Situation:
You've colored your hair at home using an over-the-counter product... but it turned
orange instead of the color on the box!
Probable reasons this
happened...
Because the color product was taken off too soon, and/or because
your hair is too dark to get the desired shade on the package... and/or because the
color you chose was too light for what your hair is capable of, in a single-step
application.
A detailed explanation of why this happened:
When lightening your natural
haircolor, the hair goes through different stages of lightening. As a professional
haircolorist, I think of color first as a level of
lightness/darkness... then I determine the tone. The level is measured
by how light or dark the hair is (regardless of what tone it is).
Colorists use a tool called a "Level Indicator" to help us determine the
level of the haircolor. It can range from a level 1 (black) to a level 10
or 12 (very light blonde or even white). Different brands of coloring products have
their own systems to go by in determining what the level is, and part of these differences
in rules is because of the numbering system. There are two different standards
to go by... the American numbering system or the International numbering system.
Not all brands follow the same numbering system. This is one reason why you can go
to different stylists and get so confused when they start talking about the different
levels and tones. We (colorists) often think of color levels and tones in numbers.
The level is given a number... and so is the tone. The level is the first number
of a formula... the tone is the second number (or set of numbers). As a colorist,
I know this can be a bit confusing, so I'll often give clients a general "laymens"
definition of the color I'm using... which is the always same "language"
they try to speak to me. Clients hear a certain word to describe a particular color,
and they then try to help their colorist (or new colorist) to understand what their
desire is (or to describe what they don't want!). I know it might be (at least!)
as confusing to you as it was to me when I first started learning about hair color.
The second thing I look at is the tone of the haircolor.
The tone is the chararistics of a shade... such as gold, copper, true red,
cool red, ash, neutral, natural, etc. The characteristics of a particular shade can
often have combinations of 2 or 3 tones.
What is hardest of all, I think... is
that everyone sees color differently. My "gold" can be your "red"...
my "ash" can be your "neutral". That's why pictures and color
charts are so important. You know, it doesn't really matter what you call it or what
name you give it... it's the results that matter. It's the over-all picture...how
it looks next to your skin, and how it makes you feel!
Situation:
The ends are darker than the hair close to my scalp!
Probable
reason this happened:
If you've colored your hair before, then you already have
artificial pigment still remaining in your hair (even if it's faded). Tint will not
lift tint. So what happens is that the artificial color keeps depositing pigment
on the previously colored hair (getting darker and darker with each new color application)...
even when you put a lighter shade on it! Because the artificial color and other factors
alter the condition/porosity of the hair... the ends of the hair becomes even more
porous (or structurally damaged) than the new hair growing out from your scalp. In
addition, because the ends of the hair is more porous/damaged than the newly grown-in
hair, it will more readily absorb the artificial color (especially the ash tones).
What often happens is that the ends grab darker and/or flatter/unnatural than they
should... and will often fade faster than normal. It's because of the porosity of
your hair. Damaged (porous) hair takes color differently than healthy hair. It accepts
ash and rejects warmth. This is why it is so important to have someone do your haircolor
who is Professionally trained to handle different hair types (if you want the most
consistent, natural-looking results).
To Correct this situation: Some
of the darker artificial pigment will have to be removed and the hair will need to
be re-colored (using one or more techniques) to produce a more even, pleasing haircolor
result.
Situation:
My haircolor won't last and is dull, even though I "refresh" the
ends each time I color it!
Probable reason this happens:
The more
porous (or structurally damaged) your hair is, the faster it will accept artificial
haircolor and the faster it will fade. Generally, a Professional Haircolorist will
use different strengths of developers on the shaft and ends or a slightly lighter
and/or gentler color product than the color chosen for the newgrowth/scalp area.
This helps the color to appear more natural and also takes into consideration the
different porosity factors which affect the final outcome of the desired color. You
never want the ends to appear darker than the newgrowth area (unless you're doing
a carefully applied trendy/creative technique). The "developer" is an ingredient
which is mixed with a permanent color product which enables the color product to
lift naturally occuring pigment and deposit artificial pigment. Developers come in
different strengths for the different needs of haircoloring. A Demi-permanent haircolor
product has a very low volume of developer. This is one reason a Demi-permanent haircolor
doesn't usually last as long as a Permanent haircolor.
The condition of your
hair, and the desired final outcome of the color will help determine if it's necessary
to use a permanent color or a demi-permanent color on the shaft and/or ends of your
hair. The higher the volume of developer, the more the cuticle is raised.
The cuticle is the protective outer layer of the hair shaft. It is
the action of the developer which swells the cuticle to allow the color pigment to
penetrate inside the hair shaft which gives you your new haircolor shade.
I'll be adding more to this page, in the next few days/weeks.
I'd like you (the client) to be more knowledgeable about different haircolor challenges.
I believe knowledge is power. I wouldn't want my clients feeling helpless or "controlled"
in deciding what their haircolor needs are, especially in Corrective Color situations.
I believe there could be more than one option available and that deciding on just
the right one for you is a challenge we face together.