Color banding, also known as the halo effect, is far from angelic.

It describes the darker color band that can appear when new color is applied over new regrowth, and extended to layer over previously colored hair.

Color banding can appear as a thinner band where new color has layered over just the top band of a previous color application. It can also leave a wider, longer band if, for example, new color has over-lapped older color by a couple of inches.

The darker, duller color result which is seen in color banding is due to color build-up. color which has been layered on top of older color will leave a darker and duller color outcome.

Your roots may have a brighter, more vibrant color while your lengths may be darker and duller due to color build-up.

How does this happen?

color banding occurs when color is layered in a full-length application on top of previously colored hair. The result is hair which may appear to have two different tones or depths, with a visible band around the previous regrowth line.

Our Top Tips to Avoid Color Banding:

Timing:

Follow the instructions! After an initial full-length color application, you don’t need to leave the color on your lengths for as long as your roots. Our instructions have a shorter processing time on the lengths, to avoid building up the color.

Keep your root touch-ups on a consistent, regular schedule to avoid color banding. Get your Color Kits shipped when you know you need to touch-up your regrowth, and keep your coloring intervals consistent.

Color Perfection:

If your hair is porous and over-absorbs color, or if you want to reduce any additional processes on your lengths, then you can completely avoid adding permanent color to your lengths and just touch-up your roots only.

Your regrowth will need permanent color to permanently lift or deposit color and to cover any unwanted grays.

Our Color Perfection approach segments the hair into different sections, and uses a different developer to achieve a different color result in your roots as compared to your lengths. You use a gentle, deposit-only developer in your lengths, to boost color and shine while preserving the health and condition of the hair.

Blend either a 20 vol or 27 vol developer to achieve permanent color coverage over your roots. Our 20 vol developer is the standard strength of developer used to achieve permanent color coverage. If you have colour-resistant grays, select our 27 vol developer which is specifically developer to cover stubborn grays.

Apply permanent color only to your roots, which will avoid any color build-up or layering on your lengths. Boost the color and tone in your lengths with semi-permanent color applications only. Semi-permanent color uses our 5 vol developer, which will deposit color and tone and boost shine, without drying or damaging your hair lengths.

Our color Perfection approach – perfect coverage at your roots, perfectly healthy, refreshed color in your lengths, and brilliant shine and condition throughout. This approach also means you are much less likely to have color banding, as you apply permanent color to each section of the hair once only.

Color Placement

Salon accessories help you avoid color banding.

If you are doing a root touch-up application only, look carefully at your hairline and apply the color just in your regrowth to avoid color banding problems.

Use your tint brush to apply the color right up to the line between new growth and previously colored hair. Apply the color exactly where you need it to avoid color banding and to achieve a seamless, one-color result.

Processing Times

Follow the processing times exactly for your touch-up application.

The key is to avoid layering color over parts of your hair that have been previously colored.

Apply new color only on your new growth for the full, longer processing time. Follow the instructions in your color pack to add color for less time on your lengths, to boost the color throughout.

If you have had issues with color banding before, or if you want personalised color advice on how best to apply your color specific to your hairs texture and goals, ask our colorists. We will provide personalised color advice to help you achieve the best possible color results at home.

This was not hard at all. It’s easier to color with the right gear and the brush/clips helped me color my roots-only touch-up. color is soft, natural looking, exactly what I wanted and my hair feels great!

Lainey M.

The kit is great and really helpful. The consistency of the product is perfect , nice and thick so it doesn’t drip. The brush application was easy and effective. I really liked the barrier oil. Hair feels great and 100% better than what I had been using. Definitely happy to have found The Shade.

Jen