As a salon professional, the choice is YOURS! As always, I believe that you should purchase and enjoy the products you prefer. However, let me share the chemistry
attached to "non-ammonia" permanent hair color.
FIRST: Let's agree that the term "permanent" hair color, refers to a product that is oxidative,
mixed with developer, and which can lighten, match and and deposit color into the cortex
of the hair. Ammonia- based permanent hair color at levels 8 and deeper promises to COVER gray hair 100 percent when properly chosen,
mixed, applied, and processed on the hair
For a hair coloring product to achieve all this IT MUST HAVE A MINIMUM Ph
(ALKALINITY) of 9.3 or more. So: FACT: For a product to be able to lighten
natural pigment from the cortex of the hair and to deposit new tone, it MUST BE ALKALINE!
Any product labeled as being "permanent hair color', must therefore contain
an alkalizer: Ammonia, MEA or AMP, or another ALKALIZER, that allows the
product to soften, enter, and "work" within the cortex of the. hair.
NEW: There are popular "non-ammonia" permanent hair color products,
available to salon colorists today. BUT PLEASE DO NOT THINK that
they are "natural", "gentle", less alkaline, or "non-chemical'. They are not.
MONO-ETHANOL AMINE is an effective ammonia-substituge alkalizer used to create "non-ammonia" permanent hair coloring products.
This is abbreviated as being MEA, and is a liquid, "non-ammonia" chemical, which is
CHEMICALLY DERIVED FROM AMMONIA! It is almost "fragrance free" and does permit
the dyestuffs in the brand to reach the required minimum alklainity of 9.3.. Therefore doing it's "work" to allow lightening of the natural pigment, to allow new pigment to enter the hair
and to reside within the hair's cortex.
Modern ammonia-based color contains about 1.3 percent to 1.7 percent buffered ammonia.
The higher the percentage of ammonia, the more the "lifting ability. An MEA content of about FIFTEEN PERCENT is required to create the same level of alkalinity within a
permanent hair color product. The choice, of course, is yours. If you are not happy with
the performance of a permanent hair color, ask yourself WHY this is so....
To be clear: Many wonderful demi-permanent and "long lasting semi-permanent" colors contain just enough MEA to create sufficient alkalinity.. to allow
color deposit into the hair's cortex without creating the required level of
alkalinity needed to LIGHTEN the hair. As you know, demi-permanent shades do not
lighten the hair... they are mixed with developer, they deposit and deepen (tone or refresh)
the hair. .. and there are WONDERFUL MEA-CONTAINING DEMI-PERMANENT HAIR COLOR BRANDS, including SEQ, Wella Color Touch, Rusk Deep Shine, Godlwell
Colorance, PM Liquids .. and others.
The trend toward manufacturer brands defined as 'non-ammonia" permanent hair color is
growing. WHY? Is it fragrance (which has been chiefly eliminated in ammonia-bearing
color.). Is it client perception? CHEMISTS CONCUR: The most reliable alkalizer for lift, deposit and
gray coverage, using permanent hair color is AMMONIA. MEA is great for supporting
bright, warm shades.. and is also an effective alkalizer... but, before switching from your
preferred brand of permanent color OR including a new product, which involves investment,
ask yourself... or ask your brand representative: What is the benefit of using a non-ammonia
permanent hair color? Why do you need this..
FACT: In the laate 1980's and 1990's the chosen "enemy" was Peroxide! Consumers believed that peroxide ruined the hair........ So... Beauty Editors called manufacturers
to learn how peroxide "ruined" hair. It did not ruin hair. ... Correct addition of peroxide is REQUIRED to activate dye molecules. It is the "fuel" that energizes oxidative color, and it
is acidic, at a ph of about 3..... Of course, we don't pour peroxide on a client's head!
In the past, when manufacturers wanted to sell semi-permanent color, which covered gray
for about 4 - 6 shampoos, without "lift", the "ENEMY" became... peroxide... UNTIL
the beauty press helped explain this to their readers. SO... whatever permanent hair
color alkalizer you choose is YOUR PREFERENCE; but please, do not berlieve that non-ammonia
permanent hair color is "gentler", more "natural" or "superior"" to ammonia-based
permanent hair color. You are the evaluating expert as you care for your clients.
PLEASE COMMENT HERE or email me your respnse: bethminardi@gmail.com. I hope
you will share this, our website for career colorists, with your professional friends. Beth
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