Formulation Basics with Goldwell Professional Hair Color
IN ORDER TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ART OF HAIR COLORING, THE FIRST STEP IS TO UNDERSTAND THE BASIC LAW OF COLOR.
Optically, color is a re ection of light. When a beam of white light strikes a prism, it is separated into six different colors that can be seen with the naked eye.
THESE COLORS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS:
1. PRIMARY COLORS: Yellow , Red and Blue
2. SECONDARY COLORS:
Orange , Green , Violet — Which are made by combining two primary colors
3. TERTIARY COLORS:
Blue-Violet , or Yellow-Orange (Gold) .
Made by mixing primary colors with their neighboring secondary colors.
All hair color is tertiary, however, it is important as a colorist to train your eye to identify the dominating primary or secondary color within the hair color. Once a colorist can identify the dominating color and fully understand the Law of Color, even the most severe corrective work becomes a system of logical steps.
BLUEPRINT FOR FORMULATION
Effective communication between the colorist and the client is extremely important to determine the needs and desires of the client and to develop the ideal hair color formula.
STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE EXISTING LEVEL OR LEVELS (XL)
Using the N series swatches from the Color Tableau or Universal Shade Chart, determine the existing level(s). It is essential to know the existing level and base shade(s) so a starting point can be determined and if the target color can be achieved in a single or double process.
STEP 2: DETERMINE THE TARGET LEVEL
Ask: “Would you like your hair to be lighter, darker or maintain the same level, only adjusting the tone?”
Answering steps 1–2 will determine the proper developers for optimum results.
STEP 3: DETERMINE THE TARGET COLOR (TC)
Ask: “Do you prefer fashion tones with gold or reddish tones or a natural brown tone, etc.?” (Choose a desired shade).
STEP 4: DETERMINE THE NATURAL CONTRIBUTING PIGMENT (NCP)
The Natural Contributing Pigment is the melanin that is exposed when lightening the hair. This can be used to your advantage or can be used against you and must be considered when attempting to counteract warmth.
NATURAL FORMULATION:
Natural Formulation refers to hair coloring which requires the diffusion of natural pigment before depositing the new artificial pigment.
Anytime hair is lightened, some of the natural pigments are diffused. When hair is lightened from the darker levels, the dominance of the blue pigment is removed, exposing a blend of the other primary colors (red and yellow) which together make orange. At the lighter levels, more red and yellow are removed. Also at the lighter levels, yellow dominates over the red, thus creating the tertiary color yellow-orange or what is commonly referred to as “gold”.
Lightening hair always contributes warmth to the end result. Considering this, a logical choice can be made whether to use the natural underlying pigment to add warmth and brightness to a fashion color, or to control the natural underlying pigment using a counteracting or complementary color. It is necessary to use some counteracting color if a natural tone is desired.
If the target color is a warm or fashion tone, no control is necessary. The underlying pigment will contribute brightness and vibrancy to the final result.
If a natural tone is the desired target color, simply use the appropriate counteracting color (right column) to control unwanted warmth (orange or gold). The result achieved will be a more natural target color.
THE FOLLOWING CHART SHOWS THE NATURAL UNDERLYING PIGMENT WHICH IS EXPOSED AT EACH LEVEL:
