Know Your Haircoloring Products

There are many ways to color hair and many products that are used for coloring. Here are some of the most common products and how to use them.

The most widely used products fall into two classifications -- permanent haircolorings and temporary haircolorings. It is essential that the professional tinter understand how the products in each group work.

Permanent Haircolorings

Permanent colorings remain in the hair until they are removed by chemical means or until the hair grows out. The coloring cannot be washed out with soap and water. Permanent colorings are used to cover gray hair, to give decided changes in haircolor, or to brighten or deepen an already existing shade.

There are two types of permanent haircolorings -- those that penetrate in the hair shaft and the coating tints which develop on the cuticle.

The Penetrating Tints

Almost all permanent haircoloring is done with oxidation or penetrating tints. These tints penetrate through the cuticle layer of the hair into the cortex and are there oxidized or developed by the peroxide to insoluble pigments deposited on the same place where the natural pigments occur. The distribution of the produced pigments inside the hair shaft in the same pattern as the natural pigment creates a natural-looking shade.

The tinting action of the permanent haircoloring stops as soon as the hair is rinsed and excess coloring is washed away so that the hair does not darken after the application.

All oxidation or penetrating tints require a patch test to be given 24 hours before each application.

Henna Compound Dyes

The henna compound dyes are mixtures of metallic salts with organic intermediates such as pyrogallol. The colors achieved with these compounds are more natural looking than those obtained with the metal salts alone, but no lightening of the hair is possible and they fade easily. They are discolored by cold wave permanents, and hair treated with these compounds cannot be bleached or dyed until the metallic salts have been removed.

Temporary Haircolorings

Temporary colorings deposit color on the outside of the hair shaft. They are generally removed by washing with soap and water, but some of the temporary types are resistant to one or two shampoos.

Temporary haircolorings are used to darken or to add highlights to normal hair, to impart color to gray hair and to eliminate yellowish shades from white and gray hair.

There are three kinds of temporary haircolorings:

1. Rinses

For women who want only to highlight the color of their hair or add beauty to gray hair, rinses are the most satisfactory answer. Concentrated rinses like the Clairol Come Alive series, while they wash out with soap and water, remain color true from shampoo to shampoo.

The Come Alive series consists of Come Alive Gray, Come Alive Red, Come Alive Brown and Come Alive Blonde. They highlight mousy hair, and Come Alive Gray makes gray hair look more beautiful without unnatural blue and purple tones. The Come Alive rinses condition as well as color the hair. These rinses are easily and quickly applied and are valuable as an introduction to hair coloring.

2. Highlighting Shampoos

Some shampoos combine the action of a rinse with that of a shampoo to give highlights and slight color tones to hair. These shampoos generally contain certified colors.

Other highlighting shampoos do not contain coloring matter, but do contain a bleaching agent to achieve this effect. Their action is due to solid peroxide compounds present in a soap or detergent base.

3. Powders, Crayons, Mascaras, and Haircolor Cremes

Powders are practically extinct today with the exception of the metallic powders which have returned to fashion for use in applying temporary hair streaks.

Hair crayons are used to retouch newly grown gray hair in between tint treatments so that it blends with the tinted hair. The results are not comparable to regular retouching.

Mascaras are used for coloring eyelashes and eyebrows.
Hair color cremes have their greatest use as a theatrical makeup. Because of their greasy base and tendency to rub off easily, they are rarely used for general purposes.

These are some of the main haircoloring products, and they will all deliver a great new look to the hairdressing client.

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How to Choose a New Haircut

Changing your hairstyle is always a stressful event. Even though hair (usually) will grow out to something like its previous state within a little over a year regardless of how you alter it, waiting out a bad hairstyle can feel like forever. And everyone knows there's nothing worse than a bad hair day...

Selecting a Hairstyle

The key to selecting a new hairstyle is to begin by assessing the shape of your face and body. Needless to say, not every hairstyle is meant for every face and body. For example, tall, slender women should generally avoid very short haircuts. If you have a rounder face, long hair can help lengthen your face, and sharper angles or layers can help accentuate cheekbones.

If your face if heart-shaped or oval, you are in luck--pretty much any hairstyle will fit you well. Shorter, bustier women should avoid long straight hair--to accentuate your curves properly, waves or curls are a great asset.

To find a hairstyle that appeals to you, do some research online first. There are countless online sites that offer services where you can scan a picture of your face in and try different hairstyles on your face. These generally cost a fee, but might be worth doing if you are considering a big change. At the very least, browse some pictures of hairstyles online so you can select one or more that you like to bring to your hairstylist. This can be a critical component of achieving your new look, for often, it is difficult for customers to communicate their desires clearly to the stylist. As they say, a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Choosing a Hairstylist

Choosing a hairstylist actually requires a fair amount of research. If you have someone that you like and trust, it's great to stick with them; however, if you're looking for something completely new and different for you, sometimes it's better to have a fresh set of professional eyes on the job.

To select a hairstylist, it's very important to think about price range. Good haircuts don't come cheap; a medium-priced women's haircut can be $35 to $60 dollars, and that's just the midrange. While shelling out all that dough is painful, keep in mind that your hair is an accessory that you can't remove--you will be wearing it every single day for a significant amount of time. Therefore, it makes sense to invest in a better-quality stylist.

To find aforementioned stylist, begin by asking friends where they get their hair cut. It's amazing how many people have already done much of the necessary research into finding a good stylist. If none of your friends have good recommendations, check out the Internet again. If you Google "Hair Stylist" and your city name, you will likely come up with a list of salons and a number of chat boards that comment on the question of hairstylists in your city. These can be very revealing.

When you select a stylist and make an appointment, make sure you feel comfortable asserting what you want done with your hair. Remember, you're the one wearing it, not the stylist--if the stylist makes suggestions that you don't like, be honest and ask him or her to stick to the picture you brought in. This is one way to ensure that the style you're envisioning actually ends up on your head!

Where to find good hair products

Ultimately, a haircut is only as good as the care you put into it. To make your haircut a long-term success, be sure to check out various hair products designed to control frizz, nourish dry hair, or fix whatever ailment plagues your coif.

There are lots of places to find good haircare products. You can ask your stylist for recommendations about what kinds of products to use, but it's better not to buy those products directly from the salon--they're usually cheaper elsewhere, especially online.


Written by Rosy B. at http://zestbit.shopathome.com/