The Fundamentals: Step 5 Exercise 1. activity

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Every Stylist does it

What’s the first thing every stylist does with a haircolour client? First they part the hair to check the natural colour at the scalp and the percentage of grey. Next, they run their fingers down the strands to feel the condition, tenacity or porosity of the hair. Even the most complicated haircolour begins this simply.

A level is an exact measurement of the degree of lightness or darkness in each colour. The SoColor system separates all the possible depths of haircolour, from darkest to lightest, and identifies them as eleven numbered levels.

Activity
Determining natural base level. On the chart, fill in the 11 natural levels of haircolour (darkest to lightest)
The Why
Determining the natural base level is the starting point when formulating.

Activity
Determining percentage of grey. Using the 50% grey swatch above or the swatch from the SoColor Consultation Centre, determine if your partner’s hair is more or less than 50% grey.
The Why
The amount of grey affects the depth of the final colour.

To determine the porosity and tenacity
Lift up a dry hair strand. With your fingers lightly rub the strand from the hair ends down to the scalp area.
If the hair feels smooth and slick to the touch, it indicates the cuticle is closed tight. The hair is nonporous or resistant.
If the hair is extremely shiny, it is also tenacious.
If the strand feels rough to the touch and there is friction, the hair has some degree of porosity.
If the hair is dull in appearance it is not tenacious.

Assessing the hair shaft for porosity
Analyse the hair along the entire length, considering these 3 areas:

Scalp area
Hair that ranges from about 1/2 to 3/4 inches from the scalp.
Hair near the scalp area is closest to its natural and healthy state.
If the hair has been coloured, permed or relaxed, the scalp area is the new growth.
When the hair is coloured, the scalp area can look brighter.

Mid-Shaft
The area of the hair that begins from 1/2 to 3/4 inches away from the scalp area and extendsthrough the hair shaft excluding the porous ends.
This area may be somewhat porous or slightly lighter in colour because of the environment or previous chemical services. There can be subtle differences from the new growth to the mid shaft.
Colour in the mid-shaft area of the hair can be slightly different than the scalp area or ends due to differences in porosity to tenacity.

Ends
This area of the hair could be overly porous.
The hair may be lighter and feel rougher. It may be difficult to recognise overly porous hair or lighter ends during your analysis.
Colour results in the ends can be unpredictable. Always strand test if hair appears overly porous.

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