Did you know that increasing your vocabulary can increase your IQ?

We’re going to raise your colorist IQ through the roof by getting you across some key coloring terms:

Warm:

Warm colors refer to colors which have yellow, red or orange undertones that add a rich, warm glow to your color. All colors with golden, bronzed, chocolate, copper or red in their name are warm hair colors.

Cool:

Cool hair colors have a blend of blue and green undertones that create a matte, sleek color finish. Cool colors are ash or beige colors.

Unwanted cool or warm tones can be balanced and eliminated using a color with opposite tones, eg. If you have unwanted yellow or brassy tones, you can counter-balance and mute those tones by coloring with a cool based color.

Natural or Nude Hair colors:

Natural or nude color refers to either your original hair pigments, otherwise known as virgin hair.  Nude hair refers to colors which look very natural and which have a neutral base with no added reflects or pigments.

Reflect or Undertones:

Reflect or undertones  refer to the characteristics within the color which are visible in the sunlight. They are not visible in neutral colors, but any color with a decimal point, has added reflect.

General Hair Color Terms:

Ammonia:

Chemical formulated in most hair colors to open up the hair cuticle to allow the color to penetrate into the cortex of the hair. Unfortunately, ammonia may also damage hair, and due to its smell, it is necessary to use in a well-ventilated area.

Ashy:

Ash or ashy refers to the tone of hair color that is cool-based with blue, violet or natural/neutral pigments. Ashy tone does not contain any warm, red or golden hues, and will counter-balance and reduce warmth in your color.

Base Color:

The dominant color of hair, whether natural or colored, before any color or highlights are applied.

Brassy:

Refers to unwanted warm (orange and red) tones, usually in lightened or colored hair. Underlying brassy pigments are naturally occurring and revealed during lightening and are a key consideration when lightening.

Coverage:

Refers to the amount of gray that can be covered by hair color.

Developer:

Also known as activator, this is an oxidizing agent added to hair color to “activate” the chemical process that deposits the hair color into the hair shaft. Developers are available in different strengths. A 5 vol developer will deposit tone only. 5 vol developer can be blended with cool based colors and used as a toner, as it will deposit cool tones only. Blend any warm or neutral color with a 5 vol to create a semi-permanent color effect, which will temporarily boost color and shine. A 20 vol developer is the standard used to achieve permanent color results and gray coverage. A 20 vol developer can lift natural color up to 2 color levels. A 27 vol developer can lift natural color by 2-3 color levels, and can also achieve complete color coverage over stubborn, colour-resistant grays which are not sufficiently covered with a 20 vol developer.

Deposit:

Refers to hair color molecules entering the hair cuticle to create a change in color or tone.

Highlights:

Lightening sections of hair to add the illusion of depth and dimension.

Level or the Level System:

A universal system used by colorists and hair color manufacturers to standardize hair color charts. Level refers to how light or dark a hair color is—the lower the number, the darker the color.

Lowlights:

Depositing a darker color into separate strands of hair, which creates the illusion of depth.

Maximum Lift:

The amount of lightening possible in different hair coloring techniques and formulas.

Patch Test:

Test usually given in the crux of the elbow or behind the ear to test for sensitivity or allergies.

Permanent Hair Color:

Hair color mixed with a developer/activator that contains an oxidizing agent that changes the hair structure to deposit color permanently within the hair. Permanent color is blended with a developer which is 20 or 27 stronger to achieve coverage over grays.

Pigment:

Melanin protein bonds found in the cortex (the middle layer of the hair) which give hair its color.

Resistant:

Also known as colour-resistant hair, this refers to gray hair that resists color absorption. Along with the loss of pigmentation, gray hair undergoes structural changes, and gray hair can be coarser and more difficult to color. The outer cuticle layer of gray hair is more tightly packed, making it difficult for the color to penetrate and be absorbed within the hair. Our 27 vol developer is specifically developed to achieve complete color coverage over color resistant grays, so that is the best option to cover stubborn grays.

Re-growth or Roots:

The new outgrowth of hair from the scalp, noticeable when coloring hair or if coloring gray hair.

Semi-Permanent Color:

Hair color that does not require a developer/activator and only partially penetrates the cuticle washes out after each shampoo.

Single-process Hair Color:

Refers to coloring that colors and or lightens hair in one step.

Technique:

Form of hair color application, for example balayage, foil, or single-process.

Temporary Color:

Non-permanent color that doesn’t penetrate the cuticle but sits in the outer layers of the hair strand, and as a result it can be washed out.

Tone:

Refers to the secondary tone or “finish” of a hair color, indicated by the amount of warmth (orange/red) or coolness (blue/ash) of the hair.

Toners:

Product applied to colored or lightened hair to neutralize unwanted tones, or refresh and enhance existing color. Any cool based color blended with a 5 vol developer will deposit cool tones only in the hair, muting unwanted warmth and boosting shine.

Touch Up:

The application of hair color to re-growth, also called a root touch up.

Very happy with the results after using this product. I waited about a week before I posted a review to asses whether or not the dye would fade, but so far so good! I love the color, and it was delivered on time. I will definitely be using this product again, and avoiding expensive salon visits!

B. Worley

I was really hesitant to try as I usually go to a professional salon to dye my hair but I was desperate for a healthier and cheaper solution as I felt like I’m spending too much time and money at the salon just to get all those chemicals in hair! I was pleasantly surprised with the results!! The color fits me perfectly and was super easy to apply, saved me tons of time and so much money and my hair looks and feels better than ever!! Highly recommend!

L. Linden