Mix Your $100 Hair Color
You know “that friend” who goes to “the salon” for her
How To Mix Hair Color?
2) Mix most hair color
1:1, or
equal parts, the developer to the hair color. (The developer is the "active" ingredient, meaning that it is the ingredient that makes the hair color “work”.) While developer is available in 10, 20, 30, and 40 volumes, the preferred and most often used developer is 20 volume peroxide.
3) Before you begin, you will need:
*
*
Ditto
with an old shirt
* Gloves
* A bowl, brush and a measuring container
* Or, an applicator bottle
* The hair colors-of course &
* The developer.
4) Into your bowl or applicator bottle, measure the developer.
5) Add the hair colors. (The total amount of the hair colors that you have selected should be (in ounces) the same amount as the developer.)
As an example: 2 ounces of 20 volume peroxide
1 1/2 ounces 9N w/ 1/2 ounces 7N= 7 1/2 (N)
6) Mix the formula with a color brush (I also like to use a small whisk to make certain I thoroughly mix the color molecules together). If you prefer an applicator bottle to a bowl and brush, but want to make certain the hair color is mixed sufficiently, simply mix the formula in a bowl, then transfer it to the applicator bottle.
7) Apply the hair color. 
Hair color lightens more quickly on the first 1/2 " of roots because of the "body heat" at your scalp. If you have struggled with a "hot" scalp, or lighter (often, brassier) hair color at your roots, keep this in mind. While it requires a bit more effort and thought, first apply the hair color 3/4" away from the roots. Then, return to the initial application point to apply the color at your roots.
Hair color lightens more quickly on the first 1/2 " of roots because of the "body heat" at your scalp. If you have struggled with a "hot" scalp, or lighter (often, brassier) hair color at your roots, keep this in mind. While it requires a bit more effort and thought, first apply the hair color 3/4" away from the roots. Then, return to the initial application point to apply the color at your roots. Think in terms of adding “balance”, "depth" or "accent" to your formula.
1) When mixing 2 hair colors together:
A) Balance refers to neutralizing unwanted tones in the hair. While “ash” is the most familiar neutralizing tone, "Salon Beautiful" hair color often begins with a neutral tone. It is identified either by an "n" for "natural" ("6n") or simply by the associated shade of the hair color ("6"). Natural hair colors are neither warm nor cool.
B) Depth occurs in a formula by adding a slightly darker hair color to the mixture. It can be as little as a drop or two, or as much as 1/2 of the formula.
C) Adding accent to a formula is the same as adding depth. Can depth and accent be added together? Certainly! See the example of Robyn's formula below.
Robyn, has just landed a job at a very eclectic graphic design firm. She wants her hair to "shout" her creativity in a vibrant copper.
Robyn, has just landed a job at a very eclectic graphic design firm. She wants her hair to "shout" her creativity in a vibrant copper.
Robyn's natural hair color is a medium light brown-a "level" 6.
Using L'Oreal Preference Liquid Creme Permanent Hair Color
Mix: 2 ounces of 20 volume developer w/
11/2 ounce # 9 Pastel Blonde to lighten Robyn's hair sufficiently
1/2 ounce # 7.4 Burnished Copper to add depth and accent to the formula
That makes 2 oz of peroxide mixed with 2 0z of developer.
Most Commonly Asked Questions
1) Can boxed hair dye be mixed? Certainly.
2) Must the 2 boxed hair colors be the same brand? No. With the exception of hi-lift hair color which is mixed 2;1 ( 2 parts developer to 1 part hi-lift hair color), I can't think of another hair color brand that is mixed similarly, 1;1
Final Notes
Being a hair color "mixologist" is fun and creative. Always, always strand test! The time, effort, cost and anxiety created when a hair color goes wrong, simply isn't worth the time saved by not strand testing. Write your perfect mixture down and save it. You'll be glad you did next month. Robyn's hair color turned out beautifully. Use it though only as a guide to build your own unique hair color.