Growing out Grey

Going Grey has become more common in the past few years, even for younger women.  From time to time I have seen some women with a beautifully mane of hair untouched by color whose gray hair does not seem to influence their age appearance at all, but this is rare. I personally think hair color is the best invention ever, for not everyone is blessed with the same hair genes. Perhaps it was the trend of young women intentionally dyeing their hair gray that created a new association between grey and youth and  contributed to some women wanting to let their grey out. But let's face it, purposely added grey hair is strategically placed and toned, while in most cases grey hair seems to appear very randomly and carry unwanted tones. In the last couple of years I have had more clients than ever asking for help in growing their grey  hair out. So against my personal feelings regarding this matter I have done so. There is one thing I like less than this trend and that is unkempt hair color. 

There is indeed a right way to grow your grey out it can be costly, it requires professional help and it can take time, but the maintenance is less costly and the result is 100% better when done by a professional colorist.

The process is a form of a color correction. In most cases the first step is a highlight-lowlight

process to blend the old color into the new growing hair. The goal of the highlights is to make them

light and thin enough to create a base where grey hair color can be added in similar patters where the

client's hair would grow. The lowlights should be the same or similar shade as the  natural

pigmented color to diffuse some of the gray and blend or eliminate a line of demarcation.

Sometimes up to 3 or four colors are added to blend what was there before and as the hair

continues to grow the extra colors are eliminated. How much can be achieve in one visit depends

on the starting color and the health of the hair. Some upkeep is required before your color is fully

grown out. 

Going gray in one day

If the hair is very fine and brittle it makes it more difficult to lighten to the necessary level to achieve gray. In this case several visits are recommended for the lightening process.

when the hair has been colored really dark for year some hair cutting is also recommended. The pigmented hair can be very difficult if not impossible to lighten without breakage 

 

Even if you achieve the perfect color in one visit you may find that the gray "highlights" get a little brassy or they turn a bit yellow when they start washing out  as it happens with platinum or any cooler blond shade,so you may need to come in for more toners during your transition to avoid this.

More Transformations 

For an appointment call Muse The Salon (813) 258-2558

Tampa, Fl.

Hair color gone too dark

Hair gone too dark? Sometimes it is not possible to get it as light as you would want without compromising the hair.  It is the health and strength of the hair that determines how light you can go.

Box hair color particularly can sometime carry a stronger pigment which is more difficult to dissolve, you should NOT try to do it yourself. Know this, putting a lighter color on top will not fix it, it may make it worse. This has to be done by a professional.

There are a couple of ways to remove hair color, but all of them are  unpredictable, they have to be closely monitor and the plan of action can be a step by step process.

Don't get discourage, as I mentioned, there are options, but the most important step in this process is choosing the right colorist. Research, research, make sure you are given a detailed consultation and be realistic with your expectations. This can be a costly and timely process but there is always hope.

To Make an appointment Call Muse The Salon in Tampa Fl (813)258-2558

Learn more about hair color

why is my hair brassy? Achieving The Perfect Blonde

Your Nature

Let me get to the point, the darker your hair is, the darker the red pigment is underneath your hair. Also,  if you have brown hair,  you have orange pigment in your hair and finally even if you are a dirty blonde you may have some traces of yellow orange underneath. Unless you were totally  blonde until the age of fourteen, you have some level of red inside your hair. The hairdresser didn't put it in your hair, nature did.
When we began coloring our hair in any level that is lighter than out own, we run the risk of exposing that red or orange pigment that we refer to as brassy.  For those of you doing at home color, let me tell you I don't care what the box says,  it is simply impossible to go from brown to blonde in one process without having warm tones come up , your hair will be brassy.

Correction by Monica Ponce

                                       

What can be done

Burnett to blonde by Monica Ponce

The first option is to stay with in two levels of your natural color, but if nature placed you too far away from your desire color then more can be done. Nowadays hair color can be lifted in one process and with the right formulation it can give you beautiful warm tones, not brassy but warm. If however you are set in more neutral or ash results then a double process is require and sometimes a triple process.  If you are a medium to light brown then a high lift color can be use follow by a toning color to control any unwanted pigment. If you are darker that a medium brown the a lightening process (bleach) has to be use follow by a toner or gloss to seal the cuticle. Depending on the look you want to achieve and your natural color you may need a base color, highlights and toner.                                              

That shade of blonde

Warm colors can be beautiful and not brassy, Jennifer Aniston and Jenifer Lopez both have warm shades of blonde.

Natural and Ash blonde shades have a violet or green undertone. Cameron Diaz has more natural ash pale blonde.

If you saw Kim Kardashian attempt to blonde, then you can see how difficult it is to get rid of all warm tones.   We can see clearly the warm tones when she started going blonde and also how towards the end, as she was getting lighter her hair was beginning to show the damages in frizziness which is probably the reason she went back to dark.

Things to consider 

 If you do other chemical treatments such as straighteners or perms, high-lift colors may not be an option for you.
A professional hairstylist should be able to identify the possibilities and options for your hair.
Achieving the desire shade of blonde can be a lengthy and costly process.
Some medication including blood pressure medication, cholesterol medication and some antidepressant and birth control may interfere with your hair color. Do a clarifying shampoo before coloring and once a week. Tell your stylist.
High levels of mineral on in your water may add unwanted brassy tones. Use a water filter.
Avoid any other chemical treatment, use professional products and limit the use of hot tools to maintain your hair in good conditions.
Finally, choose an experience colorist and listen to her suggestions.


Monica Ponce
Muse The Salon
(813) 258-2558

Corrective Color, the unpredictable truth

Hair by Monica Ponce. - Muse The Salon

Corrective color is a process that requires two or more steps  and will leave the client with a noticeably different look. Sometimes corrective color can be resolved in one visit and sometimes it may need to be done in steps over a few appointments, depending on the individual situation.

There are many factors as why color goes wrong, if you did it at home you may not realize that the porosity or condition of the hair can affect the result.
 If you have a bad result due to a previous visit to a salon, you may have been working with someone inexperienced. Therefore it is imperative that you seek a professional colorist when seeking a color correction service.
Don't try to correct the color yourself or you could make it worse. I have seen clients coming in with blue and green hair because they tried to make a blonde color darker. Sadly I have also seen clients come in with fried broken hair because an inexperienced stylist tried to lighten a color gone too dark.
Since previously colored hair becomes unpredictable to color, only an experience colorist can help you achieve the best possible results with the least damage to your hair.


What you should know before your color correction appointment

• Make sure you choose an experienced colorist. 
• Set clear expectations: it is important that you listen to your stylist and ask as many questions as you need.
• It is important to realize the affects that the previous color services may had have on the hair and the limitation that this creates.
• The desire result might take several visits. 
• You are likely to require special after care for your hair, your stylist should guide you in telling you what to do and what to use for at home care.
• There is no price set for corrective color, the price is determine depending on the amount of steps necessary to achieve the desire outcome

Monica Ponce
Master Colorist

Muse The Salon

Tampa, Fl

(813) 258-2558

what you should know about hair color

Quite simply hair coloring is the science and art of changing the color of the hair.

The natural color of human hair is first and foremost directly tied to hereditary factors.  As scientists have proven, hair color is an inherited characteristic. But the beauty of this generic trade is that it can be change or enhance. At Muse The Salon we've been mastering the art of color for a long time. I personally love the challenge of a color correction, I only wish it could come with out the emotional pain and cost that it brings to the client. 

Here are some answers you should know if you are thinking of hair coloring to avoid unwanted consequences. 

How do you pick the most flattering hair color for your skin tone and eyes?

If you look into your eyes you will see little flecks. If they are golden or yellow, a natural match would be warmer hair colors. If they are bluer or deep bluish black then a natural match would be neutral or cooler tones. To enhance your skin tone, never go more than two shades lighter or darker—this guarantees that you won’t fade or wash away your natural beauty.

What are the different types of hair color?

·      Permanent Hair-color

Permanent  makes a 'permanent' change in the pigment of the hair shaft.  It does not wash out! It will fade in time, but cannot be simply removed to "bring back" your natural color.  All hair that has been colored in this way has the natural color pigments irreversibly chemically altered. It can be removed, leaving the "altered" hair shaft pigments, which can be "corrective colored" back close to the original color.

This is a job which should be left to the Pros Only!  It can be one visit or many visits to the salon to try to correct a bad color job, it is expensive and is hard on the hair to varying degrees. 

·      Single Process Color

Single Process Color Is The Only Permanent Color That Should Be Attempted By The Amateur! Single process means that the color is lifted and deposited in one step and the change is settle.

·      Semi-Permanent

Semi-Permanent color is what it says it is, it can cover gray and go darker, but can not lighten. It lasts varying lengths of time depending on the product. Suitable for amateur colorists.

Warning: Double Process (bleaching and toning to the desired color) should never be attempted by a home hair colorist!.  This is definitely a pro-only process.

·      Deposit Only Color

Deposit Only color can only "deposit" color into the hair,  there are many varieties on the market for the home user.  These are very "User Friendly'' and usually condition and color in one step.

The very popular color "glazes or translucent" colors are among the easiest to start with to enhance your color. Most use a very low 3% peroxide to activate them .  Some are capable of lifting or lightening one level.

Do Your Homework Before You Color 

What does this mean?  It means that you must be perfectly honest to yourself and about yourself and the factors that enter into hair coloring.  If you are very dark haired (Level 1) and want to be a level 10 platinum blonde, forget home hair coloring! 

I know that there are many lightening kits on the market that will lighten hair at home and there are beauty supply stores that will sell professional products to the public, but if you try this at home you are taking a big gamble. 

While it can be and is done every day by people, some get the results that they wanted and some get horrible results.

If you don't believe me, just go to any beauty supply that is open to the public and stand around the hair color section for a while and listen to the customer's comments. 

Or go to any mall or public place and just sit for a few minutes and take a silent count of how many botched color jobs you see! 

My heart goes out to these people because most people who color their hair are trying to improve their appearance not detract from it!  There is nothing that will lower your self esteem of yourself worse than having a bad hair day whether it is a bad cut, color or perm that lasts for months.

Remember it cost a lot more to have your color professionally corrected than it does to have color in the first place.

More tips:

• Always test for allergies if you never have done color before.

• Learn the proper way and products to care for your hair after color.

• When going to a professional for the first time, always ask for a consultation and remember not every hair stylist is a colorist.

• When doing home coloring, keep it settle and don’t believe in gimmicks.

Monica Ponce

Muse The Salon

Tampa, Fl.

For a Professional consultation at Muse The Salon in Tampa Fl. visit, www.musehairgroup.com