Haircolor Application Demonstration
How to Apply Hair Color
We have had discussions about haircolor and talked about the rules for choosing the right color for you. We've even talked briefly about the risks of taking your hair to levels that are too light. But the best way for me to show you the results of improper color selection is to demonstrate the application of a haircolor on mannequins with two very different color levels.
Step One:
We begin with two manikins: a blonde manikin whose hair is at level 8 (light blonde) and a brunette manikin with hair at level 3. Both manikins were shampooed, and because the blonde had previously had her hair lightened, we gave her a deep conditioning treatment before applying the haircolor, to prevent any damage from the color process. Afterward, both manikins were blown dry and ready to color.
The color used was Clairol 72R (Sunberry - light strawberry blonde) a level 9 color with a red-orange base color, because both our brunette and our blonde manikins had hair color with a red-orange contributing pigment. Therefore, there was no chance of unfortunate color results.
We started the coloring process with the blonde manikin first. To make the color change most visible, we did an all-over color. Now, when coloring hair that is medium length or longer, you want to apply the color to the middle of the hair shaft first, about one inch away from the scalp and stopping two to three inches from the ends of the hair. Start in the front on one side, then the other and work your way back to the nape of the neck.
Then, return to the starting point and apply the color to the scalp area. Once the scalp color has been applied, pull the color through to the ends of the hair. The reason for this is that the hair at the scalp will process faster due to the heat of the scalp, and the hair on the ends is more porous and will also process faster; therefore, to ensure even color, you want to begin coloring with the middle lengths of hair.
However, because the manikin's hair is so short, we began by applying the color to the scalp first, and continued to add color until it was worked through to the ends of the hair. After the color was applied, we took a wide-toothed comb and combed it through the hair to distribute it evenly. Once evenly distributed, all that was left was to wait for the color to develop.
It's important to work quickly when applying haircolor, as once you mix the color with a developer, you have approximately 30 minutes before the color mixture becomes inactive and will no longer color the hair. The longer the haircolor is able to sit on the hair and process, the better the color results will be.
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