Help, Matrix Socolor level 5 natural ash turned hair green

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sstrabley

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Help, I'm not sure what I did wrong. I used Matrix Socolor DA-504NA (natural ash) and 10 vol peroxide. I then put semi-permanent Socolor Cult (orchid) and 10 volume on the midshaft and ends. The colors turned out beautiful the first time.

The second time I touched up the roots with the same DA-504NA formula on the outgrowth and freshened up the midshaft and ends with the Socolor Cult Orchid formula. The hair turned out with green patches. The Orchid took really dark and some pieces also turned green. The only difference I did was put a cap on the second time. I tried to neutralize the green patches with a warm level 5 neutral. It calmed down the green a little but now there is an overall green tone to the whole head of hair. The green also reaches the crow area where it was just a root touch up. If that wasn’t bad enough, the hair texture feels dry and damaged.

Why did the hair turn green and dry? I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there any suggestions on what I should have done differently?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you!
 
Help, I'm not sure what I did wrong. I used Matrix Socolor DA-504NA (natural ash) and 10 vol peroxide. I then put semi-permanent Socolor Cult (orchid) and 10 volume on the midshaft and ends. The colors turned out beautiful the first time.

The second time I touched up the roots with the same DA-504NA formula on the outgrowth and freshened up the midshaft and ends with the Socolor Cult Orchid formula. The hair turned out with green patches. The Orchid took really dark and some pieces also turned green. The only difference I did was put a cap on the second time. I tried to neutralize the green patches with a warm level 5 neutral. It calmed down the green a little but now there is an overall green tone to the whole head of hair. The green also reaches the crow area where it was just a root touch up. If that wasn’t bad enough, the hair texture feels dry and damaged.

Why did the hair turn green and dry? I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there any suggestions on what I should have done differently?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you!
What was your starting point? Was the hair lighter than a level 7? What was the underlying tone of the hair before colouring?
Sometimes when an oxidative colour mixes with a direct dye it turns a weird shade of sludgy green might this be the case?
 
The original regrowth area was level 5 with about 50% gray. There was about 3 inches of outgrown which is where I applied the ash brown. The rest of the hair had lots of faded out Pravana Vivids colors. Most sections had faded to about a level 8 with a hint of violet. A few sections were a faded out pale green.
 
The original regrowth area was level 5 with about 50% gray. There was about 3 inches of outgrown which is where I applied the ash brown. The rest of the hair had lots of faded out Pravana Vivids colors. Most sections had faded to about a level 8 with a hint of violet. A few sections were a faded out pale green.
So am I right in thinking you applied the ash level 5 to an faded level 8? If so, that's why it's gone green. A level 8 is missing the undertones the hair needs to become a level 5. So even though the end result was to be cool, you'd still need to fill/pre pig the hair because you're dropping more than 2 levels
 
Since I didn’t fill it the first time does that mean the green would still show up again the second time?

When I did her hair originally, the attached image is what it looked like. It was when I reapplied 7 weeks later and tried to freshen up the ends that the green really showed up.
 

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Since I didn’t fill it the first time does that mean the green would still show up again the second time?

When I did her hair originally, the attached image is what it looked like. It was when I reapplied 7 weeks later and tried to freshen up the ends that the green really showed up.
Okay what was her hair like when you applied the first colour? Was it warmer than when you applied it this time?
 
It was a bit cooler. I'm also not sure why her hair is so dry. I really appreciate your input!!!
 
Last edited:
The SoColor Cult comes in 3 varieties - Semi, Demi and Permanent. You only add developer to the Demi or Permanent versions.

Did you actually add developer to a Semi?
 
Why did you do that?
 
Short answer is a screwed up. I thought the semi worked similar the the demi.
 
Ok. Sounds like you’ve not had great education as that should be something you’re taught in the beginning when learning the basics about colour and how it works.

Quick re-cap.

Permanent Colour. - Tiny molecules of colour pigment which are small enough to slip under the cuticle layer and penetrate the shaft and as the product is mixed with developer, oxidation causes them to expand in size. Also, that’s why you need to allow full development time because although the hair might look darker, if the molecules haven’t had time to sufficiently expand, they will wash out when you shampoo the hair.
If the cuticle layer is damaged (heated tools/bleaching etc.), some of the molecules will slip out over time anyway, causing fade.

Demi (also called Quasi in some countries) - Molecule size varies and the smallest ones will slip under the cuticle layer and penetrate the shaft and expand as they oxidise, like a Permanent colour. The larger molecules are too big to enter the hair shaft and so stay on the outside like a semi. Because there’s fewer molecules entering the hair shaft, as the larger molecules wash out, they leave the ones inside the hair shaft but it will leave a more translucent fade as there’s less colour pigment inside the hair shaft in the beginning compared to a Permanent Colour.

Semi - large colour molecules that stick to the outer layer of the hair. Will wash out within about 6 shampoos. No point adding developer as the product won’t react with it.

If this is new to you, it might be worth seeing if you can borrow or buy a good colour book to improve your understanding. Not sure what you have over there but I can recommend Tracey Lloyd - The Colour Book as a decent textbook.
 
Thank you AcidPerm. I appreciate the information. I will take your advice.
 
So am I right in thinking you applied the ash level 5 to an faded level 8? If so, that's why it's gone green. A level 8 is missing the undertones the hair needs to become a level 5. So even though the end result was to be cool, you'd still need to fill/pre pig the hair because you're dropping more than 2 levels
 
Ronray is spot on!
And anything you do from now on to this head of hair please do a Test strip , remember CYOA cover your own ass.
Check & address porosity primarily before trying to formulate the correction.
yo’ve got this .
PS : To help you going forward,
Matrix do not recommend use of additional heat eg Cap .
they do recommend room temperature & to stick to the development times.
As this may adjust colour outcome.
Everything crossed for you and look forward to hearing how you got on.
x
 
Ronray is spot on!
And anything you do from now on to this head of hair please do a Test strip , remember CYOA cover your own ass.
Check & address porosity primarily before trying to formulate the correction.
yo’ve got this .
PS : To help you going forward,
Matrix do not recommend use of additional heat eg Cap .
they do recommend room temperature & to stick to the development times.
As this may adjust colour outcome.
Everything crossed for you and look forward to hearing how you got on.
x

Thank you so much for your encouragement and support. I appreciate the feedback.
 

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