Monday 30 May 2011

Summer time. Highlights Blonde hair colours

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR regular postings of fresh new topic's



                            Created as a source of advise education knowledge skill experience 



As the art of hair colouring is a passion to me having both the technical and practical skills is key to be successful.

I would like to try and cover some point with relation to foil high lighting.

In many salons i visit i get to meet some very talent stylist and colour technicians. i like to watch techniques and see what is the chosen product many use foils some use easy mesh i use a waxed paper that does not need to be folded and will not allow bleeding due to colour expansion, a thing that can happen with foil; especially if to much product applied and or if heat is introduced,







The biggest thing observed with highlight is the neatness of sections the folding of the foils the care taken. The patients of many really good colourist is to be admired.

However there are always the slack untidy get them in get them out jobs to!

My question is on sectioning. It's hard topic to write about I wish there was away to draw on screen the way sectioning should work. I will try here goes.

I have in past blogs articles made reference to not being able to cut  a straight line on a curved surface the same is so of highlighting sections!

when we work up the side of the head in nice neat sections we are working on a curve! so it follows if we pull the foil in tight to the section  the middle will be right into the root leaving distance from root at either end! if we pull one end in the other will move out ! its the curve.

The same can be said for working a T section if we start at the hair line and work toward the crown we are working on another curve so the same applies. as we pull the foil in as close as possible only a small part will pull right in a space will be at each end.

How do we get round this!?  By working in sections from the hairline in always sectioning to create a flat plain and by brick laying sections staggering them if you do this you will always get to the roots.

take time think about that curve adjust your sections it will make the work of difference to you!







Of course still consider re growth application colour balance and formulation but take the time to work on those sections. It's all about angles as you understand these  section you find you will naturally start to apply them to cutting sections as well it will give you over time greater understanding of shape and weight distribution.





sharing thoughts


 Look around when out in public and see so many cases of over processed hair you see. Badly done highlights and streaks examples of this can come in many forms.

Streaks and Highlights that look bright at the roots but fade away in the mid lengths and ends. Streaks highlights low lights that have been done with bleach pre lightening and then colour deposited on top to create pigment and tone, in so many cases this colour fades away oh so quickly, leaving bright yellow blonde roots and faded flat colour on the rest of the hair shaft caused by over processing over lifting lack of porosity in the hair.

Patchy streaks dull blonde caused by using wrong shade as a toner. An example of this yellow blonde lift from bleach decolourizer, then  selecting ash as toner a misconception that ash is the correct shade yellow and blue make for a green hue! Violet would be a correct choice.

colour corrected with highlights and low lights.




All hair colouring is addressing issues around colour balancing replacing pigments that the hair is lacking. Everything stems from the three primary colours that make up hair colour Red, Blue, Yellow. We then have secondary colour and so on using ones colour wheel is key to correct colour balancing toning and correction a re-balancing or replacing missing pigments.







When colouring hair. Having the knowledge and an understanding of the process lift, deposit, neutralizing and utilizing underlying pigment. The chemistry and pigments you have exposed through the lifting process for colouring is all about lift and deposit not just choose a colour and put in on any given head.

Most Colour brands will lift a maximum of 4 levels so if you are lifting from a level 6 to 10 you will not get to the target colour with 40 volume peroxide and your colour will always be to gold or yellow! Why? underlying pigment.

When considering the above lift from level 6 to 10 think about where 6 lives on a colour wheel then think about level 10 then consider all the under pigment you will expose as you lift through these levels this will help you decide if your Target is possible.

As soon as you lift level 6 one level you expose red orange, then orange then yellow orange then yellow and last of all pale yellow so four levels of lift will leave you with a yellow base.

So if your trying for a natural blonde it will be to yellow so toning what do we choose? Ash ? Violet? Beige?

blonde high lights low lights
Lets go back to level 6 to 10 and 40 volume peroxide this degree of lift is not possible why because you have to lift through level 6 then 7,8,9 this is your four level so 10 is not attainable with permanent colour unless you pre-lighten with Bleach decolourizer,

This process warrants some time so you don't end up with bright over lifted roots!

Before we embark on this we have to consider the head we are working on is it pre-coloured? can we lift out that colour? again what pigment will we expose? what condition is the hair in how porous is it? will it hold colour? strand test it  when wet will it stretch? does it float or sink in water? if it does not float it's over processed and will not hold colour strongly recommend not to pre lighten this hair.

Consultation look touch question. but remember that most people tend to be rather dishonest about their colour history weather it be home exploration or professional also some hair dresser tell clients that colours are semi permanent even when they do both lift and deposit! why because they don't take the time to understand the chemistry of the product they are using also many of the companies miss lead stylist in the way their colours work!

Herbal, Ammonia free, no lift, no peroxide. ask, ask, ask, then ask again!! get all the information you can be the best you can understand the chemistry of the colour and the the pigment available to you in any given shade.

Will the Natural series have enough pigment to hold a natural level when using 20 volume peroxide or will it be to warm ? Questions you have to ask your self and consider,

Good luck Mike B2MR

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