The Science Behind Hair Color
Going darker or lighter from your natural hair color is not an impossible goal; but getting the right shade of dye to complement your natural hair takes a bit more understanding.
There are a certain set of rules that go with having your hair dyed or highlighted so that you don't end up with bad and damaged tresses.
Here are the things you should know.
LEVEL OF DARKNESS Professional hair salons have standard system of determining the level of darkness of one's hair.
The rating is from 1 to 10-10 being the lightest.
Matching dyes with your own hair is as similar to matching one's skin tone to a shade of concealer.
Hair color experts base what shade or tone to apply with your mane's underlying pigment.
This is because these pigments emerge slightly during the color process (mainly due to exposure to hydrogen peroxide).
Dark hair has red underlying pigments and as you go down to the lighter shades, you also get lighter pigments ending with pale yellow.
COMPATIBILITY CHECK Once you've determined the level lightness or darkness, making the compatible choice comes next.
This part of the process should also put into consideration the color of your eyes and your skin tone.
Professional hair stylists will categorize you as either "cool" or "warm".
Hair with shades of bluish black, ash blond, deep brown, gray & white mix, and white fall under the cool colors classification.
When you belong to this group, you can basically go to both extreme ends; fro jet black to icy white.
Bold and funky hair colors are also more easily matched with cool colors so you can have your hair flaming red (like Rihanna's) to something as outrageous as Barney-purple hair.
Gold blonde, strawberry blonde, gray-yellow, and red heads fall under warm hair colors.
Compatible shades for this group are rich deep browns, warm gold, red and/or copper highlights.
Avoid blue or violet tones because your hair will look worn out.
FORMULA There is a simple formula for determining which color to choose.
The formula varies with virgin hair and hair with existing artificial color.
However, it is always best to consult an expert hair stylist if you have no experience with dyes.
Hair stylists have a keen understanding of the color wheel and its significance to the science of hair color.
The final result of virgin hair can be seen immediately after combining the underlying pigment with the artificial pigment.
Hair which already has been dyed needs to consider the underlying pigment, the existing dye, and then the new artificial pigment to be applied.
Remember that going lighter and darker means neutralizing a specific shade and if one does not have a complete grasp of the color wheel, then it's always advisable to go to an expert hair salon for the best results COLOR CARE Maintenance is imperative if you want to keep the color on your hair for a longer period of time.
The most logical color care practice to observe is to get products that are color friendly and have rehydrating formula to help hair maintain moisture.
Hydrogen peroxide can cause a lot of damage so it is important to minimize or neutralize its after effects.
There are a certain set of rules that go with having your hair dyed or highlighted so that you don't end up with bad and damaged tresses.
Here are the things you should know.
LEVEL OF DARKNESS Professional hair salons have standard system of determining the level of darkness of one's hair.
The rating is from 1 to 10-10 being the lightest.
Matching dyes with your own hair is as similar to matching one's skin tone to a shade of concealer.
Hair color experts base what shade or tone to apply with your mane's underlying pigment.
This is because these pigments emerge slightly during the color process (mainly due to exposure to hydrogen peroxide).
Dark hair has red underlying pigments and as you go down to the lighter shades, you also get lighter pigments ending with pale yellow.
COMPATIBILITY CHECK Once you've determined the level lightness or darkness, making the compatible choice comes next.
This part of the process should also put into consideration the color of your eyes and your skin tone.
Professional hair stylists will categorize you as either "cool" or "warm".
Hair with shades of bluish black, ash blond, deep brown, gray & white mix, and white fall under the cool colors classification.
When you belong to this group, you can basically go to both extreme ends; fro jet black to icy white.
Bold and funky hair colors are also more easily matched with cool colors so you can have your hair flaming red (like Rihanna's) to something as outrageous as Barney-purple hair.
Gold blonde, strawberry blonde, gray-yellow, and red heads fall under warm hair colors.
Compatible shades for this group are rich deep browns, warm gold, red and/or copper highlights.
Avoid blue or violet tones because your hair will look worn out.
FORMULA There is a simple formula for determining which color to choose.
The formula varies with virgin hair and hair with existing artificial color.
However, it is always best to consult an expert hair stylist if you have no experience with dyes.
Hair stylists have a keen understanding of the color wheel and its significance to the science of hair color.
The final result of virgin hair can be seen immediately after combining the underlying pigment with the artificial pigment.
Hair which already has been dyed needs to consider the underlying pigment, the existing dye, and then the new artificial pigment to be applied.
Remember that going lighter and darker means neutralizing a specific shade and if one does not have a complete grasp of the color wheel, then it's always advisable to go to an expert hair salon for the best results COLOR CARE Maintenance is imperative if you want to keep the color on your hair for a longer period of time.
The most logical color care practice to observe is to get products that are color friendly and have rehydrating formula to help hair maintain moisture.
Hydrogen peroxide can cause a lot of damage so it is important to minimize or neutralize its after effects.