Being Realistic With Hair color
Let’s start this off with saying we all want what we can’t have. Sometimes what we can’t have is something we probably shouldn’t. I have this conversation at least twice a day with my guests. Let me break down the NRP or Natural Remaining Pigment, what this means & its relation to our hair.
The NRP contributes to the end color result. It is so important for us to determine the base tone of the color used in your color application. We as your hairstylist can refine or enhance the NRP. Here is a chart that can help you understand the stages of lifting the hair goes through & how us as professionals need to counteract or neutralize those tones.
Here are some scenarios that you may relate to & can understand why your hairstylist probably told you no.
“I want really white blonde hair, can you do it?” - for some people this is VERY possible, someone who has had years of highlights that wants a little brighter is more possible in one session. Not to say this is the only factor. But for someone who has red hair & wants to go bright blonde in one session is a lot harder or nearly impossible. The process is a few sessions lasting 3-6 hours & realistically you’ll be spending almost $1000 after 4 sessions. The end result may not even be white blonde but this is something to be realistic about.
“I’ve been wanting to go red for a long time but I’m super blonde & like not having a lot of maintenance” - unfortunately reds & coppers are A LOT of maintenance. You cannot walk out of a hair salon expecting no maintenance from red hair unless your hairstylist “forgot” to tell you. The process of taking a blonde to red is the same as if someone was going blonde to black. The hair needs to be filled with its natural remaining pigment. So remember our chart up top, blonde too black.
“I have box color on my head & I did it like 2 months ago so it should be all gone by now” - The answer is no… no it’s not gone. Hair color is a chemical process that structurally changes your hair. This means the first inch & a half of your roots is virgin hair BUT the rest is box color. Box color is something that can react very different to bleach so when you come in please don’t lie & say there’s no box color on it. Consultations are very important & this is where we would do a test strand to make sure your hair can hold up to the bleach. Unfortunately you will need to sit for a few sessions to start to remove the box color & you can’t be an ashy blonde or purple. Reds, oranges, warm browns & dark browns are something you may have to stick with.