Haircolor vs Hair Color
Chapter 19
A hair colorist needs to become an
expert in:
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Enhancing natural hair color
Blending or covering gray
Lightening natural hair color
Depositing color on previously colored hair
(corrective)
• Depositing color on hair that has been
lightened (corrective)
• Creating dimensional color
Why do people color their hair?
• Cover or blend gray
• Enhance existing haircolor
• Create a fashion statement of selfexpression
• Correct unwanted tones in hair caused by
environmental exposure such as sun or
chlorine
• Accentuate a particular haircut
Hair facts
• The structure of the client’s hair and the desired
results determined which haircolor to use
• The hair structure affects the quality and
ultimate success of haircolor service
• Some haircolor products may cause a dramatic
change in the structure of the hair, while others
cause little change or can help repair
• You must know how the products will affect the
hair in order to make the best choice for your
client
Hair structure:
TEXTURE & how it effects
haircolor
• Texture: melanin is distributed differently
according to the texture
• Melanin granules in fine hair are grouped
more tightly, so the hair takes color faster
and can look darker
• Medium texture hair has an average
reaction to haircolor
• Coarse hair has a larger diameter and can
take longer to process
Hair structure:
Density & how it effects haircolor
• Density must be taken into account when
applying haircolor to ensure proper
coverage
• Density also determines the quantity of
color or number of ounces that must be
mixed
Hair structure:
Porosity & how it effects haircolor
• Porous hair accepts haircolor faster, but it may
also “bleed-out” faster
• Low porosity means the hair is resistant and it is
difficult for the moisture of chemicals to
penetrate and may require a longer processing
time
• Average porosity should take an average
amount of processing time and produce the best
results
• High porosity means that the hair is overly
porous and takes color quickly and fades quickly
– requires preconditioning or use of a filler
Porosity Test
• Take a strand of sever hairs, hold the
strand securely with one hand and slide
the thumb and forefinger of the other hand
from the ends to the scalp
• If the hair feels smooth it has low porosity
• If the hair feels slightly rough it is average
• If the hair feels rough is has high porosity
Hair color
• Hair color is natural color
• Haircolor is artificial color
• Learning to identify a client’s natural hair
color is the most important step to
becoming a good colorist
Hair color & Haircolor
• Are based on a level system # 1-10
• Some manufacturers go as high as 12,
however if you are talking about hair color
it will always be based on 1-10
Melanin
• All hair has both eumelanin and
pheomelanin
• Eumelanin is black / brown
• Pheomelanin is blond / red
Contributing Pigment
• Is also called the UNDERTONE
• It lies under the natural hair color and
must be taken into consideration when
you select a haircolor
• When you lighten hair you expose the
contributing pigment
Level system
• Unit of measurement used to identify
lightness or darkness of a color
• Level is the saturation of density of a color
• Color names may vary from manufacturer
to manufacture however the degree of
lightness and darkness in each level will
remain the same
Tone
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Hue of color or the balance of the color
Tones are described as warm or cool
Any level can have different tones
Warm tones = gold, copper, auburn, burnt
orange
• Cool tones= platinum, ash, drab, blue
How to read a haircolor box
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The number is the level 1-10
The letters mean:
n= neutral
r = red
rb = red brown
rv = redviolet
ro = redorange
a= ash
p = pearl / platinum
g = gold
k = kopper
b= beige
gn = goldneutal
• #’s 11 & 12 are always considered high lift series and act more like bleach
or hair lightener with some of the benefits of haircolor
To determine natural level and tone
• Take a ½ in square section in the crown area
and hold it up from the scalp – allowing light to
pass through
• Using a natural level finder, select the swatch
that matches the section of hair, place it up
against the hair, you are trying to determine
depth level – how light or dark not tone
• Move the swatch along the hair strand to
determine the natural level
Base color
• Is the predominant tone of a color
• Example: a haircolor with a violet base
color will deliver cool results and help
minimize unwanted yellow tones / or a
red-orange base will create the bright
warm results that some clients are looking
for
Law of color
• Primary colors:
Red – Blue – Yellow
These colors can not be achieved from
mixing any other colors
• Secondary colors:
Green – Orange – Violet
These colors are achieved by mixing two
primary colors together in equal parts
Law of color continued
• Tertiary colors
Redorange – redviolet – yelloworange –
yellowgreen – bluegreen – blueviolet
These are created by mixing a primary with a
neighboring secondary and always carry the
primary colors name first
• Complimentary colors are those colors opposite
each other on the color wheel that cancel each
other out
example: Red + Green = Brown (Neutral)
Types of Haircolor
• 2 categories: nonoxidative & oxidative
• Nonoxidative:
temporary & semi-permanent
• Oxidative:
demi-permanent & permanent
• Lighteners have a unique chemical
property and falls into its own category
Temporary haircolor
• Used to neutralize an unwanted tone
• Uses large pigment molecules and does not
penetrate the cuticle layer, only allows a coating
action
• Only make a physical change not a chemical
change
• Only last from shampoo to shampoo
• Color rinses, color mousses or gel, hair
mascara, spray on color, color enhancing
shampoos
Semipermanent
• Last several shampoos depending on the
hair’s porosity
• Pigment molecules are small enough to
partially penetrate and stain the cuticle
layer
• Last 4-6 weeks and fades with each
shampoo
• It is not mixed with peroxide
• Used right out of the bottle
Demipermanent
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Also called deposit only
Is an oxidative tint
Able to deposit but not lift
Many use alkalizing agents other than traditional
ammonia however that does not necessary
make them any less damaging
Great for blending gray hair or a first time color
client
Less line of demarcation
Refreshing faded ends
Color correction or restoring natural hair color
Permanent
• Can lighten and deposit haircolor at the
same time in a single process
• They are more alkaline than deposit only
• Mixed with different volume developers
• Used to cover gray hair w/ 20vol
developer
Natural & metallic haircolors
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Are NOT considered professional
They coat the hairshaft
Shade ranges are limited
If this client was to come to the salon they
would be upset to find out that out
professional products can NOT be applied
over these “natural” haircolors
Hydrogen peroxide
• H2O2
• Often referred to as developer
• Is an oxidizing agent – that supplies the necessary
oxygen gas to develop the color molecules and create a
change in natural hair color
• Volume measures the concentration and strength of
hydrogen peroxide
• Lower the volume – less lift, Higher the volume – more
lift
• 20 volume is used with permanent haircolor to cover
gray hair
Lighteners
• Lighten hair by dispersing, dissolving and
decolorizing the natural hair pigment
• As soon as H2O2 is mixed with lightener,
it begins to release oxygen
• Oxidation occurs within the cortex of the
hair
• Used to create a light blond shade that is
not achievable with permanent haircolor
Decolorizing process
• 7 stages of lightening
• The amount of change depends on:
1- the amount of natural pigment in the hair
2- the strength of the lightening product
3 – length of time product is processed
• Allows the colorist to create the exact degree of
contributing pigment needed for the final result
• Lightening the hair to the correct stage is
essential to a controlled final haircoloring result
CAUTION
• Lightening dark hair to a very pale blond is
difficult without extreme damage to the hair
• Giving hair a white appearance usually will
cause the hair to feel “mushy” and will stretch
without returning to its original length
• When the hair is dry is feels brittle and harsh
• This type of hair often suffers breakage and has
difficulty accepting a toner properly
Toners
• Are semipermanent or demipermanent
haircolor products that are used on
prelightened hair to achieve the desired
color after the decolorizing process
Consultation
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Is the most critical part of the haircoloring service
Hold the consultation in an area with proper lighting
If possible the walls should be a neutral color
Allow at least 15 minutes
Have a client fill out a client information card and release
statement
• Ask leading questions:
are you looking for a temporary or permanent change?
do you want color all over or just a few highlights?
do you see yourself as conservative or dramatic?
Consultation Continued
• Recommend at least two different color options
• Review the procedure, application technique,
cost of service, and follow-up maintenance
• Be honest, let the client know what you can do
today and how many visits it will take to achieve
the final results
• Fill out the client’s record card with detailed
notes
• Avoid negative words – bleached, frosted, roots
CAUTION
• Medications can affect hair color
• In the consultation determine if the client
is taking any medication
• Usually medications for diabetes, high
blood pressure, and thyroid problems will
affect the outcome of color and most
chemical services
Selecting Haircolor
• There are four basic questions that must always
be asked when formulating a haircolor:
1. What is the natural level and does it include
gray hair
2. What is the client’s desired level and tone?
3. Are contributing pigments (undertones) to be
revealed?
4. What colors should be mixed to get the
desired result?
Selecting haircolor
• Always remember to formulate with both
lift and deposit in mind
• A higher lift formula may not have enough
deposit to cancel the warmth of a client’s
natural contributing pigment
• The volume of hydrogen peroxide mixed
with the haircolor product will also
influence the lift and deposit
Mixing permanent colors
• Method of mixing is determined by the type of
application that you are using as well as the
consistency of the product
• Applicator bottle – should be large enough to
hold both color and developer with enough
airspace to shake the bottle and blend the
mixture thoroughly
• Brush and Bowl – use a nonmetallic mixing
bowl, measure in developer, add color and use
applicator brush to stir the mixture until blended
Color developer ratio
• 1:1 means for every one part of developer
you use one part color
• 2:1 means for every two parts of
developer your use one part color
• 2:1 is usually only used for high lift color,
and should never be used for gray
coverage
Patch test
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Used to determine clients allergies or sensitivities
Also called a predisposition test
Given 24 to 48 hours prior to haircolor application
The color used for the patch test must be the same
mixture used to color the hair
• Mix a small amount of the color to be used and apply it
to a small area either behind the ear or in the fold of the
elbow, leave undisturbed for 24 – 48 hours. If there is no
swelling or redness then the test is negative a your can
proceed with the haircoloring service
CAUTION
• Operator dermatitis or toxicity is the build
up of chemicals in the operators system
due to not using gloves and repeatedly
being exposed to chemicals throughout
the day
Strand Test
• Once you have created a formula try it first
on a small strand of hair
• This test will tell you how the hair will react
to the formula that you have chosen
Hair color application - Temporary
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Drape client
Shampoo and towel dry hair
Put on gloves
Use an applicator bottle
Apply color and work around the entire head
Blend color with comb
DO NOT rinse hair
Towel blot and proceed with styling
Single process
• Lightens and deposits color in a single
application
• Examples are virgin application and
retouch application
• As the hair grows in you will need to
retouch the new growth to avoid a two
toned effect
• Line of demarcation is the visible line
separating colored hair from new growth
Single Process – Virgin Application
• Virgin application is applied first to the area where the
color change will be greatest or where the hair is most
resistant, usually the temples or hairline
• Section the hair into quadrants
• Lift a ¼ subsection and apply color to the mid-shaft area
stay ½ inch away from the scalp and stop before porous
ends
• Go back an apply color to the scalp
• Pull the color through the ends of the hair
• After checking results, shampoo with warm water
• Remove any stains around the hairline
• Condition
• Towel dry and style
Single Process – Retouch
application
• Section hair into quadrants
• Apply color to the new growth are using ¼ inch
partings
• Complete all four sides and set timer for manf.
Suggested processing time
• Prepare a no-lift deposit only glaze formula to
be applied mid shaft to ends
• Apply the glaze from the line where the retouch
application ends to the ends of the hair
• Check results
• Shampoo, condition, and style
Double process haircolor
• This process is used for hair that has to be prelightened
because the desired result is a dramatically lighter color
• Decolorize with a lightener and then use a separate
product to deposit the desired tone
• Because the lightening action and the deposit of color
are independent of each other, a wider range of
haircolor is possible
• During the prelightening you can create a perfect
foundation for a longer –lasting color that will be true to
tone
• The prelightener is applied in the same manner as a
regular hair lightening treatment, shampooed, and then
the demipermanent color is applied from scalp to ends
Lighteners
• 3 forms: oil, cream and powder
• Oil and cream are considered on the scalp
lighteners
• Powder is considered off the scalp lightener
• Cream and oil are the most popular because
they are easy to apply and are mild on the hair
• Cream and oil can also be used to
professionally lighten dark facial or body hair
Cream lighteners features and
benefits:
• Conditioning agents give some protection
to the hair and scalp
• Thickeners give more control during
application process
• Because cream lighteners do not run or
drip overlapping is prevented during
retouching services
Powder lighteners:
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Strong
Fast acting
Stronger than cream
Can cause scalp irritation and should not be
applied directly to the scalp
• Contain persulfate salts for quicker stronger
action
• Tend to dry out quickly
• Most powder lighteners expand and spread out
during processing and should NOT be used for
retouch services
Processing time for lightening is
affected by the following:
• The darker the natural hair color, the more melanin it has
, the longer it takes to lighten
• Amount of time needed is influenced by porosity
• Tone influences time to lighten natural hair, the greater
the % of red the more difficult it is to achieve the delicate
shades of pale blond
• Ash blonds are especially difficult to achieve because
the melanin must be diffused sufficiently to alter both the
level and the tone of the hair
• The strength of the product affects the speed and
amount of lightening
• Heat leads to faster lightening, but can be more
damaging to hair
CAUTION
• Powder lighteners are used exclusively for
off the scalp applications
• This means never directly on the scalp,
can be used on the shaft, ends, in foils, in
film, baliage, or with a highlighting cap
• Heat used with lighteners causes the
cuticle to crack and break, therefore
extreme caution must be used
Lightener retouch
• Mixture is only applied to new growth
• Overlapping can cause severe breakage
and lines of demarcation
• Never overlap
Lightening virgin hair application
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Divide the hair into four quadrants
Place cotton in all four sections to protect the scalp
Apply lightener ½ inch away from the scalp working the lightener through the midstrand and up to the porous ends
Place strips of cotton at the scalp area along the parting to prevent the lightener from
touching the base of the hair
Complete all four sections in this manner
Add more lightener if necessary
Do NOT comb the lightener through the hair
Keep the lightener moist during development
Take a strand test
Once desired level is reached apply the lightener to the scalp
Then apply to the porous ends
Rinse thoroughly with warm water
Shampoo gently – hair is fragile
Condition hair
Tone if necessary
Toners
• Primarily used on prelightened hair to
achieve desired color
• Your speed and accuracy are both
important factors in the application and will
determine whether you get good color
results
Special effects haircoloring
• Refers to any technique that involves
partial lightening or coloring
• Highlighting – coloring some of the hair
strands lighter than the natural color to
add a variety of lighter shades
• Lowlighting or reverse highlighting –
technique of coloring strands of hair
darker than the natural color
3 basic methods of highlighting:
• Cap
• Foil
• Baliage or free form technique
Cap highlighting
• Previously referred to as “frosting” or
“tipping”
• Pulling clean, dry strands of hair through a
perforated cap with a thin plastic or metal
hook
• Number of strands pulled through will
determine the noticeable results
Foil technique (Film, Paper)
• Coloring selected strands of hair by slicing or
weaving out sections and isolating them on foil
or a foil alternative
• Placing foils is an art and takes much practice
and discipline
• Slicing is taking a 1/8 inch parting by making a
straight part at the scalp
• Weaving is selected strands are picked up from
a narrow section of hair with a zigzag motion of
the comb
Baliage
• Also spelled Balyage
• Is the painting of a lightener directly onto
clean styled hair
• The lightener is applied with an applicator
brush or a tail comb from the scalp to the
ends around the head
• Effects are extremely subtle and are used
to draw attention to the surface of the hair
Color correction
• The use of a toner may be used to cancel
out any undesirable yellow contributing
pigment
• A toner could but not always add a slight
amount of lift or “bump” to the natural hair
surrounding the prelightened hair – to
avoid this use a color that does not require
a developer
Highlighting shampoo
• Are a mixture of shampoo and hydrogen
peroxide
• They cause the natural color to be lifted
slightly
Gray hair challenges &
solutions
• Gray hair can turn orange if the lightener used is
not processed long enough
• Gray hair can get a yellow cast from smoking,
medication, sun exposure, and some styling
products – this can often be solved by washing
with a violet based shampoo
• Gray hair accepts the level of color that is
applied except when the level is 8 or higher
because there is a low concentration of dye
found in the higher numbers
Gray hair challenges and solutions
• Use 20 volume developer
• Process for 45 minutes
• Add ½ to 1 ounce of natural/ warm tone to
the formula for resistant gray hair
• High lift blond is not designed for gray
coverage
• Presoften – raises the cuticle of resistant
hair to allow for better penetration of color
Rules for effective color correction:
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Do not panic – remain calm
Determine the nature of the problem
Determine what caused the problem
Develop a solution
Always take one step at a time
Never guarantee an exact result
Always strand test for accuracy
Damaged hair
• Hair is damaged when it has one ore more of
the following characteristics:
1- rough texture
2- overporous condition
3- brittle and dry to the touch
4 – susceptible to breakage
5- becomes spongy and matted when wet
6 – color fades too quickly or grabs too dark
Tips for dealing with damaged hair:
• Use a penetrating conditioner that can deposit protein,
oils and moisture-rich ingredients
• Complete each chemical service by normalizing the pH
with an acidic finishing rinse, this will restore the ability
of the cuticle to protect the internal hair
• Postpone any further chemical services until the hair is
reconditioned
• Schedule the client for between-service conditionings
• Recommend retail products for use at home to prepare
for the next service
Fillers
• Equalize porosity
• Color filler equalize porosity and deposit
color in one application
• Two type of fillers: color fillers or
conditioner fillers
• Help hair to accept color evenly
Selecting the correct color filler
• All three primary colors must be present to
produce a haircolor that looks natural
• To correct an unwanted haircolor, always use
the primary or secondary color that is missing in
the hair
• Example: orange blond hair can be corrected to
a natural blond by adding the missing primary
color blue, blue cancels orange
• A primary color always cancels a secondary
color and a secondary color always cancels a
primary color
Tips for redheads
• Fading is a common problem with redheads
• It is important to recommend the proper at home
products for redheads
• To create warm coppery reds use a red orange
base color
• To create hot fiery reds use red-violet or a true
red color
• Always use a no-lift deposit only color to refresh
the shaft and ends
• If gray hair is present, always add ½ to 1oz of a
neutral color or it will be pink
Tips for Brunettes
• To avoid orange or brassy tones when lifting
brown hair with permanent color always use a
cool blue base
• To avoid brassy tones do not lighten more than
two levels above the natural tone
• Add 1oz of a neutral color to cover gray in a
brunette
• Natural highlights should be deep or caramel
color – blond is too much contrast with brunette,
it does not look natural and requires frequent
touch-ups
Tips for blonds
• Is popular, profitable and find
• When lightening keep in mind the undertones that will be
exposed
• When covering gray hair use a level 7 or darker for best
coverage
• Double process is the best way to obtain pale blond
results
• If a high light blond that only lifts 5 levels is used on a
level 4 and below the result will be warm and brassy
• If highlights become too blond or all one color, lowlights
or deeper strands needed to be foiled in to create a
more natural look
Common haircolor solutions
• Green cast – usually caused by copper
build –up in pipes, attaches itself to blond
hair, can be washed away with a clarifying
shampoo (it is not chlorine that causes
this)
• Green cast – in a brunette, color
formulation was incorrect and used a
green based color. Tone with a gold,
copper or neutral to cast out green tone
Overall hair color is too light
• To correct apply a no-lift deposit only hair
color two shades darker than the previous
formula
Overall color is too dark
• Determine how much color needs to be
removed
• Use an oxidizing haircolor remover
• Process for 10 minutes and check
• These are specially formulated to remove
oxidative tints from the hair
• Wash and tone to new desired color
Restoring hair to natural hair color
• Is called a tint-back
• When dealing with a blond – first soften the new
growth with a level 6 violet base color with 20
volume for 30 minutes, rinse, apply a no lift
glaze with 1 oz of level 8 light natural blond and
1oz of level 9 red-orange, do not apply to scalp
but rest of head, process for 20 minutes, rinse,
then mix a no lift glaze with 2 oz of level 6
neutral apply for 20 minutes checking every 5,
rinse, shampoo, condition, and style
Safety precautions
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Perform a patch test
Do not apply haircolor if abrasions are present
Do not apply haircolor if a metallic hair color is present
Do not brush the hair prior to applying color
Always read and follow the man. directions
Use sanitized applicator bottle, brushes, combs, and towels
Protect your client’s clothing
Perform a strand test
Do not mix color until you are ready to use it
Discard all left overs
Wear gloves
Do not overlap during a haircolor retouch
Use a shampoo made for chemically treated hair
Always wash hands before and after each client