Loving that Blonde hair colouring.

Back2myroots :  A place to share thoughts and grow idea's. B2MR

                                                 Creating a Natural Blonde:
                                                               from a Natural level 6 to 9

When we think about lifting hair from a natural level to create a lightened natural blonde look. Many things have to be considered to avoid disaster. Be it with home colour or in a salon for a professional service, it is not just a question of buy the box see the shade slap it on! Even though some advertising might suggest this!
First and foremost you have to consider the Natural level of your hair is it? will it be possible to get the level of blonde you want? If you hair is darker than a level 6  a real light blonde will not be attainable with just box colour! You will always be fighting issues of Orange and Yellow orange Pigment.
At level 5 and Darker you may have to consider lifting your hair with a bleach decolouriser if this is the case toning will be required.

If your in the salon it's consultation time. Assessing the hair and discussing the target colour and finally  discussing and reviewing  long term issues and maintenance.

Also be it salon colour or home colour the following should always be considered with honesty. Past history is a key factor you cannot lift colour with colour going copper to Blonde from a box is not an easy option certainly would not try it at home!!!!

In this example as apoint of discussion lets use a level 6. We have to consider the natural hair pigment that is going to come into play through the lifting process.

In this case lets look at a  target Natural level 9 touching on 10 {As i have stated in the past to go from a level 6 to 10 with high lift tint permanent colour is expecting a great deal from the product!}

When thinking this process through and considering the pigment we are going to expose it will help us get a realistic target shade and save the risk of shocks from unwanted or expected tone maybe that unwanted orange or yellow undertone.

There is a science to colouring hair it can seem scary mainly because it looks complicated but trust me it's a great little exercise to do,  a method to learn and trust.

As we all know hair colour is always a balance of shades and tone: lift and pigment exposed:

Everything starts with our Red, yellow, Blue { then moves into balance of } orange, green.violet.

So lets take a look:

Levels. As we can see on the section of the colour wheel  as we travel from level 6 to level 9-10 we travel from Red orange to undertone to yellow:

lets take a look at lift:

Level 6  when we lift this level we expose  {Red Orange} R.O

R+R+Y  {to balance} B+Y+B balanced shade.

Level 7  when we lift this level we expose  {orange} O

R+Y  {to balance}  B balanced  shade.

Level 8  when we lift this level we expose  {orange yellow}  O.Y

R+Y+ Y  {to balance} B+R+B balanced shade.

Level 9  when we lift this level we expose   {yellow  orange}  Y.O

Y+R+Y  {to balance} B+R+B balanced shade.

Level 1O when we lift this level we expose  { yellow} Y

Y  {to balance}  R+B  balanced  shade

Having taken the time to think through the degrees of lift what we will be exposing we need to think about the pigment we need to replace to have the perfectly balanced natural shade.

So Lets think about Balancing:

level 6 lacks B+Y+B so to balance we need  Ash+ Beige  {ash being blue}  {gold being yellow} 

level 7 lacks  B          so to balance we need   Ash              {blue}

level 8 lacks  B+R+B so to balance we need   Ash Violet   {blue Violet}

level 9 lacks  Y+R+Y so to balance we need   Ash Violet   {Blue red Blue}

Level 10 lacks R+B    so to balance we need    Violet          {red blue}

Now we have to come up with our formula to create a natural tone the perfect natural blonde.

Lets work in Grams 30 = 1 oz

So looking at the above chart we need to count the units of each missing shade.

7 Blue. 3 Red 1 Gold.

The perfect Balance of shades to make a perfect tone:

15 Grams of  Ash { in this case 100A}

10 Grams of Violet{in this case 100V}

5   Grams  of Beige {in this case 100B}

This formulation equates to the required pigment = 7Blue. 3 Red. 1Gold [yellow}

As we know Ash = Blue   Violet =Red+ Blue Beige= Blue+Yellow:

If we look at the above shades chosen for a toner they perfectly balance out the pigment exposed to give us a Natural Blonde no gold no yellow but not dull a perfect balance!
Allow yourself the time to think the process and the formulation through prior to application.

Enjoy spend some time thinking about tone shade pigment finding that perfect Balance. Consider lift tone deposit. The target colour.

Remember it's not a race it's a process always remember the law's of colour trust your colour wheel:

Mike B2MR

Bleaching and lifting.Toning

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR.  Regular postings of fresh new topic's


Bleaching Lifting and Toning:
I post many topic's on various aspects of our industry. Hair colouring. The process. The techniques.The skill.The knowledge.
All of these skills come together to enable us to carry out many different processes and applications on our clients who trust us to be both skilled and professional.

Bleaching and toning hair is a subject I have covered in the past but it seem's to get researched for information constantly as stylist's and client's look for information on the subject
Full head bleaching or High lighting are a process that requires lifting or lightening the hair to a point of removing enough of the hair's natural pigment. To then create a natural looking shade of blonde. So how do we achieve this?
For a more in depth look at on scalp bleaching and lift follow link to previous posting below:

http://back2myroots.co.uk/2011/04/15/bleaching-hair-lifting-colour/

As always it starts with a consultation with you client or as a client with your stylist. This is key especially with bleaching. Past history. Condition. Goal. Expectation.
At this time it should be decided if the hair is in a condition that is ok for this process.
Be it just a root application or new look. If a root application then the key is not to over lap the product onto hair that has already been processed. If in any doubt  do a strand test.
other tests you can do to see if the hair can withstand bleaching.
1/ When wet does it stretch eventually breaking?
2/ Drop a strand test into a glass of water Healthy hair will float. over processed will sink. If this is the case. chances are it over processed and damaged. It will not hold colour much less toner.
Before proceeding a regime of conditioning will be required.Try to get the hair to float in that glass.

For more information see link to past blog topic's.

http://back2myroots.co.uk/2011/06/07/pre-lightening-bleaching-lift-condition/

The main reason for this topic is to address toning.  Having lifted the roots to blend be it with previous coloured full head or addressing high lights that are growing out.
We now have to look at the degree of lift and the shade that needs to be toned. At this point understanding the colour wheel is key as is using the correct formulation.
In so many cases the things that can go wrong with toning are. Bad choice of toner. Bad formulation.
Bleached  /decolourised. Lifted hair is by nature very porous and will take any application of toner readily and quickly so once applied stay with it as it works it's magic.
I class Toning as early stage colour correction it's an art.

What we are talking about here is. Lift and deposit:
For example. Lets use a natural level 6 this is classed as Dark blonde/mouse. It is a perfect level to work from to introduce natural looking Blonde shade and tone.
There  are many different types of pigment  available to us. From pre mixed tubes of concentrated pigment these might be. Ash . Violet. Amethyst depending on the tone you require.
Normally they will have a shampoo like base and are worked into the hair after the bleach has been washed or rinsed out and prior to conditioning.
Another option. Professional colour pigment tubes some have the ability to allow us to change their chemistry. They deposit pigment with any lift.  Understand your product how they work as well as having a clear goal. Read all instructions carefully.

As you can see with the above chart level six sits within the middle section of the chart. To get to a level of lift to be able to tone. We have to lift four shades into the area of pigment exposed around level 9.
This can be reached with a bleach de-colouriser or it may be possible with a high lift tint using 40 vol developer.
For the sake of this topic we are looking at. We are using an example of bleach being used.
Some may say level 6 to 9 is only three levels but that is misdirection for we have to lift through level 6 to get to level 9! In real terms we are looking at 4 levels max depending on the pigment base you want to work with. ie How much yellow you want to work with to create your shade and tone.

               For levels of lift the above chart will show levels and timing from said developers:

Once we have reached a target of lifted shade to a nice even base pale yellow would be desired for a nice blonde. Anything from a very light Orange hue to very pale yellow will give an acceptable level of lift and pigment for toning Blonde.

This chart above Shows.  Both undertone exposed through the lifting process and then the pigment required to tone to a natural shade at the level lifted to.
Note you will be working at levels 8 to 10 anything darker that this will be more like low lights caramel or burnt honey tones. Because you will still have an orange hue. Darker than level 8/7 and down. It should be noted that really shades darker than level 7 are not really classed as blonde.

This I think is where mistakes are made. Considering the level of lift choosing the desired pigment required to tone. To often Ash toner is reached for. When you can see from the chart Ash really will only work for pigments that are of an Orange hue. Ash pigment used as a toner on. Yellow will create a Green hue! Why? Well what does yellow and Blue make ! da Green
Think about our primary colours the secondary shades then think it's all about balance adding back what we have removed,But at the level we have exposed or are working in.
Guess what it's back to know understanding trusting the colour wheel and the law of colour.

A small very basic colour wheel but easy to understand Opposites neutralise so yellow requires Violet!

Nice healthy natural shades of blonde lifted and then tones for dimension.

Healthy good condition long blonde hair is possible. It takes time patients client and stylist working together.

Finally bleached and toned full head colour all is possible . Use the right products understand these products. choose the correct formulation and timing.Think the process through!
Thanks Mike B2MR