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The Perfect Ash Blonde Hair Color Is Possible!

The perfect ash blonde hair color is possible - whatever your client's hair is like today!

Please see the real results achieved on our Ugly Duckling Hair Model below:

 

Before

After

NB. These photos are not edited or faked or touched up in any way.

• In the "Before" shots, you can see the dark re-growth as well as the brassy blonde mid-lengths and ends.
• In the "After" shots, you can see how our Ugly Duckling stylist was able to successfully lift up the root area, remove unwanted brassiness from the hair shaft and give our model the ultimate ash blonde hair color. 

Looking to achieve the Perfect Ash Blonde Hair Color In Your Salon?

You can absolutely get the results above if you follow the techniques detailed below!

In this article, we are going to demistify the whole coloring process. We are going to give you a step by step tutorial so that you can get that much desired Elsa Blonde look. Soon you will be "making snowmen" in your salon whatever the time of year!

If you follow our techniques correctly, you will be able to give your clients the perfect ash blonde hair color time after time. 

You will be able to achieve the above hair color result, no matter how brown, orange or brassy your client's hair is today! 

So here are the steps you need to take to achieve the correct ash blonde hair color result no matter what color your client's hair is when she comes in to your salon.

Step 1: Apply Brilliant Blonde and 20 Vol Developer to the Regrowth Areas.

Your first objective in this case should be to lift the client's regrowth area, from a level 7 to the same level as the rest of her hair.

For this, our stylist mixed Brilliant Blonde lightener and 20 Vol. developer. She applied this mix on the regrowth area only and left to process 15 minutes.

Applying Lightener to Lift the Regrowth Area to Level 9/10

If you are serious about getting your client to a true ash blonde as in the result photos above, you need to take your client's hair to a level 9/10. You need to get all the unwanted pigments out of the hair.

A good quality lightener and a good quality developer are the most effective product for lifting dark hair. As long as you use quality products and mix and apply them in the correct way, you will achieve excellent results.

Step 2: Make sure you Lift the Regrowth Area all the way to Level 9/10

After applying lightener, you must keep checking it.

Only rinse out when you get the right hair color level, which is level 9/10. The most common mistake stylists make is to wash out the hair too soon.

You must leave the product in until you get to a level 9/10. If after 30 minutes you are still not there, you will need to rinse and do a fresh application with a fresh mix.

The image below gives a fairly good guide as to what level 9/10 looks like. Level 9/10 is what you need to aim for if you are looking to achieve the perfect ash blonde.

The Hair Coloring Levels

Step 3: Rinse and Shampoo

Rinse & Shampoo - Hair Color Now at Level 10

As you can see in the above pictures, our stylist was able to lift the regrowth area completely. This is what you need to do if you are really looking for a perfect ash blonde hair color.

If for any reason you have not been able to lift the hair to the level above using lightener and developer, you would need to do it one more time before proceeding to the next stage.

Step 4: Tone with The Right Choice of Toner.

Now you are ready to start toning the hair to get that very ash blonde hair color result that your customer is looking for.

Ugly Duckling has a range of ash colors and toners which are significantly colder and ashier than the majority of toners on the market.

But you do need to be careful because they do contain a lot of pigment and they lift and color significantly faster than most. So the rule after application, is watch carefully and wash as soon as you achieve the right color. As you apply, you will see the product start to change color and turn blue. Don't worry, the blue pigments are there to fight the yellow and get you to a true ash color. When you rinse, the blue will go away.

• Use Intense Pearl Blonde Toner 100.21
• Mix with a 10 or 20 Vol. developer.
• You can apply the product onto wet hair, but you must towel dry to get rid of excessive moisture.
• Watch carefully and rinse when the hair has turned the color you want. Normally, around 10 -15 minutes of toning is enough

Apply Toner Mix to Lengths and Root Area

It is better in this case to apply to the mid-lengths first and then return later to the root area. Work fast because the toner works fast and you must try and give all your hair the same amount of development time.

The root area will lift the fastest. You need to rinse before your roots overshoot their desired color.

Step 5: Rinse Well. Now Apply a Purple Toning Shampoo or a Purple Masque After Toning

Ugly Duckling Purple Shampoo and Masque - Rub in well for Best results

We recommend that you follow up the toning process with a purple shampoo or masque.

The purple pigments will lock in to the hair and enhance the white, cold, ashy look that you are aiming at for your client.

When applying, remember to rub in the purple shampoo. This will enhance the action of the purple pigments.

If you are using a purple masque, rub in and then clip up the hair and leave for 10 minutes. This will allow conditioning and treatment elements to penetrate better into the hair cuticle.

Result: A Perfect Elsa Blonde - Ready For The Shoot!

What is the Best Way of Maintaining the Ash Blonde Look?

We recommend that your client continues use of a purple toning shampoo and purple toning masque after leaving the salon.

This will keep hair looking cold and ashy and "salon-fresh". Use of these products should help the color last at least 3 -4 weeks.

Your client can use the purple shampoo on a daily basis and she can use purple masque for a weekend treatment. 

Ugly Duckling is launching its purple shampoo and masque range in June 2017.

Products Used in This Tutorial.

Brilliant Blonde Lightener $29.95

100.21 Intense Pearl Blonde Toner $10.50

20 Vol Developer $16.95

Purple Shampoo (to be launched in June 2017)

Purple Masque (to be launched in June 2017)

Shipping is free anywhere in the US.

Are There Other Toners I Can Use?

Yes, absolutely. Ugly Duckling has a range of toners and the Intense Pearl Blonde look is only one of many.

• For a more silver blonde look, use Intense Silver Blonde 100.20 
• If you have already toned your hair before and are looking to refresh only, use Extra Light Cool Blonde 10.2
• For a less dramatic, more regular ash look, use either 10.1, 9.1 or 8.1 depending on your preferred color level.

Hair Color Tutorial by Brittney Perez.

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Argan Oil, sometimes known as Moroccan Oil, is a product of the Moroccan Argan tree. It has been called “Liquid Gold” by the haircare industry, because its benefits are truly amazing.

It is easily absorbed by the hair cuticles, nourishing dry hair and making hair shine with health and radiance.

It contains vitamin E and fatty acids and it helps to smooth even the frizziest of hair and it restores bounce, giving an immediate and dramatic impact on the hair.

Hair coloring using oxidative dyes, if done incorrectly, can impose stress on your hair.

But when Argan Oil is used in the coloring process, it penetrates the hair at the cortex level, giving profound benefits during and after the hair color process.

Benefits of Argan Oil When Coloring

1. Shinier Hair

The oil helps to close the hair cuticles after coloring. This makes the hair shaft shinier. After blow dry and brushing, the effect is even more pronounced.

2. Softer Hair

The Argan Oil also penetrates into the cortex during the coloring process. This makes the hair quality softer after the coloring.

3. Repairs Brittle Hair

Because the Argan Oil enters into the cortex during the coloring process, it "plumps" the hair from inside and makes the hair fibre, making it less brittle in the process. The Argan Oil helps repair the brittle parts, whether they occur on the ends, in the case of long hair, or mid-lengths, as is sometimes the case with permed or relaxed hair.

4. Makes Ends Stronger, Particularly on Long Hair

Women are growing their hair longer and longer these days. The end of the hair is the oldest part of the hair and as a result tends to be particularly thin and worn. A visit to the stylist and a regular trim at the ends s generally what women do about this. But  Argan Oil-based color does act here and does the plumping here, making a visible difference. By using Ugly Duckling color, you can grow your hair longer and still keep the ends in good condition.

5. More Even Color Deposit

Because the hair shaft has been strengthened from the inside, the whole process of coloring works better. The natural pigments can be lightened at a more even rate, and re-pigmentation takes place in a more even way. Result: a more consistent, regular color, more uniform from roots to ends.

6. More Vibrant Color

Because the hair is in better condition, and because the color molecules are more evenly deposited, women who use Ugly Duckling Color on thair hair get a much more vibrant hair color result. Whether it is a rich brown, or an intense violet, or a true cold ash, the result is a true color that s richer, shinier and more vibrant. 

To view the choice of hair color available with Argan oil, please visit our Shop Now Page.

Mixing Argan Oil into Color Applications

If you are looking for extra conditioning, you can mix Argan Oil into the hair color and chemical straightening or perming applications. This will give a spectacular boost in the degree of conditioning that you are giving your customer.

This is particularly recommended for bleach and perm applications.

We suggest adding around 15 ml, or 1 tablespoon of Argan oil into the mix of 1 Ugly Duckling hair color tube (3.5 oz) and 200 ml of developer (7 oz)

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Before - Dark Regrowth

After - Regrowth Lifted, Hair Toned

High Lift Colors - No Bleach Needed

If you are looking to get lift and you want to avoid using bleach, you should consider Ugly Duckling’s High Lift Series. 

These colors give up to 5 levels of lift without using bleach. They can be used to lighten regrowth areas and also to tone the hair and give it the right blonde reflect.

How Ugly Duckling High Lift Color Works

The Ugly Duckling High Lift colors are specially formulated colors which lift and color in one step. They can lift the hair colors up to 5 levels, depending on hair type and texture.

So if your customer’s hair is a level 3, you can expect to get her up to a level 8. If she is a level 4, you can expect to get her up to a level 9. And if she is a level 5, you can get her up to a level 10.

Which High Lift Color Should I use?

For a regular blonde look, use High Lift Blonde 100.

For an ashy blonde look, use High Lift Ash Blonde 100.10 or High Lift Deep Ash Blonde 100.11.

For a more natural blonde, use High Lift Golden Blonde 100.30.

How Should I Use Them?

You need to mix 1 part color to 2 parts developer.

Use either 30 Vol or 40 Vol developer depending on how much lift you require. Don’t be afraid of using 40 Vol because the color formulation is very gentle and it is designed to work well with 40 Vol.

If you have a regrowth area which is hair color level 6 and above, you can first apply a mix to your regrowth area. Wait 20 minutes. Then apply to the rest of the hair.

The total development time is longer than for regular colors: 45 minutes without heat and 35 with heat. Using indirect heat will help you to boost the degree of lift that you will get from the color.

1. Before: Regrowth of Level 6, Mid-Lengths Blonde But Washed Out.

2. Mix 100.11 with 30 Vol. 

3. Apply to Root Area First to Lift It. Then Apply To Hair Shaft in the Final 20 Minutes.

4. The Final result. Consistent Deep Ash Blonde Result.

How Should I Apply High Lift Colors?

You can use Ugly Duckling's High Lift colors for a full head application.

When doing a full head application, never apply hair color directly on the scalp, as this may provoke irritations. Also, be aware that the the hair closest to the scalp gets the most heat from the scalp and has a tendency to “over-develop”. 

We therefore suggest that when you do a full head application, you first color only 1 inch away from the scalp. Return to near the root area only after you have finished applying onto the mid lengths and ends. Avoid the actual scalp at all times because this is a high lift product.

Watch this root area closely, and rinse when it has processed to the required color result. 

Learn More

If you would like to learn more about the product used in this tutorial, please go to High Lift Deep Ash Blonde 100.11.

Color Tutorial by Elona Taki.

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What is Brassy Hair and How Can I Get Rid of It?

Brassy hair is hair that looks yellowish or orange.

Human hair carries a lot of secondary pigments (often referred to as a natural undercoat) that make it look yellow, yellowish orange or even orange.

This brassiness is particularly noticeable on hair that has been lightened or colored previously. As the colors which the stylist have put in wash out over time, the hair begins to look more and more "brassy".

The darker the blonde, the more "brassy" it will look.

In the image below, you can see that the hair at level 7/8 is more brassy than the hair at level 9/10.

Image Supplied by Ugly Duckling Stylist Hon G.

What exactly is causing my client's hair to turn brassy when I bleach or color or lift?

A little bit of color theory:

Hair has a natural undercoat, or secondary pigment, which becomes visible when you lighten it or even if you stay in the sun for very long. 

When you lighten hair to a dark brown color, you get a red undercoat or tone.

When you lighten hair to a medium brown color, you get an orange undercoat or tone.

When you light hair to a blonde hair color, you get a yellow undercoat or tone.

This table below illustrates the undercoats which occur at every hair level.

These undercoats often represent a challenge for colorists and their customers as generally speaking these undercoats are not very attractive nor desired by clients. 

 

What Should I Do to Get Rid of Brassy Hair?

STEP 1. Use Lightener & Lift the Hair to Level 9 or 10.

If you have a a client with yellowish, orange hair and you are looking  to eliminate all her brassiness, you need to take her all the way up to a level 9, even if the actual result you are aiming for is a 7 or 8.

If you lift it to a level 9 or 10, you will be able to eliminate almost all the undercoats or secondary pigments that cause brassiness. 

The images below show hair that has been lifted all the way to a level 10. That is to say, very pale yellow. If you want to get rid of brassiness, you must lift it all the way up to here. At this level, there is virtually no undercoat that you need to worry about.

Very often stylists are reluctant to lift the hair all the way, but if you use a quality lightener (like Brilliant Blonde) along with a quality developer, you will be able to lift the hair level no matter what the starting color.

To learn more about the correct way of applying lightener and lifting, please visit 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN BLEACHING HAIR

Hair Color by Ugly Duckling Stylist Brittney Perez

STEP 2. Tone with a quality toner

Ugly Duckling Toners provide 3 functions which are crucial in getting rid of brassiness and helo you get your client's hair to a very desirable blonde reflect:

1. Provide a last step whitening to eliminate much of the remaining natural occurring yellow color pigments. 
2. Neutralize the remaining brassiness with blue and violet pigments
3. Add additional reflects to get your client's hair to the exact shade of blonde that she is looking for.

In addition:

• Ugly Duckling toners have been designed to act on wet hair, so you just need to towel dry after lightening.
• They typically act very fast, so you need to watch carefully and rinse as soon as they get to the right color. Typically 10-15 minutes is enough.
• Care should be taken when applying on to the root area. This area gets the heat from the scalp and processes the fastest!
• We recommend applying the toner to this area after you have colored the rest of the hair to be safer.

Which Ugly Duckling Toner Should I Use?

For a very white, pearl or icy blonde look: Tone with Ugly Duckling Pearl Blonde Toner 100.21 and 10 Vol Developer.

Hair Toned with Intense Pearl Blonde 100.21

Hair Color by Brittney Perez

For a very white, silver blonde look: Tone with Ugly Duckling Intense Silver Blonde Toner 100.20 and 10 Vol Developer.

Hair Toned with Intense Silver Blonde 100.20

Hair Color by Jessica Mallicoat

For those who have previously lifted very light and are looking for a lighter, re-fresh toning application only: Tone with Ugly Duckling Extra Light Cool Blonde (10.2) with 10 Vol Developer.

Hair Toned with 10.2 (10V)

Hair Color by Elona Taki

STEP 3. Use Purple Shampoo or Purple Masque

After coloring, rinse with a quality purple shampoo or masque.

The purple pigments will help neutralize any remaining brassiness and give you a perfect ashy look.

Purple shampoo and masque will also help your client maintain her ashy look in between salon visits. 

Ugly Duckling Purple Shampoo and Masque are acidic, meaning low pH. They are therefore very useful for in-salon use as they close the hair cuticle immediately after the lightening and toning process. They are also sulfate-free and help to protect the color for a long time.

What About Very Dark Hair? What Should I do to stop it Pulling Brassy?

Brassiness is not just a problem for blondes.

It can be a real challenge on dark bases, Typically when stylists try and put in highlights, the result is very orange, very brassy. (See below).

To neutralize hair color at this level, we recommend that you use Ugly Duckling's Ash Grey Additive.

This product contains some unique and proprietary pigments which act to counteract the orange on very dark hair.

How To Use Ash Grey Additive:

• Lift or place blonde highlights in the normal way as you would do. After processing, rinse.
• Now make a mix of Ash Grey Additive and 20 Vol and paste over the brassy hair.
• Develop 30 minutes and rinse.

Before and After Ash Grey Additive. The Ash Grey Additive is placed on the Highlighted Areas and Successfully Neutralizes brassiness. 

Hair Color by Elona Taki

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1. Apply hair dye on dry, unwashed hair

All hair dye has been designed to work best on dry, unwashed hair. The oil from your hair will protect the scalp while it is being colored.

All you need to do to prepare the hair for coloring is comb it finely so that you are ready to start sectioning. 

2. Measure the hair dye and developer carefully. 

The right mix between hair dye and developer will have a huge impact on the hair color result.

If you put in too little developer, you won’t be opening the hair cuticle enough. If you put in too much developer, you will be lightening the hair but not depositing enough hair dye and the color won’t last.

So always measure your hair dye and developer properly. We recommend using either kitchen scales or a measuring bowl with markers.

For most Ugly Duckling hair color, the correct mix is 1 part hair dye to 1 part developer. For the highlight 100 series, the correct mix is 1 part hair dye to 2 parts developer. 

3. Section the hair correctly before applying hair dye

Part the hair into 4 big sections. Tie up 3 sections with a clip. 

On the remaining unclipped section, start taking ¼ inch mini-sections in order to apply the color with your dye brush. Lift each strand up and apply color from just away from the scalp to the ends. Neat, even sectioning is really really important.

Taking fine sections will help you achieve even color results.

Once you have completed 1 big section in this way, pin up again. Then start on another section and do mini sections on this one in the same way.

Repeat on all sections until you have finished coloring the hair.

4. Use Enough Product.

In order to get the most vibrant color possible, you must use enough product mix and you must saturate the hair properly. The image below shows a section of hair after the product has been applied:

5. Use your fingers to do the coloring a second time 

Run through the hair a second time after applying the color, with fingers (wearing gloves). Make a second mix if necessary. By using your fingers you can spread out the color (avoid patches) and deposit more color into the cortex just as the cuticle is opening up. 

This is what makes the color really intense and vibrant when you are dyeing hair. If your customer has white hair, you should also cross-check how well you have covered the white hair by re-sectioning the hair and checking that all white hair has been properly covered.

Some areas such as the nape area are particularly resistant and you need to pay particular attention here. Avoid using combs to color or re-color, as you can end up ruining the hair cuticles which have been opened in the coloring process.

6. Respect the processing time

The processing time for most Ugly Duckling hair colors is 25 -30 minutes without heat. But this can be extended up to 45 minutes as needed, if you are looking for darker color, extra lift, extra coverage or greater vibrancy.

7. Emulsify

Before rinsing, add a little water to the color and rub at the scalp area. Then rub well around the hairline first, then middle and nape.

This process is known as emulsification. It helps lock in the color into the hair, and gives you really vibrant, long-lasting color results plus hair that feels full and very well conditioned.

8. Shampoo using an acidic (low pH) shampoo

Lastly, use an acidic shampoo and conditioner to close the hair cuticle and return the hair to its natural pH level. 

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1. What do I Need in order to Bleach Hair Correctly?

• Bleach powder. 
• Developer.
• Brush For Applying Hair, Clips for Sectioning, Mixing Bowl

2. Which Developer Should I Use When Bleaching?

Developer choice is directly related to how much lift you are looking for.

• Use 10 Vol for gentle color cleansing
• Use 20 Vol for color removal and lifts of 1-2 levels.
• Use 30 Vol for significant lifting (more than 3 levels of lift).
• Use 40 Vol only if you are working on very strong thick Asian hair. Or unless you are using Olaplex, which bumps down the strength of any developer you use

3. What is the Correct Mix Ratio of Bleach to Developer?

With Ugly Duckling Brilliant Blonde, we recommend a mix of 1 part Bleach to 2 parts developer.

It is important that the mix is runny enough so that application is quick and easy.

The advantages of having a fairly liquidy mix include:

• It makes it easier to cover all the hair evenly, thus avoiding patchy results.

• It will allow you to work fast, and give every part of your client's hair the same processing time.

• You have longer to work before the mixture turns dry. It is important  to remember that the bleach mixture stops working as soon as it becomes dry.

If you are looking to do a bayalage (free painting of highlights) you may opt to use less developer, so as to have a thicker mixture.

Mix the bleach until it forms a smooth consistency (similar to gravy). Do this in a plastic mixing bowl. Add the developer to the powder bleach a little at a time, stirring as you do.

Bleach Mixture, Not too Runny, Not Too Thick.

4. How Should I Apply the Bleach Mixture?

• Section the hair into 4 large sections with sectioning clips.
• Then unclip one section and create mini half-inch sections using your tail comb.
• Start applying bleach in the back of the head where the hair is usually darkest and thickest, working your way round to the front sections, in half-inch sections.
• Make sure that you saturate the hair properly with the product mixture. You need to literally smother the hair with bleach.
• Apply bleach quickly as you don’t want the mixture to dry out before it is applied. 
• Always keep at least half an inch away from the scalp. If you are looking to lift all the way from the root, return to the last half inch (nearest to the root) after having applied everywhere else. The part nearest the scalp will process the fastest because it is getting heat from the scalp.
• Try and avoid actually touching the scalp unless your bleach mix is a fairly mild one.

Section the hair, then start applying the bleach from the back.

5. How Long should I let the Bleach Mixture Develop?

• You need to watch the hair carefully and rinse when you have obtained the right color result. 
• The development time can vary from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on the starting hair color level, texture, and thickness. 
• You can use indirect heat to speed up the process but you need to keep watching and monitoring how it is lifting.
• After 15 minutes of processing, you should check the progress. At this stage you can add some more mixture if necessary. Wash off when the hair reaches the desired level.
• If you are looking to go very blonde, it is important that you do not wash off too early. You need to get rid of all the orange pigments and also most of the yellow pigments before you can rinse. 
• See the image below. Aim for at least a level 9 if you are trying to get blonde hair.
• As soon as you get to your target level, rinse using an acidic shampoo. This will close the hair cuticle after the bleaching process.

Bleaching Levels

Hair Color At Level 10 After Bleaching

 

6. What is a Bleach Bath? When do I use that?

A Bleach bath is a mix of Bleach, developer, shampoo and water (generally, equal parts) which is applied using either a brush or fingers using gloves at the back bar. It is a relatively gentle treatment because of the dilution with water and shampoo. It allows stylists to go all the way to the scalp without risking too many scalp irritations.

You should consider doing a bleach bath in the following situations:

• When the client has short hair (a bleach bath is often used on men)
• For stripping excess color build up, prior to recoloring
• For changing reflect (eg from warm to cold)

NB If your client has box-colored your hair all the way down to dark brown or black, it is very unlikely that a bleach bath will be sufficient, You will need to apply a mix of bleach and 20 Vol developer in order to get rid of this!

7. Can I add a blue or purple shampoo or masque to the bleach and developer?

Yes you can do that if you are looking for a cold color result such as ash blonde after bleaching. As the hair cuticle is open during the bleaching process, application of purple pigments will help.

8. Can I apply Olaplex, Argan Oil or other treatments into the Bleach Mix?

Yes you can do that. For the same reason as above, treatments applied during the bleaching process are rather effective. Be aware that some products (such as Olaplex) do slow down the bleaching process, and you may need to bump up the developer by 1 level if you choose to use such a treatment.

8. What Color Should I Apply After Bleaching?

You will need to apply color after bleaching in order to get a vivid, 3 dimensional color result. Toners are often used after bleaching. Ugly Duckling's most popular toners are 100.21 (Intense Pearl Blonde), 100.20 (Intense Silver Blonde) and 10.2 (Extra Light Cool Blonde). These toners have been developed to be applied straight on damp towel-dried hair - no need to blow dry after bleaching.

9. How Should I Treat The Hair After Bleaching and Toning?

Rinse with water, then wash with a good quality acidic shampoo. Then use a high quality acidic masque or SOS treatment to return the hair to its natural condition.

10. Any other Do's and Don'ts Concerning Hair Bleaching that I should Know About?

• Once again, try and avoid actually placing the bleach mixture on the scalp.
• Avoid using at all if your client has a sensitive, itchy or irritated scalp.
• Advise clients not to shampoo their hair for 2 days prior to bleaching. Their scalp will be better protected that way.
• Don't use bleach if your client's hair has previously been treated with a hair straightener or relaxer.
• Do not apply on recently permed hair.
• Avoid contact with eyes at all time. 

BRILLIANT BLONDE - DESIGNED FOR DARK BASES, 8+ LEVELS LIFT.

Brilliant Blonde has been designed for dark bases and can lift up to 8 levels safely and effectively. It is blue and dust-free. It produces a creamy, easy to apply mix and gives a very uniform consistent lift. To learn more, please visit our Brilliant Blonde product page.

All examples on this page from Ashley Betancourt.

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What is color cleansing?

Color Cleansing generally refers to the very mildest form of color removal. It generally involves the use of bleach with shampoo.

 

In order to do color cleansing, mix equal parts of bleach, 10 Vol Developer and shampoo and warm water. Massage in at the back bar and leave it to process 20 – 30 minutes, Then rinse. Color cleaning is a relatively light process and can be done to remove some color build-up or for tone correction.

It can be used for removing small amounts of color and for tone correction (going from warm to cold).

 

What is color stripping?

 

Color stripping is the term used for a stronger color removal processes. This is required to remove a significant color build up. Here one typically uses Bleach + 30 Vol developer and one normally leaves it on for 20 minutes or longer.

 

I have already colored my hair very dark. How do I get rid of my hair color?

 

If you have colored your hair either dark or in a very vibrant reflect you will need to do color stripping. You can use Ugly Duckling Brilliant Blonde with 20 Vol. as a color stripper.  

 

 

How about if I have used some very bold colors. Can I use bleach to color strip this?

 

Yes, you can. For more severe build-up, you will need to use a stronger mixture. In this case, use bleach +with 30 Vol and develop for 15-20 minutes.

 

If you still have not removed the build up after 25 minutes, wash off and repeat.

I have color build up on my mid lengths but my regrowth is virgin hair. What should I do?

In order to get a uniform color result, there are no short cuts: your entire head must be at the same level before you start coloring, otherwise you will get color bars. So you need to take care of your build up first with a color stripping operation specifically on the part with the build up.

In order to avoid visible lines of demarcation, it is recommended to brush through the bleach mix right through the rest of the hair in the final 10 minutes. Then start the color process on the full head.

To discover more about Brilliant Blonde, and how to use it in color stripping and color cleansing operations, please visit our Brilliant Blonde page.

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What is the Difference Between Permanent and Demi-Permanent hair color? 

Permanent hair color and demi-permanent hair color both belong to the class of hair color known as oxidative dyes. These dyes work through a combination of pigments, a developer, (otherwise known as an oxidizer) and an alkali base.

This alkali base is ammonia in the case of permanent hair color and is ethanolamine in the case of demi-permanent hair colors. The alkali’s function is to open up the hair cuticle.

Ammonia is the more effective of the 2 in terms of opening up the hair cuticle but has a stronger smell. Ethanolamine opens up the cuticle a little less, but smells more pleasant.

Both permanent and demi-permanent hair color work in essentially the same way. The hair cuticle opens up when it reacts to the alkali base, the hydrogen peroxide helps to lift out some of the natural pigments, and color molecules are then deposited in their place.

When the hair is washed with an acidic shampoo, the cuticles re-close and the hair returns to its original form.

Is Ugly Duckling Hair Color Permanent or Demi-Permanent?

Permanent.

Isn’t Demi-Permanent Supposed to be Better for the Hair than Permanent Hair Color?

It is true that demi-permanent dyes open up the cuticle a little less than permanent dyes.

However, the flip side is that demi-permanent colors tend to be less vibrant and may cover grey less well. 

Also, it is important to note that permanent dyes, when formulated the way that we formulate them at Ugly Duckling deliver Argan Oil and other essential conditioning agents right into the cortex during the coloring process. So, we color and condition at the same time.

What Are the Advantages of Permanent Hair Color? 

The advantages of permanent hair color from a stylist’s point of view are the following: 

•       Great range and choice of color.
•       Ability to go much lighter.
•       Ability to mix colors to produce creative and innovative effects.
•       Ease of Color Matching 
•       Perfect Grey Hair Coverage.
•       Colors that last a long time

What Are the Advantages of Demi-Permanent Hair Color?

The advantages of demi-permanent hair color are:

•       Open the cuticle less, deposit color only.
•       Decent grey hair coverage.
•       Fade-out only after 6-8 weeks.

What About Semi-Permanent Dyes? How do They Work?

Semi-permanent Dyes deposit pigments directly onto the surface of the hair. They can produce vibrant color results, but they typically last less long on the hair as compared to permanent and demi-permanent hair dyes.

What About Hair Bleach? How Does it Work?

Hair Bleach removes color from the hair through the process of oxidation. This processes basically removes all the color pigments from the hair, which is why bleach can turn your hair completely white if left in long enough.

Can Hair Color Provoke an Allergic Reaction?

According to studies, the vast majority (more than 98%) of women do not react to hair dyes.

For some rare women, however, the PPD (or paraphenylenediamine) or its close cousin PTD (or paratoluenediamines) present in hair dyes may provoke an allergic reaction on the scalp.

The exact cause of why some women have allergic reactions while most do not is still not known. However, it is observed that the development of these allergies typically happens after many colorings, sometimes after 10 or 20 years of successful coloring – it is as if the scalp suddenly “flips” from being non-sensitive to being sensitive.

Ugly Duckling always recommends that you do a skin test first on your customer and wait 48 hours before doing a coloration.

To learn more about Ugly Duckling's Hair Color Range, visit here:

LEARN MORE

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What is the Right Mix Ratio for Ugly Duckling Color?

• The recommended mix ratio for Ugly Duckling color is 1 part color to 1 part developer for most of our colors.
• The recommended mix For Ugly Ducking High Lift Colors (anything beginning with the number 100) is 1 part color to 2 parts developer.
• The recommended mix for Ugly Duckling Bleach (Brilliant Blonde), is 1 part Brilliant Blonde to 2 parts color.

Ugly Duckling recommends that if you are new to coloring, try to get the mix as correct as possible. Use weighing scales where possible.

Later, as you get more experience, you can try out different mixes (see below for some suggestions). Expert colorists do vary the mix according to their personal preferences.

Why Do I Need to Get The Mix Right?

The Ugly Duckling tube contains the cream color. It also contains a highly alkali environment which allows color oxydation to occur.

The Ugly Duckling developer contains the hydrogen peroxide. This is what lightens the natural hair color and takes out the melanin naturally occurring in the hair.

Both products are necessary in order for the color process to take place. And in the right proportions. It's like getting the martini and gin proportions right in a martini cocktail...

What Happens If I Put Too Much Developer In The Dye?

You will end up lightening the hair, but not depositing enough color. The hair color result may be lighter as a result but it will also be thinner, flatter and more brassy. Also, it will tend to wash out or fade out very quickly. Think of what children's hair looks like after a summer vacation by the sea and you will get the general idea!

What Happens If I Put Too Little Developer in The Dye?

You will not be lifting out enough of the hair's natural melanin. This will mean you may end up with darker hair than you wished for.

Are There Any Cases Where it is a Good Idea to Deliberately Put in Extra Developer?

• Putting in more developer will give you a runnier solution.
• This is helpful when you want to saturate the hair (cover the hair with product) really really well and evenly. You will get a more even color result and you will tend to avoid patches.This is particularly important in full head applications.
• A runnier solution will allow you to work fast. This may be an important factor when your client's hair is long and you want to give all the hair the same processing time roots to ends.
• Very often, expert colorists tend to go with a runnier solution for the above reasons. Many of the artists who produce video tutorials for Ugly Duckling do use fairly runny mixes.
• Even when going with a runnier solution, aim at a maximum mix of 1:1.5 for Ugly Duckling Color and 1:2.5 mix for Ugly Duckling Lightener (Brilliant Blonde). Any more and you may be compromising color results.

Are There Any Cases Where it is A Good Idea to Deliberately Put in Too Little Developer?

• It will help if you want to do a balayage technique (free painting with dye brush) and you want to position the color accurately and not have any product dripping off the brush.
• Balayage artists tend to work with thicker color mixes. This helps avoid putting on too much product in one go and thus avoid visible lines of demarcation.
• It will also help if you are looking to do grey hair coverage and your client has difficult to cover grey hair. You will get a darker color result, but you will be able to improve grey hair coverage.
• Even when going for a less runny solution, aim at a minimum mix of 1:0.8 for Ugly Duckling Color and 1:1.5 mix for Ugly Duckling Lightener (Brilliant Blonde).

Should you Ever Put Hair Conditioner or Shampoo Into Your Dye Mix?

• Putting in hair conditioner is the same thing as diluting the hair color mix. You can do this if you want to make the hair more pastel. In effect, you will be diluting the hair color. Adding water will achieve the same result.
• It can be helpful to add shampoo when you want to do a bleach bath for the hair at the back bar. This is a relatively gentle bleach treatment, consisting of 1 part bleach, 1 part developer, 1 part shampoo and 1 part water. Mix together and leave on your client's hair for a quick color cleansing operation.

For more information on getting your hair color application right, please read "How To Apply Dye On Hair"

For more information on getting your bleach application right, please read "How To Bleach Hair"

For more information on Ugly Duckling products, please visit our Shop-Now page.

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What does Ugly Duckling Hair Color consist of?

Ugly Duckling hair color is a permanent, or oxidative hair dye with a low ammonia base. Coloring with Ugly Duckling involves 2 ingredients:

Color, which comes in a cream form in a 3.5 oz tube
Cream developer, which comes in a 33 oz bottle.

When you mix the 2 ingredients together and apply it on the hair, you open the hair cuticle, take out the melanin (the hair’s natural coloring) from the cortex and you add in composite color molecules.

And of course, you add in Argan Oil.

How much ammonia actually exists in Ugly Duckling’s low ammonia formulations?

When formulating our colors, we checked out the competition and we benchmarked it to make sure that shade for shade we carried less ammonia, while delivering more vibrant color at the same time.

All Ugly Duckling color formulations are low ammonia formulations, whether they are dark or light.

Just to give an example, Ugly Duckling hair colors on level 1-2 have ammonia concentrations of 1-2% only.

For the Ugly Duckling high lift colors, the ammonia concentration is a little higher, but even so the ammonia concentration is only around 3%. In other words, very very low.

This is why we say we have the lowest ammonia concentrations of any professional hair color.

Is it true that Ugly Duckling hair colors are more vibrant than most?

Yes, it is true. When developing the Ugly Duckling color range, we put in specific pigments to ensure greater vibrancy and long-lastingness. We also developed specific statistical testing methods to test color vibrancy and we benchmarked our colors shade versus shade against not just American, but also European and Japanese competition. And not just on Caucasian, but also Asian and African American hair.

Our hair color technology is called Tru-Color Technology. This technology is your guarantee of accurate and precise coloring results every time. We know how important this is for a hairdresser.

By the way, we test our hair colors continuously against competition and we do sometimes tweak our hair colors to improve their performance. We are the only company that does this on an on-going basis.

So if you feel that there is a color or coverage deficit on any of our colors, we would be most happy to hear from you. Please supply us with details, especially the shade of the competitor which performs better and we will check it out, test it and reformulate it.

 

Is it true that Ugly Duckling Hair Color is paraben-free?

Yes, it is true. The vast majority of professional hair colorants from major brands contain parabens.

Ours do not.

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What Are Ugly Duckling Toners?

Toners allow stylists to achieve a desired color reflect. They are of great use in counteracting yellowness and getting the hair to a more ashy look.

They should be used after after you have lifted the hair to the correct level. 

Which Toner is Right For Me?

Use Silver Blonde Toner 100.20 for a ultra-silvery, white blonde result.

Use Pearl Blonde Toner 100.21 achieves an ultra-pearly white blonde result.

Use 10.2 (10V) if you have lightened or toned your hair in the past and you do not want any more lift. 10.2 (10V) has a strong violet component and is excellent at neutralizing yellowness in hair without unnecessary lifting.

How should I use Ugly Duckling  Toners?

1. Prelighten The Hair.

First, you need to get the hair lifted to a level 9/10.

In order to do so, we suggest using Brilliant Blonde Lightener or any other quality lightener that can lift safely and effectively.

You do need to get your hair all the way up to a very pale yellow, and if you don't use enough product, you won't get there.

When the hair has been sufficiently lifted, rinse off.

2. Mix Chosen Toner with Developer

We recommend 10 or 20 Vol. developer for toning. The correct mix should be fairly liquidy. 1:2 is the best ratio for applying toners. The extra runniness allows fast coverage of the hair and excellent product saturation. Stylists who don't get their mix liquidy may end up with uneven coverage which will lead to patches.

3. Apply Mix Quickly on Towel Dried Hair

You can apply on wet hair but you do need to towel dry it first to take out the excess moisture.

Ugly Duckling toners typically act very fast, so you need to watch the hair color carefully and emulsify and wash off when it has achieved the hair color result that you are looking for.

4. Watch the Root Area closely and Rinse at the Appropriate Moment

Ugly Duckling toners typically act very fast so you need to watch the hair near the root carefully. This is typically the part that processes the fastest due to the heat from the scalp. Wash off as soon as it this part reaches the desired color result.

Avoid putting product directly on the scalp. We recommend you always stay at least 1/4 inch away from the scalp when using our toners. More if you are trying to achieve a shadow root look.

5. Shampoo and Condition with low pH products

Shampoo and condition with low pH products. These will help you re-close the cuticle after the color process.

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What Grey Products Does Ugly Duckling Have?

Ugly Duckling has a choice of 3 pure grey colors: Silver Grey, Smoky Blue Grey and Metallic Grey.

We also have Ash Grey Additive, which is a product to be used for neutralizing brassiness and reinforcing ashiness. This product has a green base, and is particularly useful for neutralizing orange reflects at the 5/6 hair color level.

We are shortly going to launch Ash Blue Additive. This product is for neutralizing yellowness and reinforcing ashiness. This product has a blue base, and is particularly useful for neutralizing yellowness at the 7/8 level and above.

All Ugly Duckling are permanent colors and need to be mixed with developers.

Tips for Using Ugly Ducking Greys

Greys typically are less long lasting than other colors. To get the maximum intensity and lastingness, we recommend that you pay great attention to proper application: 

• Apply plenty of product so that the hair is correctly saturated.
• After applying with a dye brush, rub more product in using fingers with gloves.
• Consider double saturation (second product application with a fresh mix using a dye brush 10 minutes after the first application)
• Develop them a full 30 minutes. Add 10 minutes extra for greater vividness.

Using Silver Grey

Pre-lighten to level 9 or higher. Use with 20 Vol developer. The recommended mix is 1:1. Use plenty of product to saturate the hair thoroughly.

Using Smoky Blue Grey

Pre-lighten to level 8 or higher. The recommended mix is 1:1. Use plenty of product to saturate the hair thoroughly. 

Using Metallic Grey

Pre-lighten to level 8 or higher. The recommended mix is 1:1. Use plenty of product to saturate the hair thoroughly. 

Using Ash Grey Additive

Can be mixed in with another color or used on its own for added ashiness and for neutralizing brassiness. Best used on dark hair to brown hair (level 1 to level 5). When mixing in, use about one inch of the Additive for 1 tube of a regular color. 

Using Ash Blue Additive

Can be mixed in with another color or used on its own for added ashiness and for neutralizing yellowness Best used on blonde hair (level 6 and up). When mixing in, use about one inch of the Additive for 1 tube of a regular color. 

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