Gold to ash

[Hairdresser2020]

Hello.
I have a new client who has been using box colours over lockdown.
Her roots are a dark grey, than she has an inch of I would say an 8.3 (She said she used a 7.3 box colour on it ) she combed it through to the ends which did not take as her mid lengths and ends look like above a 10 and I guess sun bleached.
She wants to get rid of the brassy tones , she pointed to a 921 on maj chart which is a light pearl ash blonde. I know I have to apply a shade or two darker on the light blonde bits for it to take, I'm going to be using Wella KP. I was thinking to get this colour, to use half 8.00 and half 8.1 with a dash of 7.00 on the roots and the over the golden part, and just to use 8.00 through to the ends on the blonde as worrying the 8.1 will make the blonde go agreenish ash? And I will be colouring her roots between the foils to a special blonde Wella 12.1, and combing through to the ends ? Has anyone got any advice? Many thanks

 

[AcidPerm]

What would you say her natural root is?
Obviously, no-one has naturally dark grey hair as it doesn’t exist in real life, so if not a tint then I’m guessing perhaps she has at least 30% white hair and a base 5? When you say the ends look above a 10, do you mean they’re really badly damaged and almost white?

Sorry, but I’m a bit confused by your plan as there’s lots of strands to it but I agree that you need to use a different mix on the mids and ends to the roots. However, definitely don’t comb a highlift tint over already bleached damaged hair. It won’t do any good and will lead to more breakage.

Can you clarify the natural root colour, inc. percentage of white, how damaged the ends are and what the client is hoping to achieve then we can suggest options. If the damage is very bad, you will need to be firm with your client and lower their expectations otherwise, they’ll end up blaming you for something that you can’t remedy in the first place.

 

[Hairdresser2020]

What would you say her natural root is?
Obviously, no-one has naturally dark grey hair as it doesn’t exist in real life, so if not a tint then I’m guessing perhaps she has at least 30% white hair and a base 5? When you say the ends look above a 10, do you mean they’re really badly damaged and almost white?

Sorry, but I’m a bit confused by your plan as there’s lots of strands to it but I agree that you need to use a different mix on the mids and ends to the roots. However, definitely don’t comb a highlift tint over already bleached damaged hair. It won’t do any good and will lead to more breakage.

Can you clarify the natural root colour, inc. percentage of white, how damaged the ends are and what the client is hoping to achieve then we can suggest options. If the damage is very bad, you will need to be firm with your client and lower their expectations otherwise, they’ll end up blaming you for something that you can’t remedy in the first place.

Hi, the roots are just a dark grey, I don't think she is a base 5? Just looks like a dark grey to me. She said it hasn't been bleached but I think it has just lightened above a level 10 with the sun, it's looks a bit dry but not overly damaged. She said she wants to get rid of the brass which looks to me where she last did her regrowth with a 7.3, she wants more of an ash blonde but not to dark, she still wants it quite light . I think the only thing to lift the brass will be a lightener? Xxx

 

[Hairdresser2020]

It's a natural dark grey regrowth.

 

[Hairdresser2020]

This photo shows her hair to be more gold than it actually is

 

[AcidPerm]

I’m sorry to push this point but are you still training?

I’m a bit concerned from what you've written so far, that you’re attempting a complex colour correction without an adequate understanding of the basics of hair colouring.

Grey hair doesn’t exist in humans.
We can colour hair grey with artificial colour but that natural virgin hair that appears to look grey is a mix of brown hairs with white (colourless) hair. Zoom in to your picture and have a look.

When we talk about percentage of grey, we actually mean how much white hair is growing amongst the brown hair. You need to be able to accurately assess the percentage of white hair in order to determine your colour formula. You can’t just refer to the colour chart and slap on a tint mix and assume it will cover it adequately. The formula will need adjusting depending on whether the percentage of white hair is nearer to 30% or 70%.

White hair needs colour pigment adding to it.

The brown hair needs to be lightened.

Have you learnt about the lightening curve?
When you lighten hair, you remove the natural colour pigments and you’re left with the raw underlying tones or red/orange/yellow pigments. That’s why you add additional colour back with a toner to neutralise or enhance the underlying pigments. Brassy hair is hair that’s been lightened but is at the raw stage so it needs toning. If it’s more orange than yellow, it will need a blue based toner unless you’re wanting to make it more gold/copper coloured.

 

[Hairdresser2020]

Hi. Yes I understand all about the lightening curve and the colour wheel.
And I understand that grey is hair that has no pigment in, what I was saying was it just looks like a dark grey, I mainly cut hair and don't do to many colours. I understand I can't just "slap" colours on hence why I was asking for advice and saying what I was planning on applying. The brass is not from bleach, she has about an inch where she coloured her roots a couple of months ago with a box colour 7.3 and that's what I'm trying to figure out what to apply. I know I need two different formulas for the roots and than the ends which are a very light blonde.

 

[Hairdresser2020]

I have been doing hairdressing for quite a few years but mainly cuts. I do colours but it's usually full head hi lights etc. Simple stuff. Haven't done a colour correction type job in years , just lacking confidence and needing a point in the right direction. The gold tone in her hair was a 7.3 which she applied, it looks more like an 8.3, would a 7.1 tone it down? And I'm wondering whether use just a base 7 for the mid lengths and does or add some gold into it so that it doesn't go a greenish ash. But she still wants ash and not gold.