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Hair By Robb
How do I choose a color to suit me? Finding the method to suit your needs.
When considering a color change you really want one that will enhance the rest of your features rather than detract from them.
What the right color can do to bring out your eyes or to make you look healthy is quite amazing. It's no good getting the
same one as your friend or Jennifer Anniston as it may not have the effect you desire! These tips may help you find the color
for you:
* If you have a blemished skin avoid the solid all-over colors that are really very blonde or very dark. These two extremes
are really only flattering to those under 25 and with clear skins.
* If you have pinkish tones in your cheeks, across your nose or have a tendency to blush, avoid the pinky reds e.g. burgundy's,
wine reds and mahoganies.
* Your skin tone is categorized as being either cool (yellow based or dark) or warm (fair or pinkish undertones).
If you have cool skin tones the basic rule is avoid too much yellow in your hair color as your hair and skin will begin to
blend. Color's that may work for you are:
* Light ash-blondes,
* Coffee and cendre/fawn mid-level blondes,
* Flat browns,
* Wine, mahogany and burgundy reds,
* Aubergine/eggplant and blue/green dark browns and blacks.
If you have a warm skin tone avoid too much ash in your hair color as this can make you appear pale and drawn. Try colors
within these ranges:
* Honey light blondes,
* Strawberry and golden mid-level blondes,
* Warm chocolate browns,
* Ginger or orange based reds,
* Dark browns with a hint of rust.
* Your eye color in combination with how dark or light your skin is plays a big part in how light or how dark a color
should be, to bring out your best rather than to wash you out. Try this for a guide:
* Light eye color with dark skin or dark eye color with light skin: anything goes.
* Light eyes with light skin: stay light/fair with your hair depth.
* Light eyes medium skin/ Medium eye depth with light skin - try colors light to medium in depth.
* Medium eye color depth, medium skin- only the dark blondes and light browns are for you.
* Medium eyes with dark skin/ Dark eyes with medium skin - stay with the dark to medium level colors in your hair.
Dark eyes, dark skin: you guessed it: dark hair too.
Never allow yourself to be talked into a cut or color. If you have to be convinced, it's bound to end in tears. Clients often
say they "need a change", but a good hairdresser will be realistic about what you can achieve with color and styling
www.hairbyrobb.com
Quick Guide to Salon Color Services
My quick glossary is designed to help you to get what you want when you book your next appointment and to ensure you understand
what is on offer. Remember that when talking to a hairdresser to reconfirm in plain language what you want to prevent any
confusion. See free consultations for more info.
Bleach:
a hair lightener used when you want to be really blonde applied to the scalp. Generally followed by a "toner" as a bleach
is only the undercoat for the color. Good to ask if the price you are quoted is inclusive of the toner.
Toner:
a type of color generally applied over a bleach or highlights to give your hair a "reflect" of ash, honey, beige, champagne
etc. Great if your highlights get a bit dull you can get a toner to refresh them.
Tint or color (color that grows out):
both terms used to mean same thing. A permanent color, that is applied directly onto your scalp to all of your hair. You
can achieve a variety of shades and the process is less harsh on your hair and scalp than a bleach.
Semi or Demi color (color that fades out):
both are all over colors that will change the reflect of your hair or darken it but not lighten it. Demi's are a little stronger
and so last a longer (6 to 8 weeks) and will cover up to 70% grey. Semi's last about 6 weeks cover approx. 50% grey.
Lights, streaks or Highlights:
pieces or strands of color (tint or bleach) generally lighter than your own hair. Some hairdressers use the term to mean
only made using bleach. Can be made using foil or a cap. The foil method is broken down into the amount of your hair that
needs to have highlights added. This varies depending on your hair cut, the effect you want or even how many highlights you
got the last time:
* Full head: strands spaced throughout all of your hair, normally what you have the first time you try this type of coloring.
* Half head: if your hair is long or hair cut suits you may not need a "full head" every time. This costs slightly less
and strands are placed everywhere except the nape area.
* Crown and Parting: this is when you need a quick set of highlights or an emergency touch-up between a full head or half
head. The stands are placed as the name suggests.
Low-lights: same as highlights but darker than your own color or made using tints rather than bleach.
Splices, slices, chunks or pieces:
all these terms are used to describe pieces of color that are made in the same way as high or low lights but are large sections
of color rather than strands.
www.hairbyrobb.com
Swimmers and Sunbathers
Chlorine left in the hair for more than 15min after a swim will start to do damage and a simple rinse under the shower or
an ordinary shampoo is not enough to remove it. You will need a specialized shampoo for swimmers that will remove the chemicals
and nourish your hair.
Chlorine in the hair also has the habit of picking up copper sulphate and turning your hair swimmers green! If this has happened
to you, you will need a purifying shampoo to help remove the offending green tone. If it is very green try adding a little
tomato ketchup to the shampoo and working it over the green area. This works because the red colorant neutralizes the green
color. Don't be tempted to use the pure colorant though, as you will then have both pink and green to deal with! Old copper
pipes can also give your hair a green hue, the treatment is the same.
If at all concerned visit your salon and have a consultation on what your options are, the specialist purifying shampoos and
treatments you find at the salon tend to be slightly stronger and a professional application always helps.
Hair By Robb's best tips on how to care for you hair during summer…
In summer it is really important to care for your hair because of all the natural elements drying it out and causing damage.
T he things you need to think about are adding back moisture and creating protection from the sun, wind and salt water.
Robb's advises the best way to keep your hair in top condition is to have regular salon treatments and regular trims to keep
your hair strong and healthy, as well as keep it free from split raggedy ends and to minimize breakage's.
At home you should use a leave-in conditioner to keep it protected all day long, Robb recommends Schwarzkopf Bouncier because
its light-weight and won’t leave your hair oily even with fine hair, just comb a small amount through your hair while
it is still damp and before you blow-dry. Leave-in conditioners are also great to take to the beach and add to your hair once
you have finished swimming so that you stop your hair from drying out, just comb it through and tie your hair back into a
plait for the best results.
For great protection Robb also recommends to use AVEDA Light Elements Finishing Gloss which includes: conditioning elements,
vitamin E to protect against the environmental elements and has a natural UV filter. It can be used on either wet hair before
you style, or add to dry hair for extra shine and tame stubborn flyways.
Another favorite of Robb's is AVEDA Damage Control which is a great product for protecting against the thermal heat from
hairdryers and UV damage, it is a light-weight sprit suitable for all hair types, can be used on wet or dry hair and its key
ingredient is camomile which help’s prevent breakage's.
Robb's term it the 3 big S's (Summer, Swimming and Sunshine) all taking their toll on your hair leaving your color faded
or tarnished and lacking in moisture.
I recommend several ways to avoid this happening or minimize the effects of the 3 S's.
"Before going into the sun or swimming apply Goldwell's Vivecap Screen. It contains green tea extracts, UV filters and aqua
protection from salt and chlorine essential for colored hair to stop fade".
"KMS Moisture Replace shampoo and conditioner help retain the moisture levels in your hair. Also the KMS Silker 2n1 leave
in conditioning cream is excellent and can be used at any time".
"For color rejuvenation and conditioning post holiday, use Goldwell's Color Soft Mousse's, . 15 min on the hair does miracles
for color faded hair. Also post holiday be sure to get your ends trimmed as they will have taken a beating from the sun, chlorine
and salt water which can lead to split ends".
" If your swimming in chlorine a lot, be sure to shampoo your hair after swimming with an appropriate chlorine removing shampoo
such as Goldwell's demineralising shampoo or KMS's Clarifying shampoo and reconstructor. They will remove the damaging chemicals
that cause dryness and color fade".
The general rule is always try to protect your hair if exposing it to harsh conditions by using one of a host of sun-care
products designed to act like a sunscreen for hair. You may even find that the products you are using contain UV filters.
If all else fails get a hat!
"The best hairdresser in town is not necessarily the best for you. The best for you is someone who listens and asks about
what you like and dislike about your hair and your appearance".
"Don't expect too much. A good hairdresser will be realistic about what you can achieve with color and styling".
"Listen to your hairdresser. If they're not certain you'd look great with the latest style, they probably have good reason".
"Be wary of hairdressers who profess to 'have a vision' of how you should look. You are usually the best judge of that at
the end of the day it's not on for the hairdresser to give clients their 'signature cut' and for the person to race home and
fix it. When a hairdresser cuts a client's hair, he or she must understand the important thing is the client's individuality,
their tastes, lifestyle and needs, not the latest cut".
Caring for Colored Hair
It's all about the shampoo you are using when it comes to keeping the color as it was when you left the salon. A certain amount
of color fade has to be expected especially in sunny climates. The majority of color fade however, can be prevented by using
the right products especially when it comes to your shampoo. A good example is that anti-dandruff and shampoos designed for
babies, are sometimes used by hairdressers to remove some forms of unwanted color!
It's about balance though, if you have dandruff and color your hair copper, as an example, you really should be using something
to help the dandruff. In a case like this you could then use a shampoo with a copper tone to it to replace what is fading
out by using the anti-dandruff product.
It is also important to follow with a conditioner every time you wash your hair if it is colored. This is because the action
of a shampoo is to open up the outer surface of your hair to clean it. If it is not sealed down by the action of a conditioner
color can more easily fade.
Other things to remember when caring for colored hair:
* Colored hair needs special protection when in the sun or swimming if you want to avoid excessive fade and damage. Try
a sun and chlorine protection product or wear a hat "full" time.
* See our section on de-tangling for how not to stress your hair when combing it out.
* Static can be a problem if you over-dry colored hair. Always use a thermal protecting product when blow-drying to minimize
damage.
* Use a moisturizing shampoo to avoid stripping further moisture from the hair.
* Always condition hair after each shampoo.
* Before applying conditioner, gently bolt excess water from the hair.
* Deep condition or treat once a week to rebuild moisture levels in the hair.
* Any cool blonde shades with icy undertones such as platinum or champagne need a little more attention at home to help
maintain the tone.
www.hairbyrobb.com
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Peroxide, Alcohol and Ammonia
The three dirty words! We have all heard that they are bad for our hair but why? The information below helps separate myth
from fact.
Peroxide
Used in conjunction with almost all permanent hair colorants, including bleach. Also found in permanent wave lotions and permanent
straightening products. Note the use of the word 'permanent'. If you want to make anything 'permanent' when it comes to your
hair you have to get into the centre of the hair shaft itself and change the chemical make-up of that area. To do this, your
product has to be small enough to pass through the outer layer of hair and then it needs to swell to stop it slipping back
out (in the case of color) or react with the natural make-up of your hair (in the case of perms and straighteners). This is
what peroxide does and without it most of today's potions and lotions would not work at all.
It is not harmful in itself when used by professionals who know what they are doing. If used in too high a strength, or if
too many chemical processes are done one on top of the other, that's when problems occur. So if a hairdresser says you should
wait for that next perm or "no more highlights for you right now", believe them it's not because they are too busy, it's because
you may end up loosing some of your hair if they do.!
Alcohol
Used in several finishing products, especially common in those that spray. It's there because it's a cost effective carrier
of the product e.g. it is the holding factor that dries without trace quickly on the hair. It does make your hair feel dry
but that's what it's there to do. Over use of high level alcohol based products can result in overly dry hair.
Ammonia
Last on the list but the most harmful if large amounts are found in the hair product you are using (normally permanent colors).
Yes this is the stuff you clean your bath room with and do you really want lots of it on your hair? But certain products rely
on ammonia to swell or open the surface or the hair to allow them to penetrate to the centre where they need to be to do their
work. Where this stuff is bad is that once the outer layer of your hair has been opened it never quite goes back to its old
smooth self. That's not always a bad thing in that it's this factor that makes fine hair feel thick after a color service.
However there is a point where the surface is so open that it becomes rough to touch, tangles, has no shine and eventually
splits and breaks. So choose low ammonia based products along with regular treatments.
You can suffer from or develop and allergy to ammonia the symptoms of which can be an itchy scalp and or you start coughing
or get watery/red/itchy eyes when you have your hair colored. If this happens to you or you are pregnant or a cancer suffer
undergoing chemotherapy where your liver function is often impaired resulting in an inability to process ammonia we suggest
you choose an ammonia free product.
At the time of writing the available 100% ammonia free products that we know about are as follows. We have also split the
list into home use and professional salon products so that you can request ammonia free from your hairdresser (if a salon
does not stock a product you can call ahead and they will often get them in for you):
Home Use Colors:
* Herbal Essences True Intense Color Gel by Clairol
* L'Oreal Castings ColourSpa
* Revlon Coloursilk Permanent Hair Color
* Revlon Frost&Glow Blonding Kit
* RevlonFrost&Glow Highlighting Kit
* Schwarzkopf Live Color
* Schwarzkopf Country Colors
Professional Salon Only Colors:
* Affiance b Blonde ammonia-free Highlighting meshes
* Affiance Satin' Aveda Color Current Energized Gel Color
* Aveda Full Spectrum Deposit-Only Color Treatment
* Farouk Chi Ionic
* Farouk Chi Infra
* Farouk Bio Glitz
* Goldwell Elumen
* Indola Supermeche 5
* Indola Vitamin Color
* Intercoms Viola Avance
* Landoll Just Lite
* The Organic and Mineral Research Institute's Permanent Watercolors
* PPS Hair-ware Tone on Tone range
* Redken 5th Avenue Shades EQ demi-permanent color
* Schwarzkopf Igora Vibrance
* Schwarzkopf Igora Personality
* Schwarzkopf Igora Color Gloss
You should not notice any difference in the effectives of an ammonia free product to any other similar hair coloring product
but it will be minus that awful smell and they also don't stain the skin!
It's all about using everything in moderation. Using any of the above in hair products is not harmful but if you over use
then your hair condition will suffer. One of the best examples of this is with permanent hair color. When you go to the salon
to get your color done, they apply it very neatly and carefully to the roots or new growth only. When they refresh the color
on the ends it's with a different type of color that's low in peroxide and ammonia or a watered down version of what goes
on the re-growth. However when coloring your hair at home you can't be so careful. The results can be great the first few
times but as the hair is colored again and again the condition starts to suffer and you may even feel that the color has changed.
In fact it has because you are no longer putting it on the same hair!
www.hairbyrobb.com
Your Hair in Pregnancy
So you're pregnant, and the books are full of all manner of information that you now need to know along with the new rules
of life. Diet, exercise and the whole labor experience are covered in great depth, but what about making sure you are looking
good. It's so important and your hair is one of the first areas of concern, so we thought we would deal with a few of the
myths to do with all issues to do with hair and pregnancy.
Hair Styles in Pregnancy
As a very general rule for everyone both during and immediately after the birth, avoid going too short with any styles. This
is because any weight gain on or around the face can be softened with longer styles whilst shorter hair can often exaggerate
and emphasize a rounder face.
Once you begin to lose your added pounds and time becomes a valuable commodity, then maybe a shorter look is for you. Not
to mention the fact that you have become fed up with releasing 'little Johnny's' fingers from your hair! Remember the golden
rule that that shorter does not necessarily mean easier and this point should be emphasized in any discussion with your hair
stylist. Also pay added attention to how and what is used to style your new look as both will be important when you get home
and only have 5 minutes to repeat it all.
Hair Color and Pregnancy
There are lots of rumors and myths about the effects of hair color in pregnancy. One of the reasons is that ammonia, used
in many hair coloring products, may lead to a higher incidence of Blue Baby Syndrome because the nitrogen in ammonia reduces
the oxygen levels in the blood, the strong smell of ammonia can trigger nausea if you are a morning sickness suffer. Also
during the first trimester when the baby is being formed, there may be a slight chance that color applied directly to the
skin could pass through the skins surface, enter the blood stream and pass onto the embryo/fetus. There is no definite proof
as, like with many drugs that are listed not for use during pregnancy, hair colors have never been tested (would you want
to trial something on a pregnant person?) to prove it harms the baby! This does not rule out you being able to have a color,
you could choose an ammonia free color and/or an application technique that does not come into contact with the scalp like
foil high or low lights.
Once the first trimester is over there is less of a chance that color can cross to the baby and have any effect but if at
all concerned stick with your new coloring method. There is another, as yet unconsidered advantage to using the "partial color
method". Because it is not applied to all of your hair, the re-growth is not as noticeable and you can go for longer periods
between salon visits. This will become a major advantage once you have the new baby, as time can be very short!
Perming your Hair in Pregnancy
As well as ammonia again being used in perm lotions hormonal changes during the first trimester and immediately after the
birth or following the cessation of breast-feeding can cause your hair to react differently to perming. The result is that
a perm may 'not take' so you may end up with a looser curl than you wanted or no curl at all after a few shampoos. As the
perming chemicals do end up on the scalp and smell strongly there could also be similar concerns to those expressed for hair
coloring.
Perming your hair during the second and third trimester should avoid many of these issues, but if you do take the risk of
perming at other times, consider a test strand perm on a single section of your hair to see if the result will be what you
wanted. Here is some more information from the experts:
Hair Loss and Pregnancy.
Along with the other changes that are more obvious during pregnancy, something has also been happening to many women's hair.
It is not until after the arrival of your new family member that you may become aware of this change as it can result in your
hair thinning and this can seem quite excessive.
What has happened is that during late pregnancy your hair has actually been growing around 10% more than normal. So if you
felt like your hair had new life it really did. However, what has not been happening is the normal amount of shedding, this
is down to around a third of what it would normally be.
Following childbirth the imbalance is redressed and the shedding of your hair begins to rise. By nine weeks after the birth
shedding, in percentage terms, has gone from an all time low in the late weeks of pregnancy (around 5%) to a high of 30-35%.
The hair fall or loss may then be distressingly excessive for about three months, and may continue for as long as a year.
I have heard tales of "I woke up one morning and half my hair was on the pillow" or "I was frightened to brush my hair". All
this, at a time when you are at your most emotionally fragile, stressed and sleep deprived.
The good new is that typically, the duration of shedding is less than six months and the majority of women return to normal
hair density 12 months after the birth. Knowing that this can happen can even help to lessen it's effects, as the shock and
stress of sudden hair fall could exacerbate the condition if you didn't expect it.
www.hairbyrobb.com
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