Home Hair Color Formulations

Home Hair Color Formulations

Home hair color is never advisable, unless of course a licensed professional does it, using brands found only in salons. I cannot stress this fact enough, as most of my readers are aware. However, the Hair Police has discovered a colorist that provided a formula for a guest, but left out vital information, leaving the client searching for answers.

Happy Monday beautiful, and welcome to Ask the Pro Stylist’s weekly Hair Police column. While I normally keep questions for Wednesdays, a reader from the Midwest needed tips for a home hair color formulation. But, the query really upset me for two reasons that will follow at the end, hence landing on this Monday’s Hair Police.

I hope you have a moment to answer my question. It could be the difference between success and complete disaster. I recently became unemployed and since I cannot (for now, anyway) afford my stylist’s $125.00 visits, she very kindly gave me her Goldwell formula for my hair color. The problem is, I don’t understand her instructions. I tried to communicate back with her about my question, but she has been too busy to answer. In response to my question about what Goldwell formula she uses she wrote, ‘I use 5nn, 5kg, and 6g on you and 6kg on your ends. 15 grams of 5nn and 15 grams of 5kg and 2 grams of 6kg.  I use 20 volume developer on your base.’

I ordered all of the hair color and am ready to go, but her instructions are confusing to me. I am assuming she also uses 15 grams of 6g as well. Can you decipher these?

In regard to her request for the home hair color formulation I replied as follows.

Her instructions are not precise: She didn’t give you the amount for the 6G, nor did she tell you the amount of developer to use, and which developer she uses for the ends, because had she given you that information, I would have been able to formulate the amount of 6G. You need to contact her for a detailed explanation. Without seeing or feeling your hair, as a professional, I cannot advise what you should use. I have an assumption, but it would be highly unprofessional of me to advise you because professional color is only to be applied by a licensed stylist/colorist. I do understand your dilemma, however there are salons that offer discounted services, coupons, and specials for moments like these.

I am more than certain of how much 6g is used, as well as what developer goes on the ends, and how much should be used for both the regrowth and the ends. The only question is the length and density of her hair, which could alter the amount of product to be applied, and honestly, I will not be responsible for whatever disaster happens from advice she asked of me, which is why she received the above answer and not the formula. However, I have a few big issues with this question for home hair color formulations of a professional brand such as Goldwell.

First off, let’s start with where the reader actually bought the color, because professional products or only sold to licensed stylists/colorist.

Second, the reader is not licensed, because if she was, she would know how and what to mix. However, her colorist knows this, and I am more annoyed with her for giving out the formula. When guests move away and want their hair color formula for a new salon that is one thing, but it is not ever to be done at home, unless the person understands the hows and whys of hair color.

I will give the stylist the benefit of the doubt here, and hope she was duped, or came to her senses, knowing she made a mistake with relaying the information, which is why she is not responding to the guest’s request for home hair color clarification. I do understand the reader’s dilemma, but with the amount of money she spent on the Goldwell products, I can guarantee she could have had it applied at a salon for close to the same cost without the hassle.