Violet shade and tone it's role hair colouring

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

As I post my blogs and decide on topic's or articles. I always take a look at what is being searched for to see if it's an issue I can write about .

                                One such topic is Violet in hair colour! Such a cool topic!
Required to create a cool natural looking bleached Blonde Required to control unwanted yellow undertones!

When one thinks about violet as a colour or tone . I ask my self are we thinking Violet tone in controlled reds.Those shades of cool red that one see's so much of these days.
Or are we thinking about. The role Violet plays in the hair colour process. Violet as shade or tone plays a much bigger part in hair colouring than one might think. But it's almost behind the scene in the colour process.

Firstly with our natural or N series or natural series Violet will always play a key role depending on the level you are working on and what your target colour is .

                       As always to understand this we have to either look at the colour wheel or a chart.

With the chart i have attached one can see very clearly where and at what level Violet comes into play
from the numbers system on the left hand side we can see it's plays a very big role in levels of hair form 8 to 10.
Maybe your asking what role does it play?  All hair colour is a balance of our primary colours . RED. YELLOW. BLUE. When blended together at any given level you will alway get a perfect natural shade  balance at that given level. A natural level 8 will not be to warm or gold or to ash!
Even when doing Hight lights or partially lifting sections, as in shot below once desired level has been reached toning with be required.

What changes this. When we lift hair with a chosen level of peroxide with lighten it .this lightening process will expose the natural pigment in the hair. At our level natural 8 as we lift it i will expose yellow Orange [see chart]  this warmth would be fine if you are trying for a warmer shade at level 8. If however you are trying to maintain a natural level 8 then the warmth exposed would have to be controlled.

Remember we discussed balance well if we have exposed that warmth in our level 8. Exposing yellow and orange pigment we need to balance that off.

Yellow/ Orange or  Yellow / Yellow /Red   or Y+Y+R = yellow Orange

To restore our Natural balance what do you think is required?  what is lacking in the above formulation?
What will re balance us back to our Red yellow Blue?

Blue/Violet  or Blue / blue red  or B+B+R =  Blue violet.

How does this work well if you look at the two formulations : The balancing required for out natural level would be as follows
Our first formulation is gold and warm it lacks any Blue . The balancing formulation replaces that Blue
but also balances out the the lacking Red pigment that is dominated by the yellow in the first part.

Final  Balanced Level 8 tone  Y+Y+B+B+R+R =  Yellow Blue Red at a natural level 8
It's all about balance.

Violet Control yellow!  not ASH ! Yellow and Ash make  GREEN !

When pre lifting hair with Bleach to any level of Yellow . A violet Tone will re balance  you are introducing an equal amount of Blue and Red mixed together to control and re balance the yellow exposed in the lifting process.

If you assess the degree you have lifted as being slightly orange yellow then you would have  use a slightly more blue tone !   See chart above.

Violet in permanent colour or N series is normally calibrated to be the right amount of pigment fro the level you are working at. But choice of Developer or Peroxide will always pay a role in this.

Violet as a toner or pre lightened hair would be used when a yellow or pale yellow level of lift has been reached.

This wheel may help you as you can see Violet sits opposite the yellow telling us that it's would be required to restore balance. Opposites re balance or neutralise the unwanted pigment exposed or created.

Formulation: Target colour = Lift. Deposit. Timing: always the equation to think about.
Ask your self  Do you want to utilise or neutralise the pigment you are going to expose.
Violet plays a key roll as a controller in the Blue cool reds and even in shades as Dark a 3 N see chart above.
In the toning of hair Violet plays a key role in controlling the yellow pigment exposed and giving a really nice shade of platinum Blonde. Always when toning stay with the toner as it develops to get the desired effect you are looking for . In some cases of toning if left on to long the pigment can over deposit.

Cool reds depicted by the V in above shot.  Fashion shade top row. Violet based high lift Blonde toner second in from the right second row.
I hope this answers some questions if not feel free to post questions . Mike B2MR

Summer time Blonde. Autumn tone down.

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

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR.

Summer perfect time to be Blonde: But?

Last weeks of summer. The perfect time to consider that blonde look. That sun kissed look we have loved over the summer months whilst enjoying  those long hot summer days.That hot holiday hair colour we long for to match that fun summer tan.

If you have had the need. Have had the desire to brighten up your hair style with a fun blonde look?

now we have to consider the autumn and maybe introducing some low lights so those roots don't get out of hand!

It doesn’t matter how dark or light your natural hair color is or if you have dark or pale skin tone, there is always a shade of blonde hair to suit you.

Blonde is still the most popular hair color choice for most women! Of course if you have already coloured your hair then you will have to take this into consideration when thinking about a shade or discuss with your stylist whats possible.

Here are some fun ideas if you want to let that inner blonde out to play for a while.

If you have shoulder length hair in a brunette tone. Skip going for over-all blonde color. Instead apply some rich caramel highlights throughout your style. Focusing on the crown and where the part lands. Your textured waves combined with the rich highlights will reflect the sunlight and create an eye-catching look. This will maintain you on the road to staying blonde with out over processing and leaving you with some texture and tones in your hair caramel. burnt honey. beige. These can all be added with a Demi formulation so deposit only very little chemistry zero lift on hair that has already been lifted.

Long hair

If your long hair is damaged or dull, purchase a good color protecting shampoo and conditioner to use before, during and after you color your hair. Treating your damaged hair from roots to ends is an important factor in maintaining colored styles. For very long hair highlights are a better form of colour than an all over application and help prevent root-re growth issues.

Finding the right shade

Before you decide on a shade of blonde. Take into consideration your skin tone and eye color. Also consider your current hair color for it certainly plays a part in choices and possible out come of the new colour you are working towards. consider tones that will work for you over the coming months as the tan fades and the sun gets lower. Think of the trees and the colours of the leaf as autumn takes it's hold.

If you currently have bleached blonde hair, you may want to opt for a deeper, richer shade of blonde.This might require putting some pigment back into your hair if bleached very light. If your skin tone is very pale, you may want to keep your blonde shade a bit lighter.

Dark brunettes. A deep honey highlight throughout your style might be best, you are then working with your hairs natural pigment rather than fighting it. Try to avoid bleaching as this just damages your hair.

Choose your colour carefully consider all your options. You may need to seek professional advise. Remember combining a fun new blonde hair color with a new cut can completely change the way you look and feel about yourself and the way others look and see you!

Layering colors

Applying a variety of blonde hair colors throughout your hair on various areas of layering creates a very striking and unique look. If you have a light brown base then highlights to lighten the top sections keeping your layers underneath dark this gives dimension and a great two tones look . This type of coloring looks particularly good on straight, medium-length hair with short or longer bangs.

                                                          

                                                   

A few Examples of Blonde looks:

These are just a few thoughts and ideas for those interested in creating a new blonde hair color try to do something different and new with your blonde hair this season.Blonde hair in small or large doses is a good way to update your appearance and help lift your mood!

Shades of Blonde with texture:

In the Fall or Autumn with a demi application we can go darker with out any ill effects or possibility of damage. 

You can still be Blonde with a touch of controlled tone down less root issue more dimension and texture. Have fun

Mike B2MR

           

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

Re visit lift deposit/shade and tone

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

PEA IN YOUR HAIR COLOUR:


A re visit to a topic that I have covered a number of times but one that I think generates much attention raises many questions.
Recently I came a cross some advise suggesting the following:

When doing High lift Blonde if you have an issue with. to much Natural gold pigment being exposed during the lifting process add a pea sized amount of 1N!
Whilst i can understand the thinking behind this... I would class this type of advise One. For advanced colour technicians. Two  as a last resort. I would like to explain why.

First and foremost I advocate when working out a formulation to either weigh or measure product so it can be repeated or accurately changed . Oh and save's product wastage.
So advise like pea size is rather unquantified. How big is any given pea?  It's a little like formulation i see in some instances with a squidge!  How much is that? How much is a squeeze? You get the idea.

So moving on High lift Blonde is designed for lifting Natural hair level 6 to 9  if target colour is a desired level of natural looking Blonde. Any level Darker than a level 5 will not give desired lift and you will have unwanted pigment issues. You may need to lift with a Bleach decolourizer then tone.

When lifting with a normal High lift Blonde formulation from a level 6  with a target colour of a natural level 9 .
We have to lift  through level 6 into level 7 and 8 then lifting or controlling pigment at our level 9

In terms of pigment exposed this is as follows.
level 6  Red/orange
level 7  Orange
level 8  Orange/yellow
level 9 Yellow

These are the pigments we expose and expect to see when lift from a level 6 with a High lift formulation
Normally with a High lift the mixing ratio is 1 part Colour to 2 part 40 vol Developer.

The higher level of developer is to achieve the required lift with a development time for lift and deposit of 50 Minutes. [ heat does not accelerate this formulation or timing]
As we can see from above information if we have an issue with unwanted gold pigment being exposed we have an issue with either the natural level we started from or the formulation/timing.

To Much Gold suggest's not enough lift. What we can do ? Is a Natural controlled blonde shade attainable? Of course it is. We have to look at our formula an address the issue of Pigment exposed and how to control it. Consult your shade chart and your colour wheel.

Yellow Orange would denote or present as Gold hue so to control one would need a Blue /violet formulation to address and or tone .This can be seen both on the basic colour wheel above or the provided pigment correction chart. I would agin suggest if Gold pigment is the issue then you have
only lifted then hair to a level 8 exposing the pigment at that level.

Easy to solve give it some thought think the process through it's all about balance of pigment.
Consider this.
Level 8 has a Yellow/Orange pigment showing as Gold or Y+RY= Gold
Level 8 pigment lacking to restore balance and tone             B+BR= Blue/violet.

How does this work for it's a basic colour equation.We all know that our primary colour are Red/yellow Blue it's a balance of these shades at any given level that give us our natural levels or N series.

When we lift hair exposing pigment  we strive to restore that balance of R+Y+B= N natural! yes it's that easy. Do have questions  about this ? feel free to post

In closing the suggestion of 1N pea sized! would be because of the pigment making up that said shade being that Dark at IN  It is a predominately. Blue based shade with Blue Red Blue. This agin gives us Blue violet tone. But in a rather unorthodox way! It is also worth a mention that with some of the new products that are colour additive accelerants are used they will increase the process time. But it's worth considering. If the process will the speed up. Will it allow for full pigment development needed to control pigment exposed in the lifting process? Just a thought.

I do hope this is helpful as always before trying anything suggested o line take some time to think it through ask questions. Discuss with fellow professionals.
Mike B2MR
                                                            http://back2myroots.co.uk/

Blonde to Brunette

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

How do you go from brunette to blonde? What are the pit falls things to look out for? How blonde can you go?What shade should you expect to achieve from a brunette level 4to5? I raise this questions because skin tone, eye colour. also play a role when switching colour.

Brunette to Blonde  can certainly have it's challenges. Having decided how blonde you want to go you then have to decide on. All over colour or highlights? If your hair is Naturally Brunette level 4 to 5 then the lighter you go, the more issues of warmth will come in to the equation. Also roots or regrowth have to be considered.

Brunette natural lifted 4 levels still very warm.

As you lift your hair the pigment it contains is exposed. So as you lift from natural level the first tone you will see is red. Second level would be red with orange hue. Third level would be orange. Forth level orange yellow. This amount of lift, that being 4 levels can be reached with high lift colour and using the pigment it contains to control tone. Any thing lighter than four levels will require Pre-lightening.

Consider what shade you want. Maybe highlights and low lights would give you a lighter but more natural look. Lots to consider.

I strongly suggest a professional consultation before embarking on this. It's not just slap on the shade indicated on the box.

pre lightened and high lighted

If your hair has been coloured to a Brunette shade and your wanting to go Blonde you really need help you could end up with a hair night mare. many issues when doing this procedure. Be warned you could end up with yellow roots orange mid lengths and red ends!! Consultation honest advise good service from a knowledgeable Styling and technical team.

Some the issues raised, have covered in past blogs and topic's  Lift deposit,Tone, highlighting and Blonde looks feel free to look at back issues or ask question via blog contact.

Considering how light to go can take some thought. Hold light swatches against your skin, hey try wigs you will be amazed how skin colour, eye colour. Changes when you lighten your hair.

Also make up and indeed choice of clothing colour shade and style might have to be thought about.

Good luck be brave but consider it harder to go light and get the right shade than going back to natural or darker!

 How dark? How blonde? much to Consider. Just remember skin colour, eye colour, Pigment and tone.

have your stylist explain this to you.

Mike B2MR

Bleaching.Pre lightening condition .Tone

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

Hair Lighteners.  Decolouriser's Bleach, High lift Blonde Tint.

I have just spent a week end in London.Such a buzz a vibrant city full of. Life. Fashion.Style. So many looks hair cuts colours. all quite fun to just sit and people watch. Sadly I have to say there is so much home colouring going on.This creates issues with hot bright roots dull drab ends.

My reason for putting these thoughts in is because of the amount of very poorly done over processed bleached hair i noticed. Breakage on the crown. Poor and patchy lift. Lack of tone why is this?

I noticed one shop assistant who had a really nice beige blonde thats quite sad for a major fashion centre.

So lets look at Bleach and pre lightening. 

Powder Bleach, Oil or Gel.

Before Embarking on lightening hair. We have to understand the chemistry of the product and how the process works, sounds easy and yet it's so easy to get it wrong.

Hair Lighteners come in many forms, they are designed to lighten the natural pigment in the hair they are known as an Alkaliser. During this lifting process warmth from the hair's pigmentation is exposed as it lightens. This warmth has to be controlled,the amount exposed is dependant on the Natural level of the hair and the desired amount of lift. so choice of strength of developer plays a key role.

How do these products work.

These are products that supply Sufficient Alkali to destabilise hydrogen peroxide. When these two elements are mixed together the Hydrogen attacks the pigment in the hair, the lightening process begins.

Depending on the strength of peroxide plus timing will dictate the amount of lift we can achieve,we must also consider the natural hair level as a starting point. 

Hydrogen Peroxide is Stabilised in a bottle with a low Ph around {3.00-3.5} adding the lightener be it {powder or liquid-gel} brings the mixture up to a Ph of around 9.0 triggering oxygen release.

This will be noticed by expansion of your formulation or change in consistency whilst mixing.

Types of Lighteners:

Bleach powder Lighteners. These are for the most part Stronger and faster acting than oil and boosters. Generally used for off scalp Lightening application. { always do skin and stand test} 

Lifting ability depends on. The strength of hydrogen peroxide and will also be dictated to by timing and the natural starting level. Having a clear goal of whats expected, or you are trying to achieve is also very important.

Hydrogen Peroxide comes in different strength's or Volume 10. 20. 30. 40 are standard in the hair industry, 20 volume is advised for all scalp applications. No higher, always consider the use of heat it's not always required or advised.

Lotions Oil -Gel:

These have a smoother consistency. They are formulated to protect the skin/ scalp from the lightening process, again for scalp application 20 volume is the max recommended for safe application.

 {Be advised that adding heat/ dry or steam will change the way these products react: powder bleach can dry out under heat!} 

Ingredients.

The chemical Structure of lighteners are Ammonia. Ammonia hydroxide. Magnesium silicate,and sodium, quite the mix all lighteners have to be mixed with hydrogen peroxide, of a desired strength or Volume to attain results.

Be advised that if the hair has been coloured with, any kind of metallic rinse, colour or stain. It could create a heat reaction this can cause burning so do your home work!

Ask the right questions in the consultation process, if in doubt do a strand test. see article on metallic salts in products. 

When to use lifting products.

A key tool for hair colour correction, but generally they are used when. Other products available cannot give the desired degree of lightening or lift,. As a product with so much choice we often use them for blonde high lights, and streaks as well as all over colour looks. Again it is always key to assess what volume or strength of peroxide to use, often toning will be required after Bleaching. Understanding the lifting process and pigment being exposed is key to success. It's essential to attain required shade or tone, using the wrong toner can cause problems at the back wash!  Remember yellow does not need, ash it needs violet! yellow and Ash makes green,

  

{Remember High lift Tint will only give max 4levels of lift when mixed with 40vol Peroxide} 

Mixing:  

Always. Follow Instructions on each given product.

For lotions, gel oils double amount of Hydrogen peroxide is often called for, lotions and lighteners, booster powders must always be mixed in Sequence,

{note: mixed out of sequence can result in uneven lift!}

Stages of Lightening:

When lifting or lightening hair, it goes through what is known as the 7 stages of lift. It has no limits it can remove all pigment from the hair. If left on or the lifting action is kept going, this would be by re-applying fresh formula on top of any application to keep the  lifting  action going.

Remember the Colour wheel:

{you can see shades in the outer wheel }  

   

The stages are as follows.

Red-Brown. Red. Red-orange. orange-yellow. yellow -orange.

yellow.pale yellow.

The first colour is always the stronger shade!

The deeper the base shade the more stages of lift required its a journey don't rush it.

Advantages:

*lightens hair.

*Can be used for colour Correction.

*Adds Texture.

Disadvantages:

*re-growth needs to be maintained.

*Can damage hair.

*Can cause Skin irritation.

* Hair should be protected from Uv -sun light.

Summing Up:

A very useful Tool for us to have but should be respected and understood. I advocate the best path is the one with the least chemistry possible. Full consultation prior to any chemical service is essential.

If in doubt do a strand test.

 Feel free to post comments ask questions suggest topic's become active in this blog and topic's posted.