Basic foundations of coloristics in hairdressing for beginners

One of the most important abilities in hairstyling is color understanding. Understanding color theory can be intimidating for newcomers, but once it’s broken down into small chunks, it’s actually fairly simple.

Understanding the fundamentals of color will enable you to confidently combine different shades to give your clients gorgeous looks. It’s crucial to have a solid understanding of color theory whether working with bold colors or natural tones.

This guide will assist you in understanding how various shades complement one another, how to attain the ideal balance, and how to steer clear of typical coloring errors.

What is coloristics, modern trends

The science of color culture is known as coloristics, and it contains knowledge about the characteristics, history, and nature of color as well as the rules for combining, contrasting, and combining colors. The primary avenues for the advancement of contemporary coloristics are the classification of hairdressers into two groups: those who specialize in coloring or haircuts, and those who create new, intricate coloring techniques.

A "barber" is a male specialist in hairdressing, a "hair stylist" is a female specialist, and a colorist is a master colorist of strands.

Training from scratch for beginner hairdressers

Key knowledge of coloristics gives the master the opportunity to quickly build a career and ensure a decent income in the future. Training from scratch allows you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a novice specialist and reveal his creative potential.

What determines the color

Melanin, or natural pigment, is what gives hair its color. It can be further classified into:

1. Eumelanin – pigment particles of blue and red color, characterized by a large size and elongated shape. In large quantities, they give the strands a dark color, typical of brunettes, or vice versa.
2. Pheomelanin – small and rounded molecules of melanin of yellow and red color. It is impossible to eliminate them completely due to the high risk of damage to the hair shaft. The tone of lightening and the final result of coloring depend on the elements of pheomelanin. For example, in copper strands you can see many yellow-red granules, and in black their content is minimal. With age, the production of melanin stops, which leads to hair bleaching, that is, to graying. The use of aggressive chemicals when dyeing contributes to the destruction of pheomelanin and hair loss.

Crucial! Pheo- and eumelanin are the two types of particles that are simultaneously present in natural curls; the amount of each determines the color reflection.

Basics of color theory

The following colors are distinguished in coloristics:

• primary – basic: blue, yellow and red, when mixed, second-order colors are obtained;
• secondary – purple (blue + red), orange (yellow + red), green (blue + yellow);
• tertiary – obtained by mixing secondary colors with basic ones.

They are more than sufficient to capture the hue of the strands. Shades of tones are classified into various categories:

• cold – blue, purple;
• warm – orange, yellow;
• warm and cold – red, green.

Particulars of utilizing color in dyeing:

1. Colors located opposite each other have the ability to neutralize each other, since they are characterized by the same degree of intensity.
2. Neutralization of cold tones is permissible only with the addition of warm ones. At the same time, repeating this operation the other way around is impossible: when adding cold tones to warm ones, the color turns out dirty.
3. The procedure for adding a warm range to strands with a cold shade begins with neutralizing the cold in the tone.
4. Warm shades that are in the color wheel one after another clockwise are compatible.
5. Cold shades that are located one after another counterclockwise are incompatible.
6. A combination of incompatible cold and warm shades is impossible.

Tone depth level

The primary color of the strands, devoid of any other shades, is referred to as the tone depth level. The amount of melanin in the hair shaft directly contributes to this indicator. Ten of these indicators are denoted by numbers:

• 1 – black;
• 2 – natural black;
• 3 – dark brown;
• 4 – brown;
• 5 – light brown;
• 6 – dark blond;
• 7 – medium blond;
• 8 – light blond;
• 9 – blond;
• 10 – light blond.

The base tones typically match the dye number’s first digit. Manufacturing companies expand the digital designation by adding the second and third digits.

Background of lightening and its neutralization

The color of the melanin that remains within the hair shaft following oxidation is the background of lightening. Using the FO, you can do the following things:

• additional lightening;
• neutralization;
• enhancement.

Important!

What is color direction

The shade that results from coloring hair is known as color direction. In contrast, the color nuance—which is denoted by a letter or number in the color table—is a secondary shade.

Features of coloristics by color types of appearance

There are four appearance color types:

• autumn;
• winter;
• spring;
• summer.

To find out if someone fits into any of them, refer to the following table:

Name	Eye color	Skin color	Hair color	Suitable shades
Autumn	Brown, golden brown.	Dark with a golden hue, freckles are possible.	Light and dark chestnut with a golden tint.	Brown, golden, natural dark. Cold shades are unacceptable.
Winter	Range: from light brown to almost black.	Light	Black, chestnut	Bright, saturated.

Composition of dyes: what is important to know

There are three different kinds of hair coloring compositions, and they’re all synthetic:

• tinting;
• permanent;
• semi-permanent.

All dyes are categorized based on several attributes:

• penetration depth;
• fastness;
• composition.

Permanent dyes

These paints are known for their long-lasting durability and are based on ammonia.

Crucial! Permanent dyes are the primary coloring agents used in masterworks; coloring with them is only allowed when oxygen is present to facilitate the oxidation process.

Semi-permanent dyes

Ethanolamine is a component of semi-permanent dyes and is derived from ammonia. Oxygen is also required to work with them because it initiates the chemical reaction. Numerous studies have shown that working with ethanolamine causes far more serious damage to hair than working with ammonia.

Bleaching dyes

The specialist uses a lightening dye if the client wishes to increase the lightness without using a lightening agent. However, such a solution can only be achieved if the strands’ primary base permits it. For instance, the composition can be easily worked up to level 9, but not from 4 to 7.

Important!

Direct action dyes

Such compositions do not require oxygen to work with them. Unnaturally bright shades are produced through dyeing. The primary drawback of these dyes is their rapid fading. They are typically utilized when experimenting with bleached hair.

Tinting dyes

These products are only used with low-percentage oxygens and are distinguished by their low ammonia content. These dyes give bleached or light strands a tint and give dark or natural curls a glossy appearance.

Natural dyes

Natural hair dyes like henna and basma don’t harm the cuticle or cut through the cortex, the main component of hair. These products improve the health of the hair and are beneficial to it.

Rules and table for mixing different shades

Maintaining color harmony is essential when blending shades. For instance, you will obtain a "dirty" color when you mix two tones that are incompatible with one another.

Primary colors

You can create other colors by combining primary colors. The color wheel has three of them: red, yellow, and blue.

Secondary colors

Obtained by putting two primary colors together in an equal ratio. These consist of green, violet, and orange.

Tertiary colors

Created by combining primary and secondary colors, such as dark yellow, violet-red, etc.

Achromatic colors

Obtained through the equal parts combination of three primary colors. They are represented by black, gray, and white people.

Related shades

Such hues are grouped together in Oswald’s star to create a pleasing, aesthetically pleasing combination. Four categories of comparable shades exist:

• blue-green;
• blue-red;
• yellow-green;
• yellow-red.

Harmonious combinations

Relatives in a circle who are not able to neutralize one another are called shades. Harmonious combinations are created when they are combined.

Monochrome colors

Achieved by blending tones that differ in terms of lightness and saturation but have the same general tone.

Ash shades

Since colors are thought to be complex, colorists must prepare them carefully.

Crucial! High-quality hair lightening and neutralization of the yellowness that emerges during this process are necessary to achieve a pure ash shade.

Proportions for mixing paints

The original hair base, the coloring technique, and the manufacturer’s recommendations all affect the dye mixture’s component ratios. A unique table with data serves as the colorist’s guide when working with paints.

Adding oxygen

Oxygen and ammonia combine to form an oxidizing process that causes strands to become more colorful. The oxidizers that are most frequently used are 6%, 3%, and 9%.

Technique of complex hair coloring

Dyeing comes in two flavors: straightforward and intricate. Toning, root bleaching, and one-tone coloring are included in the first. Numerous techniques are used in the second, such as ombre, balayage, highlighting, shatush, etc.

Division into color levels

The dominance of a particular pigment, which varies depending on its quantity, determines the color of hair. The manufacturer marks the color nuance (the first, second, and third numbers) on the dye packaging to represent the depth of tone.

Creating color combinations

When choosing shades, the master considers several factors:

• the client"s desire;
• color type of appearance;
• the original base of the strands.

Not only should shades complement one another, but they should also work well with the skin and eye colors.

The process of mixing colors

It is essential to use a natural dye as a foundation when blending paints because it provides a stable base and fills in the pigment deficit in hair. Then, to give the strands the appropriate shade, a dye with one or more color nuances should be used.

Dyeing strands

Not all hair coloring jobs are finished. Colorists employ methods wherein only individual strands are colored.

Blonding

Enables you to give strands of hair the appearance of burned out hair.

Ombre

This method allows for the gradual transition from one color to another in a gradient effect by using multiple paint shades as a basis.

Highlighting

Gives the chance to quickly bring back a traditional haircut while establishing a brand-new, unique look. The hair sustains very little damage at the same time.

Selection of shades according to the Oswald circle for paints from different manufacturers

Each dye has auxiliary pigments (purple, gold, and red) to adjust the level of shades. Each dye is distinguished by the depth of tone.

Indola

Nine colors are used to balance out the assortment’s roughly 100 distinct shades. Warm colors are mixed with dyes that have a golden hue, while cold colors are mixed with dyes that don’t have any extra color.

Igora

Igora has several palettes that she can use to give hair a specific effect.

Londa

A sturdy material that is perfect for hiding gray hair. But after coloring, it has a few pigments that are hard to get rid of. Dark tones thus become washed out into peach and pink hues.

Kapous

This series of palettes consists of 106 shades and 6 compositions for enhancing color.

Palette

A kit for coloring at home comes with paint that has one to ten different color depth levels and a typical oxidizer. Palette is separated into three categories based on how long the coloring will last. It is not appropriate to use this product for expert color correction.

Estelle

Shades from 1 to 10 tone levels are available in the palette. Many lines offering different coloring options, such as covering gray hair and achieving a unique tone, are what define this series.

Garnier

Add a common oxidizer and a dye. Some varieties have up to three extra colors. Color correction is not intended for use with Garnier products.

Matrix

The superior raw materials used in the paints allow them to easily raise the tone by two or more levels and achieve the desired shade, which sets them apart from the competition.

Concept	Description
Primary Colors	These are the base colors: red, blue, and yellow. They can’t be made by mixing other colors and are used to create all other colors.
Secondary Colors	These are made by mixing two primary colors. They are green (blue + yellow), orange (red + yellow), and purple (red + blue).
Complementary Colors	Colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like blue and orange. They create contrast and make each other stand out.
Warm Colors	Colors like red, orange, and yellow that evoke warmth and energy.
Cool Colors	Colors like blue, green, and purple that give a calming, soothing effect.
Level	Refers to the lightness or darkness of a color, ranging from light blonde to dark brown or black.
Tone	The hue of a color, which can be warm, cool, or neutral. It affects the overall appearance and depth of the color.
Color Correction	Techniques used to adjust unwanted tones or correct color imbalances in hair.

Anyone starting out in the hairdressing industry needs to learn the fundamentals of coloristics. It facilitates your comprehension of color harmony, enabling you to design visually pleasing looks for your customers.

You can choose your hair color with confidence if you know how the color wheel works and how various tones blend together. These guidelines help you through the process regardless of whether you’re working with more vibrant or natural shades.

Your confidence will increase as you practice more, and you’ll be able to provide your clients with unique color schemes that complement their features and convey their unique style.

In order to select the appropriate shades and create harmonious color combinations, beginners in hairdressing must have a basic understanding of color theory. The color wheel, the relationship between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, and the significance of understanding skin tones and hair undertones are important ideas. Beginners can create vibrant, professional looks that fit each client’s unique style by grasping these basic principles.

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