COLOR CORRECTION
HEALTHY HAIR FROM ROOTS
Color Correction Might Take Several Visits
Many consumers with color correction issues don’t realize that hair color can not often be instantly reversed. It can take up to five visits for some serious color problems to be reversed.
Hair color is not like paint on furniture that can easily be removed with paint remover.
Haircoloring is a lot more like painting a white wall. Sometimes you can’t just paint over the color with corrective white paint.
Many times you have to remove the botched color in several steps. The same is true with hair color gone wrong. If you go to a color correction specialist and they tell you that it will take several treatment sessions, take the time to talk to them and find out why before you reject the suggestion outright.
Professional Resolution
If you went to a professional colorist or stylist, contact them immediately to report your color problem.
Most experts believe you have a 48-72 hour window before the color has a change to lock into the cuticle Prompt action is critical for safe color correction. Don’t get wrapped up in the blame game. While its good to evaluate what went wrong so you can avoid it again, forgive yourself and your colorist/stylist and focus on fixing the problem. Avoid outbursts of anger or emotion. Yelling and forgetting to be polite will only make the situation much worse.
Remember, even the best colorists and stylists in the world can encounter problems. Give them the benefit of the doubt and be willing to let them try and fix the color to your satisfaction. Most professionals will try to correct color problems and will do it at no additional cost, unless you caused the problem in some way.
The best colorists do know how to correct their mistakes, so give them a chance to do so. Be sure to ask what the color correction cost is before you agree to try it at the hands of your hair professional. This allows you to be clear about your financial responsibility.
DON’T DO THIS AT HOME LET A PROFESSIONAL DO IT!
HENNA HORROR
When in doubt about henna, don’t do it. Take your time and do lots of research to be sure you are on the right track to desired color results..
Many people have color disasters with henna. Not only does henna coat the hair, it is highly unpredictable for some users.
1. Saturate hair strands with a mixture of 70% alcohol applied with sterile cotton balls. Avoid the scalp area.
2. Follow 5-10 minutes later with a coating of mineral oil. Apply the mineral oil on top of the 70% alcohol. Avoid the scalp area.
3. Cover your new oily head with Saran or similar plastic. A plastic shower cap will also work well.
4. Sit under a hood dryer for 30-45 minutes. If you don’t have a hood dryer, direct a heat concentrator towards the hair from your blow dryer.
5. To remove the oil apply a little shampoo to the palms of your hands and then pat on the oil BEFORE you apply water. If necessary, repeat as needed.
6. Be sure to perform deep conditioning treatments to restore moisture to the hair. This will make your hair dry.
Home Haircoloring Resolution
It is a well known fact that trying to repair home hair color can be very difficult. Don’t panic! There are some options to help with your hair color disaster. If you can afford to hire a color correction expert, do so immediately. Home hair color has the same 48-72 hour window.
When finding and/or utilizing a professional color correction expert is not an option, turn to the hair color maker for assistance. Most of the major manufacturers have a toll free consumer help line printed on the box or on the brochure inside. The consumer help lines are usually only available during daytime business hours. Some of the help line consultants will require the exact hair color formula information. Be sure to have the box available to answer any questions that they may have. It is important to note that other consumer hair consultants will probably not be able to provide any detailed email or phone assistance since the best source of color correction assistance will come directly from the home hair color manufacturer.
There are some cases where serious mistakes will require you to find a color professional to help correct the problem. Although a bad hair color experience can be heart breaking, there is nothing worse than a color disaster that becomes even worse and causes hair loss or permanent cuticle damage.
PROFESSIONAL BACKUP
If you went to an unfamiliar colorist or stylist and you are unsure that they can correct the problem, find a color correction expert that you are sure can undo the color damage. When possible, it is always best to stick with the colorist or stylist that made the mistake. Good colorists will know what to do to undo the damage. Going to a second or other stylist or colorists who did not cause the problem can just be asking for additional problems. Try not to panic and take your time to find the best solution for you.
If you sincerely believe that the first professional stylist or colorist caused the problem, call and ask them to pay for your correction treatment or refund your money for the treatment that caused the problem in the first place.
Once you have suffered through bad color, try not to panic and rush to find a solution that might cause even more harm. Many people try to fix the color problems themselves once they get home. This will often make the problem a lot worse and potentially damage hair beyond easy repair.
Avoid the temptation to add more color or try to remove the color at home with bleach or other harsh chemicals. Once you have a color problem the very best solution is to find a professional color correction expert and work with them to get you back to your desired color.
Actions To Avoid
Although you may feel that you can do a miracle fix with the color, at home yourself, historical evidence in not in your favor unless you utilized a vegetable, semi or demi-permanent color. If you used a permanent color or a bleach product, it is best to try and get professional help from the manufacturer or an outside color expert.
While there are color removing products available to professionals stylist and color experts, unless you have a complete knowledge of how to use the formulas, avoid them like the plague.
The color removal products often contain strong chemicals or bleach and in the wrong hands they can cause severe hair breakage. Color removal products should never be used on relaxed or permed hair without the advice of a hair expert.
Time heals all hair wounds
Although you may hate your new color, if neither home or professional correction are an option, consider going shorter with a new style that will allow you to outgrow the color quickly. Ask your stylist to help you select a style that minimizes any new roots or growth. Give yourself some time to let the color fade naturally away.
QUICK FIXES
The only way to remove permanent hair color is with a color removal product. Depending on the color that you selected, you may be able to cover the permanent color with a semi or demi-color. Enlist the advise of the color manufacturer before you start experimenting with different coverage shades or you could wind up with the color of mud.
If your visions of color turned to Carrot Top orange, only a color expert can safely get you back to a safe color zone. The same is true for purple, pink, blue or some green. Some chlorine enhanced greens can be removed with a special chlorine removal shampoo. When all else fails, try the tomato juice soak. The red in the juice will neutralize the green in many cases.
POP A PILL
Hair vitamins will not instantly help you outgrow a bad dye job. However, it will help maximize your genetic hair growth rate and to help you grow super healthy new strands and leave bad color behind. Consider adding a good essential fatty acid to your daily vitamin count which will help to internally condition new strands.
Hair trims and salons treatments will help to the process. We suggest a trim 6 to 8 weeks, non rinse protein, bonds systems.
HEAT TO FADE
Hot water is notorious for fading chemically colored hair. Some volume shampoos and gels like Matrix Amplify and related products may also help fade color faster because it is designed to blow open the hair cuticle which sometimes accelerates hair color loss. Hot extra virgin olive oil and some commercial oil treatments will also help to strip chemically applied color. An old trick of colorists is to shampoo with Prell shampoo which is known for its color striping talents. Don”t assume that it will remove your unwanted hues. It will help fade your color which may or may not be a good thing. While this may or may not be a good option for quickly moving past unwanted temporary or demi-perm colors, it may actually accentuate a bad shade on permanently applied color.
ONCE BURNT
Surviving one really bad hair color experience should help you avoid them in the future. Always make sure that you have a pre-color consultation with your stylist and that you believe you are both on the same hair page. Take photos of your desired hues since stylists work well with a visual view to guide them. Once the color begins, watch carefully. If you think the color process is going wrong, instantly stop the process. If your head or scalp starts to sting or burn speak up immediately. Remember, it is your hair and you have to live with it. Don’t be shy, speak up and leave if you must.
SOME COLOR CORRECTION CASES:
CASE 1. Color Correction with hi-lites and low-lites.
In this color correction she had a lot of color barrier or stains due to different colors and procedure times. She wanted still to keep her color a little lighter. The challenge was to create a way to camouflage all the stains.
Click on the images to Zoom in.
CASE 3. It took from 10:30 am until to 2 pm, (three hours and half) to finish this service. I removed pigments two times, and neutralized and deposited new pigments two more times to try to avoid color barriers or stains due to the reddish pigments and porosity of the hair.
During the process I took the precautions and the necessary time to not over process neither compromise the structure and integrity of the hair.
CASE 4. I love this one, and I love more the gray and white hair.
My client is 100% white, and what I did was instead of using a darker base and highlights, I used her white hair as the lighter color and I did reverse the tones, getting low lites.
Still I designed different shades to grant volume and contrast. The most important thing was not to show re-growth in two weeks, like the darker base. I usually see her every 8 weeks.
I always do to shades of low-lites, one more Cinnamon reddish and the other more Chocolate light brown.
I can’t forget her request: “I don’t want to have a Boca blond!”.
Also, what I like to do with grays is more a camouflage effect for beginners, using a semi or demi permanent color, usually lighter, to resemble Honey highlights.
You see… we nee to love them, even knowing we will be blond when we get covered by them. No kidding, I get scared too each time I need my regrowth done. There is no other option, we don’t do it to be in fashion anymore, we do it because we desperately need it…
BEST PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS
CPR COLOR PIGMENT REMOVER
The Antioxidant Vitamin Complex naturally removes unwanted pigment without compromising the integrity of the hair or lifting natural hair color
Benefits:
• Releases unwanted pigment from oxidized hair color.
• Removes up to 3 levels without removing the natural pigment of hair.
• Preserves the integrity of the hair.
• Removes mineral and other buildup from hair.
Price Starts at $70 USD
Process – about 1 hour
Features:
• Formulated with 100% vegan, food- and pharmaceutical-grade wellness ingredients.
• Ready-to-mix crystals activate on the spot for maximum potency and easy application.
• Nature-identical vitamin complex makes 4 oz. of product.
• Hermetically sealed sachet
NO: bleach, sulfates, gluten, parabens, preservatives, propylene glycol, fragrance, or formaldehyde donors.
Ingredients:
Ascorbic Acid, Bentonite, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Gluconate.
CRYSTAL GEL TREATMENT
The original wellness hair remedy, this must-have for elite stylists worldwide is a patented vitamin complex that naturally primes hair to provide a crystal clear canvas and ensure brilliant services.
Benefits:
• Removes mineral, medicinal, and other buildup for proper color deposition. • Accelerates processing times. Helps ensure expected results. • Removes discoloration from mineral and environmental buildup. • Removes calcium deposits from scalp. • Normalizes exfoliation. *It may oxidize the color, in some cases it gives the appearance of a softer color lift.
Features:
• 100% Vegan and cruelty-free • Fresh-activation technology for superior potency • Patented, nature-identical vitamin crystals complex • Formulated without preservatives, parabens, glycol, gluten, fragrance, and no sodium chloride (salt) added.
Ingredients:
Sodium Gluconate, Ascorbic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum.
Price Starts at $55 USD
Quick Detox $25 USD at sink
Process:
-Light buildup requires between 15 and 20 minutes.
-Heavy buildup, from 30 to 45 minutes.
MALIBU BLONDES® WELLNESS REMEDY
This vegan intensifies color brilliance for natural, bleached, and highlighted blondes. Takes blondes from ashy and brassy to bold and beautiful.
Benefits:
• Remove hidden environmental toxins, damaging water deposits, and heavy product buildup with the Malibu Blondes Collection. Stop oxidation from harsh chemicals, such as chlorine.
Price Starts at $25 USD
Flash treatment
Features:
• Pump up the volume and shine while removing brassy, muddy, and green hues
• Draw out damaging mineral deposits that weigh hair down
• Eliminate the product buildup that makes hair dull and lifeless
• Boost body with the intelligent technology of plant-derived proteins that seek out only hair’s weak, lifeless strands.
NO: bleach, sulfates, gluten, parabens, preservatives, propylene glycol, fragrance, or formaldehyde donors.
Ingredients:
Glucose, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Betaine, Panthenol.
QUICK FIX WELLNESS REMEDY
Your hair is limp and dull, your highlights are brassy, not bright. Your everyday products aren’t brightening your blonde or improving shine. It’s not your hair that’s holding you back, it’s the elements in your everyday environment that are sabotaging your efforts. To prevent limp, dry, and discolored locks, get to the root of the problem and bring your blonde back to its original beauty.
Benefits:
• Delivers immediate results right at the shampoo bowl
• Preserves integrity of chemically treated hair
• Draws out damaging hard water mineral deposits
• Primes hair for successful service if reapplication of color
• Offers a gentle wellness alternative to bleach caps and other harsh chemicals used for color removal.
Features:
• Advanced, nature-inspired technology
• Gentle enough for scalp use
• Freshly activated crystallized vitamin complex for unparalleled potency
NO: gluten, parabens, sulfates, preservatives, or fragrance
100% Vegan, cruelty-free and made in the USA
Ingredients:
Glucose, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Betaine.
Price Starts at $20 USD
Flash treatment
HAIR COLOR EXTRACTORS
It is not bleach. Its use allows us to remove color in a progressive manner and delicate artificial colour pigments through a process of reduction without using bleach powders.
The high lighting is limited, because the remover intervenes only over artificial pigments of the oxidative color by reducing them. Under this condition, the result obtained will depend on the color cosmetic applied previously and it will not alter your natural color.
Price Starts at $100 USD per application.
Color service is not included.
Up to 1 hour per application (you may need more than one).
In order to verify if the dyes have been successfully extracted, we will test a piece with 10-volume developer to towel-dried hair and allow to remain in the hair for 20 seconds. If there are dyes still present in the hair, they will oxidize and become visible and darker again.
If desired results are not achieved, or the color is not completely extracted, repeat steps. The artificial Hair Color Extraction service may be repeated several times to achieve desired results.
Several applications are typically recommended to completely remove densely pigmented hair or hair that is very absorbent or “porous” due to condition.
Up to four extractions may be done in one day. If more are required allow scalp to rest for 24 hours before proceeding.
NO FORMALDEHYDE • NO BLEACH • NO AMMONIA • NO PEROXIDE
Decaupage lift up to 2 tones, without changing a natural hair.
Pravana’s exclusive Naturceutical Complex™
It enriches the hair with silk amino acids, human hair keratin, wheat protein, plus a complement of natural hydrating botanicals including:
• Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil • Therobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter • Cocoa Seed Butter • Gardenia Flower Extract • Coconut Oil.
RUSK Elimin8 Color Corrector
Gently removes unwanted permanent color with a non-progressive, precise control formula that contains no ammonia, peroxide, bleach or formaldehyde.
Key Benefits:
• Gently removes any level of permanent, oxidative hair color, no matter how long it has been in the hair • Reverses the bonds of oxidative dye molecules, allowing for safe and effective color removal, bringing the hair back to its pre-colored state • It Promotes unsurpassed shine and condition • Safe and effective color removal
UNDO HAIR COLOUR REMOVER
Removes all permanent & semi-permanent color safely with ease.
• Free from bleach & ammonia — Does not lift natural depth or tone virgin hair • Enables you to re-colour on the same day • Includes Argan oil to help improve your hair’s condition, prevent fly-aways & improve texture • Not tested on animals and is Vegan.
One N Only Colorfix Hair Color Remover
With Argan Oil by one ‘n only
It is a professional Color Stripper for dyed hair.
• Remove Unwanted Permanent Hair Color Permanent & semipermanent Hair Color • Hair Color Corrector Remove Dark And Light Hair Color • Precise Control Formula Allows For Color Correction In Specific Areas • No Ammonia Or Bleach; Remove Any Level Of Color Without Affecting Natural Hair Pigment • Cruelty Free.
In order to verify if these dyes have been successfully extracted, we will test a piece with 10-volume developer to towel-dried hair and allow to remain in the hair for 20 seconds. If there are dyes still present in the hair, they will oxidize and become visible and darker again. If desired results are not achieved or the color is not completely extracted, repeat steps. The artificial Hair Color Extraction service may be repeated several times to achieve desired results. Several applications are typically recommended to completely remove densely pigmented hair or hair that is very absorbent or “porous” due to condition.
Up to four extractions may be done in one day. If more are required allow scalp to rest for 24 hours before proceeding.