The “Level System” in Hair Color = Simple to Understand - Universal in Nature - a Must for Home Hair Coloring Success

Recent influx of emails, Posts in Group, Comments on Blog & questions with orders in Store . . . Have shaken me & reminded me to “review thy basics”.
Seems its time to review the Level System of Hair Color, the universal system: Colorists,Cosmetologists, Hair Color manufacturers, Stylists, use to calculate the hair color formula you should use. All of you new to Killerstrands trinity of web sites… please learn this method of categorizing hair color numerically in relation to depth of color and lifting capabilities. All hair color manufacturers use the LEVEL SYSTEM as a way of standardizing hair color charts and numbering color bottles and/or tubes. I have written about the subject many times throughout this Blog. I encourage you to read every post on the subject if you are new to Killerstrands and interested in Hair color education. The posts are not long and I try very hard to teach as simple as possible. You must speak in “levels” when asking questions, making comments, or helping out within the group. It simply doesn’t work if the comment is “ I have medium brown hair”…. that could be one of 6 colors, so learning the Levels is the beginning of learning the System known as the Level System which is the basis for all good hair color formulating. The LEVEL SYSTEM ranks hair color from Level 1 – being Black – and level 12 being the lightest blond possible ( just before ‘white’).
 This chart is a rather old chart about the level System, so it shows the ranking has been around for a while. Once you get the 1 through 12 levels down, it is then time to move onto the Tones. . . as you see in the above chart  - - years ago - -  they called tonal categories “Shades”.
This chart is a bit out-of-date. . .today in your color lines you will not find different tones in level 1 through 4 . . . why? Those colors {once you go below a level 5} are normally so dark you simply cannot ‘see’ any tones. Mainly what people want to do if they have hair that dark? ? ? Is to: cover their gray. Which takes a neutral . . or what I like to call a double Neutral ( 66/0, 77/0, 33/0, etc…) which just about every line carries now-a-days. If you have resistant gray, or a large percentage of gray ( over 25-35% Gray) I would highly suggest using the double Neutrals as your base . . . then mixing in a tonal choice with it for the best and most effective way to cover gray.
One of the problems you will face when coloring your hair is that most swatch charts display color selections on ‘white’ hair swatches. So right off the bat the color you are looking at is deceiving, it falsely leads colorists to believe that the color shown is the color they will achieve.

I want you to understand that those swatch charts don’t take into consideration the pigment contributed from the natural hair (DURP)  that will remain during the lifting cycle.
The percentage of “lift” in any color is directly related to its ammonia content and the VOLUME of the Developer used.
The percentage of deposit is directly related to the dye content in the tube of color, which is also known as pigment weight. The more dye molecules in the tube, the more depositing capabilities the color has.
Here is an older chart that displays the DURP ( dominant – underlying – remaining  -- pigment ) contribution left in the hair at various levels during the lifting process.
 
DURP
Primary, Secondary and tertiary colors can be found at any level of natural hair color ( see above). DURP is the color that is left in the hair AFTER the lifting process takes place. Knowing the colors that will appear at a given level of color makes sure you will choose the proper base color formulation to either neutralize of enhance the desired color. There are just so many factors that go into knowing this, and remember all you have to learn is your OWN HAIR, so that is a fairly easy task. As professional Hair Colorists, we must know every single hair color/texture and type  - - out there . . .  which is why it is hard to find a good Colorist.  It is not an easy job, it takes a lot of education, a lot of training and a LOT of experience to understand a wide variety of hair types so that you are excellent with every hair type that sits their butt in your chair.
Oxidation
The percentage of lift in all hair color is related to the ammonia content. (if not ammonia then a chemical that is a substitute for ammonia yet, does the exact same thing). I have discovered after doing well over 10,000 heads of hair, that when it really comes down to what people want with their hair color ( people that can have anything in the world…)……they really just want the proper color hair in the healthiest manner. I looked into “Organic Hair Color Systems” many years ago – and after using it for 2 months, I ended up with brassy blondes and just the wrong tones on all my Level 7 to level 12 heads of hair. I just could not live with – nor could my clients. I had never had a problem with that NOR a problem with unhealthy hair ‘AFTER’ coloring. So I just did a complete 180 and went back to the hair color ( Wella, Renbow ) I had used from Day 1 and everyone was happy again. So for those of you with questions about that, I tried – and discovered what people want is properly colored hair that is Healthy when finished.
Lets try to understand what Hydrogen Peroxide does to hair color. As it is important in the process. . . The action of depositing hair color molecules into the cortex of the hair shaft - - - is partly triggered by oxidation - - - which is achieved by the addition of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) - - TO, the color. The color molecule in permanent hair color is just too large to penetrate the cuticle of the hair shaft - - - without first altering its structure with Hydrogen Peroxide. Without that peroxide the color will only stain the outside of the hair - -  its really a great concept to understand if you want to understand the hair coloring process.
After the peroxide ( developer) is added to the color, it begins to oxidize or lose an oxygen molecule.This creates HEAT  - - in and on the hair shaft, which expands the cuticle layer so that the color or dye molecules can penetrate.
Once the developer is completely oxidized, it turns into ‘water’ ad its chemical action stops The color molecules return to their original size and become part of the structure of the cortex of the hair. Then the cuticle closes - - trapping the color molecules ‘INSIDE’ !   The Color process is complete.
                                                                                                                                 The reason for the importance I stress in knowing the Level System ?? Saying, “I have dark brown hair and want to put light brown slices in my hair….does NOT FLY! !!  . . .because there are about 4-5 levels that could be misconstrued for what “Light Brown” hair is & 4-5 for what dark brown hair color is. A requirement for being a group member is knowing and understanding the Level System - - so just give it a go.
The Level System . . . is truly a GODSEND when it comes to hair color. Talking about it, calculating the next formula , , , just a multitude of problems are solved by having this ‘system” put in place and having a guide that is universal.

So everyone PLEASE take 10 minutes, study the chart and swatches . . . what you always need to know is:

• what Level/{Tone} your VIRGIN hair is???  (your hair with ZERO color) Then,
• what Level/{Tone} your hair color is now??  .Then many times the reason this System is referred to is……. you are trying to calculate your  NEXT hair color formula . So the 3rd question would be:
• What Level/Tone do you DESIRE your hair color to be?                                                                                                

Of course,there are a number of other small rules that all must be paid attention to once you have the Level System down. The main point I want you to know is that there is a solid… successful… system of hair color called the LEVEL SYSTEM.. That contrary to what many think, it is NOT A GUESSING Game. Not at all. It is an actual chemical calculation that once 10 questions are answered, you input the Levels in answers to the questions ( which by-the-way are ALL taught throughout this BLOG ), and POOF you have your answers to your DESIRED Haircolor.
I’m going to pick the one rule that most need to try to understand as it makes the biggest difference in trying to change your hair color……..IF YOU HAVE OLD HAIRCOLOR ON YOUR HAIR PRESENTLY, it completely changes the Rules of the Level System. If you have “virgin” hair ( no color at all) you have the most flexibility  - -  the widest range of what you can do. Lying about it doesn’t help either. . .( believe it or not a lot of people do!). What they make is a product called VANISH,  http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/vanish-color-remover]
In our store which actually reverses the way the hair color went into your hair. It does not use Bleach . . . it does not use peroxide – it is the most gentle hair color remover on Planet Earth. Yes, it takes a lot of time to execute properly - but if you think about what it does . . . it is nothing short of a miracle. So please don’t doubt it…………it will be the beginning  of a new head of hair for you.


Here is a common example of what many of you write in …. asking our help with…you should get a better idea of hair color and “lifting” from this example.
The person’s DESIRED hair color is a LEVEL 7
The person’s VIRGIN  hair color is a LEVEL 4
Subtract the VIRGIN Level from the DESIRED Level
Add the difference to the DESIRED color level. This will give you the proper Hair Color LEVEL to use, to achieve the DESIRED results.. { remember this is on UNCOLORED HAIR, so the results and entire operation works easily – it all changes once you color that hair once}
DESIRED LEVEL OF COLOR………………………….………. Level 7
NATURAL LEVEL OF COLOR  (subtract)……………………….Level 4
DIFFERENCE …………………………………………….       -- 3 Levels

DESIRED Level of Color………………………………………    Level 7
DIFFERENCE (add) …………………………………………  + 3 Levels
Level To Use …………………………………………..  – Level 10 Blond
Using a Level 10 color with a BLUE base would be perfect. . .  and if there is a lot of strong DURP, I want to begin educating you on using the straight pigments we carry in the store. They are by Paul Mitchell and work exceptionally when the DURP is strong.There is a BLUE pigment that would work perfectly in this picture..

Hope this Post has educated many of you in the basics of the Level System, if it isn’t quite clear, my best suggestion is to keep reading the many posts over and over….I didn’t learn this until I was in my late 30’s so it is possible for people of all ages to understand – repetition is the best method to make it clear.

Bye-Bye ‘In-Depth’…HELLLOOO ‘in-TENSIVE’…the best Post-Color Application on Planet Earth

I’ve been using this one for 15 years. It has the absolute most wonderful ingredient list, with some very nice extracts, that lend wonderful properties to your strands  - - ESPECIALLY after coloring your hair.
There is YARROW extract, BIRCH extract ( the extract that is just wonderful for the scalp…both the leaves and the sap of the silver birch are mildly antiseptic and support the functions of the scalp. Birch extraction can promote circulation, convergence, resistance to infection. Birch is known for its purifying and detoxifying effects. Then one of the best extracts: HORSETAIL: Silica in horsetail extract not only slows down hair loss in both men and women, but also encourages growth of new hair follicles. Horsetail extract increases blood circulation, nourishes hair follicles and encourages hair growth. The amino acids and phyto-sterols in horsetail help strengthen the hair follicles while also reduces oil buildup on the scalp.
There is also Rosemary, Sage, and Nettle - - all 3 dynamite for the health and balance of hair. That is the purpose of IN-TENSIVE, to gently bring hair and scalp back to its natural acid balance after tinting, lightening and before and after toning. Light herbal scent removes all traces of residual odors.

I think it has been applied on every single one of the 10,000 HEADS; with the response . . .  .” WHOA, what’s that? now that smells nice… Its just an epic way to end a hair coloring or to even out the porosity in the hair.
The Directions : Apply this to shampooed and towel dried hair….this is another one of those . . . the longer you leave it on the better. I know everyone wants things to be quick and fast, but when applying the few conditioners I recommend, they must be left on at least 30 minutes, if not more. Now that I color my own hair at home… once I rinse the color out, do a light shampoo, rinse and towel dry….I put IN-TENSIVE in and leave it in the rest of the day. Once it dries out, it gives the hair this cool texture . . . so you really could where it in public.
Here’s the Link: 
 http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/killerstrands-in-tensive-porosity-ph-treatment
  Killer Chemist

Blond to Brown : Most Common Mistakes

Tip Drips Will Not Go Away : OK By Me
After just performing the Tip Drip Technique to my own Daughter who has had the same hair color for her entire 27 years: the same look she requested finally then popped up and ranked a full page in the newest British Hair magazine that I admire and follow. So it is time I point once again to this technique I love – admire and know full well you will get very few Hair Stylists to promote. My daughter went from almost waist length Platinum Hair to the look Drew Barrymore is rockin’ currently – and it just looks spectacular. Everyone – I mean everyone was raving over her new hair at Christmas. I bring this up because we are speaking about family members who know nothing about hair and I would have thought they might tag it “weird”…”unusual”, fun or the worst one of all “grown-out”!
You will never see an American magazine promote this Hair Color Technique and “why”?? What the look does is diminish the amount of times you would have to frequent the Salon, they are so into following what the hair color companies push on them that a look like this doesn’t warrant frequent visits. When they have you locked into the Highlight on top of Highlight look (that is sooo out-dated, remember my coined line “HIGHLIGHTS ARE HISTORY”) With this technique, it not only looks Rockstar Ready. . . it is a look that does not have you married to the Hair Salon & into having your hair touched-up every 2-4-6 even 8 weeks. This look can also be done at home with a little help as well.
Now I have also done a modified version of this look on a couple 40 & 50 year olds with shorter hair and I am just as impressed with the look. On the photo up above, take your finger or a piece of paper and cut off the length of the hair, see how great that looks? The thing about the women I do hair color on most of them know I always tell them when it is “time to change”. I never let anyone keep the exact same hair(color & cut) for over 2 years, the younger ones…only 1 year. But I suppose that may not be so practical for everyone. That is why I encourage everyone to learn the hair color LEVEL SYSTEM. If you take the time to learn the Level System you be able to change your hair color – yourself- every year or 2 - - as well. “New hair” is great for relationships ( keeps them fresh), wonderful for self-confidence   Once the look is completed you could go 4-5-6 months without a touch-up > which is why Salons, hair magazines, hair color manufacturers , NO hair care manufacturers likes this hair color technique. I completely admire any magazine for showing it, Celebs for wearing it (their Stylists are doing anything possible to discourage it ) and any of you for being ‘fashion-forward’ enough to rock it.  I hope more of you will consider it. . . keep watching the magazines, check out people at your school or local mall. . . see how many people actually have it.
 
So, the look is having the TIP DRIP technique, but having it done correctly . . . which I feel all of you can do at home – fairly successfully. You just need some guidance and that is what I am here to give you. I am going to take you through the technique, so you can, if not attempt it yourself…. you can ask your friend to help you ( be sure its the one that is pretty handy with hair, is an artist, or the craft-master of your town ). If all else fails - -  show it to your Stylist and ask if they can please give you the long lasting technique, assuring them you’ll come-in for an occasional touch-up. The problem with that last suggestion? I find through the hundreds of emails I receive that there seems to be an unusual amount of unqualified Stylists out there. Just be sure to do your research and always use a Stylist with numerous ‘glowing’ recommendations.
Its very hard to generalize with this technique as everyone’s hair is so different. What I will explain, as it is the most common I see and advise on, is the person with Level 9 thru 12 hair color – that would also be the color I worked on for my daughter and/or its the girl with over highlighted hair that appears to be solid platinum.
FIRST STEP
The first task is to mark the hair where you would like the dark to end as you come down from the roots. First of all do this to ball park it. You will use something very advanced and hard to find . . . . clips. Little silver clips you can find at your neighborhood drug store  - even your grocery store has them ! Use those for your first eyeball estimate and while you perform the actual coloring.
Performing this process in reverse like this, so many of you think there needs to be all this technical calculating and that just isn’t so. Hair grows at different rates around your head, I’m sure many of you have noticed that, but that is why this does not have to be any sort of a straight line. It would look completely fake if it was perpendicular to the floor and straight, so takes a few breaths and relax in this step. Put the clips in or little ribbons – rubber bands- ties, whatEVER works in your hair in a jaggedly uneven fashion. Notice the photos throughout this Post for reference. Decide for yourself how far down you want the depth (dark) to come, there is no ‘normal’  - - - there is no ’proper’- - when this technique first began over 10 years ago the depth was only about 2-3 inches. Now …I have seen them at every single depth from 2 inches of brown ( at least 2 inches or it looks like regrowth) all the way to 12 inches on very long hair. Hold your finger or a dark piece of paper on the photo of Drew Barrymore. Hold it at the bottom length of her hair, moving it up till it looks like she has shoulder length hair. See?? That even looks good on her hair if it was shorter, so do not think you have to have super long hair for this technique to work. I love it on shoulder length hair. To be perfectly honest I will bet big money on the fact that Drew’s long length is clip-in extensions . . . Hollywood finally woke up to the damage and the fakeness of the other type of extensions ( thank the Lord). . . I’m sorry, in my world for the first 10 years the only people we saw with extensions were high dollar adult film stars, that is a vision and association that is hard to forget.
NEXT STEP:
Then know that you cannot just put brown over blonde and it will stick  - -  that just ‘’ain’t gonna” happen no matter what. When hair is very light blond, something has been taken from it, do you know what that is ? ? ? The ‘warmth’ has been removed . See now this is the opposing problem. When one had darker hair and is wanting to go light except for the fact that they have a Helluva time getting the ‘brass’…the ‘gold’…the ‘orange’ and/or the “red” out of the hair to make it white and to LOSE THE WARMTH…. Now going the opposite way and wanting to make light blond a nice warm brown so it is not a green brown or so that it does not shampoo out . . . you MUST replace the warmth you spent very long in getting out out. How? Be applying Red and Gold ( the normal warmth colors) we have in a nice warm brown. That does not mean you need to use a warm ‘brown’ that is how and  why people get it wrong all the time.
You want to use a Level 8 Gold and a level 8 Red….combine them in a top of the line Demi-permanent line of color such as Color Touch. You apply this kind of bright and crazy red/Gold, and process 30 minutes, following with IN- Tensive for 25-55 minutes, RINSE and dry the hair.
Now you are ready to apply the brown. Yep, right on top of the bright red/gold. It can be any shade of Brown but I do not feel it should be any darker than a Level 5 in Wella ( they run a full level darker). I love a level 6 or 7 in Wella which would be a Level 5 or 6 in any other line.
Then process and follow with IN-TENSIVE as always and I always like to follow all my color treatments either with a 45- 60 minutes THRIVEN treatment, or if you are home an overnight one. It is the ultimate refresher.
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The goal of Killerstrands Hair is and always will be : honesty in Hair Care, Hair Color and Hair Product Education. What I say will many times not be the popular thing you hear, what I say is the Gods honest truth… you will see. I’m a fanatic in my life . .  everything I have ever done I have been the best at. . .or one of the best, its just something I was born with. So as I took up hair I thought I would just relax after having a rip roaring life in the movie industry, but I took up hair as I did everything else. In the first 5 years I had my own first product in the Salon, as I found no deep conditioner that truly worked ( it is now called THRIVEN http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/thriven). The Hair industry has changed so much, a few very very large corporations have bought up all the small companies – so there is very little independence in hair information and very little truth. Killerstrands is your home for that now.
I receive many hundreds of emails now, and I need to tell everyone, that for the first 2 years I did my very best to get every email answered. The volume is so massive anymore that it has now become impossible to answer questions personally anymore. I would have to close the store to do so, but I wanted everyone to know this from my own mouth. I am not ignoring you, there are just hundreds of people asking questions of me weekly. If you have any personal hair questions… please do your best at searching the Blog’s Archives – if you have no luck there, please ask in the group. Ask each other, the group seems (so much of the time) to be members waiting for the Managers answers . .  get some dialog going between each other. See what comes of that angle I would suggest.

Sometimes, I Prefer You Read What Others Say about the Blog, Group, Store and Me – topic? Female Hair Loss & the Killerstrands Trinity

Your hair is still falling out?   Oh noooo...
I'd assumed that problem resolved when you washed the stress of “man’s name” out of your hair.
Might I urge you take a look at the information at this link:   http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/search/label/Female%20Hair%20loss
And also:  http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/search/label/Female%20%2F%20Men%20Hair%20Loss
I have become a huge devotee of this woman!  I have read, no - studied, every word of her blog - more than four years of filet-mignon-quality information.  She’s an extraordinary expert on hair - passionate, invested, knowledgeable, and, at this point, a breath-takingly generous educator.  She was trained in Santa Monica,California -- at the famous Vidal Sassoon Academy, developed and maintained a prestigious and loyal Malibu clientele, and honed an exceptional reputation as a colourist... and then, apparently, became gravely ill.  Because of the severity of her illness, she does not practice her craft in the salon, anymore. Instead, four or five (?) years ago, she began the work of transferring her considerable expertise --about everything related to having healthy, beautiful hair --to the consumer/end user.   She feels there are too few adequately trained stylists/colourists out there -- especially colorists; she decided she would educate the end-users -- the ones who care about their OWN hair and are invested in becoming their own experts.  For the first couple of years, it appears to me, she wrote the blog and, in response to individual requests from readers, began to share with them (“underground”) her professional, salon-quality hair care products, because she wanted them to have the best available products rather than the substandard stuff.   She continues to make exceptional (otherwise not accessible to the average “lay-person”) products available to her readers, but she appears to be less stealth about it now.

It was her own illness, as I understand it, that prompted her to delve even more deeply into the problem of female hair loss, and to become an expert in, and an advocate for, the “best practices” for its treatment and prevention.  
She has also developed a couple of her own products and sells them; she uses the highest quality oils and all-natural ingredients.  Apparently, she first developed them for, and used them on, her Malibu clientele, and as a result, generated a bit of a following for those products.  Over the years, she has continued to refine and improve upon these products, and she makes them widely available through her e-store; the following has now become a full-fledged cult! 

I use three (at least) of her products on a daily, or near-daily, basis; they are luxurious (!), and way cheaper than you could buy a substandard (in my opinion) “equivalent” at, say, Whole Foods or Planet Organic. Most people love "Gleam," which is a dry oil.  I use it daily on my skin, and most people seem to use it at least daily, even multiple times per day, on their hair (for which it was designed), but I only use it on my hair on the weekends, because it has the uncommon effect of leaving my hair looking very oily. (I’m sure it would not have that effect upon your hair; nobody else seems to report that problem. But my hair is, apparently, layered in Teflon, so nothing soaks in!)  My personal hair care favourite is her, "Thriven," which is more creamy/gooey in its consistency; I apply as a leave-on conditioner/protectant, every day.  I hope I am never again without it.
She has an e-store with an incredible range of products -- tools, implements, hair care products (shampoo, styling goops, thermal protectants), professional-quality hair colour,  and a bit of skin care (which, excitingly, is a segment of her line that appears to be growing.)   The store is a veritable playground!   "Arts and Crafts for Grownups," as I like to think of it.  Here is the link:  http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/
I purchase ALL of my hair care paraphernalia from her store. Everything.  Even with the international shipping costs, it’s so worth it.
I believe you will find some magic, in her guidance, to help you get control over your [traumatizing] hair loss.  Next time I see you, I'll try to remember to scoop out a sample of the Thriven and a couple of squirts of the Gleam for you to try. (Remind me!)
M.  R. Ph.D.                  Registered Psychologist
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I cannot remember a more flattering and well written complimentary letter  - - it is the most perfect time to post, with the recent horrifying phone call I received.  Please see the Group and Store for additional information, Thank You MR, you have been a wonderful
Killer Chemist

Post-Coloring Conditioning Treatments

With The Demise of IN-DEPTH, Please Welcome IN-TENSIVE

Never thought I would be so sad to see a product go, with yesterdays shipment we sent out the last of the remaining 26 cases of IN-DEPTH I happened to get my hands on. Why companies discontinue ‘good’  - - - no ‘great’ products - - - escapes me, completely. Wella was bought out by Proctor and Gamble approx.18 months ago - - and I suppose that may have a lot to do with it. For whatever reason it just seems to happen way too frequently.
This one little trick I discovered on my own - - -  right out of Hair Academy - - - was discovered by simply reading and studying about pH and hair coloring. Not one person at Sassoon did this step, no one recommended it, I never saw anyone do it  - - anywhere….not even at all the hair shows I attended and worked at over the years. I just used my common sense when I read about what hair color does to the pH of the hair during all coloring processes.
The abbreviation pH stands for potential hydrogen. This abbreviation is always spelled with a small “p” and a capital “H.” It is the measure of acidity or alkalinity of ‘water-based’ solutions
In scientific terms, what pH would stand for is ability of molecules to attract hydrogen ions. An acidic molecule would have a low ability to attract hydrogen ions, while an alkaline molecule would have a high ability to attract hydrogen ions. The pH of a solution is measured on a scale from zero to 14. On the pH scale, zero would stand for the highest possible acidity reading, 7 is neutral, and 14 is the highest alkalinity reading.

What pH stands for in the human body is a study of the acid and alkaline within your bodily fluids. The human body strives to maintain a slightly alkaline pH at all times. Various organs inside your body help maintain pH. Once I read how influential pH was - - in general in the human body - - my common sense just rang in my ears : that hair color that changes the pH in everyone’s hair must be attended to – in order to keep the hair healthy. I had no idea it would also affect how long the color remained vivid and the amount of time gray hair would remain covered. ……………………………..But it did!    I think this one, little, seemingly insignificant process, turned out to be in the top 5 of my most effective discoveries. Right up there with the Secret Supplement, THRIVEN, GLEAM & 10,000HEADS.

The pH of different coloring products I discovered ranged from 8 – 9.5, so I discovered using a pH balanced conditioner on the hair after each and every coloring treatment to restore the “NATURAL pH” of 4.5 - 5.5 to the hair - - made me look like the most brilliant Colorist on planet Earth. My clients gray stay covered longer, all colors stay vivid longer ( especially reds – the most difficult), the condition of the hair improved, an absolute miracle worker on blonding ( bleached, high-lift, really > any type).

The benefits of using pH balancer? It closes the cuticle, restores the pH balance to the hair and will help to prevent moisture loss ad color fade. This is a trick that once you try it, you will never consider not doing it.
I laugh now – telling ‘you’ and the world this trick . .  as I used to go to the trouble of “hiding this trick” I mean to the point of putting the product in another products bottle. WHY?
When you are doing hair in LA, and all the high talented individuals are here . . . you must do everything possible to stay on top . . . a little trick like this was one of those trix I never even told my assistants about !

Killer Chemist

HO HO HO Hair-y Christmas

The Battle of the Hair Oils & GLEAM ( our own)

After reading this months trade magazine, I was blown away to see all the new “Hair Oils” on the marketplace. I read about at least 30 by ‘as many’ different companies . . . along with every one’s varying ingredient lists. Fascinating reading to me, as GLEAM has gone through many transitions over the years and I never thought there would be any competition. I’ve tried about 6-7 others for fun and never found anything close to the results GLEAM produces. Recently I had an old male client of mine call and tell me the trick he was using I thought I would pass on to you. I actually tried it personally, and I fully agree with him. . . its nothing life-changing but it is definitely worth mentioning to one and all.
Now when shopping for a hair oil, remember, when a company lists ingredients in any Cosmetic or personal care product the FDA states they must be listed in the order of percentage used. For example: if the ingredients in a product are:(hypothetical) Cyclomethicone, Sunflower Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Argan Oil, Rose Hips Oil & Vitamin E ( ingredients that ‘could’ make a hair oil) - - the manufacturer must list them in decreasing percentage order as I mentioned. If they weren’t the product ‘could’ have a completely different end-result - - so it is truly not fair to the consumer.
Let me demonstrate, here is my
example:

• Cyclomethicone………………65%
• Rice Bran Oil…………………10%
• Sunflower Oil………………… 9%
• Rose Hips Oil……………….. 8%
• Argan Oil…………………….. 6%
• Vitamin E……………………. 2%

Now, this product is perfectly legitimate, and would sell fine under FDA rules. The problem “to me” is……many times the ingredients are NOT listed in the “percentage” requirement law . .  and if it isn’t? The product would be completely ( C O M P L E T E L Y) different if the number 1 ingredient was Argan Oil or even more so if Rose Hips Oil was in the number 1 spot. As the formula up above stands now… the first ingredient is a silicone ( a filler with zero “positive”properties ) it is not an “oil by nature” it is a man-made oil-like – clear syrupy-goopy liquid substance. Nowhere even close to a golden liquid rich with anti-oxidants, carotenes, essential fatty acids, GLA, and vitamins as is Rose Hips Seed Oil. Rose oil is the single best (nature-based) anti-aging, skin/hair repairing substance in existence, that I have found – yes even better than Argan.

This oil honestly repairs stretch marks, makes scars disappear, moisturizes & cures dry chapped skin, heals nails that won’t grow, completely de-frizzes frazzled hair, heals damaged hair adds shine. . . and even more depending on the person.

I’ve never seen one ingredient --  do more completely on its

own. I’m actually puzzled why it isn’t more popular and spoken about all the time, than it is.  Organic Refined Rose Hips Seed Oil is simply amazing it truly is. . .  and it is the ‘basis’ for Gleam and our new facial moisturizer called “ILLUMIN” - - coming soon.

  I have a perfect family for this testing as well, everyone has dry-DRY skin and hair. A note: not one family member does manual labor – because of heredity ( genes),we all have this horrible dry/cracked/painful skin and also dry, breaking hair – naturally !  So, I gave my little experiments to 11 adults. They each received 1 -- 2oz. bottle of straight Rose Hips Oil along with 30 pairs of gloves – I asked them to put plenty of the oil on the tips of their fingers rub into their cuticles + nails as well as their hands.   .. The results were much more awesome than I had ever predicted . . . I had no idea it would help nails grow. But every single person’s dry hands had disappeared plus the backs of everyone’s hands looked so completely different. That was when it was added to Killerstrands GLEAM product, and if you have not tried GLEAM yet on your hair, you must - - especially this weekend as it is ON SALE for the first time.
Having determined years before … that the make-up of the hair strand and the skin are just so close, it was just a matter if ‘trying it’ – experimenting with successful skin ingredients to see if my hypothesis would be as successful and have as profound results as I estimated.  Many of you are loyal fans of GLEAM, so you know exactly what I am referring to.
The healing effects these various oils by Nature impart on your damaged hair strands are the most incredible, fast and long lasting as I have ever experienced.
After years of juggling oils I learned many tricks and a lot about the benefits of about every single oil available. According to about every piece of research I could find the absolute most powerful and vitamin packed oil (for the skin and hair) is ROSE HIPS SEED Oil. I believe GLEAM is the only hair oil I could find with that lists it as the # 1 through 3rd ingredient ( meaning it is in high percentage).Oh and by the way . . . the reason for this post to begin with ? ?
The new trick an old client had called to tell me to try with GLEAM…
Apply a couple squirts to the hands rub in and then rub in to just the ends of the hair, nothing else….sleep overnight. Watch your frizzy ends, split ends just disappear. His trick is probably the best NEW trick I’ve heard this year. Give it a try and let the magic begin.
Killer Chemist

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Female Pattern Hair Loss Gone Ballistic

There is just so little real-authentic-recent information on female hair loss . . . I look at my own work as valid as anyone’s. That may seem bold, but I am telling you from a person who has spent a whole lot of money on every single book in existence (including Text books ‘by’ & ‘for’ Dermatologists), trying to find some deep and extensive studies on FEMALE hair loss. Finding so much on MALE hair loss provokes so much frustration in me, I mean why not females? You should see what they use as their “guides”, to me they are laughable - - although I’m sure they feel as a Cosmetologist… I am laughable. A couple of the studies that are what they use today as guidelines, are so archaic to me – I mean they are using prisoners and mental hospital patients as the majority of their study groups. Logically, I would think that the meds they take would affect their hair growth/loss. . . . so why use them?
To me, when I first began studying how 1 strand of hair on the head lives its life on our head, is when I had my first revelation on how to try to get the hairs we have, to stay there and to not shed or fall to soon or too often. My hope here is - - if I can get you to understand the same concept . . . that it will help you with your issues with hair thinning or loss. It is estimated that over 50 million women suffer from this occurrence currently, and how it stands now to the medical community, they have no solution – no help at all  -- aside from Minoxidil (Rogaine).Be reassured that every pharmaceutical company on planet earth is working on a solution . . . try to be patient. Me? I came up with the 10,000HEADS --14 Step System: which has been around about 10 years. It began in a Malibu Salon – with a mere 3 Steps - - the additional steps were added after I would try different experiments on my 1100 people clientele base…my clients loved being involved in the research. If only half of the 14 Steps are followed (the last 7) I have about an 75% success rate, but - -  if all 14 are worked on – after 90 days – there is a 88% success rate – both remarkable in my opinion . No there is no 1 Step that will perform miracles, it is the synergistic quality of working on the hair strands from both the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’…. is my hypothesis. There is a Secret Supplement, which is mandatory if you truly want this system to work for you. A couple logical steps like – you must quit smoking and if addicted to any drugs/alcohol – well, of course, they must be stopped. There will most likely be a few steps you probably have never heard of… but all will both help you and your entire body move to a healthier state, so please take a look and consider it.

There are 3 types of hair on the human body, Vellus, Lanugo and Terminal. Follicles first produce Lanugo, which are soft, short and fine. Lanugo are typically shed between the 32nd and 36th week of pregnancy – although many are born with them as well. Most follicles then switch to produce small and almost imperceptible hairs called Vellus. Vellus hair is not pigmented and is commonly found on children & infants until puberty. On adults Vellus hair is usually found in places that are normally considered hairless ( forehead, eyelids, and bald scalp) and almost every other area of the body, except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Women usually have 50% more Vellus hair than men.
Then we have the larger follicles that form TERMINAL HAIR. Terminal hairs are found on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes at birth - - Vellus hairs are everywhere else.  Terminal hair is coarser than Vellus and with the exception of gray hair, are pigmented. All hair follicles can produce either the Terminal or Vellus hair, depending hormones, age and sex. Have you ever thought about that? Look at the hair on your arms right now….Short – soft maybe a 1/2 inch long - -  ever wondered why it doesn’t keep growing like the hair on your head? Out here in goofy California many of us shave our arms just like many do their legs….Still when the hair grows back it only grows back to 1/2 inch long. That is a Vellus hair.
So, the hairs on your head are Terminal. Terminal hair is just that…………Terminal. Which means what? It is alive and then at some point it “dies” or “expires”. Its not dead as so many people think . . . it grows, and it grows long - -  doesn’t it? The Terminal hairs which are on your head have a life span, and yes every hair on your head  - - dies. But in order for you to fully understand it I must explain the hairs’ cycle. Each complete cycle (of each & every hair) has 3 phases that are repeated over and over again throughout the life of your hair.
The 3 phases I always remember by saying the word CAT.
C : Catagen Phase………Transition Phase (lasts 2-4 weeks)
A:  Anagen Phase……….Growth Phase (long period of growth: 2-6 years)
T:  Telogen Phase……….Resting Phase (period of inactivity lasts 2-4 months)
In English, without all the technical talk . . . one hair strand: begins growing on your head….then comes a predetermined length . . . by how long the Anagen phase lasts.
So remember we are following the life of one strand of hair on your head. The first Phase is Anagen, which begins its life on your head. This is the Phase that lasts the longest and this is the one that determines how long your hair will grow to. You know how one person’s hair will grow to their waist, and yours never grows past your shoulders??? This is the reason. Her hair has a 6 year Anagen phase while yours might have a 3 year phase. Which means her hair strands while alive and growing – grow for 3 years longer than yours ( just as an example) before dying and shedding.
Scalp hairs grow faster on women than on men. Another of the long time rules about scalp hairs is:  Scalp hairs grow rapidly between the ages of 15 – 30, but slows down sharply after the age of 50. When I began having  17 - 18 - 25 year olds in my chair complaining about their unusual hairloss and begging me for help - - I began researching & reading all these longtime statistics on the matter. I became alarmed and wanted to try to figure out what in the world went wrong. . . what changed the previous statistics of female hairloss figures ??? To what they are now - with so many women complaining of the problem including women of high school and college age.


Anagen Phase :  During this phase, a new hair is produced…the hair actively manufactures new keratinized cells in the hair follicle. THE KEY TO THE ANAGEN PHASE?  This is the phase that determines the length of your hair … the longer this phase lasts….the longer your hair will be. So you want to do everything possible to get the Anagen phase to last just as long as possible. At any given time 86% of the hairs on your head are in the Anagen phase…..13% in Telogen……….and 1% in Catagen. If you apply those numbers  to the 100,000 to 150,000 hairs on the scalp the resulting NORMAL – EVERYDAY Hair loss on each of us is between 50 and 150 hairs per day . .  every day of the week. So in 1 week on average you are losing (a normal) 700 hairs, doesn’t that seem like a lot? Well, it isn’t  --  it is completely normal.         
Catagen Phase: is the brief transition period between the growing and resting phases of a hair follicle – it signals the end of the growth phase. During the Catagen phase the follicle canal shrinks and detaches from the dermal papilla. The hair bulb disappears and the shrunken root end forms a rounded club.Less than 1% of all the hairs are in this phase at ay one time although remember it is very short and lasts only from one to two weeks.     
Telogen Phase: or Resting phase is the final phase in the hair cycle and lasts until the fully grown hair is shed.  The hair is shed during the Telogen phase or remains in place until the next Anagen phase, when the new hair growing in pushes it out. This is where I realized that brushing your hair daily needed to be done. The hairs are going to shed no matter what. . . many of you think if you don’t brush your hair, then you won't lose as many hairs. Completely silly assumption. As you can see here, the hairs need to shed, once they do, then the newer hair can begin its life. About 10% of the hair is in the Teologen phase at any one time. This phase lasts for 3-6 months. As soon as the Telogen phase ends, the hair returns to the Anagen phase and begins the entire cycle again.
ON AVERAGE………….THE ENTIRE GROWTH CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF EVERY 4 –5 YEARS. 
Under normal circumstances, I hope you now see that it is completely normal to lose some hair every day.  Normal daily hair loss is the natural result of the 3 phases of the hair’s growth cycle.  The growth cycle provides for the continuous growth, fall and replacement of individual hair strands.
What this taught me was that the hair strand is ALIVE and not dead as so many people think. If it was dead it would not go through all of those phases and intricate maneuvers.     What I hoped to improve on with the 10,000 HEADS Protocol was how to keep that Anagen phase lasting longer. . .  I feel the Secret Supplement addresses that factor 100% from the inside and THRIVEN works on the outside of the hair in the Anagen phase. If you are having (unusual) hair thinning of any sort – I would really encourage you to give those 2 steps a try and truly the more Steps of the Regimen you can implement, will help those hairs on your head - -  stay right where they are.
Here is a link to THRIVEN in the store. . .  when you purchase THRIVEN . .  you receive a card that explains what the Secret Supplement is,where to purchase it, and how you can incorporate it into your life in the most successful method.



http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/thriven
Killer Chemist

There is No Such Thing as Gray Hair

Its an illusion, the hair is actually color-less or white
We will refer to what you are used to calling Gray hair – as WHITE HAIR for this Post and all future posts ( so we are speaking in the proper ‘Form’- I’m sure I will make mistakes – bare with me) The strands appear gray, but actually are white or color-less laying next to strands with color in them . . . that configuration gives the appearance of those hairs as gray hair. There is also the theory that as the pigment is being halted from filling those strands of hair – it goes from being a rich brown/black….to a faded color …..a faded color most of you call: …………….gray.          
                              
Visualize each strand of hair of your head as a tube ; like a plastic straw . . . when that tube is full of your natural virgin color / pigment / or melanin, you will have no “gray / white hair” appearance. As one ages that pigment begins seeping out of that tube - slowly. The rate, the amount, the speed all differ from person to person. Some never get gray – AT ALL – some begin getting it at 11 – 12 years old. The rate, the amount, the speed all differ from person to person. A lot has to do with heredity, ageing and some say stress ( I’m not a believer in that one).

White hair is also a completely different texture than pigmented hair, which is a result of there being no substance (pigment) in those strands. So if the texture has been changed, how would that affect the hair? White hair’s texture makes it resistant to permanent hair color. Typical white hair has a wiry texture and a tough compact cuticle. Remember the cuticle is what “opens” allowing the hair color IN to change the color, so if it is compact and not able to open easily - - that is just 1 of the many reasons White hair is tough to deal with. Coarse, resistant White hair can also be tricky to fully saturate with hair color…wiry gray hairs just naturally try to separate themselves from the whole hair color application by springing up here and there – which then allows them to dry out (keeping the hair color from working the solid 50-65 minutes it needs to) in order to last 4, 6, sometimes 8 weeks.
There is a unique trick to covering resistant Gray hair that I will be divulging in the book I am now working on, that I am just thrilled about finally getting to. This book is something I have wanted to write since beginning this BLOG over 3 years ago. . . it will include so many tricks and secrets I have been saving precisely for it ….at times I can’t wait to get it out to you, as I feel it will close up some of the holes I have purposefully left.
As a natural born red-head I have looked into, ‘why’ I had freckles and why I didn’t have skin that “tanned” even brown skin like everyone else. Living in southern California it was horribly frustrating to not be able to just layout in the sun and get that burnished brown skin everyone else naturally receives from having an even and flourishing amount of melanin in their skin. My melanin is spotted within my dermal layer. In hair strands melanin is made  by cells in the hair bulb called melanocytes. During keratinization, melanin is infused into the protein that becomes the hair strand
There are 2 types of melanin:

• Eumelanins – ( the darker pigments)
• Pheomelanins – ) the lighter ones….ranging from  red-brown to red-yellow to yellow    

All hair, no matter what color…,may contain both in varying degrees.

DURP and White Hair
Cool colors do NOT cover  white hair. Never use ash, it simply will not work.    White hair is lacking warmth people. Warmth is those colors that normally one would NOT WANT THEIR HAIR TO BE!  But to get that white hair to a pleasing shade, you must start by adding those obnoxious tones first. Tones like Copper, Gold, combinations like Brown/Gold – Red/Gold all will add the warmth one needs to go from White to wonder
When contemplating your formula for covering White hair bear in mind that you have to add depth and tone to white hair, because there is no pigment present.                                                                                                                                                                               

To Bleach Or Not To Bleach: That Is The Question

Level 12 Hair  =  Platinum Blond Hair

The fascination that comes with Platinum Blond Hair is something that I believe has more to do with the fact that for hundreds of years – that color of hair did not exist on people of either sex . Yes, many children are born as “tow-heads” . .  but as they age I would say 88% gradually darken to brunettes before 18 years of age, about 10% will remain a Level 7/8  and a mere 1-2% will make it to adulthood as natural light blonds. About 1% make it to adulthood as a “light” Blond and ‘none’ make it as the toe-head <> platinum blond we are talking about in this post.  I don’t ‘make up’ the statistics – I merely observe them. When things are “rare” they are more treasured. Its that way with anything …….cars, furniture, skin, jewelry, clothing – everything. . Especially beauty items such as  hair & haircolor  . . . platinum hair to men to women & to everyone… is just striking - - it is sexy – plain and simple. The Bleach and Tone process is what this process is called.
Hair Coloring just happens to be one of the oldest beauty procedures – it was used by various ancient cultures as a sign of affluence, much like it is today. When I was working the Salon in Malibu all those years, I would watch the 14 – 18 year old children of celebrities – ask for $200. – $600. procedures - - frequently. There is no way I am condemning a process in which my own children partake in as well, so please do not think I was judging.

The use of hair coloring was shown in records of ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, Persians, Chinese, and early Hindu peoples all mention the use of hair colorings.. Early hair dyes were made from plants, metallic compounds, or a mixture of the two. Rock alum, quicklime, and wood ash were used for bleaching hair in Roman times, and herbal preparations included mullein, birch bark, saffron, myrrh, and turmeric. Another early method of coloring hair was to apply powder. Pure white powder for hair or wigs was the show of high-class dress in Europe during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. White powder was made of wheat starch or potato starch, sometimes mixed with plaster of paris, flour, chalk, or burnt alabaster. Similarly colored powders were sometimes used as well.Think of how we have come full-circle, have you seen the products that all resemble TOPPIK ? ? For some reason since the dawn of time we have been compelled to alter our hair color. . .personally I simply find it ‘fun’ – a very non-interesting reason I suppose. When I first began my full-blown practice in the Salon (stopped educating) – I would think and I would actually tell people. . .” the joy I receive from transforming people’s lives with just their hair… is so rewarding that I wish I could do their hair free of charge”.



The reason for the admiration of this color? . . . because it is RARE. . . it is not easy to get, it is expensive to have (done correctly) and to keep up on.This is the hair color that the term “high maintenance” was developed. It is truly the most expensive hair to keep up on, people like Ms.Stefani, Ms. Aguilera will have their base re-done about every 10 -12 - 14 days in order to keep it fresh, new although mainly so there are NO ROOTS in any photos.Think about it . . . ever seen 1 photo of Gwen Stefani with roots showing? Christina?  When bleached roots are re-touched very frequently like that it must be done by skilled hands so there is no “overlap” taking place and there is a sufficient amount of pH balancing and Conditioning going on to keep the hair in “tip-top” shape. So no breakage takes place and the process can continue. All you need is the education this Blog exhibits and I am happy to announce we are finally working on a book in which all “like” Posts and all “like” Demo’s will be in the same Chapter. . . how about that prospect? Regardless of that, all the information is already here. Just do some sincere studying, reading and reviewing of all pertinent Posts to this topic. I have found many members who are truly trying to educate themselves in the Art of Hair Color, as a wonderfully challenging hobby to take up, are purchasing 1 even 2 mannequins to test their prospective hair colors on. 

I can tell you there is a completely different outside ‘visual’ assessment of a person when they have brown hair versus blond. I wish it wasn’t so, just like I wish there was no judging, no prejudice, or bias’ BUT Every single person I have ever changed from a dark hair color to …Platinum ( or any shade of LIGHT Blond, for that matter). . . has told me that their life has been completely transformed by the process. Just know that, keep that piece of information in your pocket - - because I do feel that every person should be a blond, at least once in their life. If for no other reason than for plain and simple FUN ! My one exception is natural born red-heads . . . they should NOT go platinum . . . a pretty widely known hair coloring rule that I am 100% behind.
There are so many hair stylists that will have a bad experience with the Bleach and Tone process, by leaving the bleach on too long and therefore creating lots of breakage (100% completely avoidable - btw). So many of you are afraid of bleach and there is no need to be. What IS necessary is learning how to properly use it. I am of the school that there is no better coloring tool than Bleach and I find different needs for all 3 types of Bleach: 1) Cream Bleach  2) Oil Bleach and last but not least 3) Powder Bleach. All 3 have different purposes and different consistencies . There is just no way to lighten most people’s hair “past” that God-awful stage of brass without Bleach, those hair stylists that bad-mouth Bleach and attempt to lighten hair with Tint, leave the mark of a poorly trained Stylist in most cases. So many of the people who end up on Killerstrands are the product of this situation and want to take back control of their hair and hair color - - by learning exactly how hair color works. Until I decided to open up the previously “closed” books of professional hair color rules, there was no where to go to learn this information.
 

Left side Bleach and tone . . . Right-side Bleach and NO Tone

This rare and wonderful treat of platinum hair, the next step is for me to teach and explain how to get this rare commodity in the most safe and correct method there is.
The Technical Names for the Oil Bleach System :

• 2 Step process
  
• Double-Process &
  
• Bleach and Tone

Its funny in the Vidal Sassoon Hair Academy we were taught to never use the word “bleach” – that people are afraid of that ‘specific’ word, to use the word “lightener” instead. That the fear comes from not knowing what “bleach” is (I have tested this theory out with my clients as to what they think and picture). People picture in their head the only thing they know to be Bleach…. You know > that weird clear liquid that smells horrific, which can only be put in with ‘whites’ when you do your Laundry, and if it drops on anything it removes the color immediately. . . so, understandably, its a scary concept to the public.That bleach and the bleach we use on the hair are completely different products, which is what needs to be firmly taught to everyone. They just happen to have the same name, although truly within the hair color world we always call it Lightener. . . except when referring to Oil and Cream Bleach
Hair Stylists do nothing ( I have observed) to alleviate that unknown fear – as most like to leave their clients in the dark. They act as though they have some super power knowledge of hair chemicals that they are not allowed to ‘share’ - - I continue to work towards the opposing theory of this… that has been prevalent for the last 50 years. I want the client…the public…the young and old hair color client… to have the complete knowledge of how hair color works. KNOWLEDGE ELIMINATES FEAR. I want to empower the public to: want to learn how hair color works :it is one of the most important topics to me: and is the goal of this BLOG.
No Colorist can deny the pleasure of turning hair that is dark into gorgeous – beautiful PLATINUM – TONED, hair. That transformation is absolutely the best feeling I have found in coloring hair. Why? It is taking the hair strand through all the stages of the Level System and basically hitting the GOLDMINE of not having any color left in the strands. Learning how to Bleach & Tone is the mark of a true master of Color, in my book.

This is Part 1 of my 2 part series on the Double Process of Bleach/Tone http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/products/oil-bleach-kit-exclusive-to-killerstrands
Killer Chemist