Smartstrips is the first breathable highlight strip that allows the perfect amount of oxygen in and expels damaging gases out.
Too much oxygen during balayage and the blonding cream or powder oxidizes and loses its lifting power. No oxygen (when wrapped in foil, paper, or other meche brands) and the mixture swells due to toxic gases. This hamper painting creativity, as well as increases the risk of overprocessing the ends or previously lightened hair.
The special composition of strips enables the entrance of the right amount of oxygen to obtain the lightening effects and the vent of gas that is harmful for the hair fibre. They allow enough oxygen to stabilize the mixture during the process, while preventing total oxygen flow that would over-oxidize. The result allows the product to stay fresh longer and perform at optimum capacity fuelled by oxygen to achieve incredible results. This occurs while ventilating the corrosive damaging chemical fumes that foil traps in – such as ammonia.
SMARTSTRIPS are Eco-friendly: they are not only easy to recycle, but they also strongly reduce their environmental impact since they are produced without using water or trees. This revolutionary material is made up of 70% calcium carbonate and 30% polyethylene, that reduces the use of plastic resin by 55 to 70% when compared to most products present on the market.
SMARTSTRIPS are the future of bleaching techniques, bridging the gap between balayage and traditional highlighting.
The two biggest components in hair are keratin (a protein) and water, with keratin being the most significant. Keratin chains keep its structure via different bonds, being Saline bonds, Hydrogen bonds and disulphide bridges. Chemical processes, heat styling, poor products, environmental factors, etc. can damage these bonds and result in different degrees of damaged hair.
Most new hair products released in the last few years focussed on the re-structuring of the disulphide bridges during and after the chemical service. New research has shown that we cannot focus on the disulphide bridges alone but should in fact focus on the denaturation of the complete protein instead.
And that is where the new Blondesse Miracle Gentle Lightener comes in. The Inebrya laboratory has functionalized an Osmo Protector active ingredient that can maintain the osmotic balance of hair proteins, protecting not only the sulphur bridges but also the keratin structure, which results in maximum hair hydration during and after the bleaching service. The protection granted by the new patent pending system does not result from a strengthening of a single bond, but from a global efficacy that prevents the hair from losing its osmotic balance during the bleaching service. In this way proteins do not undergo denaturation and the hair fibre is not damaged.
Remember that idiom “Prevention is better than cure”? Well, now with the Blondesse Miracle Gentle Lightener you can prevent the damage from occurring in the first place and won’t have to waste time and money fixing it later.
This new bleach is ideal for people who have frequent bleaching and lightening services. Its formula is enriched with violet micro-pigments that neutralises the undesired pigment to achieve up to 7 levels of lightening.
The powder is fragrance free to fully respect the scalp and to prevent allergies or intolerances to synthetic fragrances in clients and staff. Thanks to new technology packaging, the packaging releases a pleasant fragrance through coloured pearls inside the cap.
The product achieves the best bleaching performances in a single step, keeping the physiological conditions of the hair intact, leaving the hair visibly restructured, shiny, controlled and moisturised.
Blondesse is a professional line – versatile, safe and complete – to satisfy all the blond needs both in salon and at home.
Blond will always remain one of the most iconic and loved colours by women. This is why bleach services are the most requested service, but also the most challenging because it can damage the hair structure and the final result may be different from the expectation.
Blondesse is the new professional line designed for ensuring natural or intense lightening with delicate or extreme results. A complete and safe bleaching system that offers all the solutions to achieve an excellent technical service, with full respect for the hair structure. A smart line, defined by speed of execution and simple application, that caters for every technical and creative need of colourists.
The Blondesse range consist of:
6 bleach solutions To allow the stylist to choose the most suitable bleaching product for the desired technical result based on the hair structure;
10 toners A colour palette to customise the blonde with trendy shades;
2 treatments Products with intoxicating fragrances and textures to maintain a perfect result both in salon and at home.
Why you will love Blondesse:
Incredible professional performance
Protection of the hair fibre and scalp
Patented technology
Complete professional system
Absolute versatility
Fast execution
Simple application
Sensory comfort
Home maintenance range
Competitive pricing
Blondesse offers hairdressers all the products to express their creativity, ensuring competitiveness in the market and top product performance.
A perfect colour, shining and lasting that respects the beauty of the hair.
Did you know that the European Union has banned more than 1 000 ingredients from use in cosmetics?
The FDA (in the USA) does not require companies to test cosmetic products for safety and do not approve products or ingredients before they go on the market. So mostly cosmetic companies may use any ingredient or raw material in their products without government review or approval. The US cosmetic industry polices itself through its Cosmetics Ingredient Review panel – which in >30 years has only declared 11 ingredients or chemical groups to be unsafe. These restrictions are, however, not binding on cosmetic companies.
The FDA has only prohibited a limited number of ingredients such as:
* Bithionol
* Chlorofluorocarbon propellants
* Chloroform
* Halogenated salicylanilides
* Methylene chloride
* Vinyl chloride
* Zirconium-containing complexes
* Prohibited cattle materials
By buying from reputable companies that falls under the jurisdiction of the European Union, you can have peace of mind that the ingredients have been strictly tested and approved not to be harmful. Furthermore, the EU disallows and inspects any form of testing on animals.
In order for permanent hair colour to
work, it needs oxygen. The harder you
want the colour to work, the more oxygen you need.
Hydrogen peroxide is an acid substance, pH 3.5 and is composed of 2 Hydrogen atoms (H) and 2 Oxygen atoms (O). When the oxidising substance in the colour formula (i.e. ammonia) comes into contact with the Hydrogen peroxide, it releases the Oxygen from the compound.
Hydrogen peroxide carries out the following functions:
Hydrogen peroxide balances the pH of the cosmetic colour
How much Hydrogen peroxide you need (the mixing ratio), depends on the pH of the colour formula. Very alkaline substances damage the disulphide bonds in the hair structure causing damage and breakage. The pH of the normal Inebrya tints are 9.5. In order to balance the pH of the combination a mixing ratio of 1:1.5 is recommended. This will lower the pH of the tint to an acceptable level to protect the integrity of the hair. The Inebrya Superlighteners have a pH of 12 – thus more hydrogen peroxide is needed (a mixing ratio of 1:2) in order to bring down the pH of the mixture to within acceptable levels.
Hydrogen peroxide lifts the natural melanin from the hair
Hydrogen peroxide is labeled
using either a %, a volume, or both.
Both measures indicate the concentration
of oxygen available from the hydrogen peroxide contained in the bottle.
The % indicates the % of the content of the bottle that is pure Hydrogen peroxide. The balance is water. The Vol indicates the volume of oxygen that is released for every ml of contents. For example, 1 ml of 20 Vol (6%) Hydrogen peroxide will release 20 ml of Oxygen.
The concentration of oxygen in the Hydrogen peroxide will determine how much natural melanin will be removed from the hair. Most hair colors require at least 1.5% peroxide to develop pigments contained in the color formulation. Any remaining value in the peroxide creates the lift.
Thus, the higher the
volume or percentage, the more natural melanin will be removed and the lighter
the hair will become. Using too high of
a volume developer can result in unnecessary lightening and major damage to the
hair. Too low a volume, and you may not
get as light as you want.
Please keep in mind that hydrogen peroxide removes natural melanin and will not remove cosmetic colour.
Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes the pigments responsible for coloring the hair
When the Hydrogen peroxide is mixed with the colour formula, the oxidizing substance i.e. triggers the release of the oxygen that causes the colour molecules to polymerize and oxidise, getting trapped within the hair structure, thereby changing the colour of the hair.
Not all permanent cosmetic colour ranges are created equal. But what criteria defines a high quality permanent hair colour?
The range should use ultrahigh-quality micro-pigments. The smaller the size of the colour pigments, the better the penetration into the cortex prior to oxidation.
The colour pigments used should be free from mineral impurities to ensure excellent stability as well as colour duration. You would not want any minerals effecting the end result that you are hoping to achieve. Minerals, especially lead and aluminium, may furthermore causes allergic and chemical reactions.
All colour pigment molecules should be used during the colouring process, without waste, as any remaining pigments may alter the final result. Most colour houses use actual weights of red, blue and yellow pigments in different ratios to obtain the nuances. This, however, will lead to incorrect results as the pigments themselves are of different sizes and weights. As a result, the weight of e.g. red pigments will lead to more molecules than required, as the red pigment molecule is smaller and lighter. A Stoichiometric weighting system is more accurate. This measures the actual number of molecules instead of the weight thereof, leading to more accurate ratios and more stable nuances.
All colours, especially fantasy
colours, must already contain a component with a natural base. This means that the colour does not have to
be further mixed with a natural to obtain grey coverage. It can be used as is.
It should have a delicate formula,
free from p-Phenylenediamine (PpD) to ensure better scalp tolerance. Look for brands that uses paratoluenediamine
(PTD) instead of PpD, and for formulations with added Aloe Vera, to sooth scalp
sensitivity.
If possible, look for brands
that include natural oils and keratin in their permanent colour. The oils maintain the moisture of the hair while
the keratin protects the structure of the hair during the chemical
process. Good quality oils will also
leave the hair with softness and shine.
Both the Inebrya and Bionic permanent
colour ranges meet these criteria and is recommended to professional salons to
ensure 100% grey coverage and colour durability.
What causes colour loss and what can I do to prevent it?
Before going into the reasons behind colour fading, and the
solutions, let’s look at the hair strand. Think of the hair as a tube. Now take
hair colour and think of each colour molecule as a marble. When you chemically alter your hair colour,
you are filling that tube with marbles. Over
time, as you wash, style and wear, the marbles are constantly being shed.
But what causes these marbles to shed? Well, here are the biggest culprits:
Bad Shampoo
The absolute, number one reason for colour fading, is bad shampoo. They contain sulfates that are added to the shampoo to obtain proper cleaning, but it would be like washing your hair with Sunlight Liquid. Research has shown that sulfates are not necessary to get clean, oil-free hair. Rather opt for a sulfate free shampoo or a shampoo without the harshest two types of sulfates, namely Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). We recommend the Karyn Deep Shine Shampoo which is Sulphate free or the Pro Colour Shampoo which is SLS/SLES free.
It is recommended to use a shampoo specifically designed to preserve or enhance the cosmetic colour. Colour-safe products don’t contain alcohol, have low sulfate levels and often contain extra moisturizing elements, emollients and proteins to smooth the cuticle, giving hair lustre and shine.
Over shampooing is another common reason
for colour fading. Not only will it fade your colour but it is extremely bad
for the health of the hair. Unless you have extremely oily scalp or use
products that leave a heavy residue on the hair, you do not have to shampoo
every day. Every 2-3 days is quite
sufficient. If you can stretch it any
more, even better. To help you with the stretch,
we recommend the Keratin Instant Dry Shampoo that you could use in-between
washes to keep the dirt at bay.
Styling with heat is another colour fading culprit. Those flat irons we all love so much are doing a number not only on the health of your hair but even more on the cosmetic colour. Heat damages the cuticle and exposes the cortex, allowing pigments to slip out. Use a heat protectant spray like the Style-in Thermal spray or a leave-in treatment like the Inebrya Black Pepper range. Not only is the Black Pepper a thermal protection system but the breakthrough technology will reconstruct and regenerate you hair while keeping it straight until your next wash, thus no need for the flat iron to tame the frizz.
The Sun
We all know the damage that the harmful UV rays in sunlight can do to our skin. Our hair is even more exposed as it faces the harmful rays “head-on”. Cover up with a hat or scarf or if you do not want your beautiful mane to be hidden away, at least use a product with a good UV filter. Studies show that having a UV filter in a hair care product can reduce colour fading by up to 40%. Look for products containing ingredients like Benzyl Salicylate or Panthenol. Most leave-in conditioners and serums contain a UV filter. We recommend the Pro Color Serum or the Argan Bi-phase conditioner (for finer hair).
Fluorescent lighting
Yes, those lights you sit under all day at work will fade your hair colour as it also contains harmful UV rays. Using a product with UV protection will combat the colour loss.
Chlorine
Chemicals in your water, such as chlorine, will also fade your hair colour. Chlorine is highly alkaline and will open the hair cuticle, exposing the cortex and allowing cosmetic colour to seep out. In such a case it is necessary to use a conditioner with a very low pH to properly seal the cuticle. We recommend the Pro Colour Cream – with its pH of 3.5 it will closely seal the cuticle, keeping all pigments nicely inside the shaft.
Wind
Everyone enjoys a crisp, fall breeze, but are we prepared for the colour fading that comes with it? Much like washing your hair, high winds and drier temperatures can be especially damaging if your hair isn’t properly prepped for the day. Before heading out, lightly mist your hair down and apply a moisturizing serum to your lengths and ends.
We recommend the Pro Color serum – It will create a barrier between your hair and the wind, preventing moisture and colour loss. And it will add extra shine and brilliance to dull dried-out hair.
Poor colour service
If you colour your hair at home with box
colour or if an un-qualified person performs the colour service for you, you could
be faced with major problems:
Improper consideration of hair porosity: Prior to colouring, it’s important to determine the health of the hair. Damaged hair is very porous which means that it will grab the colour quickly and as a result would come out darker than you anticipated. Also, porous hair will lose the cosmetic pigments quicker, thus faster colour fading. For optimum colour results hair needs to be in a healthy condition. So if you want your colour to last a protein or moisturizing treatment may be needed before you colour. This will help “fill in” empty spaces in the hair and give the colour molecules a better anchor point, resulting in longer colour results.
Poor quality pigments: In order or save cost and make products financially viable, manufacturers sometimes need to compensate on the quality of the ingredients. So they substitute pure pigments with colour laden with metals and/or pPD. But if you use poor quality pigments you cannot expect high quality cosmetic colour. And if your cosmetic colour is poor to begin with, you cannot really expect it to last.
Insufficient processing time: A common reason behind fast-fading hair colour is insufficient processing time, meaning the hair colour did not stay on long enough. This especially holds true if you or your client have grey hair. Grey hair cuticles are tightly packed down, and take longer to open and absorb artificial hair colour molecules. The box does not clearly specify what to do in cases like these and you might not get the result that you were looking for.
Moral of the story: Get a professional to perform the colour service. That is what they are trained to do.
Shampooing too soon after a colour service
Remember to wait at least 24 hours after a colour service before washing your hair. Shampoo has an alkaline pH which will open the cuticle, and you want to keep it closed for as long as possible.
So the gist of it all is: Healthy hair will maintain colour
longer than damaged, dry hair. But keep in mind that all hair colour will fade
to some degree. How you treat your hair
will determine the extent of hair colour fading.
Are you tired of the same old shades – the traditional blonde, brunette and red hues? Would you like more versatility but without the commitment?
Is your permanent cosmetic color all washed out and faded but you don’t have the time or money for a salon visit?
Meet Tonology Pure Pigments.
It is a direct, semi-permanent hair color available in 12 colors. All the colors can be inter-mixed to create irresistibly, vibrant hair. And if that is too much for your, tone it down with the Pastel mix for a more subtle look.
Thus, for “shouting” hair color, use it straight out of the tube for eye catching, super-bright colors or highlights. For “talking” hair color, mix it with the Pastel mix for a more romantic shade and feel. The possibilities are endless.
Even if you just want to bring your washed out permanent hair color back to life, Tonology is perfect to enhance and maintain your shade but without a trip to the salon. Do it right at home, with time to spare, as the processing time is only 20 minutes.
Colors are very vibrant, but to make the colors really “pop” it is recommended to be used on a pre-lightened base. And remember that color results are always dependent on the condition and porosity of the hair. But not to worry, Tonology also contains moisturising agents, so it will leave your hair soft, nourished and full of shine.
Furthermore it is very gentle on the hair as it is ammonia free and does not require the use of a developer. No ammonia means less sensitivity. No peroxide means no more damage.
Application:
After shampooing, apply 20- 40ml with gloves and a tint brush
to towel dried hair. Gently massage and
comb through. Leave on for 15 – 30
minutes. Rinse thoroughly.
It is as easy as that.
The color is gradually eliminated trough washing and lasts about 6 – 10 washes depending on the condition and porosity of your hair.
Nowadays we use so many different cosmetics on our bodies. But shockingly we never research which of these ingredients are harmful and blindly trust that manufacturers won’t include bad ingredients in their products. But why is it important for us to know the ingredients? Well, it is sad to say that some of these products that we use every day can lead to neurotoxicity, lung toxicity, and some are even carcinogenic (known to cause cancer).
Some of the ingredients you can’t even pronounce so we tend to slip up on checking the back of the bottle. So I am here to warn you against some of the most common potentially harmful ingredients to avoid. These include:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
Sodium Chloride
Parabens
Polyetheylene Glycols (PEG)
Diethanolamine (DEA)
Triethanolamine (TEA)
Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde releasing agents
Alcohol
Synthetic Fragrances
Synthetic Colors
Dimethicone
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Triclosan
Retinyl Palmitate
These are 15 of the most harmful ingredients that you may find in your cosmetics. So what to do???
Opt for natural or vegan products.
The Inebrya retail ranges offer so much versatility so that if your health is important to you, you will find a product within the range that will cater to your needs.
The Karyn range is sulfate free, paraben free, silicone free , gluten free and is 100% vegan.
The Inebrya Green range uses eco-certified ingredients and is SLS/SLES free, Sodium Chloride free, MEA/DEA/TEA free, Paraben free, Colorant free and is tested for quantities of Nickel, Cobalt and Chrome.
The Inebrya Black Pepper range uses 100% organic Black Pepper, is SLS/SLES free, Paraben free, Silicone free, CIT/MIT free and is 100% vegan.
Other ranges that are SLS/SLES free include the Keratin, Shecare and Pro Colour ranges.
So there are alternative products and we can do our part to prevent diseases. Choose healthy and keep an eye out for the “Watch List” ingredients as listed above. Limit your exposure.
How much water do you use to wash your salon towels? How much energy do you need to wash and dry these towels? How much do the detergents and softeners cost you every month? What is the impact of these detergents and softeners on the environment?
Well, we did a calculation to determine the cost of washing your towels and it comes to about R1.80 per towel*. This cost does NOT include the cost of the towel, the cost of the appliances, the cost of drying or the time and effort to wash, dry and fold the laundry.
Would it not therefore make sense to switch to disposable towels? The benefits of disposable towels are:
They are 100% bio-degradable and are decomposed by naturally occurring micro-organisms into CO2 and H2O;
Made from certified renewable sources i.e. regenerated forests;
They are 10 times more absorbent than normal cotton towels thereby reducing blow-drying time by 40%;
They are more hygienic and eliminates the risk of cross infection;
No more towel odour due to bacteria build-up;
They are safer on the environment because detergents and other chemicals are avoided;
It saves water and electricity involved in washing. Up to 44% less electricity is used;
It saves hours of laundry time;
Limited storage is required as it folds smaller than normal cotton towels;
They are soft, comfortable and just the right size.
You can reduce your carbon footprint by switching to disposable salon towels and in the process your salon can save money too. We use so much water to wash our towels and the chemicals we have to use to properly sterilize the towels contaminates our precious water resources.
