Hair colouring is a popular treatment that every professional hair stylists needs to get right. Here are some hair colour tips to make every hair colour project a success.

Human hair has a good balance of moisture and protein, without the ability to repair itself. It is important to maintain this balance to keep hair strong, healthy and in good condition when colouring hair. Thus in order to take care of your client's hair, you must use safe, natural and gentle hair products to protect its condition. The professional range of hair colours is formulated to work effectively and maintain healthy hair.

Before using a hair product, it is important that you understand what hair care products are, what they comprise and how they work to maintain the natural pH balance and condition of your hair. The natural pH level of hair and skin ranges from 4.5 to 5.5, and the hair opens up if the pH reaches above 5.5 and contract below 4.5.

As a professional hairdresser, you must know that you need to lift the cuticle to colour hair permanently. Permanent colouring requires alteration of the hair's acid-alkaline balance.

• Suspending the hair in ammonia will drastically alter the pH level and cause it to swell. However, remember that this can help in attaching colour, but it does not come without side effects.
• Suspending the hair in a moisturizer will soften the cuticle and not significantly alter its natural pH, causing the hair to open rather than swell.

While ammonia based hair colouring products have a pH level of almost 11+, the pH of Organic Colour Systems ranges from 8.5 to 9.2. It is essential that you use natural products which do not alter the natural pH balance much, as far as possible. Not only this, such a product can close the cuticle when you shampoo the hair and apply the conditioner, giving your client's hair a natural shine and helping them preserve their natural moisture and protein balance.

There are a range of Organic Colour Systems packages, comprising 10 activators, 65 intermixable colours, lighteners, among others.

AMMONIA IS DAMAGING TO THE HAIR

It damages tyrosine, which is an amino acid present in the hair shaft that produces melanin. Any damage to Tyrosine negatively affects the ability of hair to hold onto its natural colour. On the other hand, if the colour is introduced in the hair shaft while keeping the tyrosine intact, the colour is more likely to last longer. Without ammonia, you can expect superior results in every way.

MIXING FORMULA

You need to add equal amounts of both colour and developer.

• For clients seeking resistant grey hair, the Activator to colour ratio should be a little less.
• For clients requiring high lift blondes, the mixing formula varies a little, requiring double the amount of activator.

Preference should be given to the use of ammonia-free lightening powder and a dust-free micro-granular formula. This will ensure a safe hair colouring experience for your clients.