We all have them, the clients who do their own color, whether they get it from a drugstore or Sally's, they tell you it's just as good as the stuff you have. BZZZZ WRONG!!!!!
What is the difference between drugstore color and salon color? Without being too technical, it's the size of the molecule of color that's being injected into the hair shaft. Over the counter color has 80% oxidative dyes and 20% direct dyes, the big guys! And many times it's 25 volume used not 20vol like we use.
Over the counter color is normally a liquid formulation which requires a large color molecule suspended in hair bubbles. In order to penetrate the hair shaft and get thru the cuticle layers- all 7 to 12 of them- the hairshaft must be opened wide to admit the color molecule into the interior of the hair. This is accomplished by using more ammonia to open the cuticle layer wide enough to accept the large molecule, and this is where over the counter color can cause damage. The average ammonia content of drugstore color is 4% whereas salon color is .54 to 2% ammonia.
Most clients color their hair once a month, if they are gray or 6 times a year if they are pigmented, pulling the formula thru each time to refreshen the mid shaft & ends, putting ammonia over ammonia each & every time!
Ammonia is the culprit & with the higher peroxide volume at 25volume and it will leave the hair rough in texture, the color will fade out sooner and the hair will lack shine.
Salon Color has much smaller molecules, uses less ammonia and has 100% oxidative dyes with no direct dyes and can work off of a 20 volume peroxide system, which is all healthier for the hair.
So it's healthier, shinier and we have the ability to refreshed with a demi permanent that doesn't contain ammonia, so the new growth and not the hair shaft only gets one application of an ammoniated product.
Your hair stylist,
Tatiana Zvagelski
