Hair Color Theory Notes

Every hair depth, whether natural or artificial, has a corresponding underlying pigment.
This is crucial for both lightening and darkening hair.
When lightening hair, it undergoes a transformation:
- Initial exposure of the underlying pigment as the depth decreases.
- The pigment in the glass becomes brighter, but nothing has been removed yet.
- The underlying pigment then starts to be removed, making the hair lighter.
Monitor this process to determine when the hair is ready for coloring.
Lighten hair to the underlying pigment of the target shade.
- To achieve a depth of 6, lighten to orange.
- For a depth of 7, lighten to orange-yellow.
- A 10 requires lightening to very pale yellow.
Tip: For a natural or cooler result, lighten closer to the underlying pigment of the depth above the target shade.

When darkening previously lightened or bleached hair, pre-pigmentation or re-coloring is recommended.
Pre-pigmentation replaces the underlying pigment that was removed during lightening.
After achieving the desired underlying pigment through lightening or pre-pigmentation, apply the target shade.

The three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.
- These are the foundation of all colors.
Mixing two primary colors creates secondary colors.
- Red + Yellow = Orange
- Red + Blue = Violet
- Blue + Yellow = Green
The color wheel illustrates these relationships.

Mixing colors close on the color wheel creates new colors.
Mixing opposite shades on the color wheel neutralizes unwanted colors.
Examples:
- Adding violet to yellow neutralizes it, but the color remains pale.
- Neutralization results appear darker with brighter yellows and oranges.
- Green neutralizes red, changing it from vibrant to rich brown.
This process eliminates unwanted tones and creates depth, combining the principles of the lightning curve and the color wheel.