The Secret To Avoiding Uneven Hair Color Results

Speaking to people and trying to help them all week I pick up on facts or tricks that I have neglected to point out to everyone so as they come up I will note them here.

As I have told many of you . . . .Professional Hair Color is made to use within the Level System. Using the Level System requires you to pick out color within the Level you are going to use to create the perfect formula....or using other levels to achieve your ultimate goal.

Professional Hair color is designed to be used in "parts"  . .  it really isn't made to pick up one color then apply -- process --- rinse --- condition and dry....NOPE if it was that easy - the Art of Hair Coloring wouldn't be such a tough task to learn and to apply. Its just NOT an easy road, its tough and ............hard to understand and ................hard to decipher.

Lets just take a very common formula on a very average head of hair ( none of you are average but I hope you understand what I am trying to say. . . . .

Lets just say you have Level 6 light Brown hair with 40% Stubborn gray (only on the temples) Gray, with a couple of ribbons of blonde that have a tendency to go brassy between retouches. Let me show you how I would retouch her hair if she came to me to have me do her color. . . . . . 

• First  for the hair on the temples I would mix one batch and the rest of the hair another.
• For the complete formula I will choose:
• 7/0 ( because Wella runs a full LEVEL darker).......the /0 colors we call "NEUTRALS"   
• 7/1 - This is a LEVEL 7 ASH ......to fight any orange/reds that come with brunettes - most like an icey brown as opposed to a warm one.
• 7/2  - /2 colors are MATT - MATT colors fight Blorange/orange /Golds
• 7/7 - /7 are Browns - to create a chocolatey brown
• So there is your complete formula 
• 7/0 + 7/1+ 7/2 + 7/7 + 20 VOLUME Developer
• for the sides that are tough to keep the gray covered you will use the double neutral pigment series or /00 .........we call them double ZERO's. They have double the pigment in them to cover very tough to color hair. We save these for the end, when nothing else works, for now this is our best warfare on "tough-to-cover" Gray hairs ! ! ! 
• So on the sides I would use a small bowl of 7/00 + 7/1 + 7/2 + 7/7 + 20 Volume Developer in a one to one ratio . APPLY HERE FIRST, so it sits on the tough to cover hair the LONGEST! ! ! ! !  
•   
•  But, the main topic I wrote this for was to explain to you How exactly to mix this formula up - - because it is very very important.  You are to pour each measurement of each one of those colors IN THE>....BOWL. ...........then the most important fact? Is that you MUST MIX those colors together FIRST...... BEFORE you pour the developer in the bowl, otherwise you will get clumpy color. So BE SURE YOU mix all the various colors together FIRST. THEN measure the exact same amount of developer as you used hair color and just before you are ready to apply the color to your hair, you mix the 2 together.......and apply immediately...
• Remember, work as quickly and as neatly as possible.  

MIX THE COLORS TOGETHER FIRST 

then

ADD DEVELOPER  -- MIX -- and APPLY

Slices Versus Highlights Demo OR Ribbons of Light

BABY-LIGHTS or Ribbons of LIGHT

Application & Kit!

 

I feel everyone should take a look at this version of "Slices" so you understand what a SLICE is compared to a HIGHLIGHT ! 

 

Now, the way they are done in this DEMO is not how I would suggest doing them. I wanted to show an exaggerated version to show you the 'technique'. they are too light on too dark of hair, but please this is trying to show you how they lay differently than highlights and hopefully you can see how simple they are to add a few thin ones to your own hair.

Now, in Jenifer Anniston's hair, she has dozens of these only much thinner and using a multiple of colors.In her hair or for that look you would use 

FOR EXAMPLE:

• ILLUMINA 8/69 + 40Volume
• Koleston Perfect 10/16 + 40 volume
• Framesi US/A + Booster + 40 Volume
• Blondor Cream Lightener + 10 Volume

Babylights - DEMO

6 FOILS + BLEACH = using SLICES

We will call her Holly for the sake of discussion

Holly needs to deal with how much gas costs, and the fact that she lives in a town that has no good Colorists. She is tired of the brown hair and now has Killer Strands to help. She saw, that the professional Creme Bleach in the Killerstrands Store was the trick to not damaging her hair... there are conditioners and lipids added to creme bleach - she read, which sounds a lot more forgiving...added to that the moisturizers and conditioners that will come with the developer that comes with. This way my hair will be in the best condition possible when done. I can do it............. it cannot be that hard.

We will only be doing the one side of the head as we did the other side with another Demo a while ago.

I tried very hard to make this parting look exactly like a piece of apple pie, that should be your trick. She told me to make sure I parted the triangle all the way to the very back of my head and in the exact middle. That way I can put one of my slices of light in the back, on both sides, . . . . it will be in the back of my head and I should be able to do it myself with my rear-view mirror's I have set up on my walls. I've tried it once before and it worked pretty easy. The piece in the back is really skinny so its easy.

This is the Creme bleach lightener - I bought and saw on Killerstrands Color Clinic  I want to do all I can to protect my hair and its condition, I have been pretty bad to my hair in the past couple years.......... I need to make up for that (ssh!)

OK - here are the foils I bought too, I didn't care about the color, I cared about the fact that they were embossed and that made them not slip and being as I don't know what I am doing I wanted to take away "that" from the difficulty of doing foils for me. You can ask for a few foils when you buy the Creme Bleach. They were so much easier to use than most. Now, you absolutely MUST make the edge that I am showing you. Fold it once and then again....a very thin fold as you can see... that fold helps the color from leaking out.

The very first parting needs to be made to part OFF the hair surrounding the face so that it is left out. Leaving it the color the hair is , in my case I wanted it to be brown so I didn't have a weird light blond stripe right against my face. That would look funny I thought, when you see me at the end you can decide.

See how super thin the very first slice of hair I take is??? I had a hard time taking the picture and showing you at the same time but I think you can see. Its less than 1/8 of an inch ! I place that first foil very close to the slice of hair, notice that so when you do it you will do it the same. I had bought a mannequin and practiced on her for a while, it was fun so... I didn't care -- I wish they would have taught us this when we were in high school. 

Remember when we had HOME EC.? I think we should have sewing, cooking and hair color. Why Not I wonder? More people I know would rather color their hair, than cook. 

Maybe it should be the other way around. . . >>............but it isn't !

Notice, where I place the foil and where i begin to paint the creme bleach...Do not put the lightener ON the fold - - - and why do I do this? I learned my lesson, all bleaches and all hair colors ...."swell" when they are processing, which means they grow and the last thing Notice you want is the bleach leaking out of the end ...as it will make FUGLY spots on the hair that you will not like .... so be very careful how far "in' you put the color.

This is too close - I wanted you to see what is too close....just a tiny bit on the right side> see it??...so I took the foil off and re-did it...but I didn't photograph the re-do . . .

Just be aware that happens ...

if its too close to the fold then re-do it....but that's a lot harder to maneuver so try very hard to be very careful at the fold.

Finally I have the first foil done and am closing it up. Fold it in half - - first. Then fold the sides in....

Now am leaving "that much" of the hair OUT OF THE FOIL >>>> about 3/4 " so there is some of the brown in between each foil . One of the biggest problems I see is Stylists who just won't leave the natural color out of the foils.... so there is variation. Again this is an exaggerated version.

The same very thin parting. . . which is the "SLICE" of hair...appropriately named once I figured out what I was doing.

The same pattern is repeated basically all the way up this side of the hair. Now something she taught me that I did not pick up on myself... when I am using bleach, I can time it so it all ends up 'done' at the same time. Like here for example... if you are not fast, mix one small amount of bleach for this side....and mixed the creme bleach with 20 Volume { another good part of ordering from Killer Color Clinic - you can ask for whatever volume of developer you want - i got 1/2 -- 20 Volume & 1/2 -- 40 Volume} . Now to make it so the 2 sides end up "done" at the same time...[like making a big dinner!] 

I mixed up another small batch of Creme bleach with 40 Volume for the other side. Remember 40 Volume work twice as FAST as 20 Volume - - it is NOT twice as strong - it is all the same the only difference is "TIME"....so doing the other side with 40 Volume - makes it so both sides are at the same lightness at the same time - it was perfect !

This was also too close, and I took a DRY Q-Tip and wiped this one off on the fold....so it wouldn't leak. I used a bigger brush and had a harder time!

Again, see how thin the hair is for the slice? Remember that, thinness is perfectness in SLICES

Another slice to be made. . as my trip up the side of the head continues. Make my partings clean and straight its important

Another Slice of light . . .

Applying the bleach and 20 Volume . . . . .

Closing the 3 foils up and continue on . . .

As you go up the side - - see how the width of the slice narrows? ? The last one is not even 1 inch wide!

Refresh the bleach midway up by taking a small squirt of 20 Volume and mixing it in to the mixture

Be sure you keep the angle of each foil correct so that your foils sit like this and end up over

the eyeball, if your foils end up any other direction at all then something is wrong. Be sure to check 

Now, remember do this in a warm room

>> When the foils are done and that is so individual, you will have to determine "how long" yourselves.

>> Take the foils out, and rinse completely untill all traces of the bleach are gone....

>> Lightly shampoo with SLS-Free Shampoo -- Rinse -- towel dry hair....The method of

>> Apply an equalizer ( we have a new one on the way!) let set on hair for 5-50 minutes 

>> Rinse & apply Detangler or THRIVEN or whatever your regimen is

I always apply THRIVEN after using Bleach, it is the single best conditioner and after-treatment in addition to our new Equalizer coming out. You never know you colored your hair when you follow up with THRIVEN.

*** Then Blow Dry

Well, this is your results . . . after 6 Foils - - - Creme Lightener + 20 Volume and 40 Volume and is called Slices of Light or BABY-LIGHTS KIT.  I wanted you to see how to use foils that was easy and works with straight hair. This is not how you should apply foils with curly hair....the pattern would be wrong.

You can change it , I just wanted to point out what I was doing. See how its brown next to my face then - - next to that - - there is a blond slice? I think it looks too fake to have the blond right on the face.

In my opinion ( remember this is just me) I don't like the stripey look, but if I was to blend the colors you would not see how the color in the foils came out. Now if you used various colors, and a couple more foils you would have the colors of someone named "ANNISTON" !
Here is the side I wanted you to see the "6" Slices . . . see the tiny one - - in the back which is why you do not need to do the back of your hair, it is taken care of with the front parting - - how perfect is that? ?!?
I did the same thing they do in all the big magazines. . . I did the blow dry all cool when I had the hair color I liked!
"Isn't it weird and cool all at the same time how much difference I made with just 6 foils! Its not highlights and KILLER CHEMIST says she is not exactly fond of this technique ( using just 1 color) either but I think it rocks . . ."

that's the good part about taste - - we all have it and its all 'different"

one can use multiple colors - -

FINAL VIEW of the look is pretty gorgeous. . . what do you think?

The 6 Foil Transition using Slices of Lights

Remember a BlowDry can change things more than a color, more than a shampoo 

Dry - Oily - Normal - Dandruff : ''Types'' of Hair & Scalp

In this post we explore how to understand and care for, the typical range of hair and scalp types.

The sebaceous gland plays an important role in determining hair and scalp type. 

The production of sebum is a natural process that adds strength and lustre to the hair strand. However, diet, blood circulation, emotional distress and drugs and the aging process can all influence production. Salon products are designed specifically to compliment individual needs and work toward producing strong, healthy, naturally beautiful hair. Hair and Scalp types fall into the following broad categories:

Oily
Over-active sebaceous glands produce an excess quantity of sebum, which can make hair limp and lank. This may be due to hormonal changes, often evident during puberty or menopause. Many people have a naturally oily scalp, which can result in greasy hair. Fair hair is much finer than dark hair, hence is more susceptible to excess oil.

High quality - SULFATE-FREE shampoos cleanse without stripping the hair of essential moisture and nutrients.

Dry
Dry hair looks dull and lifeless and is also more susceptible to breakage. Dry hair can only be stretched 15% of its overall length before breaking, while healthy hair can be stretched up to twice this amount, more when wet! A common cause of dry hair is dehydration; water retention can measure between 4 and 13% of overall hair volume.

A change in lifestyle can make all the difference, and there are many products available to help nourish the cortex and smooth cuticles...beginning with GLEAM. Gleam is a little bottle of magic if you ask me - it has fixed more problems on my clients than any other 1 product we carry. It maddens me that there are so many "copy-cat" oils out there, that everyone thinks all OILS are the same. You can't find an oil on the market place that does not have silicone in it, but GLEAM has none of that type of thing, it is 100% Oils from Nature! With essential oils lacing lightly with an intoxicating fragrance.
 

Normal Hair
Normal hair is shiny, supple and good looking and is the result of a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle, combined with good hair care using the right products.

Mixed Condition
Over-active sebaceous glands and poor scalp condition may create a glut of sebum; this can be absorbed back into the scalp, preventing essential oils from traveling the length of the hair strand. The scalp in this condition is a common cause of Pityriasis steatoides.

Pityriasis steatoides is more severe case of dandruff characterized by an accumulation of greasy or waxy scalp scales, mixed with sebum, that stick to the scalp to the scalp in crusts. When accompanied by redness and inflammation the medical term is seborrheic dermatitis, which I have seen GLEAM cure more than a dozen times, along with the Scalp Scrub and the Malibu Scalp treatment pack.

. Mixed condition hair types have dry, frizzy ends that are prone to breaking, with oily roots. In this scenario application techniques are very important when applying products to ensure the problem area is targeted. 

Why Do I Have (very expensive) "Gray" Highlights?

Does this problem haunt you? Gray highlights? Why and how to fix it....It stems from a Stylist OVER HIGHLIGHTING your hair.....and a few other reasons.

Many 'new' to Killerstrand's write in with a question off my List of "Future Post Titles" therefore the age-old cliche: '2 birds--one stone' fit the bill.

Its an excellent question, & as I told her, for great general questions I am going to have to ask you all to post the question in the COMMENTS section or in the Killerstrands GROUP Forum. I have started to generate an extraordinary amount of email. In order to keep up with the quality of my advice I am going to need to answer more in the Comments section of any post or the Killerstrands GROUP.


How common are Gray highlights?
 Very. 
Even here in LA, I was just in the post office behind 2 women with the dreaded head. I wanted to hand them my card with the comment, please...let me fix your hair. In order to avoid decapitation, I decided against it.

Its nice to hear someone admit they have them so its not just Colorists that see them.

The problem stems from one or a combo of these 4 issues which are all interconnected:

• too-white highlights


• hair color Basic Rules not followed


• "over-busy" Stylist


• Using only 1 Color


• too many foils 
• greedy colorists ( highlights is the process that generates the most money, as it takes the longest to do and it makes us look like we are going to a lot of trouble so the hefty price-tag MUST BE WORTH it !    
• There are more striking techniques, 
  
• that if you have your clients best interest in mind you would consider them. If you weren't educated some where cool and brilliant like Sassoon, you can buy DVD's, Books & all sorts of training materials to learn. Never stop learning in anything you take on - especially hair..
• If you just cannot and won't take on Crib Coloring be diligent about finding a qualified Colorist. Call Sassoon in Santa Monica/Chicago/Florida Academies and ask for Students trained There in your area.

1.)Too-White Highlights: The number one reason for 'gray' appearing highlights is having too 'white' > highlights. How do they get too white ? The bleach is left on the hair too long, pushing the color of the hair past the lovely golden blonde stage and over to the bright white stage.                                

I will gamble that most of you that have this problem have a brown base. You've gone into the Salon and asked for the Jennifer Anniston color and come out with something more on the line of the Golden Girls, sound like you? If you place too many white highlights on top of a brown base...the overall appearance is "gray" . That is just how it looks, and I know it confuses the client. What colors make gray? Black and white. Brown is the closest color to black and close enough within the context of hair to give the effect of gray. Brown and super white highlights -appear 'gray'. Now if you have your base tinted brown first, you have an even higher chance of having that "gray effect".



What stage comes after the too white stage>? the 'breakage stage" which I am sure many have discovered that have this problem - so if you are here - stop the madness and get off the train. Put your foot down, ask for a change or you change Stylists. Please see the decolorization chart posted here. Which shows "how" color comes out of hair as it is lightened. If you understand the process it will make it easier for you to solve the problem.

The second reason they would be too white? Using the heat of a hair dryer. Especially when it says right on the package of every bleach I have ever seen, DO NOT USE HEAT. Heat speeds up the processing, which in turn speeds up the lifting action .. again zooming it right past the "golden blond" stage and up to that old "white" blond stage. Whiter is not better in highlights, nor is yellow the desired color either. Its those couple levels in between, and its not that hard to hit them. Just takes a little practice and using the proper rules and techniques.

2.) Hair Color basic rules that need to be followed - there is a reason Stylists are required to attend a specialized school for 1 year. Even if they did not learn it there > right on the package of almost all colors and bleaches it will say "DO NOT APPLY HEAT" . I was so shocked when I moved from the Academy to the Salon and saw this trick in action. I would say 90% of all hair color specifically says not to use heat. Most color that is professional says right on the package: DO NOT USE HEAT... in giant -- all capital letters, in many different places. Yet, in the Salon every single Stylist I watched in action was shuffling their clients in and out of hair dryer chairs, does this happen to you? .........JUST SAY NO, if you're timid say you are allergic to hair dryers... ! ! ! Just don't sit under them if they have used bleach, bleach works plenty fast ON ITS OWN.....!. Most Stylists are buying time until they have time to work you in....right ? 

I would worry greatly if a stylist is not even following something as minor as directions on the package. By using heat on a product, especially bleach, you speed up the action of the product which in turn will make those highlights go from a nice golden blond to a raging white. WHITE highlights are a huge no-no by anyone with any sort of artistic vision and eye for the health of the clients hair.The highlights are white you have a brown base ....Brown + transparent white hair gives the appearance of "gray".......the answers are always in the theory of the color wheel ! Yes Black and white make gray but brown is very very very close to black....and that is the entire reason they "appear" gray!

Its also dangerous to apply heat to chemicals not designed to take heat. That is a very basic hair color rule being ignored by these people.

3.) Over Busy Stylist: This person is overbooked, has clients coming in every 1/2 hour or even every 15 minutes -- with no assistants. They "buy time" by slapping clients under dryers ... making them think they are getting something accomplished - by sitting under a dryer, instead of sitting in a chair with nothing "going on". This buys her time to juggle the next client/clients. By leaving the product on the hair too long OR too long PLUS with the heat ... again...they create the "too white" highlight. This stems from being over-booked with too many clients.

. So to use a hair dryer as a means of stalling so they can cram in more clients, is the base of the bigger problem. Too white highlights. They need to plan their day better, clients deserve individual attention, they can hire an assistant ...there are many ways around those issues.

I would rather rinse the color off at proper stage, then apply a deep conditioner, if I need to buy a little time. Everyone benefits from an extra dose of deep conditioner! Especially the hair. Care about the hair.

4.) Using only 1 Color in Highlight formula. Another simple rule to achieve a standard Jennifer Anniston-type highlight is, to use more than 1 color. I never use under 3 colors, with 5 thru 10 my normal array, its just not in my make-up to not use a variety of colors. I don't know how any Stylist can arrive at a decent look without at least 2 lights and 1 dark if not many more. A variety of tones are needed for a natural look.

The idea in hair color is to go for the color of a child's hair. That has been a great goal in all my work and one of the reasons for my success. A child's hair color has dozens of colors in it and that is why it is so beautiful. That would need to be part of the formula for any Stylist/colorist that you see. If the stylist is using only one color, you should ask for at least 3 and if they balk at that you are in the wrong chair...to avoid the confrontation in the chair clarify this when making your appointment. If you have gray highlights, do not put up with them... that is terrible that you are paying good money for a huge mistake.


5.) Too Many Foils. Along with the other 4 reasons, I have noticed that these Stylists put hundreds of foils in clients hair. Yes, that justifies charging more money, but there is no reason to put that many foils in the hair. It will never make the hair color look better if you are using one color, bleach.

If you are only using one color you are making more white stripes which adds to that brown plus white equals gray 'look'. Therefore, too many highlights/foils will only exacerbate the problem.


If you are one of the many people out there with the Gray Highlight issue. Try to figure out which of the 5 issues is the root of your problem, one or all will be I can guarantee you. Either speak frankly with your stylist, get a new one, or join the many that are starting to learn the basics of hair color and beginning to figure out how to professionally color their hair at home with us on Killerstrands. This is not a subject anyone really talks about, but isn't that what Killerstrands is all about.
Talking about any and every issue that no one else will in regards to hair, hair color or anything hair related.

Today in 2015, I truly feel the solution to this is to go one color go Level 6 light brown Cool Neutral.... NO ONE HAS THIS COLOR , but celebs and models!
They have it because it is rare, beautiful and can be easily shiny... ! In the summer you can add a few light ribbons around the face and in winter just go back to a beautiful level 6, I'm telling you.....it ........is...........GORGEOUS !

Think about it

Remember always Highlights are history......Think New ..........

Use some of our Color enhanced Shampoo's & Conditioners ....... 
................Called BOOST and BURST in 35 unique and long lasting colors

Killer Chemist "KC"