3 TerrificTricks From Tube To Application - Drop Your Tint Brushes !

Recently it hit me that I have not efficiently - if ever -  gone over a couple of these very small subjects that truly DO make a difference in the hair coloring process. They are EXTREMELY important and I think many of you don't even realize it is something that helps the entire process AND your hair color results.
This Blog is so old and there are so many Posts sometimes I cannot find any history of a subject....so if you read this and/or already knew it.....just know that refresher points are ALWAYS excellent in the education of Hair Color. Hearing tough to understand points explained in different ways - helps you understand better as well. So, onward and upward......all of these points will very probably ruin your hair color results and they are little tricks

1st.......CAP YOUR DEVELOPER
When you either get your small bottle of developer or litre, just remember this very important fact : the liquid that is in that bottle, which is what makes the magic work in the art of hair coloring, can lose its 'punch' (I like to call it). Or in other words there is nothing more important than keeping the top on that bottle - (securely) otherwise it will lose its ability to work to its potential. A handful of you will sometimes contact me with pics of your 'failed' hair color, when according to all facts you have given me, it should have worked just fine. This is one option (sometimes right off the bat I don't think of) So I am trying to implant it into my brain as well as yours ! I constantly forget to go over these 3 aspects which are all very powerful ESPECIALLY if you have not done all 3 of them, let alone just neglected ONE!   
BUT, truly this one little tiny mistake can ruin your entire color application. When the 'air' hits Developer its strength (which is needed) dissipates.
SO: Keep Your Top TIGHT at all times, I panic if I notice it off for 20 seconds, yep its that important. These items are top quality so keep them in top shape for top results! Your developer should only be in the air without mixing for less than a minute any more than that and you are risking the quality of your results and its potency!
 
2nd..... RATIO OF HAIR COLOR TO DEVELOPER
Now here is another topic that would completely ruin your hair color results ..... getting the "ratio" wrong. Every single hair color on planet earth has a certain ratio of color TO developer. Can I tell you all of them right here, right now? No, I only have memorized the best hair color on planet earth : Wella Professional Line. Every single line of hair color has their RATIO either on the insert OR the directions ( which on professional hair color was : ON THE INSIDE OF THE BOX. Which is a little secret to keep the public from finding the recommendations by the company on Ratio/ processing times, etc...! Since many of peoples complaints about ''incompetent Hair Stylists'' have become so widespread & public with the rise of the INTERNET and social media I feel the company's are now putting enclosures in almost all professional hair color. But, still......if you don't read the enclosures OR the inside of the box you will not know what the ratio of Developer TO color is. Now, what am I talking about you ask??? I hope you all know, but if not.....here is another reason your hair color might be turning out weird colors when it should be turning out beautiful.  Ratios will look like this:

• 1:1.....1 part Color to 1 part Developer (for ex:1 oz.hair color mixed w/ 1oz. developer.
• 1:2..... 1 part color to 2 parts Developer (for ex.1oz.hair color mixed w/ 2oz. developer - EVERY Level 12 or High-lift Blonde is this ratio using 40 Volume)
• 1:1.5... 1 part Color to 1.5 parts Developer (ex: 1oz. Color mixed w/ 1 1/2 oz. developer - some rare colors use this ratio....a lot of powder bleaches use this ratio. So ALWAYS - ALWAYS - ALWAYS find out what the ratio is on the color you are using.

If you use too much developer ( for lack of a better term) it waters down your hair color, so you won't get as brilliant of color, it will NOT cover gray as well, it will fade quicker, the shine will not be as brilliant................need I say more? 
If you don't use enough , if you are going for blonde and you only use 1:1 and don't use 40Volume

The better hair colors I have found through my own personal use is that when the ratio is 1:1 You have richer - more brilliant and better coverage hair color. So, stop now and check your box on whatever you are using ....... all of Wella's lines are 1:1 EXCEPT Color Touch which is their DEMI Color, which I have found helps with shine and sheerness which is what Demi's should do in my opinion.

The 1:2 ratio on permanent line is usually the lower quality lines unless there is some secret line I don't know about.....which there could be. My absolute favorite line which died when the owner died........ RENBOW.......which was 1:1 which is where I learned what high quality hair care was.

3rd TRICK: MIX Color PRIOR to adding Developer : Now the very last little trick which is also what will make a difference in your hair color result is when you are using multiple colors WITHIN a single color line - THE WAY IT IS MIXED - TRULY DOES MATTER. 

Lets use one of the most common hair color formula's in Wella's Koleston Perfect line for a Level 6 - light brown hair with 20% Gray :
(remember Wella runs 1 full level darker than all other lines or than the color chart appears)...so the formula would be:
7/0N
+
7/2M
+
7/7B.....................+ 20 Volume


This is how pro-hair color is made to be used. The "neutral" or the " /0 " is used to cover gray. The MATT color which is the 7/2 is made to fight gold/ Blorange type tones and the 7/7Beige - Gives the mixture a wonderful Brown Tone. This is how these lines are designed to be used. It doesn't matter that you are using 3 tubes.....just use a 1/2 ounce of each color - which . . . once it is mixed with developer should be more than enough to do your base.  Then you will have this for 2-3 sometimes even 4 more base applications !
But what this point is............is how you mix these 3 colors. {I will always always encourage you to purchase a scale...... I find the best scales are MY Weigh's they last forever.}
So MEASURE your color into your tint bowl, then BE SURE TO MIX IT TOGETHER FIRST, so the raw color is mixed together FIRST. Then & only then, add the developer. 

A F T E R    T H E    C O L O R    I S   M I X E D   T O G E T H E R   F I R S T , then add the developer


Preferably measure developer as well if you are going to use our measure cups, then use them for both the color & the developer.

Now those are my 3 most important oddball rules that everyone should apply every single time they mix up their hair color to apply at home !  

love to all of you, you have been so heartwarming this month, its all so very much appreciated


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Hair Color Tint Brush. . . Friend or Foe ?

This may seem like the simplest most unimportant thing to talk about but there is a reason the top Colorists in the world all use Tint Brushes compared to bottles or whatever other devices there are out there to apply hair color to the noggin'. As a Colorist I also find the brush I like the most, which just comes from the "feel" of how applying the hair color goes. 

If you were to study in depth about how hair color goes into the hair strand itself, how the strand opens up, lets the color molecules INTO the hair strand and finally closes to keep the hair that "NEW" color...a  Then you would maybe see 'why' when you apply the color... pressing the hair with stiff bristles loaded with hair color is SUPER important. We can actually see the difference. The difference between one tint brush and another say. Many of us have different tint brushes for different applications. 

Of course all Crib Colorists do not need to be that tuned into the Tint brush. But I have been amiss in explaining the advantages to the Tint Brush and why you should always use one and when you do use it to press HARD onto the head and hair. Think of wanting to push that color into your head as hard as possible. I'm sure every single one of you has stood behind someone in line and their hair color is spotty, many times on men, but to be perfectly honest it is just as prevalent on women. Women with boxed hair color purchases. 

Those things need to be outlawed. I know I say this a lot. But we have laws in this country that say 'false advertising' is a CRIME. Well, its time those companies be brought to justice for everyone's horrific hair colorings. That may seem harsh -- but as far as I have experienced through thousands of clients that were devastated when the disasters happened to them. The truly sad part is that "YOU ALL" have thought it was "YOUR" fault when in fact - you had nothing to do with it. You were doomed when you picked up that box.

In closing I would like to show you some tint brushes, we just have one, in the store as I have a hard time getting a lot of you to switch to the Tint brush.  Please let me know if you are interested in us carrying any additional shapes and sizes. But for now here is my favorite - it is crimped and the bristles are very hard which makes it great for pressing the color into the head/hair : KC TINT BRUSH 

 

I have revamped the FACEBOOK page, I am now on TWITTER, We have fired up some PINTEREST boards which will carry photos of hair color and new cuts and trends for 2013.

I wanted to announce the winner of our $100.00 Gift Certificate to the store from the end of December: 
                                   A customer from Canada ! -- Michelle Ranson was the lucky winner ! ! 

Lastly........we have opened a new group, its on the YAHOO platform.......

Please we are looking for Killerstrands / Crib Colorists ....come join our YAHOO GROUP and talk about ALL THINGS HAIR ! !