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The Logistics of COLOR What is hair color? What is a color level? What is tone? What is a Single Process Color? Why Single Process Color? Heat vs. No Heat. Why? What’s involved in lightening my hair color? What about highlights? How often should I get highlights? What are my options for highlighting? How many different blondes are there? Why is heat sometimes used? What about toning? How do I maintain my new color? What is hair color? Basically, there are two components in the formulation of hair color. Pigment is the component that creates the actual color result. Most pigments are obtained from natural elements such as plants and minerals. Activators are components that deliver the color into each hair shaft. Common activators are peroxide and ammonia. Peroxide, also called developer, is mixed with the color and serves mainly to manipulate the hair shaft into opening enough to allow the color to penetrate. Usually, the strength of peroxide increases with the levels of lightness desired. Peroxides range in strength from 5 volume (used to deposit color only – no lifting action) to 40 volume (used for 3 to 31/2 levels of lift). Ammonia is usually a component of lighter colors and is designed to supplement the peroxide to increase the lifting action of the color. What is color level? Professionals use color levels to provide consistency when determining the hairs natural color and the desired color. Basic levels range from number 1, being black to number 10, which is light blonde. What is tone? Tone is the actual “look” of the color level. Generally, tones fit into three categories: Cool – colors that are green or violet based. Examples of cool colors are dirty blonde or ash brown. Cool colors absorb more light causing them to look darker. Professionals use cool tones to create a “muted” effect in light hair, compliment clients with olive complexions, or create “balance” for those clients with pink or red complexions. Warm – colors that are gold or red based. Examples of warm colors are golden blonde or auburn brown. Warm colors reflect light causing them to look lighter. Professionals use warm tones to create a “sunny” effect in light hair or create richness in dark hair. Warm colors can be used to “balance” clients with olive complexions, or compliment clients with lighter, more sallow complexions. Neutral – colors that are an equal balance of both cool and warm. Neutral colors are any colors that cannot be categorized as either cool or warm. Neutral colors, when held to light, will show both cool and warm tones. Professionals use neutral colors when minimal change is desired for gray blending or to fill naturally faded ends. What is a Single Process Color? Hair color is applied to all of the hair to create a new color, or just on the newly grown hair (re-growth or roots) to match the previous color. If matching a previous color, the colorist may choose to “pull the color through” at the end of processing. This procedure is commonly used and helps to refresh old color while ensuring an even result. Usually the color is applied from a brush in quadrants divided evenly on the scalp. Processing times range from 20 to 45 minutes depending on the color manufacturer, desired results and condition of the hair. Why single process color? Many choose this process to enhance their natural color, cover gray or correct uneven color distribution caused from the environment or previous color changes. Additionally, single process color can be used as a supplement to highlights or as maintenance between highlight applications. Please consult with your colorist for options that best suit your needs. Heat vs. no heat. Why? Some manufactures suggest heat during processing to aide the color in penetrating the outer layers of the hair shaft. These heat-activated colors are usually very mild and for color deposit only, having no actual lifting capabilities. This means the result will be the same color level as the natural level (or darker) but may change the overall tone. Example: Your natural color is a medium brown. A gold-based color product is used to add warmth to your existing color. The result is still brown, however the tonal value has changed and your new color is now a medium golden brown. (Remember, the subject is hair color, not hair bleaching. Please refer to our Highlighting section for more information on the relevance of heat when significant lightening is your desired result.) Other manufactures have formulated their products to work with no heat. These colors are designed to lift the natural hair color (no more the 2 or 3 shades) and deposit the desired color deep into the hair shaft. This procedure is accomplished through a chemical reaction that works slowly (up to 45 minutes processing time) to ensure an evenly toned, natural result. Example: Your natural color is a medium brown. Light brown is formulated and applied for 45 minutes. During the first half of the processing time, the color works to lift up the natural color level. The second half of processing allows the color to deposit the new pigment. The result is one to three shades lighter and your new color is a light brown. What’s involved in lightening my hair color? Hair lightening can involve many variables, but with common sense and patience, lighter hair can produce incredible results to make you look your very best. Here are three facts that are designed to help you accomplish the lighter hair you’ve always wanted. First, there are three methods used for lightening hair: Color – for 1 to 3 ½ levels of lift High Lift Color – for 3 ½ to 4 ½ levels of lift Bleach – for 4 ½ levels of lift and up Second, you must realize what lies under your natural color. Unless you’re naturally in the light blonde family, your hair color is more than likely comprised of many different colors that include several levels of red, orange and yellow. Think of these levels as “layers” of color that must be exposed before you reach the desired result. Let’s say your natural color is a level 5, medium brown and you want to be a level 10, light blonde. You’re requesting 5 levels of lift. Here is a general example of the way your hair will respond to achieve the desired goal. Medium Brown Dark Orange Light Orange Dark Yellow Yellow Pale Yellow Third, allow your colorist to suggest the most common sense approach to obtaining your goal. Since the example above entails more lift than color alone can provide (5 levels), the colorist may suggest foil highlighting with bleach, or a slightly darker blonde that is obtainable with color or even a combination of a new base color, slightly lighter than your own, with brighter highlights to add dimension and all over lightness. What about highlights? Highlights are an excellent way to achieve lightness in one easy step. Remember, highlights are not necessarily blonde. Some of the most beautiful highlights are just a shade or two above the base color and can range in color from vibrant red to subtle light brown. How often should I get highlights? Because highlighting is hair colored in vertical strands, a staggered demarcation occurs as the hair grows. This type of demarcation is one of the easiest to camouflage when styling and allows more time between applications. We suggest one full head highlight for your first time, then two or three “T-top” highlights in between. If your hair is long, and your haircuts are moderate, highlights can usually be maintained about every third visit. If your hair is short, and you wish to maintain consistency, highlighting can usually be re-touched about every other visit. What are my options for highlighting? Each stylist has his or her own techniques for highlighting, however for your convenience, please feel free to discuss any of the following highlighting terms and procedures. Panel – A section of hair approximately 3 inches long and 1/8 inch thick. Fine weave – minimal strands of color woven through each panel. The fine weave produces a natural result with subtle color variations. Medium weave - standard strands of color woven through each panel. The medium weave produces a natural result with defined color variations. Thick weave – chunky strands of color woven through each panel. The thick weave produces a dramatic result with higher contrast and color variations. Slice – full panels of color. Thin slices produce the look of a subtle, but “all-over” color change. Thick slices produce a significant color change with contrast according to the selected color level. How many different blondes are there? A lot. Depending on your existing color, blondes can range from dark gold to lightest pale ash. Discuss with your stylist which blonde is most obtainable for you. Why is heat sometimes used? Occasionally, we use heat to boost the lifting action of bleach or lightener. Depending on the manufacturer, condition of the hair or the desired lightness, heat can supply the extra “kick” needed to reach your target blonde. What about toning? Think of toning as fine-tuning. Sometimes target colors are unobtainable in a single process. Toning helps to achieve that final goal by gently depositing an opaque pigment on top of the previously lightened hair. Generally, toning takes about 20 minutes and is performed at the end of the lightening process. How do I maintain my new color? Color maintenance is one of the most important elements in healthy looking hair. Combating chlorine, salt and other agents that infiltrate our local water system is a constant battle. We suggest installing a carbon water filter on your showerhead to minimize the bleaching effect. For a simpler approach, a portable water-filter pitcher can be filled at the beginning of your shower, and then used for the final rinse. Either will decrease the amount of chlorine on the hair and reduce color fading. Prolong the life of your color with our Igora color maintenance system. Custom blended prescription shampoos, toning conditioners and herbal color sealers will all help you to win the color fading battle and leave your hair healthy, vibrant and shiny. We hope this page has been both informative and interesting. Providing the ultimate in quality service has been our goal since opening in 2001. We believe our roles as professionals include customer education as well as top-notch service. Please feel free to discuss any questions you may have with our skilled service specialists. As always, we appreciate your patronage and hope you enjoy your visit. Thanks again

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