May 26, 2014

The Color & Cut Of The Year. . . .There Is Never One

Every . . . once in a while . . . I come 
across a beautiful Hair CUT


 


                                                            






  and 
 Color























these are just so beautiful and proper and unique for the times.....It just HAS to be the goal and vision for many people.

Join our Killer Hair Group : KC, runs it like a school almost, you must answer the Killer15 questions, post photos of your self, so that she is NOT A BLIND HAIR COLORIST, will help you in the path top healthy hair and even to achieve this cut and color if you would Like ? 
May 20, 2014

Developer, Developer.......: Which Hair Color Developer Shall We Use???

Developer has always taken a 2nd seat to its big brother HAIR COLOR in this whole process, when actually it is just AS important as! 

I wanted to add a little something to this previous post....a lot of you think that 40 Volume is stronger than 20 Volume .If you look at the ingredient label on a 10 Volume and on a 40 Volume they both will say the exact same thing : H2O2 or hydrogen Peroxide. What is different in these various developers is "time" not strength. To explain that further check this next section out :
 
10Volume - 1/2 Level  LIFT
20Volume - 1 Level.....LIFT
30 Volume - 2-3 Levels LIFT
40 Volume - 3-4 Levels LIFT

the Volume doesn't stand for strength it stands for time.........
Do you cook? or bake?
you know how you make a dinner and try to have everything done at the same time so you can all sit down to a meal at 1 time and eat ? Its sort of that same theory....


That's kind of what various developers are for.......
When I start a head of highlights (for example) I will begin using lightener with 20 Volume half way through I will make up another batch of lightener and developer only this one will have 30 or most times 40 Volume and do the remaining hair with that) - that will make it so when we go to the shampoo bowl and rinse the color out ALL THE COLOR WILL BE EVEN, many times Colorists won't do that and YOU end up with 2 different colors .Its not that 40-Volume is stronger - its "TIME" based 40 volume works twice as fast in minutes not in strength. Don't be afraid to use the proper developer, when you do your hair color will come out more correctly. 


I cannot say it enough when you are trying to perfect your formula : STRAND TEST ! Never test a formula on your entire head of hair when it is so easy to do strand tests. We even make Kits, if you purchase over $50.00 you may request 1-2 complimentary Kits !

Educating you how to color hair Professionally, learning to deal with developers is very important as it is the key to perfect & even color, color that lasts a long time and most importantly gives you the exact color you desire with no DURP ! It can be done and it can be done when you learn how to deal with H2O2



There are many things that effect which developer one should use and I will write on it until I feel I have covered it enough for you. Please ask questions here or join our group if you plan on becoming a customer of our store.( We carry a super wide variety of Developers BECAUSE I feel they are so very important.) 

5 years ago there were 4 developer strengths: 
  1. 10 Volume 
  2. 20 Volume
  3. 30 Volume
  4. 40 Volume
This is what we have now:
  1. 3 Volume
  2. 5 Volume
  3. 6 Volume
  4. 7 Volume
  5. 9 Volume
  6. 10 Volume
  7. 13 Volume
  8. 15 Volume
  9. 17 Volume
  10. 20 Volume
  11. 25 Volume
  12. 30 Volume
  13. 40 Volume
  14. 50 Volume...............and now we carry the "Violet Tinted Developers (to prevent Brass, Blorange & Gold in Blonde's!) in 3 levels
  15. 20 Volume/violet
  16. 30 Volume/violet
  17. 40 Volume/violet
I will say that I do enjoy having that selection now as it now handles everything and anything a Colorist could want to do. I have no problem using different brand developers with different hair color's, I suppose it is a personal selection as to which way you go but...I prefer the most moisturized, many have oils in them now...seems like someone has been listening to my ideas. Or maybe its just a dream. ! ! !
                           
  TEXTURE
Hair texture is determined by the diameter of the individual hair strand. Large,medium, and small diameter hair strands translate into coarse, medium and fine hair textures, respectively. Melanin is distributed differently within the different textures. The melanin granules in fine hair are grouped more tightly, so the hair takes color faster and can look darker. Medium textured hair has an average response to hair color product and finally coarse-textured hair has a larger diameter and can take longer to process. 

                        Therefore............
FINE HAIR: takes color faster
MEDIUM HAIR: takes color at an average amount of time
COARSE HAIR: takes longer to penetrate so therefore color's slower 


DENSITY............Another aspect that plays a role in hair coloring/developer, you must remember is density, which is the numbers of hair per square inch......... which can range from thick to thin. Density matters as it affects 'coverage'. If your hair is dense that means it is difficult for that liquid (hair color & developer combined) to weave its way through the individual hairs. 

Remember all our recent conversations about using a Tint Brush versus a Bottle?  { WELL THIS IS EXACTLY THE REASON FOR THAT ! }. Dense hair needs a brush,ALWAYS. other wise there will be uneven waves of color throughout the hair - make sense??!. 

You would always want to use the lowest Volume of Developer possible [ that works for your particular procedure of course...] and there are "lighter or more liquidy developers which I would suggest to use - - if you do have dense hair. For those with average to thin hair I still would advise to use the developer with the most conditioners, the most moisturizers ,etc.. as possible - use our new SPRUSH. they really are worth it.


POROSITY
Porosity is the ability to absorb liquid, porous hair accepts hair color faster and permits darker color than less porous hair. There are different degrees of porosity.....

low porosity: the cuticle is tight>the hair is resistant. which means it is difficult for moisture or chemicals to penetrate & requires a longer processing time. an example of resistant hair ? Gray hair.
average porosity: cuticle is slightly raised, hair is normal and processes in average time.
high porosity: cuticle is lifted;hair is over porous and the hair takes color very quickly <> color also fades quickly


So this is the beginning of an in depth study on developers ( although you can only go so far)...............but see what is funny this graphic below was made 7 years ago and that was the total extent of developer Volumes we carried   ! ! ! !

More coming on this




May 7, 2014

1 Trick I Think I Have Forgotten To Mention In All These Years . . . .

Immediately after you 
color your hair . . .  . . . . . . what do you do?




 You apply a pH balanced conditioner


... the pH of Coloring products ranges from 8 - 9.5 .... so always use a pH balanced conditioner like INTENSIVE  to restore the natural pH of 4.5-5.5 to the hair. 

 The benefits being?????
  • it closes the cuticle
  • restores the pH balance to the hair AND 
  • will help to prevent moisture loss and
  • prevent Color fade


and the most important fact is......................

DO NOT WASH THE HAIR FOR 48 HOURS

.........IN OTHER WORDS THERE SHOULD BE no shampoo used IN THE ENTIRE DAY OF COLORING YOUR HAIR


YOU RINSE THE COLOR OUT FOR 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE WATER RUNS COMPLETELY CLEAR................


THEN APPLY INTENSIVE FOR 15 MINUTES TO 15 HOURS

THEN RINSE WITH WATER..................PERIOD!


zero shampoo 
and i just figured out
 i don't think 
i have ever said this

 ;( KC
May 4, 2014

Ratio - Ratio - Who's Got The PROPER Ratio........... of Developer to Haircolor

The Ratio of Developer to hair color is very VERY important and in all this time and in all these Posts I have never stressed the importance of this. That and the way in which you WEIGH your color & developer is also important.



 

When we all line up and make our Oil Bleach Kits we are making a zillion and one of them. At one point we decided to test iweighed 4 ounces of developer versus 4oz, weigh in a measuring cup. It really is pretty far off. But we send those measuring cups for those who are going to just 'guess'. What we discovered is 4oz. measured in the Cup is 3.6 ounces on the scale. So if you absolutely refuse to get a scale you can make thaty adjustment on your own. The color has been tested over and over at the ratio they give you.



For example in Wella:
  • Color Touch Demi-Permanent is 1:2
  • Koleston Perfect - Permanent, is 1:1.. although all Level 11 & 12 colors are 1:2
  • Illumina is 1:1.5
It is SOOOOO important to get the ratio of developer to color correct. If you ever change lines of color ALWAS read the instruction sheet or the insturctions are printed on the inside of the box for Professional hair color




 Schwarzkopf, the line has the most beautiful colors I have seen in many years, their ratio is 1: 1 and I find many people don't use that ratio which will not let the color do what it was designed to do. 

When using Highlift Level 12 Colors use "double 40" or for every 1 ounce of color you need to use 2 ounces of 40 Volume Or it won't lift high enough.



April 30, 2014

Killerstrands Top 19 Selling Products -- Couple Surprises ;)

1) 'Killerstrands' INTENSIVE - Porosity/pH Treatment



2) Killerstrands Oil Bleaching Kit - 2 Apps.



3) Killerstrands THRIVEN - 8OZ  Nourishing Overnight Treatment



4) 'Vanish Hair Color Remover' Kits



5) Killerstrands THRIVEN - 16OZ. - Nourishing Overnight Treatment



6) #1 - GO BIG OR GO HOME - KIT



7)



8) INTENSIVE - Porosity & pH Champ



9) Wella Illumin Hair Color



10) Gleam + 8 Oz THRIVEN - 2 Items



11) Pravana Vivids Crazy Color



12) INTENSIVE & THRIVEN - finally have a Kit ( and Gleam)



13) 'Soma' Spray Leave-in Protein.Detangler - Conditioner



14) 'Killerstrands' GLEAM . Anti-Aging Hair Oil



15) Killerstrands 'Illumin' - Dry Oil Facial Moisturizer



16) Kaaral Purify RESTRUCTURE - hair repair capsules




17) 'Travel Hair Dryer' - Home/ Travel Hair Hood Dryer System



18) Tinting Spatulas and Color Shakers



19) 'Killerstrands' GLEAM . Anti-Aging Hair Oil




             













































  

Some Wonderful Words from Others Which Capsulizes the Killerstrands "Mission"




 Some wonderful words by some amazing and loyal Crib Colorists

 This caught my eye in glancing over Blogger's ability to pick out the Top 10 Posts from my 7 year old Blog/ I highly reccomend you read them as well ! They are on the home page -- right column -- about 1/3 of the way down !



 
 

 


At least after being beat up by a handful of women, this girl held her head high & admitted when she was wrong. 
I admire that in any person. 
I bet she is a great Hair Stylist  ;)

KC

kc
April 24, 2014

Blonde's Battling to Be Blonde, Blissfully

Blonde's or People wanting to go Blonde are a Passionate Group, they all want to be the perfect hue of Blonde without using the proper tool for the job


They want to use the lowest level with the lowest Volume of developer. But in my opinion, you are all looking at the job from the wrong direction.

I think that must stem from poor information somewhere along the line that an non-informed Stylist told them or I don't know how they come with that theory. Maybe from poor results from a blonding experience..BUT, when I go to formulate for a blond in the chair I look for the highest lifting, safest most conditioning product there is. The goal to me is to lift light enough to not have to deal with Toners, but when you want to play with Toners you still can. THAT SHOULD BE EVERY HAIR STYLISTS and CRIB COLORISTS' mind as you go to formulate for a blond.

Picture this, you get stuck on the Level 12 - high-lift color and use it. It did not lift as light as you wanted....your hair makes a mild to the eye but radical to the person CHANGE as you grow older you get darker and you begin to become gray, 2 very annoying features to hair. BUT.......inevitable, just the same ! Now that the color has not lifted lighter, its driving you crazy, and at some point you will have to used Bleach OVER it, because at that point, there is no other way to lighten it. You can choose to go dark but very few Blonde's will choose this until they get older. So now, you have put bleach on top of highlift, because the rule is....color cannot "lift' Color....you cannot put another Level 12 on top of the present Level 12, it will do NOTHING! So this then becomes an endless circle.... can't tell you the amount of people who will continue to try this over and over. 

YOU MUST USE THE RIGHT 
TOOL FOR THE JOB

Strand Test Strand Test if nothing else.
Recently a young woman presented me with a common problem. She did not use the developer in the proper ratio, and therefore did not have enough lift to turn it a nice color. Remember, all High-lifts in + - every brand across the board are double 40 Volume. Highlifts are every color over a level 10, so EVEN Level 11 is considered a highlift and is also double 40. All brands......... worldwide.
So that is where you went wrong. But I don't truly care if you use our color ,but you will have a much better                                                                                                                                    chance of success if you do.it would be better so we

To me that makes ZERO sense you are confirming what I told you ?????????
Do you see how that makes no sense.
SHE switched to bleach.... so if she switched to bleach why would you go back to her, I'm missing something here

I truly don't care what you use

I don't like to argue about hair color.......with anyone
How many times have I said," if you use the right tool for the job - your hair will not be dry or destroyed ".
 Do you know that Gwens hair  (we both use to trade-off doing her touch-ups) is the most luxurious -healthy- shiny hair on planet earth.
What do you think you gain by using a highlift over cream lightener?

However you get to a certain lightness .........has done the exact same thing to the hair...........if you have overlapped, or used the wrong developer or quantity OF it, then you won't have the proper lightening experience but lets just say there is a Level 13, which there is in my head.
Level 13 is platinum/Gwen hair .
 If you want ZERO brass in it without the use of a toner (which, as a colorist I know every girl wants who shows me photos of a platinum or even a sandy head of hair who's DURP isn't going to help, you are at Level 13 - platinum. If you got there with bleach OR with a high-lift it does the exact same thing to the hair. It "LIFTS" out the color in the strands by the combo of 40Volume developer + the ammonia or MEA in the hair color.
Now, if you are talking the condition of the hair - I have tested many times on the same person a foil with Gleam on the hair and my best Cream lightener and 20Volume  VERSUS a lousy Highlift & 40 Volume.
Which do you think was the more conditioned swatch?
Right away and 2 months later it was the Cream lightener. I will confess that we did this on a client who had so much hair she would never know AND my assistants did it on the very underneath of her hair ! Kind of sneaky but we really wanted to know the answer.
Its also OK if you don't believe me.
One thing I will tell you, is country-wide L'Oreal across the board is in a battle with Aveda and Goldwell for the worlds worst color. They all produce DD Delayed Damage. The definition of DD is : hair color turning to shit in 2-4-6 weeks, for ZERO reason of your own.
How many of you walk out of the Salon all proud of your new hair color? Then about 2-4-6 weeks later ( depending on what you had done) your hair begins to start losing color, and volume and begins to feel very dry and damaged ??? That is you experiencing DD. Sooooo very many of you, begin to blame yourselves when it truly is NOT YOUR FAULT. You quickly run to the Beauty supply or mall to find some products that will regain its Zest. I mean of course, there is a little let down from the beginning of be Colored, but I am talking a substantial loss of quality.)
There are really only 2 reasons for DD:
  • Hair Colorist does a poor job of coming up with the correct formula  OR
  • the color they are using is a lousy brand
L'Oreal Majirel is one of those high-lifts that many of us feel is as close to a cream bleach as you can get exactly like "Chi's"
I used to carry Chi's high-lift and then 1 woman from Ireland called in and complained about it. I have a method I go by, that if one person complains about a product ...I pull it.
Then she sent me her photo...........the color she achieved with the Chi high-lift was finally the correct color.......she was so used to it a bright yellow, that when the brass was gone it shocked her into complaining. I told her alot of people have paid me a lot of money to achieve that platinum.
She begged me to put the product back on and I have not.

I think it is a great product for those who are in between bleach and high lift blonde.
April 9, 2014

How to Become the Incredible Lightness of Being a High-lift Blonde !




One must accomplish these professional tricks to 
getting the maximum lightness out of a high-lift blonde:



  • Apply couple squirts of Gleam apply wherever color is going lightly (Gleam does NOT have silicone in it, if you have other brand oils they most likely have silicone's which screws up the way hair color works - I've never seen 1 oil without silicone in it but Killerstrands i'm sure there is more I just have not found them!
  • Use Schwartzkopf blonde booster E-O ( read the pamphlet as I have a lot of things memorized but not the amount of 'booster to color' in every brand very few even have them)
  • Ratio of developer to color must be DEAD on EXACT.... which would be for every high-lift in every brand --- 1:2  for every 1 ounce of color add 2 ounces of developer. We call it "DOUBLE 40 "
  • Color must be must be applied & processed in a warm/hot room
  • must be processed for minimum 55-65 min.
  • must use VIOLET developer / 40Volume using Highlift ---  20Volume if using Cream lightener/bleach on scalp
  • Rinse out 3 minutes longer than normal - 'light' shampoo not touching scalp
  • lightly towel dry
  • USE INTENSIVE to lock in color and prevent fading for at least 30 minutes.
  • Then we apply the toner............if you do all of that u would have a better idea if the highlift was going to work.
  •  
If it doesn't look good after all those professional tricks.
I'm sorry but you will have to give into the cream Lightener most likely.
 
Your hair is most likely too dark and has the wrong DURP which is only a matter of genetics, and you simply can't change that.

Remember my rule:

USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

 KC
March 20, 2014

Wild Side Hair Color Predictions - Summer 2014

Predictions for some beautiful shades of Crazy Color Pastels.

Killerstrands sends the Directions of how to make pastels to achieve a whole head of color or even if you just want the 'tips' of your hair colored with a pastel, it would be fun for a week or 2 , don't let all these photos from creating your own look.  Please check out the lines of crazy color we carry, and just know when you buy any brand you can request the professional secret as to how to pull off the "PASTEL" look you seen in these photos of hair - summer 2014
                       Rose Raspberry                                              


                                Blu Bob



Shrunken UP Violet 


Roots Alive

 Metallica Blue Wave



 Sky - Hawk

Tangerine Dream













and here is the formula:

12% =  40Volume

Remember, she has VIRGIN hair tho . . . .  


 

 Follow these directions and if you need any help at all join our GROUP
 in which you get to talk to KC about your hair formula or dilemma's or 
whatever your case may be !


Visit Our Store for New, Interesting and always HEALTHY Hair Products, I take the job of reading labels out of your hands, I know ingredients well and I know what they do.


KC

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