color formulation

Does 20 volume developer damage hair? What about 10 volume?  Stylists, it’s time to talk about developer. 

Determining an accurate developer while formulating artificial hair color is as critical, if not more, than the shades you are formulating with. Developer isn’t something you want to overlook, and if you are: It’s time to invest in your education. News Flash: Hair Texture is the #1 determining factor when choosing the right developer. Choosing the wrong developer may leave you with a color formula with unpredictable results or damage your client’s hair, so it’s vital to make yourself aware of the details of developer.

Let’s not waste time, and dive right into it.

An Introduction to Paraphenylenediamine

In an age of information, clients are becoming more educated and aware of the products you are using behind the chair. When it comes to artificial hair coloring, you’ll need to know the talking points so you can educate your clients when they have questions. Specifically, what are PPDs in hair color? What is a PPD allergy? What hair dye can I use when allergic? If you can’t answer these for your clients, you should keep reading. 

There’s a lot of information out there about understanding artificial hair color. Therefore, we’re here to help you with the most efficient learning lesson that won’t leave you feeling lost or confused. Let’s get started. 

We’ve covered topics from the hair color wheel to hair structure and ph scale. Next on our list? Underlying pigment. It’s one of the most important things to consider when formulating hair color. Surely, as oftentimes forgot about, it’s time to understanding and utilize underlying pigment.  

When a stylist alters hair from its original color, the underlying pigment is exposed. Each formula starts with warmth from the hair. It’s up to you to decide whether to enhance or control it.  

Beauty School Remix offers a color theory lesson detailing the importance of Underlying Pigment. By enrolling, you’ll learn:

• Why the Cortex is Important
• The Two Types of Melanin
• What “Brassy” Really Means
• The Level System
• How Heather thinks about Underlying Pigment
• Two Formulation Examples

Lowlights are very handy when a client becomes too light, or too solid, but doesn’t necessarily need (or want) to do single process to darken their palette.  And since most clients become too light in Summer, Fall and Winter tend to be the official seasons of lowlighting. In my salon life, the majority of my clients are blondes, and I find myself lowlighting them for two reasons:

1. Add Depth
2. Add Dimension

A lowlight is the perfect way you can create depth since it acts as a backdrop to the highlight it is near.  And a general rule is that lowlights are either the same level as the base color or darker, but there are some lowlight formulation and lowlight application rules to follow so you can maximize your success. 

Each season brings change, and although not every client wants dramatic seasonal change, some do.  So the question alway is, “What’s the best approach to take when you client wants to go from red to blonde and back again?”  The answer is easier than you think.

It’s all about the dimension, right?

This is a dear client of mine who was away for 5 months on the West Coast.  One of the reasons I adore her is because she loves to have dimensional hair, and since that’s kind of my *thing* we really work well together!  But, during her time away, her hair morphed into a golden (dare I say, brassy) palette that was no longer interesting or dimensional.