FAQ
Pre-purchase questions? Problems using our products? This is the place to be…
Colour Restore Ash Spray
Correct. Think of Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners as the dry shampoo of toners. They give fast and immediate toning, along with strengthening leave-in conditioning benefits. Instant Spray-In Toners are a quick alternative to regular toning, which requires development and rinsing.
Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners will soften natural grey and white hair and also deposit neutralising pigments that will counteract yellow and muddy tones often found in natural white hair. The sprays will intensify the natural silver and white.
The anti-orange and anti-yellow pigments found in the original Colour Restore Cool Ash and Iced Platinum formulas are still present in the Instant Spray-In Toners. However, these neutralising pigments have been suspended inside a liquid protein, leave-in Conditioner base. When you spray the hair with the formula, the conditioning proteins penetrate the cuticle, strengthening and softening the hair.
Also, the toning pigments, coat the cuticle creating immediate colourisation and neutralisation. As the hair dries, the pigments dry securely onto the cuticle, locking the toning result in place until your next wash.
Yes, because the formula contains plant proteins, it’s ideal for use after a chemical lightening treatment, which can often leave the hair dehydrated and porous. After shampooing out your colourant, bleach or lightener, just towel dry and then spritz the hair with your chosen Toner Spray, comb through and style.
Yes, because Instant Spray-In Toners are a leave-in, protein-based conditioner formula, you can use them daily without any problems. Just be mindful, that if your hair is already cool or toned, using Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners will intensify those tones.
So, Ash hair will become Grey Toned, and Platinum hair will turn Metallic Silver. But remember these enhanced results only last until your next shampoo. However, they can be a great way of intensifying and perfecting an existing cool shade.
Very much so. Using your regular Colour Restore shade will form your neutralised or cool blonde colour. However, Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners are perfect for those days when you wake up, look in the mirror, realise your hair is looking brassy or warm but either cannot be bothered or do not have the time, to carry out your regular toning.
Colour Restore Black Cherry
Any Colour Restore shade can be used immediately after perming or relaxing. For best results rinse off the neutraliser and apply the Colour Restore shade to the hair whilst it is damp and un-conditioned. Work the shade through the hair and give it a 5-minute development, before rinsing.
NB: Because Colour Restore features semi-permanent colour molecules, these molecules will be pulled from the hair with any permanent chemical process. Therefore, if you do use a Colour Restore shade and subsequently perm, relax or apply a chemical based colourant, your Colour Restore shade will need to be re-applied after your chemical treatment. It is perfectly safe to do this immediately after said chemical treatment.
If the hair looks very purple after using Black Cherry, this would be due to the fact the product has been applied onto either a bleached/blonde or white/grey base. In this situation, the pale hair has absorbed the depth of the colourant and is displaying the tone (the purple). However, the issue is very easy to remedy. Simply apply Black Cherry again, giving an intense 20-minute development. With this second development, the brunette pigment will no longer be pulled into the hair and will instead display as depth, giving that true Black Cherry shade.
Black Cherry will cover a scattering of grey, but if the shade is used on very grey hair, the result would be a softer mauve. Some people may like this, but you must remember the product was not created to cover grey. If you are very grey, were originally a natural dark and love the Black Cherry shade, it is recommended you firstly apply a flat 6.0 dark blonde permanent colourant to your hair. This permanent shade will give 100% coverage of the grey hair and produce a soft brown depth. Then, when Colour Restore Black Cherry is applied, it will display as a soft but noticeable Cherry Purple.
Black Cherry was designed as a natural illuminator shade. To explain, a natural dark-haired base can use the product but initially see little difference, however under sunlight the hair will have a high gloss and black cherry tone. The lighter the depth the more the purple tone will display. So, if someone with a light brown base shade applies Black Cherry, the hair will have a deep mulberry brown look. However, if the product is applied to a pre-lightened base the shade will be a more vibrant purple. The only shade it will have trouble displaying on (in any capacity) is artificial black. This is due to artificial black being so abundant in pigment, it doesn’t allow room for any other colour or tone to display. Black Cherry would display on natural dark browns and blacks.
However, if you do have a lighter base level (than the Black Cherry shade itself) and the colour is simply not displaying, the issue may be to do with product build-up and surface barriers. In the first instance, double check the colour is not displaying under natural sunlight. If you cannot see any purple hue (under daylight) this is an indicator the product did not enter the hair to evoke a result. Therefore, use Precolour clarifier or a high cleansing shampoo several times and apply Black Cherry again. Remember though, Black Cherry is designed to be a gloss colour for darker natural brunettes or a vibrant cherry for pre-lightened bases. The product is unable to lighten hair, so if you have a dark base and desire a bright cherry results, you will firstly need to use Decolour Stripper and follow this with an application of Black Cherry to achieve that desired vibrant result.
Yes. The product was designed for non-colour treated hair. The inspiration for Black Cherry is the individual who has a naturally dark, brunette depth, but does not want to colour their hair. However, they still want the hair to look glossy and rich. When applied to natural dark bases, Black Cherry is a very naturalistic looking colour and certainly not a bold purple. On natural depths, Black Cherry creates that rich, plum 3D colour effect.
Colour Restore Candy
If you have used Candy and your hair now looks bright orange, it is usually because the hair was golden to begin with, or at least very warm. Candy is a gold-based colour, if it is used on hair that is brassy, or has lightened to a raw orange, it will develop to a heavy peach/ almost orange shade. This is due to the fact Candy is not a neutraliser, but a warming toner. Therefore, if you feel the result is too orange after use, this is the simple reason why. Candy was not designed for use on hair types that display excess gold when lightened or coloured. If your hair is prone to going very warm when lightened, and you are seeking a true Candy shade, you must firstly lighten out all the remaining orange in the hair to a pale yellow, then neutralise this yellow with Colour Restore Iced Platinum, creating a white result ed-hrvatski.com. When the hair is void of warmth and is a pale blonde, Colour Restore Candy can then display as a soft rose gold tone.
This could be due to two different factors. Firstly, how light was the base level Candy was applied onto? Candy is designed to go on a platinum, light blonde or a white base level, as a shade this is a very delicate, gentle blush tone. If the shade is applied to any base darker than light or platinum blonde little difference will be seen in the hair colour. This could be due to two different factors. Firstly, how light was the base level Candy was applied onto? Candy is designed to go on a platinum, light blonde or a white base level, as a shade this is a very delicate, gentle blush tone. If the shade is applied to any base darker than light or platinum blonde little difference will be seen in the hair colour.
The second factor is whether the hair was clarified prior to use of the Candy product. Because Colour Restore Candy is one of the most delicate Colour Restore shades, it should always be applied to a clarified non-conditioned base. Many bleached and light blonde consumers instinctively extra condition hair after each shampoo. However, if the hair was conditioned prior to applying Candy, the product would not be able to enter the hair and create the colour effect. This occurs because the conditioner creates a barrier on the surface of the hair and the Colour Restore Candy shade can simply slide off. Therefore, pre-clarifying is key, because the soft pigments need to gain access into the hair to evoke the shade.
You can. The only consideration must be that natural white and grey hair is very coarse and stubborn. So, if you use a blush tone on such a natural hair type, or any Colour Restore shade, it might be too gentle to get inside the hair. Therefore, if you do have natural grey or white hair and want to create the Candy shade, it is important you firstly clarify the hair several times before application. This will make the natural white hair more porous and prone to absorbing the Candy shade. Next (and after application), wrap the hair loosely in clingfilm. Wrapping the hair in clingfilm (whilst the colour is developing) will trap heat next to the scalp and cause the cuticle to rise, enabling the colour to enter the hair.
Yes. If a very intense Candy shade is desired, just keep repeating the intense treatments until you achieve the Candy level you wish to be. Candy is effectively an apricot colour, with a mild pink undertone. So, if you want a more intense Candy/Apricot shade – simply keep up those intense treatments until you reach the desired blush level, then retain the shade by using the product as a two-minute conditioner after every wash.
Colour Restore Caramel
Caramel can be used as much as you wish. If you have gone from being very light to a solid caramel shade, you will need to use the product as their regular 2-minute conditioner after each wash, to maintain that solid depth. However, if you are merely using the product to blend and cover foundation effects such as balayage or ombre, you may only need to conduct an intense treatment every few weeks, without that 2-minute use after each shampoo.
This is a simple one. If your hair looks orange, it means you had a very warm or orange base to begin with and prior to application. Caramel is formulated with a gold tone. The product is designed for use on very light or bleached blonde hair. With such light bases, you can only go to a deeper blonde by using a gold undertone colourant, unless you firstly pre-pigment with a pure gold. If a colourant that was merely depth (so no tone) was applied to bleached hair, the result would be green tinged. However, if someone has lightened dark hair to a gingery-auburn or very peachy blonde colour, then attempt to use Caramel, there is already an abundant level of gold in that hair, therefore the gold tone in Caramel has nothing to fill and can only display.
If your hair looks very orange after using Caramel, the indicator is the base shade was too dark and warm to effectively display the colour. The easiest solution is for you to apply a standard no ammonia tone on tone colourant in a flat base 7.0 medium blonde to the hair. With an underlying gold base present, the use of this flat neutral colour would create a Caramel shade.
If you see no difference in the hair colour after using Caramel, this (as with some of the other Colour Restore shades) may be due to the fact that you have applied it to a base darker than the actual Caramel depth. Caramel is a base of 7.3, which is a medium, golden blonde. If someone who was brunette, or even a light brown applied Caramel they would not see a huge shade difference. The hair might look more golden, but the actual caramel colour would not be true to the box swatch. Caramel is designed for use on very light blonde bases or those with highlights, balayage and ombre who are seeking a more natural darker blonde. The purpose of my creating Caramel was to offer consumers an option to deepen lightened hair to a natural depth, whilst not actually becoming a clear brunette. Colour Restore Caramel is a soft lightest biscuit brown when applied to light bases and is a great option for people who are finding their hair is becoming too light and want to soften dark regrowth sitting against previously lightened hair.
Another factor to check is if you have clarified your hair prior to application. If the hair is coated with conditioner and styling product residue, it is impossible for Colour Restore shades to enter the hair. Therefore, if your hair is a light blonde (or lightened base), and you have seen no result, I recommend you use Precolour Clarifier and apply the shade again.
Absolutely. In fact, I now wish I had called this product an ‘Ombre or Balayage Toner’. From all the shades in the Colour Restore line-up, Caramel is 100% perfect for anybody with balayage or ombre lightening who wants to create that more naturalistic ‘multi-tonal’ effect. When applied to such bases, Caramel mutes any raw bleached areas producing a specific soft shade in this pre-lightened hair and preventing it from looking merely ‘stark’ or ‘bleached’. Remember, true balayage effects of today are created by firstly producing those lightened panels, then overlaying a tone on tone colourant throughout. However, a permanent colourant cannot be used for overlay techniques as you risk lifting the non-lightened hair or lightening the natural darker areas. Therefore, applying Colour Restore Caramel after a balyage or ombre treatment would give that on trend hair colour look without any risk of damage to the hair condition or lightened foundation created.
As with Colour Restore Chocolate, Caramel cannot cover grey, but it can mute the first signs. So, if someone has a few scatterings of white hair, it is a great product to use to blend out and camouflage early white. However, if someone has very white or heavily grey hair, my recommendation would be to cover this white hair with a flat 8.0 Light Blonde permanent colourant and then use Colour Restore Caramel as a regular treatment. With this method, the 8.0 Light Blonde shade will create a solid permanent (lighter) base and give full grey coverage. However, using Caramel will then introduce gold tones and produce that desired Caramel of soft biscuit shade.
Yes, you can. On very light blonde hair, the first application of Caramel will give a softer colour, it will not be depth heavy. Therefore, if you want a deeper biscuit blonde shade, you can simply undergo another intense treatment, and the hair will develop to a more solid caramel colour. This shade can then be retained in the hair by using Caramel as the regular 2-minute conditioner after wash.
Colour Restore Chocolate
If you feel the hair looks red after use, this is likely to be due to the fact you have applied the product onto a very light or blonde base. Colour Restore Chocolate contains a red undertone (pre-pigment) in order to minimise a flat or green effect when applied to blonde hair. This happens because blonde and lightened hair needs to be pre-pigmented with a red colour molecule to enable a brunette depth to show accurately. When blonde hair is not firstly pre-pigmented with a red (before applying a brunette), the blonde (lifted) depth combines with the brown pigment and creates a green tone. Whilst Colour Restore Chocolate is not specifically designed for blondes, I felt it was important to offer a colourant that could effectively work on lighter depths. Therefore, for this reason the brunette formula contains an in-built red pre-pigment.
When a blonde consumer uses Colour Restore Chocolate for the first time, it is very likely the initial result will be a mahogany red. This happens because the blonde hair lacks depth and absorbs the brunette pigment, leaving the red pigment to display in the hair. However, if you repeat an intense application of Chocolate again (over this red hair result), you will find the second application produces a deep Chocolate brunette. This is because the hair was previously filled with red-pigment and the subsequent application brings the brunette depth.
There are two likely explanations to this issue. Firstly, if your previous hair colour (prior to application) was darker than chocolate (which is a 5.0 shade), you will simply not see a great deal of difference from using this product. However, you will notice the hair is shinier. This shine factor is a big indicator you have applied the product to a darker base, as whilst the depth cannot display (as the starting base was darker than the colourant base), the pigment molecules are reflecting in the hair and evoking the shine.
The second instance where you may see no difference after using the product, is if barriers are on the hair. Colour Restore shades cannot penetrate through styling residue, product build-up and silicone barriers. Therefore, you must clarify the hair before use. If the base shade is lighter that Chocolate, you will always see a result from the product as Chocolate is a very intense shade.
Generally, seeing green is a rare issue with Chocolate, because it has that red pre-pigment. When green is seen, it is nearly always attributed to the Chocolate shade being applied to a very light base, then after several washes the hair begins to take on a green hue. This is because with every wash the red pigments are being flushed from the hair, leaving behind the brunette pigments (which are more resistant). After several washes, the hair is void of that red pre-pigment and all that remains is the brunette pigments and the light depth – creating a green hue. Colour Restore Chocolate was not designed for blondes, but the red pre-pigment ensured it would work on such bases. Therefore, to remedy the issue of the hair appearing green as fading occurs, simply apply a small amount of Colour Restore Chocolate after each shampoo, to re-introduce the red colour pigments which have been rinsed from the hair.
If you are blonde and have used Colour Restore Chocolate and now wish to let it fade out, wash your hair as usual but then apply a Light Pastel Pink after each wash. The small amount of red pigment within the Pastel Pink shade, will replace the fading red molecules in the Colour Restore shade and allow the brunette depth to leave the hair without displaying green tones. Over several washes you will notice your blonde hair returning, usually appearing as a Rose Gold blonde.
Colour Restore shades are not specifically designed to cover grey. However, Chocolate will mute down the very early signs of grey, those specks of grey around hairlines and at temple areas. However, be mindful that Chocolate cannot fully cover white, only mute it. If you do have very white or grey hair, it is recommended you apply a 7.0 permanent hair colourant to create a dark blonde base shade. You then can apply Colour Restore Chocolate to great effect, with the hair having a rich multi-tonal quality.
You can. The product is particularly good for those with natural dark bases who have balayage and ombre foundations but still want an overall ‘multi-tonal’ brunette look. Be mindful that if your balayage or ombre is very light, using Chocolate will create a redder effect brunette. However, Chocolate is an ideal camouflage colour for creating rich softer brunette tones in balayage and ombre treated bases, simply because it creates that chocolate tone in the lightened areas, whilst increasing the shine in any non-lightened (natural) areas.
Colour Restore Chrome
Chrome can be used as often as you desire. If Chrome is used as a two-minute conditioner after use of a blue shampoo with every wash, the hair will begin displaying a high metallic tone. In fact, the more Chome is applied to the hair, the more the shade will become a solid silver, as opposed to a Metallic blush tone. Just remember, that Chrome can only display on white hair or pale lightened hair. Therefore, you must use either a blue shampoo or regularly apply Colour Restore Iced Platinum to the hair, to ensure Chrome is not fighting to neutralise any underlying yellow or brassy tones, which would prevent it displaying to full effect.
This is effectively, the same issue outlined above. When a result looks blonde rather than silver, it is indicating warmth was present in the hair prior to application. Therefore, Chrome has been unable to display as a cool tone, but instead had to function as a neutraliser to counteract those warm tones in the hair and can now only display as a blonde hue. To remedy this issue, use Iced Platinum on top of this newly applied Chrome shade. With this method, the Iced Platinum will attempt to neutralise the (underlying) warmth, and the Chrome pigment will then pop out and display as silver.
Chrome must be applied to a non-warm, platinum white base to display. Chrome is an ethereal silver and very delicate. When applied to a pre-platinum base it will produce a true Chrome colour. However, if someone with darker hair or a great deal of yellow uses the product, it will either be unable to display or attempt to act as a neutraliser.
Another factor is whether you clarified before application. If the surface of the hair was covered in polymers and residues, Chrome would simply be unable to enter to evoke change. Generally, though, it has been my experience that if you already have platinum hair – the product takes well upon initial application. The problems with the shade arise when those with a darker base or warmth attempt to use the product expecting to achieve that silver white result. Remember, Chrome is a Metallic Tone not a depth shade.
If you already have a silver hair colour, then Chrome is a great product to use after every wash or two, to maintain your silver shade. Artificial permanent silver shades will tend to fade over washes. So, by using Colour Restore Chrome after every wash (or every other wash) you are introducing soft silver pigments back into the hair, making sure that whatever tone fades out is placed back in again.
Colour Restore Cool Ash
This question is derived from the fact as to whether the hair (prior to use) was orange or in fact red. Colour Restore Cool Ash is designed to neutralise gingery tones in brunette hair, or orangey tones in blonde hair. So, the kind of tone I refer to in ‘blonde’ cases is peach. If your hair is traffic light amber, Cool Ash will not be able to neutralise, because that shade is too dark and intense for a neutraliser to do anything. If someone has got bright orange hair before use, the question really is: where did you want to be? Were you looking to be blonde or brunette? Bright orange hair near enough always indicates the hair is not lightened enough, so if you apply Cool Ash to very orange hair, and no neutralisation is seen – it simply means this described ‘orange’ tone is actually red based and a) has too much depth and b) cannot be neutralised by an anti-orange product. This last factor is important to understand in hair colouring principles. Many bright oranges are derived from red pigments. Cool Ash contains pigments that neutralise orange but not red. To neutralise red, you need a green pigment and the result would only ever be brunette as both red and green are depth colours.
If you have the correct depth and warm hue in the hair to tone (so gingery, orange, warm hue, rusty tone, a peachy-blonde orange), as we recommend the product be used on, and you still see no result, this is nearly always attributable to the barrier factor. Barriers are on the hair will prevent Cool Ash from entering. Remember, if you have just coloured or lightened the hair (prior to use of Cool Ash), did the product used to lighten feature an after-treatment conditioner? If so, this would have created a barrier on the hair.
For good neutralisation and effectiveness of Cool Ash, use Precolour Clarifier several times to clear these barriers and then use Cool Ash again at a 20-minute development.
You may feel you are seeing no result, when the product has in fact worked and neutralised warmth – but is not displaying the desired ash shade. Ash tone is a more intricate hue to display on hair that previously had warmth, simply because the ash tone infused will attempt to cancel out the warmth. When it does this, both the ash tone and the warm tone vanish, and the hair appears neutral. Therefore, to display Cool Ash as a tone (in such bases) the consumer must apply two to three intensive applications of the product to load the ash pigment in their hair. Once they have done this, they should only use a blue shampoo and Cool Ash as their two-minute conditioner. These aspects will ensure the cool ash tone is retained in the hair.
Remember one application of Cool Ash will counteract warmth and create a ‘neutral’ shade. But two to three applications would be needed to overload the hair with cool tone to create that ash shade.
After creating the colour with intensive treatments, I recommend Cool Ash be used as a two-minute conditioner after each shampoo. I also recommend such consumers only use blue toned shampoos to cleanse their hair moving forward. As explained above, Cool Ash must work as a neutraliser to any underlying orange tone. Therefore, by continually introducing the ash pigments to the hair, it will retain an overall cool-ash shade.
If you feel your hair looks blue after using one treatment of Cool Ash, this will be because you have a white or light blonde base with no orange tone present. In some instances, you may have perceived yellow to be orange and in fact should have used Iced Platinum. However, when this incident occurs it usually means you liked the box shade colour and were attempting to achieve this ash result more so than neutralisation. But remember, Colour Restore Cool Ash is not a ‘colourant shade’ but ash neutralisation pigments.
To remove the unwanted blue/ash simply clarify the hair, and then start using coconut oil treatments. Coconut oil is good at pulling direct dye out of the hair. You will find this blue-ash tone will go very quickly if the above approach is taken.
Lastly, use Colour Restore Chrome in the future. Chrome can be deposited onto white hair and will display a silver (slightly ash) result.
Cool Ash is a great product to use on lightened colour effects and particularly balayage, because balayage (on natural darker bases) tends to have a rusty or raw edge if it is not toned regularly. Therefore, Cool Ash is particularly good for keeping balayage effects refined and neutral. These same principles apply for the use of the product with traditional highlights and Ombre. Just remember, if these lightened effects are pale blonde, the effects from Cool Ash will cause such lightened areas to have a high ash or metallic tone. This might be preferable for a lot of consumers today (particularly brunettes), but if you like a crisp light clear blonde, you should (instead) be using Colour Restore Iced Platinum.
Colour Restore Deep Red
Because the red pigment molecule is very small, red colours are notorious for fading fast. In fact, this was the very reason why I created Deep Red, simply because people were using permanent red colours to replenish, and the hair was becoming more and more damaged. When you notice Deep Red is fading fast it is typically due to the hair being porous and probably heavily lightened. Such hair types have an open cuticle that allow the red colour molecule to be flushed very readily from the hair. Therefore, you must keep using Deep Red as a two-minute conditioner proceeding every other shampoo. Eventually, a saturation point will be reached, whereby the hair will become so full of the red, fading starts to slow-off. As a product, Colour Restore Deep Red goes a long way. You only need to use a small amount with each application. Therefore, just keep using the product. Ultimately, it is a conditioner, and will not harm the hair, and at a certain point you will notice the red begins to retain, due to the hair becoming filled. From this point, you won’t find it necessary to use Deep Red as frequently.
I have a very dark brown or black hair colour. Will Deep Red create a ‘redhead’ result on my hair?
A simple way to understand Deep Red results is this; The lighter the brighter, the deeper the meeker. So, if you are very fair, Deep Red will display as a vibrant red. However, if you are dark, Deep Red will display as a sheen or hue. If you have very dark brown or black hair, Deep Red will give you a richness and conker hue. However, you will still retain that brunette depth.
You can use Deep Red as much as you desire. Deep Red will not damage the hair, and as explained, with red, sometimes it needs to be built up. Therefore, if you want to undertake successive treatments, one after the other, you can. If you want to use daily, you can. If you want to use weekly, you can – it will not damage the hair. It’s entirely your own choice how often you want to use the product. And over time, you will begin to understand how often you need to use the product to retain your specific result. Deep Red consumers come to the product to retain reds, so will initially find they are using Deep Red more regularly – but as the condition improves and the red fills the hair, they always notice less fading and frequency of use reduces.
Firstly, be aware you cannot remove any direct dye with a hair colour remover. If you have coloured your hair with Deep Red, and you do not like the result or simply want a change, start using coconut oil treatments. Coconut oil will tend to make the hair slippery and the red will start to come out. In addition, hot water will open the cuticle and will steam out red colour molecules. Using hot, but comfortable, water to steam the red out of the hair is often the most effective approach. Apple cider vinegar diluted with water is another good tip to eradicate red, due to the fact apple cider vinegar is very acidic and again causes red to slip from the hair fibres. Never attempt to bleach out red, as this will heavily compromise the quality of the hair. Semi-Permanent red colour molecules will tend to leave the hair relatively easily if the above methods are deployed.
Pink results occur when a person with very bleached or lightened hair has used Deep Red. The pink result is due such hair types being void of natural red pigment and depth. Therefore, the red is pulled in and sits against the light/transparent base displaying as a pink. Remember, combining red and white creates pink! This is a simple issue to remedy; all you need to do is repeat the Deep Red 20-minute intense application. Upon the second application, the further red pigment will fill the hair, create depth and display at the true red intensity.
You can use Deep Red immediately after perming and relaxing with no problems. Colour Restore is ultimately a conditioner with infused colour pigments. Therefore, there is no risk to the hair when using immediately after treatments such as perming, straightening and colour removal, which also use a reduction agent ingredient. However, I always recommend people wait a day before using Deep Red after applying a bleach. Why? In theory, you can use Deep Red immediately after bleaching hair, without it causing any damage. However, immediately after bleaching the hair may still contain active bleach molecules. Therefore, if you apply any red pigment directly onto these active bleach molecules, there is a high risk said molecules will attempt to ‘oxidize’ the red and ultimately cause the result you are trying to achieve to flush straight out. It is far better to wait 24 hours after bleaching, wash the hair and then apply Deep Red. You should also consider using Precolour Protein Porosity Spray before application in instances where the hair has been recently bleached.
Colour Restore Ice Spray
Correct. Think of Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners as the dry shampoo of toners. They give fast and immediate toning, along with strengthening leave-in conditioning benefits. Instant Spray-In Toners are a quick alternative to regular toning, which requires development and rinsing.
Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners will soften natural grey and white hair and also deposit neutralising pigments that will counteract yellow and muddy tones often found in natural white hair. The sprays will intensify the natural silver and white.
The anti-orange and anti-yellow pigments found in the original Colour Restore Cool Ash and Iced Platinum formulas are still present in the Instant Spray-In Toners. However, these neutralising pigments have been suspended inside a liquid protein, leave-in Conditioner base. When you spray the hair with the formula, the conditioning proteins penetrate the cuticle, strengthening and softening the hair.
Also, the toning pigments, coat the cuticle creating immediate colourisation and neutralisation. As the hair dries, the pigments dry securely onto the cuticle, locking the toning result in place until your next wash.
Yes, because the formula contains plant proteins, it’s ideal for use after a chemical lightening treatment, which can often leave the hair dehydrated and porous. After shampooing out your colourant, bleach or lightener, just towel dry and then spritz the hair with your chosen Toner Spray, comb through and style.
Yes, because Instant Spray-In Toners are a leave-in, protein-based conditioner formula, you can use them daily without any problems. Just be mindful, that if your hair is already cool or toned, using Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners will intensify those tones.
So, Ash hair will become Grey Toned, and Platinum hair will turn Metallic Silver. But remember these enhanced results only last until your next shampoo. However, they can be a great way of intensifying and perfecting an existing cool shade.
Very much so. Using your regular Colour Restore shade will form your neutralised or cool blonde colour. However, Colour Restore Instant Spray-In Toners are perfect for those days when you wake up, look in the mirror, realise your hair is looking brassy or warm but either cannot be bothered or do not have the time, to carry out your regular toning.
Colour Restore Iced Platinum
Because when hair has been coloured to an artificial grey, the underlying base still needs to be pure white. Those who have created an artificial grey often complain about the shade turning a murky green after several washes. This occurs because the bleached/lightened base is yellow, whereas the grey shade is blue based. Therefore, when blue and yellow mix – green is produced. In order to continue displaying artificial grey, you must keep neutralising the underlying yellow tone. Therefore, whenever the grey hair begins to turn green, use Colour Restore Iced Platinum. The acid violet molecule will neutralise the underlying yellow tone back to white and the artificial grey will again display correctly.
Natural grey/silver hair is produced via the presence of pure white hair. However, many factors can cause natural white hair to take on a yellow tone. These factors include (but are not limited to), heat styling, general atmospheric pollution, smoke and styling products. Regularly using Colour Restore Iced Platinum on natural white will keep the hair appearing grey and silver, with a clean sharp edge. This also applies to men’s salt and pepper and temple grey.
This is a two-part issue. Sometimes the hair is not yellow, but in fact, has been bleached to orange. Iced Platinum would have trouble neutralising orange – it would knock some of the edge off the overall tone, but it just could not fully neutralise orange from the hair. Remember, Iced Platinum is an anti-yellow. So, the first question you need to ask is: how bright is the yellow? Is it a yellow-brassy colour? Or is it more of an orange or a copper? If it’s more of an orange or a copper, this means the hair has too much depth to go blonde and no pale-yellow base to enable a neutralisation to platinum. Therefore, you need to re-lighten the hair (further) to obtain a yellow base that would tone to blonde.
By contrast, your hair may be sufficiently lightened and displaying a pale yellow that could tone, however Iced Platinum has been unable to enter the hair. This issue occurs due to barriers on the hair’s surface, such as conditioning polymers, styling residue and silicones. You will find this problem is most prominent when a box lightening product (not a bleach) has been used. Such colourant-based lighteners use silicones that block out the hair and prevent it from toning. Likewise, many home bleach kits contain rich silicone-based finishing conditioners that cause a block on the hair and prevent toning from happening. In these instances, treat the hair several times in Precolour Clarifier and then attempt to use Iced Platinum again. After clarifying, the hair should have opened, and the neutralising pigments will be able to enter and evoke change.
Iced Platinum can be used as much as desired. I recommend Colour Restore shades are used as a two-minute conditioner after each wash following the initial 20-minute intensive (shade creation) application. However, with Iced Platinum use, once those yellow tones are neutralised and the hair is white, you need to understand that further applications of the product will mean the pigment present will have nothing to neutralise and in instances where Iced Platinum is used on non-brassy white bases, a blue hue could be seen after several applications. Some consumers like this, as it causes the blonde hair to have a metallic edge. However, if you just want to display a standard light blonde, you should only use Iced Platinum when you notice the hair looking brassy. Perhaps as a 2-minute conditioner for minimal yellow tone or a 20-minute intensive treatment if the hair has gone very brassy. Be aware, you can suddenly obtain very brassy hair if you swim – because the intensity of the water exposure will cause any artificial tone to flush out of the hair in one session. In these latter instances, such individuals may find they need intensive applications often. Generally, though, most Iced Platinum consumers just maintain the shade with a 2-minute development after each wash.
This is a simple one. If blonde hair ever looks blue after using Iced Platinum, it means the hair was neutralised prior to application and the product should was required. If you are seeing cool ends (for example), but the roots are correctly toned – this is normal – as the hair has only over deposited at the bottom sections. Quite often, an individual will have white blonde hair and then lighten their (dark) roots to yellow. However, once those roots are lightened to pale yellow, the individual then applies Iced Platinum throughout including those already white ends. Therefore, whilst the roots needed toning, the ends did not, and Iced Platinum may over-deposit and display with a blue hue.
When you have lightened your roots to pale yellow and need to tone, check if the ends appear yellow or white. Quite often, the rinsing of the bleach or lightening from the roots can flush out all existing Iced Platinum tone from the hair and cause the entire lengths to appear brassy. In such instances, you will need to apply Colour Restore Iced Platinum throughout on an intense treatment to neutralise. However, if you conclude lightening your roots, towel dry your hair and notice only the roots appear brassy (with the mid-lengths displaying the white blonde shade it been prior), then you do not need to apply Iced Platinum throughout. Instead, just work Iced Platinum into the regrowth areas only.
I should point out, it is very rare for Colour Restore Iced Platinum to over deposit in this way and if the hair does take on a bluish hue, it can be easily removed via several shampoos with a clear or clarifying shampoo.
However, if your hair has over deposited in any areas, it is indicating you have high levels of porosity. For this reason, I created Precolour Protein Porosity Spray to prevent such issues from occurring.
Absolutely. Colour Restore shades will not affect or lighten non-colour treated areas. So, if someone has highlights, balayage or ombre, they can apply Iced Platinum throughout the whole head, and the product will only function on those lightened areas.
Colour Restore Lilac Grey
Such a result means the product has been applied to very damaged bleached hair. Purple and patchy results from use of Lilac Grey indicate porosity and compromised hair health. Therefore, you should use Precolour Protein Porosity Spray throughout to fill the hair and strengthen. Washing the hair once or twice in a clear, cleansing shampoo will remove any purple or patchy tone. Lilac Grey can then be applied again but do make sure you saturate the hair (throughout) prior to application with Precolour Protein Spray. Doing this will fill any gaps in the hair, equalise porosity and ensure that Lilac Grey deposits throughout the hair evenly.
This is entirely to do with the fact the Lilac Grey shade has been applied onto an orangey, lightened base, rather than a neutral pale or white foundation. Due to its composition, Lilac Grey can act as a neutraliser. Therefore, if someone who has orangey copper hair uses the product, the hair will not turn green, because the combined violet and blue molecules within the product can counteract the orange tone. However, when acting as a neutraliser, Lilac Grey will turn coppery bases to beige blonde. So, if you have used the product and feel your hair looks beige blonde (rather than Lilac Grey) simply apply the product again to build up the lilac tone. Just be mindful that copper is not a light base shade. Therefore, if you apply Lilac grey onto a copper lightened base, you will never achieve a light Lilac Grey result because the existing depth is too dark. To achieve that pure Lilac Grey, you need to lighten out that copper and obtain a pale-yellow base colour, that could firstly be toned to white with Colour Restore Iced Platinum, then coloured to Lilac Grey with the shade.
This is because Lilac Grey cannot neutralise red. In order to neutralise red, you must apply a green pigment. However, what Lilac Grey can do is neutralise orange and contribute additional violet and blue tone. Therefore, when applied to red-orange hair, the violet and blue tones in Lilac Grey will neutralise the orange tones. However, they will not be able to neutralise the red tones, but instead add to them. Therefore, by adding blue-violet to red a purple tone is achieved. This would evoke an overall burgundy shade.
If blonde hair has barriers on it, Lilac Grey will not be able to penetrate through the hair cuticle, so make sure you clarify the hair, then use Lilac Grey again. Next, review what base shade you were applying Lilac-Grey onto. To display as a pure Lilac Grey, the shade must go onto pure white or platinum blonde hair. The darker the base level, the more subtle the result will become. Whilst Lilac Grey is very effective at neutralising orange tones in brunette shades, it cannot display as ‘Lilac Grey’ in such depths.
Yes, it can. When applied to existing grey hair (be it natural or artificial), a ‘Steel Mauve’ result would be obtained. Here, the depth would increase, and the violet tone would be more noticeable. The result would effectively be a more intense Lilac Grey.
Absolutely, yes. But again, make sure the base is pre-toned with Iced Platinum, so it features no warm or brassy tones prior to application. If you desire a more naturalistic metallic colour, simply use Lilac Grey directly over the warm base. In these instances, because the Lilac Grey will act as a neutraliser, it will appear less Lilac Grey and more Metallic Beige. However, this can be a preferable shade variance for those who like a natural cold balayage or ombre look.
Colour Restore Pink Platinum
Pink Platinum can only be used when the hair is showing a brassy tone, as it is ultimately an anti-yellow neutraliser. So, when the hair starts looking brassy, you apply it. However, because Pink Platinum has that additional pink molecule, you may find that rather than the hair becoming brassy over several washes, it starts taking on more and more of a Rose Gold appearance and will at one point look very much like the Colour Restore Candy shade. This happens because the pink molecule will start to combine with the underlying yellow molecule and create a Rose Gold tone. However, very quickly, this Rose Gold tone will fade to a clear brass, indicating the entire Pink Platinum tone is now gone. Therefore, if you apply the Pink Platinum when the hair is becoming more Rose Gold than pink – you would get a good pink platinum result, as there is sufficient underlying yellow displaying in the hair to utilise all the acid-violet pigment.
It is important to understand that Pink Platinum is still the Colour Restore Iced Platinum formula, and is an anti-yellow toner, designed for use on yellow or brassy hair. If your hair is already a neutralised platinum shade and Pink Platinum is used, there will be no yellow in the hair for the product to neutralise and the hair will display as lilac. The lilac is seen because the acid-violet molecule is designed to neutralise yellow. So, in a brassy base, this acid-violet molecule counteracts the yellow and vanishes creating white and leaving only the pink molecule to display. However, if someone with neutralised white hair uses the product, there is no yellow for the acid-violet pigment to neutralise and it displays in the hair alongside the pink molecule. The pink molecule is derived from red and the acid-violet derived from blue. Therefore, you mix these two molecules together and obtain violet.
If you are faced with this issue, just keep washing the hair with a generic regular shampoo to start allowing the underlying brassy tone to show through. At that point, the acid violet pigment will vanish, because the pigment will try to start neutralising the yellow. Once this happens, the pink tone will be seen. From this point, you should only apply Colour Restore Pink Platinum when the hair is displaying a visible brassy tone that requires neutralising.
One reason you may observe no difference after using Pink Platinum is if the hair is coated with polymers and silicone and requires clarifying. Barriers on the hair’s surface will prevent any Colour Restore shade from entering and evoking a change. To ensure those colour molecules can enter through the hair shaft and evoke change, always use either Precolour Clarifier or a clear clarifying shampoo prior to application. Clarifying the hair prior to application of any Colour Restore shade, will remove barriers and allow the colour pigments unrestricted access into the hair.
Another reason you may not observe any difference is if the hair was too dark prior to application. Colour Restore Pink Platinum is designed for use on lightest blonde hair. If used on any bases darker than light blonde, results from the product will be far more subtle.
Yes, you can. After bleaching and lightening the hair will be at its most brassy and most susceptible to toning. Therefore, once the bleach or lightener is rinsed from the hair, proceed immediately to using the Pink Platinum product. Iced Platinum consumers work in this way and let’s not forget Pink Platinum is the Iced Platinum formula containing a tiny amount of pink pigment to create a soft blush hue.
Yes, but only under the principles you would use Colour Restore Iced Platinum. That is, if your natural grey or white hair is displaying a brassy or yellow tone that requires neutralising. If your grey or white hair is pure and without yellow tone and Pink Platinum is used, the hair will take on a more lilac tone, as there is no yellow within the hair to be neutralised.
Colour Restore Silver Blonde
This is down to warmth in the hair. If you have used Silver Blonde and the hair now has a green hue, it means there would have previously been yellow-orange tones within the hair. Silver Blonde contains blue pigments, therefore if these pigments are added to an existing yellow base, a green toned result will emerge. This is a standard outcome when silver, grey and metallic shades are applied to any yellow or brassy base.
However, the issue can be easily remedied. Simply apply Colour Restore Iced Platinum on a 20-minute development to neutralise the underlying yellow tone. Once this yellow tone is neutralised, the pigments within Silver Blonde will correctly display.
Silver Blonde can be used as often or as little as you believe necessary. However, this shade is not a neutraliser, but a grey toner. So, after that first intense application, my recommendation is to wait for the metallic tone to diminish somewhat and begin to use the product as your regular two-minute conditioner after regular washing with a purple shampoo.
Please be aware, if Silver Blonde is used excessively, the shade will turn from a metallic tone to a more solid steel grey. This occurs because the Silver tone will begin to load up within the hair. Many people like to create an intense metallic steel shade with Colour Restore Silver Blonde. However, if you wish to retain the standard metallic silver blonde effect, then only apply the shade when you believe the existing colour is fading off.
Did you clarify the hair prior to application? With light blonde, tonal shades, this is one of the biggest reasons why the colour looks unchanged following application. The hair must be free from barriers prior to using Colour Restore Silver Blonde. Once clarified, the pigments within the shade will be able to enter the hair and evoke change.
Alternatively, because Silver Blonde is a metallic toner, you may have a base that is just too dark to display metallic tone. If you are looking to achieve a pure Silver Blonde result, you firstly need to make sure the hair is lightened to a platinum base, before application of Colour Restore Silver Blonde. Silver Blonde is a grey hued, light blonde toner, it is not an actual grey depth colourant. So, the result from Silver Blonde should be a metallic, greyed blonde that still retains its light depth.
This is denoting hair condition issues. If a colour results as grey and patchy from use of Colour Restore Silver Blonde (which is conditioner based), this is a strong sign damage was present in the hair prior to use of the product. The patchiness indicates colour has being pulled into the hair through aggressive porosity. If you feel the result is very grey, this means the hair was over toned white and likely silver. In such an instance, Silver Blonde will have added to the existing silver tone (present in the hair prior to application) and has intensified to grey.
The first step is to wash the hair several times in a clear or clarifying shampoo. This will flush out some of the excess pigment. The second step is to use Precolour Protein Porosity Spray prior to application of any further colourants. This is because your hair has grabbed colour, demonstrating high porosity. Protein Spray will fill any gaps in the hair, even out porosity and prevent colourants grabbing and evoking patchy or intense results.
Yes, you can. Remember the hair must be neutralised with Iced Platinum prior to application, to enable those lightened areas to display as a true metallic Silver Blonde.
Decolour Flash Colour Remover
It’s not a case of the hair going ginger, the issue could be the underlying natural colour had been lightened from the previous colourants applied and has gone warm. This does not always happen but is dependent on the peroxide strength of the developer in the brand of colourant or colourants that had previously been used on the hair. See tips on how to deal with unwanted warm tones hair.
No, Decolour Flash Remover can only evoke effects on artificial pigment molecules. If applied to your natural hair no results will be seen.
Any products that do not contain hydrogen peroxide can be used immediately after a Decolour Flash Remover application.
These include: ALL COLOUR RESTORE SHADES, COLOUR RESTORE INSTANT TONER SPRAYS, BLUE/PURPLE/SILVER SHAMPOOS, TEMPORARY COLOURANTS (NO PEROXIDE), TRUE SEMI-PERMANENT COLOURANTS (NO PEROXIDE) and COLOURED DRY SHAMPOOS.
No, it is a reducer. A reducer is the opposite to bleach which is an oxidizer. Oxidizers expand and lighten molecules. Reducers shrink and split molecules. In the case of Decolour Flash Remover, the artificial oxidation molecules are being shrunk and shattered within the hair, so they can be flushed out. Reducers are found in other hair technologies such as perms and are known for their Sulphur smell.
You should wait at least 7 days and 3 washes before applying any peroxide based colouring product to the hair, following any application of a reduction agent hair colour remover. Products you should avoid for 7 days are permanent colourants, bleaches, lighteners and peroxide based semi-permanent colourants. If in any doubt, look at the ingredients section of the product you would like to use to check for inclusion of ‘Hydrogen Peroxide’. After using a reduction agent hair colour remover, it is important the hair is allowed to normalize, and any residue of the reduction agent is flushed from the hair. If a peroxide-based product is applied to the hair immediately after colour removal any colour molecules that were not sufficiently flushed from the hair could be reactivated and the hair might go darker again.
No, reduction removers cannot reverse true semi-permanent colourants such as direct dyes. Direct Dyes are a different technology and work by ‘staining’ the hair. They should leave the hair with good clarifying. Please DO NOT use any reduction agent remover in attempt to take out a direct dye as it could warp the colour molecules. If you have purchased a product that stated on pack it would leave the hair within 10 washes, but it will not fade, you must firstly contact the manufacturers of that product for advice. If you are finding your fashion colour has faded, but some tone is remaining, please use Decolour Stripper.
Not always. Permanent colourants are created by intermixing a colourant cream/oil or gel with a developer. This developer contains hydrogen peroxide. Certain Hydrogen Peroxide strengths will lighten natural hair colours. So, whilst you may not notice this lightening on your natural hair whilst the artificial colour is in place (especially with black shades) once you remove it, you might see your natural hair colour had lightened from the original artificial colour process or processes.
Decolour Remover
Decolour Remover contains an ingredient called a ‘Reduction Agent’. Reduction Agent ingredients work in the opposing principle to oxidation, which is the technology from which permanent colouring works. A notable factor about Reduction Agents is they have a sulphur smell, which can often be likened to eggs. The remover must be rinsed with hot (comfortable) water; otherwise, there is a chance the odour could cling to the hair for several days after the removal treatment.
How to remedy
Wash the hair with a clear, clarifying shampoo under hot (comfortable) water. Next, dissolve two teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda into a mug of hot water. Wait for the mug to cool, then rinse the bicarbonate of soda solution through the hair and leave for 10 minutes before flushing the hair with warm water. Finish with a leave-in conditioning treatment. The bicarbonate of soda rinse will neutralise any odour left in the hair. If you still detect some of the smell, you can repeat the process.
When you have removed an unwanted dark hair colour, only to find the hair slowly darkens again over hours or overnight, this is indicating the (removed) hair colour is re-oxidising. Re-oxidation occurs when oxygen molecules (either atmospheric or in applied hydrogen peroxide) make contact with artificial colour molecules. This process is how the artificial permanent colour produced in the first instance. However, if you have removed an artificial colour and then experience re-oxidation, it means those reduced synthetic colour molecules did not effectively flush from the hair during the rinsing stage.
How to remedy
You will need to apply Decolour Remover again. However, when you get to the rinsing phase, make sure you rinse for at least 5 minutes under comfortable hot, steaming water. Steaming water ensures the hair cuticle raises open, enabling the reduced hair colour molecules to flush out thoroughly. To be doubly sure re-oxidation does not occur again, rinse for 5 minutes, then wrap hair in a towel and wait 30 minutes to an hour, then go back and rinse again for a further 5 minutes. By allowing the moisture inside the hair to evaporate a little, then returning to rinse again, there is far more chance of removing any stubborn artificial colour molecules.
Re-oxidation can be an entirely random phenomenon. Occasionally, a colourant shade appears on the market that can be prone to re-oxidation after removal. Also, naturally, Auburn hair tends to re-oxidise after the removal of darker colours because Auburn hair has a high sulphur content, which can prove more resistant to reduction agents found in hair colour removers and perms. For these reasons, always purchase two colour removers, to ensure a second is at hand if the first application does evoke re-oxidation.
Decolour Remover is only able to remove artificial permanent colour pigments. It contains no hydrogen peroxide and is not capable of lightening natural hair pigments. If you have removed and observed your natural colour has not returned. Instead, the hair appears to be warm, ginger or copper; this is indicating the permanent colourants you had previously applied have lightened your natural hair colour. All permanent colourants need hydrogen peroxide to function. However, some brands of permanent colour use much stronger peroxide volumes in the developer than others. Even black and dark brown hair colourants can feature peroxide strengths capable of lightening away natural pigment, as the new pigment deposits. This lightening of natural pigment is often not noticed until the unwanted permanent colour removes, then the lightened base is exposed. Quite often warm, as the natural red and gold pigment has been revealed.
How to remedy
The key with unwanted warmth is to neutralise and counteract. So, use a product like Colour Restore Cool Ash or Lilac Grey to balance out the exposed warm tones within the hair, and wash only in a blue or purple shampoo. These haircare approaches will cool exposed warmth and produce a neutral base shade.
Generally, there are three reasons why it is perceived a hair colour remover application has not worked, and the hair has remained the same colour:
- The hair had a build-up of silicones, residues and barriers and Decolour Remover could not enter the hair to evoke any change. In this instance, you should clarify the hair several times, do not apply any conditioner or styling products, then repeat the Decolour Remover applicator.
- You have attempted to remove a direct dye (such as a bright fashion colour). Direct colours are notable because they do not require intermixing with a peroxide-based developer. Instead, they are just one bottle or tube applied directly to the hair. Hair Colour Removers work with oxidation technology only and are ineffective at removing direct dyes. Reduction agents (as found in hair colour removers) can react with direct dyes. It is, for this reason, we state on the box that Decolour Remover is not for the removal of any fashion colours or direct dye.
- You have attempted to remove lightning in the hair. Decolour Remover can only reverse artificial permanent colour pigments; it cannot reverse lightening. Quite often people attempt to remove an unwanted red or copper tone in the hair, believing it to be from an artificial colourant applied, when in reality it is their natural red and gold pigment exposed from lightening via the peroxide developer in the colourant used.
In these situations, Decolour Remover would only expose more warmth or leave the hair colour unchanged.
Do not apply any peroxide-based colourants for at least seven days and three washes after using Decolour Remover. The reason being is the peroxide (found in the developer bottle) could evoke re-oxidation of the unwanted colour if it were applied to the hair too soon after removal. It is far better to wait a week and three washes, so allow any artificial colour molecules, remaining inside the hair to be flushed out and deactivated. However, you can use no peroxide direct dye colourants and toners immediately after using Decolour Remover.
Decolour Stripper
The Decolour Remover formula has been manufactured to enable whole head hair colour stripping. In this process, all the natural and artificial pigment is stripped from the hair. To strip quickly and evenly; the mixed Decolour Stripper formula must be applied to damp hair. The dampness of the hair multiples the formula and causes the mixture to spread evenly throughout.
This is totally normal. Decolour Stripper is not a colourant but a formula designed to remove both natural and artificial pigments from the hair. When an apricot or yellow shade is revealed, it is indicating all the colour pigments have removed and the colour of the hairs natural keratin fibres has been exposed. Keratin is yellow.
How to remedy
You must now proceed to the second step and re-colour the hair to the desired shade. If a pale or platinum blonde is desired, use Colour Restore Iced Platinum on this yellow hair to tone to a white blonde result. If the hair is naturally quite dark and has stripped to an apricot canvas, using a lightening blonde colourant featuring a cool tone, will also create a light blonde result.
Because these are localised stripping applications, and you do not want the formula to start spreading throughout the hair when just the regrowth or specific balayage threads are being targeted. In addition, when the formula is applied to dry hair it will be slightly more potent, so balayage threads and regrowth sections will lighten more intensely.
Yes. In fact, those who use Decolour Stripper to obtain their pale canvas for the application of fashion colours, often comment how they achieve more even, brighter colour results, less patching and experience consistent and total fade of semi-permanent shades. Decolour Stripper gently and evenly lightens the hair, therefore reducing the risk of porosity. Whereas very strong bleaches can cause hair to become highly porous. This extreme level of porosity can lead to colour staining from direct dyes, making fashion shades very difficult to remove from the hair. If Decolour Stripper is applied to regrowth only, every four to six weeks, the hair will retain a healthy pale canvas, that will accept direct dye pigments evenly and retain and fade off these pigments consistently.
The Conclude Balm is a protein-based mask that is designed to enter the hair while it resides in a chemical state and fill any gaps within the hair cortex with proteins and moisture. Strengthening the hair, PH balancing, and buffering it for subsequent re-colouring. If the Conclude Balm step was emitted after use of Decolour Stripper and an ammonia-based or lightening colourant was immediately applied to the hair, there is a chance the hair would lift too much or damage could occur.
Yes, Decolour Stripper is an ideal product to apply to dark regrowth to lighten the base safely. Always remember to mix and apply from a plastic bowl using a tint brush. Apply to dry hair only (not damp) onto just the dark regrowth. If you like a very shade specific blonde result, once the roots have been lightened, you can apply a second process blonde colourant onto the newly lightened areas, to create a deeper or more tonal blonde shade.
Quick Tip
If your dark roots tend to be stubborn at lifting, apply Decolour Stripper then loosely wrap a sheet of tin foil over your hair, creating a loose cap. This foil cap can be easily removed to check development and then placed back on if further development is needed. However, creating a foil cap will trap heat next to the roots and boost lifting.
Yes, Decolour Stripper is designed for use immediately before application of any permanent or semi-permanent colourant. So, once an application of Decolour Stripper has concluded, you can immediately move onto the next colour application.
Precolour Clarifying Treatment
To a degree. Precolour could not remove an unwanted permanent colour. This is absolutely the remit of Decolour Remover. However, Precolour would have a general effect on accelerating fading of direct dyes such as Fashion, Pastel and Colour Restore. If the hair is healthy, a direct dye will fade off in up to 8 washes. In these instances, Precolour could probably boost the removal of the shade by 3 to 4 washes. However, if the fashion colour or direct dye has stained the hair, Precolour could not assist in its removal. Likewise, if the shade is proving stubborn to rinse out, Precolour would not cause it to leave the hair any faster.
Use Precolour as the last shampoo prior to either your home or salon treatment, whether it is directly before, or even the day before, providing you do not condition or apply any styling product onto the hair following Precolour treatment. If you go to the trouble of clarifying hair and then proceed to apply conditioners and styling products, you have effectively undone the entire Precolour process and re-coated the hair. However, if you just clarify the hair with Precolour and leave it, the hair will be fine for colouring or chemical treatments, be it immediately or the next day.
If you use deep penetrating masks or oils, it is a good idea to firstly clarify the hair with Precolour Clarifier. Doing this, will clear any barriers from the surface and cause the cuticle to raise open. With a raised cuticle, conditioning masks and oils can easily penetrate through the cuticle layer and enter the inside of the hair, deep conditioning and strengthening. Even applying Coconut Oil and wrapping the hair in clingfilm for 30 minutes (following a Precolour Clarifier treatment), will evoke impressive conditioning results.
Yes, Precolour is a great product to use once a week, especially if a high amount of conditioner and styling products are regularly used on the hair. When used as a weekly treatment, Precolour Clarifier sets the hair back to neutral, fully cleanses the cuticle and generally retains its equilibrium.
In short, no. Precolour Clarifier is a clarifier. If you used it as a regular shampoo it would draw too much from the hair. After a while the hair would start feeling dry and somewhat brittle. You should never use clarifiers as your regular on-going shampoo. The only instances where clarifiers can be used regularly are if the hair needs a specific course, due to excess amounts of silicone and polymer build up on the hair shaft. Remember though, in these instances the clarifier is not working on the actual hair but the barriers that need to be cut through. If the hair has been clarified of these barriers, using a clarifier as your next shampoo applied is going to open the hair and excessively cleanse it. Generally, it’s a good idea to clarify either once a week or upon every third wash, but certainly not with each wash.
The only exception I make to recommending the use of a clarifier as a regular use shampoo is for men who use heavy styling waxes on a daily basis. Some men’s waxes, pomades and gels are so heavy they do not cleanse from the hair well with a regular use shampoo. Therefore, it is better to use a standard clarifier like Precolour on the hair with each wash, to cut through the heavy greases and oils and flush them out of the hair.
Yes. Precolour Clarifier is a great cleansing product to use to remove bleach treatments or permanent colourants from the hair (during the rinsing phase). Just remember, Precolour does not contain an inbuilt conditioner. Therefore, when using the product to rinse out bleaches or colourants, always apply a conditioner immediately afterwards.
Precolour Protein Spray
No. Protein Spray is a leave in treatment when used prior to colour application. When used in conjunction with colour it is very much needed in the hair (prior to colour application) to buffer and fill empty and porous areas.
Yes, you absolutely should. However, apply Protein Spray throughout the previously treated areas then wait 30 minutes before proceeding to the regrowth application with bleach. The reason I suggest waiting 30 minutes, is in instances where bleach regrowth is being undertaken, you do not want the hair too damp. You need a level of dryness as it prevents the bleach slipping onto previously lightened areas. Therefore, applying the Protein Spray throughout, combing and then allowing the protein to dry off a little will enable good precision (without slipping) when the bleach is applied to the dark regrowth areas.
Yes. Protein Spray must be used immediately prior to the colour application, as the hair needs to be dampened from the product. Very porous hair will suck in any moisture applied (e.g. colourants) and generally during the colouring process, this is the cause of any damage. However, if Protein Spray is applied to the hair first, the moisture from this product is pulled into the hair creating a buffer that fills gaps and vulnerable areas prior to the chemicals entering. In addition, it is important that very dry or damaged hair is somewhat damp as it enables colourants to go onto the hair smoothly and not over absorb in specific areas.
When applied to clarified (neutral) hair, Protein Spray will make the hair soft and easy to comb. However, if you have applied the product and found the hair has become tangled and difficult to comb, it means there is a barrier on the hair surface that has prevented the proteins from entering. Instead, they are sitting along the outside of the hair shaft.
I suggest you review whatever conditioners or shampoos you are using on the hair and cleanse with a clear or clarifying shampoo before using Precolour Protein Spray again.
Protein Spray is designed for use immediately prior to colouring when the hair is porous or has mixed texture. If the hair is very bleached, or particularly damaged, I would recommend a course of use. When Protein Spray is used within a course treatment, it should be applied after each shampoo and sprayed liberally through as a leave-in conditioner. You should do this until the hair condition feels generally improved and most importantly stronger. Once the hair is stronger, you should not use the product too often because it is unwise to over fill healthy hair with protein. Excessive protein will cause hair to harden and it could snap. Remember, Precolour Protein Spray is designed and recommended for use prior to any colouring or chemical treatment. It is also a very effective course treatment for hair that is very damaged or highly bleached. Those with relaxed or compromised Afro textures would also benefit from using the product regularly if their hair is feeling vulnerable.
Shine On Bond Strengthening Clear Glaze
Not at all, the product does not interfere with previous colourant treatments applied – it only enhances them.
Shampoos, Conditioners and styling items cause build up on the hair making it difficult for some technical treatments to penetrate. If the hair is not properly clarified prior to treatment (using Precolour clarifier), the clear colour molecules may not be able to enter the hair and will sit on the surface. If you suspect that your hair has product build up, wash the hair several times in a clarifying or baby shampoo the day before using Shine On™.
My hair is very damaged, can i still use
Shine on™?
You can, but you need to be realistic about the results you will achieve. Shine On™ does not repair damage but enhances the hair. If the cuticle has been severely damaged the product may not be able to activate and remain within the hair. If you do notice some improvement in the overall condition of the damaged hair after using Shine On™, try waiting 7 days and apply a second treatment. This could help ‘load’ the hair with the diamond molecules and amino acids and could actively improve the condition of the hair.
Absolutely not. The peroxide contained within Shine On™ developer is very weak (only 2%) and is designed to work at the lowest level possible to activate the diamond molecules. For hair to lighten to even the smallest degree the peroxide strength needs to be above 4%.
Applying highlights any time after applying a Shine On Treatment will ‘strip’ the Shine molecules from the hair. However, if you apply Shine On™ immediately after highlights (or any lightening treatment) you will achieve excellent results as the hair will be a perfect canvas to display the new shine effects.
Shine On™ can be applied once every three weeks. However, it can safely be applied more regularly if desired. In general, a course of applications within a 6-week period will intensify shine and gloss, particularly if your original base was matt or dull.
Yes, (generally) Shine On™ works very well on human hair in wigs, wefts and extensions. However, Cornwall Brands cannot vouch for the origins, processing or manufacturing of human hair used in extensions, wigs and wefts. Therefore, you should always conduct a strand test and use the product on this material entirely at your own judgment. Some human hair extensions/wefts have been heavily processed and do not react well to even water washing.
Yes, Shine On™ can be used immediately after any salon colour application.
Shine On™ is ideal for grey or white hair, particularly where it’s looking flat and lacking shine. Shine On™ gives fabulous depth and lustre but retains the grey colour perfectly. On natural grey/white hair it is best to apply on almost dry hair (after clarifying).
Yes, Shine On™ works perfectly well on afro and particularly relaxed hair.
Yes, applying Shine On™ after using a toner will not only glaze but also seal a degree of the tone inside the hair helping prolong the life of the colour.
Yes, applying Shine On™ after using a toner will not only glaze but also seal a degree of the tone inside the hair helping prolong the life of the colour.