really is the hardest part of hair coloring.

Tonal Qualities in the Level System of Hair Color (yes, finally)

 Level and Tone are the basis of the Level System of Hair coloring and understanding the difference between the 2 must be clear, before proceeding. I missed teaching this in all these years. I should have taught the difference between "Level" and "Tone" and reviewed the entire category of Tonal qualities, but somehow I didn't and am sorry. It is a hard subject to teach online for 2 reasons :

1. each hair color company has different tones.............remember no one regulates the billion dollar hair color world, they just fly by the seat of their pants ( & you know... men run all of these companies...which is ridiculous, don't get me wrong I love me some men - but what do they know about hair color or for that matter, what do they care?)  
2. color settings & quality on computer monitors..........sometimes the difference between 2 tones are slight and it would be almost impossible to show the difference because we all have different brands and different monitors of computers. Which doesn't mean I'm not going to try, I just want you to be aware of that fact.

In the last 17 years, I have watched companies jump from 6 to sometimes over 20 various tones...and again each hair color line is different. A great example of 'Tone' is to look at a black white photograph:

you are seeing only LEVELS of Color not tones.If you were to wash this image with Gold, then you have a Tonal Series. It would show light gold, medium gold. dark gold..etc. 

Level simply refers to the lightness or darkness of a haircolor. Words such as light, medium, dark, palest, darkest and very light tell you about a colors LEVEL. Level, is how light or dark a color is.

TONE
Refers to the hue of a haircolor...the main tones and where haircolor started : Neutral, Ash, Gold & Red. So they began with the letters for Tones A-Ash...etc..., but then later came the numbers which correlate with Tones as well which go like this:

• A. Ash : 1 stands for Ash so 8/1 is a level 8 Ash or 8/1A is how you'll see it as well.
• G. Gold :  3 stands for Gold so 10/3 is a Level 10 Gold or 10/3G
• N: Neutral : 0 for Neutral or Natural so 4/0 is a Level 4 Natural or 4/0N
• R: Red : 4 in most lines stand for Red so 6/4 is a Level 6 Red or 6/4R

Any color really, haircolor or not can be described in terms of Level & Tone. Say you are painting a wall and you are trying to decide which color to paint it.... you choose Blue. You go and look at paint chips and they range from lightest powder blue to deepest navy ink  and all of the shades in between- those all could be called Levels of Blue!

Any Questions leave them in Comments section below...they will be answered shortly. We carry a Color wheel and a Peroxide wheel to help once you get the basics down...I love them and still glance at them occasionally.

  

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 End of Part 1, Part 2 shortly

thank you
KC