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Learning the Correct Way to Color Hair: Beauty School Techniques

In beauty school, learning the correct way to color hair is more than simply reading and following the directions on the back of a dye packet. Students are taught to have a holistic view of the hair, looking at it from an internal, nutritional perspective. Emphasis is placed on how the health of the scalp affects hair coloring, and how there are consequences when using various coloring techniques. Above all, students seeking a career in hair care are taught to color hair in a way that allows precise control of the end color result. Learning the correct way to color hair includes:

Understanding how the health of the scalp may impact hair color
Learning about the microscopic, physical structure of hair
Considering the color and condition of the original hair and how it will impact the final result
Learning the numbering system for shades and colors
Differentiating between permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary hair colors
Determining how to bleach hair accurately, and its effect on hair health
Correcting a new and unhappy client's already-colored hair
Achieving color stability
Knowing how to apply natural dyes
Recognizing safety and regulatory issues in hair coloring

Essential Beauty School Hair Coloring Topics

Beauty school courses dedicated to the art of hair coloring spend a large portion of time explaining how to correctly apply each type of product to specific types and textures of hair. The main areas of study are bleaching, permanent hair dyes, semi-permanent hair dyes, and the structure of hair.

Bleaching. Discussions on bleaching at beauty school cover the different formulations for bleach products, the action of hydrogen peroxide, and additional effects on hair along with the lightening of color.
Permanent hair dye. Classes on permanent hair dye are likely the most complicated in the hair coloring realm. There are several steps involved in permanent hair coloring, and instructors teach about all of the possibilities with each step. Developers, couplers, oxidants, and shade formulation are examined thoroughly. Lessons cover how to use gels, creams, powders, lotions, and toners.
Semi-permanent. Courses that discuss semi-permanent coloring include topics like nitrobenzenes, azo dyes, and anthraquinones, different product formulations, the structure of dye, and the mechanism of color change.
Hair structure. The structure of hair is determined by genetics and the condition of the hair cuticle. You must evaluate the hair structure of each client to determine the most appropriate type of coloring product, as well as how to apply the product and how long to leave it on.

In addition to the basics, some beauty schools focus on contemporary coloring techniques such as:

Customizing color formulations for clients
Applying dimensional color techniques
Developing specific color combinations using foil placement

When your skills develop in hair coloring, loyal clients abound and new customers appear from valuable word-of-mouth publicity. A good colorist can stay quite busy and earn great money.