Hair color: the laws of color science and the rules for their application

Each of us naturally has a certain hair color. But what if you want to change it: make it brighter, darker or lighter? How to guess with the tone, because what will emphasize the dignity of one person is contraindicated for another. Knowledge about color and the rules for the selection of shades will help us in this.

Hair dyeing is not only about changing their tone. This is a rather difficult process, taking place according to the laws of physics, chemistry and color. But today we will not delve into the physical and chemical "jungle". We are interested in studying color and everything connected with it.

Colorism is the name of the science of color, it includes knowledge about its origin, about which shades are considered basic, and which are composite and additional. She teaches us the correct mixing of tones, harmonizing the image with their help, reveals the secrets of the meaning of each color from a psychological and cultural point of view. ...

The first who created the color wheel and gave it a name was the world famous scientist I. Newton. His system included 7 colors of the rainbow. A little later, Goethe proposed his own version with six shades: the main ones were red, blue and yellow, and the additional ones were green, purple and orange. Itten's 12-color wheel is also known. W. Oswald went farthest, developing a system consisting of 24 colors. However, all these coloristic "helpers" have similarities:

• the main colors are red, yellow and blue;
• achromatic colors are excluded from the circles.

Let's now talk about how new shades are created and consider the basic laws of mixing in relation to the art of hairdressing.

• Tones that are to the right and left of what is at the apex of the triangle will harmonize perfectly with each other.
• To neutralize the unwanted discoloration, you need to use the color that is located in the circle exactly opposite it. For example, you got a yellowish tone, which means we look at the diagram and see that there is purple opposite the yellow one. Now it becomes clear why all balms and tint products for neutralizing yellowness have this color.

On the Internet, you can find many tables for mixing paints to obtain a certain tone. We present to your attention one of them.

note that the table shows a mixture of bright colors to get the colors we are accustomed to. The proportions of each of them will vary in each case depending on the client's wishes regarding the saturation of the final color. The selection of 3 main colors from all available colors is explained by the fact that everything around (and the hair is no exception) contains these very colors in the colors. Only the saturation of each differs. The generally accepted numbering system for color levels looks like this.

• Unit - this is black, ten is the lightest blond.
• 1 to 3 blue is predominant, contains a little red color, there is practically no yellow. The resulting tones: chestnut, dark brown and their shades.
• 4 to 7 the level is dominated by red, and yellow and blue are presented slightly. In this category, you can get many shades of different saturation.
• 8 to 10 yellow comes out on top. Other colors are excluded.

And now we will learn to "read" hair dyes by their numbers. Most often, you can see 1, 2 or 3 numbers on the packaging. Let's give their decryption.

Number 1 means the naturalness of the color and its depth:

• 1 - black;
• 2 - very dark chestnut;
• 3 - dark chestnut;
• 4 - chestnut;
• 5 - light chestnut;
• 6 - dark blond;
• 7 - light brown;
• 8 - light blond;
• 9 - very light blond;
• 10 - almost blond.

Number 2 is the main color of the dye:

• 0 - natural;
• 1 - there is blue with an admixture of purple (ash tones);
• 2 - there is a green pigment (matte tones);
• 3 - yellow and orange are present (golden tones);
• 4 - there is a shade of copper (reddish tones);
• 5 - red and purple (mahogany) are on;
• 6 - there is blue and purple (shades of purple);
• 7 - red and brown ("havana") are present.

Please note that 1 and 2 refer to "cold", 3-7 - to "warm".

Number 3 (if any) indicates that there is one more tone in the dye, however, its amount is half that of the main one.

How is this or that color obtained under the influence of a dye? The fact is that some kind of natural pigment is initially present in our hair (with the exception of albino people). Eu- and pheomelanin are responsible for its saturation. The more eumelanin in the composition, the darker the shade. Coloring compositions contain an oxidizing agent that destroys both types of melanins. Hence, the concept appears - the background of clarification, that is, the final shade obtained as a result of staining. For a clearer understanding of the term, we will give an example: the curls were discolored and acquired a reddish color, respectively, the background of the lightening was orange.

Below is a table for neutralizing the background lightening.

Neutralization rules:

• the amount of neutralizing composition is indicated for 60 grams of dye;
• to get green, mix blue and yellow in a 1: 1 ratio;
• 1 gram of composition = 2 cm (when extruded from the tube).

Surely you already have a question: how to choose a color that is ideal for you? Of course, you can visit the hairdresser, where the master stylist will show you a shade table and, by mixing paints and colors, will create a suitable tone for you. However, a more competent specialist will suggest a more difficult path that will lead to a better result. We are now talking about considering the individual traits of your appearance, each of which will be discussed below.

• Color type. Every woman at least once passed tests on the Internet to determine the color type. The result was "autumn", "winter", "summer" or "spring" with the subtype "cold" or "warm". In the same place, most likely, you read recommendations about the selection of a palette of colors in clothes and makeup. But the same applies to the shade of the hair. A competent hairdresser-stylist will be able to determine at a glance who you are by color type, and what will suit you, and what is contraindicated.

• Age-related changes... Remember the popular belief that "black ages"? In fact, if you are a naturally burning brunette, then he will not be able to age you a priori, since both your skin color and the shade of the iris "work" in tandem with the shade of hair, and even wrinkles are not a hindrance in this case. Any wrong color can visually add age and take away the natural brightness. Therefore, aged ladies are always advised to focus on the natural shade when painting. It is desirable to choose pastel colors without enhanced brightness.

• Naturalness and harmony of the image... Continuing the theme of a natural brunette, imagine her dyed blonde! This at least looks strange. Of course, you've probably seen examples like this even among Hollywood stars. But we do not recommend such drastic experiments to you - there is a risk that the result will shock you, and your hair will be damaged.

• Hair condition... When changing the color, even by one tone, always take into account the state of your hair now. If the curls are dull, the tips of the hair shafts resemble a brush, they break and look sick - it's time to take care of their nutrition and treatment. Take a course of vitamins, make nourishing masks, cut off the split ends and only after that start coloring.

• Maintaining hair color. If a compound mikston was used the first time the hair color was changed, it will be difficult to create it again in the same proportions. Regrown roots will begin to remind you to re-stain.The only way out in this case is to ask the specialist who performed the first procedure to write down the proportional ratio and digital designation of the dyes used. Then, even if you do not have the opportunity to get to the coloring of the same master, you will have a "memo" in your hands, thanks to which any other hairdresser-colorist will mix a suitable mixton.

Let's talk about DIY home painting. Many women, buying ready-made dyes, hope that the final shade will exactly match the one presented on the package. In fact, this does not always happen. Here you need to take into account the original hair color, whether they were dyed earlier, how much time has passed since the last procedure.

To achieve the best results when dyeing your hair (both independently and in the salon), you must clearly answer one question, namely: what do you want to achieve in the end? And here there are 2 options, each of which has its own characteristics.

• Painting over gray hair. In this case, you need persistent dyes containing ammonia. The choice of shade, adherence to the exposure time of the product on the hair and subsequent care are very important here. Most products from supermarkets are ammonia-containing, but you should still carefully read the information on the packaging regarding the shading of the gray hair.

• Changing the natural shade or increasing its intensity. Here is a slightly different situation. If you want to change the tone of your hair by 1-2 units, then you can choose an ammonia-free paint - both generally available and professional. It is advisable to consult with a specialist in advance anyway, especially if you want to get a shade lighter than the one available. If you want to radically repaint, for example, in a blonde from a brown-haired woman, you will need preliminary bleaching of your hair, and you cannot do without a hairdresser. Of course, if you value the health of your hair and do not want to receive an unexpected surprise.

The best hairdressers-colorists act as follows: they carefully look at the client, determining his belonging to one or another color type. Then there is a "heart to heart" conversation, during which the preferences and expectations of the visitor are clarified. And only after that the master recommends this or that color. To be "on the topic" and understand what the stylist will talk about, we propose to learn about those "starting points" from which he will start, and which you should pay attention to in order to draw up a correct query for the result.

• Consider your color type. This has been said before, but it's never too late to repeat, because this point is really very important and includes 2 steps: defining "temperature" ("warm" or "cold" type) and contrast. The first one will tell you which shade of hair will best emphasize the dignity of the appearance, the second - whether it is necessary to “enhance” the facial features by adding contrast, or it would be better to soften them.

• Features of the skin. It is advisable to come to the master without makeup. He will look at the face in intense light and tell you which imperfections this or that color will emphasize, and which advantages it will highlight.After the analysis, the optimal shade will be chosen, or a heterogeneous coloring will be proposed: highlighting, coloring, balayazh, ombre and other options.

• Self-expression. Choosing the right tone, you in any case imagine how it will look on you. Perhaps, it is precisely "for the new color" that you want to change your wardrobe, start dyeing and styling your hair in a new way. Therefore, before visiting a colorist, select the 2-3 best shades, in your opinion, and comment on your choice, giving several arguments. The wizard will assess the possibility of translating your ideas into reality and will help you to correct them.

For the basics of color, see the video below.