Page 44 - HAIR COLOUR

Chapter 6

Permanent Hair Colouring: Bleach

Consultation is everything, be aware that for the client sitting in the chair
the change from a dark natural base shade to white blonde can be quite
traumatic, no matter how busy you are do not start without a proper
consultation. If the process is carried out without the client being warned
of the many changes the hair colour goes though before white blonde is
achieved, then the chances of the client sitting through to the end of the
process are small.

For the purpose of this chapter, we will use two clients, one with a natural
base shade of off/black and one with a natural base shade of blonde, let’s
begin with the client who has a natural base colour of off/black.

Prepare for your consultation by collecting as much information about the
client and her hair as possible, ask the questions like, have you ever had
permanent hair colour before?

Have you ever been blonde before? Is this your natural base colour or do
you have any Henna or semi-permanent hair colour on it? Do you mind
if I take a strand test to determine the strength of the bleach mixture
needed and the length of time that will be needed? A strand test will also
reveal if the hair is in its natural state or whether it has henna or any other
colour on it, that the client forgot to tell you about.

If the client has not been white blonde before, then neither you nor the
client can really be sure that it will suit her. The easiest way to determine

if it will suit her is to hold a weft of white blonde hair next to her skin.
Never use a wig ever, because the overall thickness and unnatural look of
the wig will convince the client that it is the colour that is wrong and not
the wig.

If the strand test reveals that the client’s hair contains artificial pigments
either from permanent or semi-permanent hair colour then it will be
impossible to achieve a white blonde. What is worse is if the colour was
an overall colour, but the last time it was applied was three months ago
then the first three inches from the root will be white blonde, and the best
you can hope for from the hair that was coloured is pale yellow, resulting
in a two tone colour. If the clients strand test proves that her hair is in a
totally natural state, the objective is to remove all Eumelanin (blue

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