Peroxide Misconceptions

TO All; Common Misconception About Peroxide Use;A very common misconception heard a lot is "the peroxide ruined my hair". This is not true!!! While peroxide in its various forms is used in most haircolor as a 'developer' to activate the coloring formula, it in itself not a damaging chemical WHEN USED PROPERLY! This is the key! Peroxide 'opens' the cuticle of the hair so it will 'accept' the new color pigment, as well as activating the color where it will "develope". Where the problem comes in is when people who lighten their hair think that the longer that you leave it on or the higher the "volume" is used will lighten their hair faster or lighter is basically untrue! Remember--I said when used properly-- the higher volumes are meant to be used ONLY with color formulas that are formulated to be used with the higher vol of peroxide by design! If the hair color you want is not achievable with the proper vol of peroxide, then what you really need is a 'double process' color which uses pre-lightening or 'bleaching and toning' back to the desired shade. With the Proper use of modern Hi-Lift and bleaching products especially 'oil type' bleach minimal damage will occur when USED PROPERLY. But, there is no such thing as totally damage free coloring as this. Most 'deposit only' color uses a very low vol of peroxide to activate or develope the color. This is as damage free as it gets! I would strongly reccomend this type of color in most applications. I hope that this clears up some bad information. william

Well then, is the bad stuff in hair colour that ruins it called Ammonia? I've seen some new brands claim "ammonia free" so it is more gentle to the hair. After anyone has coloured their hair, what would you suggest they do to keep it in top condition (as in the health of hair, not to prevent colour fade)? I wonder if any stylist would recommend never colouring hair to keep it healthy, like on the TLHS site tips. i guess this would be bad for business :)

> Well then, is the bad stuff in hair colour that ruins> it called Ammonia? I've seen some new brands claim> "ammonia free" so it is more gentle to the> hair. After anyone has coloured their hair, what would> you suggest they do to keep it in top condition (as in> the health of hair, not to prevent colour fade)? I> wonder if any stylist would recommend never colouring> hair to keep it healthy, like on the TLHS site tips. i> guess this would be bad for business :)"Bad for business" this made me chuckle a little and then go hmmm. You know I have observed through the years that some hairstylists are terribly competative and will chide clients for doing things like trimming their own bangs or coloring their own hair or worse, seeing another stylist. Probably due to a lack of their own busness volume security. Tsk tsk, what a shame. If a stylist is genuine, honest, uses good sense,& gains as much good knowledge as possible, there will be more business than that person can possibly find the time to accomodate. Well, that's off the orig. subj. Yes, Ammonia can also be damaging as just about anything in this world when taken in excess. Ammonia has its important contribution ie.effective grey coverage. I just read Karens top 10 hair tips. I think she did'nt exactly mean that a person should never alter the natural state of their hair, just that people should not be so obsessed with obtaining that wich they do not have. Use modern science to improve upon what you have with some common sense, not trying to utterly change the personality God gave your hair. And of course, this does'nt apply when people want to achieve "extreme" as an image ie punk (in that case, damage is often the goal)I have observed many people that are so obsessed with constant change that they put the health of their hair in great jeapordy.

> "Bad for business" this made me chuckle a> little and then go hmmm. You know I have observed> through the years that some hairstylists are terribly> competative and will chide clients for doing things> like trimming their own bangs or coloring their own> hair or worse, seeing another stylist. Probably due to> a lack of their own busness volume security. Tsk tsk,> what a shame. If a stylist is genuine, honest, uses> good sense,& gains as much good knowledge as> possible, there will be more business than that person> can possibly find the time to accomodate. Well, that's> off the orig. subj. Yes, Ammonia can also be damaging> as just about anything in this world when taken in> excess. Ammonia has its important contribution> ie.effective grey coverage. I just read Karens top 10> hair tips. I think she did'nt exactly mean that a> person should never alter the natural state of their> hair, just that people should not be so obsessed with> obtaining that wich they do not have. Use modern> science to improve upon what you have with some common> sense, not trying to utterly change the personality> God gave your hair. And of course, this does'nt apply> when people want to achieve "extreme" as an> image ie punk (in that case, damage is often the goal)> I have observed many people that are so obsessed with> constant change that they put the health of their hair> in great jeapordy.To Paula, Simone, and All;Yes you both are exactly right about what you said. The use of color, permanent color especially, can be quite damaging when used IMPROPERLY! By improperly, I mean repeatedly, over and over on the same previously colored hair. Or to try to lighten a very dark color base by repeating the process, instead of getting a professional double process done correctly! Most average home haircolorists think of hair color more in terms of 'hairpaint', rather than what it really is, a hair dye that is somewhat translucent that alters the natural base and combines with it 'the base that is' and the colored pigments to blend and alter the reflection of the light to give 'us' the new color that is visible. This is why they do not end up with 'the color' that is on the box, when they are done. My new article will help explain a lot, when Karen can post it. Even when covering grey hair, on most cases a color such as Shades EQ will work great, when properly done with practically no damage! william