5 Tips For Prelightening Hair Before Applying Fashion Colors

The best pastels and metallics always start with building a strong foundation—aka prelightening and pre-toning. That’s why BTC went live on Facebook with Cassie Siskovic (@cassiskovic) to break down the tips you should be using before depositing fashion colors. Get the tips below, then watch Cassie create a pastel color melt that fades to platinum!

1. Ban The Bands

Developer choice is key for creating healthy-looking color and Cassie’s prelightening motto is LOW & SLOW to maintain the hair’s integrity. She swears by 20-volume developer for most clients, unless they have preexisting pigment, and then the highest developer she will use is 30-volume.

Cassie’s go-to prelightening formula:

Kenra Color Simply Blonde Creme Lightener + 20-volume developer

2. Pre-Tone To Create A Clean Canvas

Why pre-tone? This step removes underlying pigment from the hair and neutralizes any unwanted tones to create a consistent canvas.

Cassie’s go-to pre-toning formula:

Kenra Color Express Tones VP + SV

Cassie’s client after the prelightening & pre-toning processes.

3. Protect & Prepare Before Depositing Colors

Directly after prelightening, apply a porosity spray—Cassie recommends Kenra Color Porosity Equalizing Spray—to even out the hair’s pH levels on clients with uneven porosity and highly-processed hair. This will ensure even pigment absorption during the coloring process.

4. Improve Color Retention

Cassie recommends using demi-permanent shades over direct dyes because they help seal down the cuticle for long-lasting color. The Kenra Color Frost Collection demi shades work only on prelightened hair and can also be used as toners.

5. Take Your Time

If your client is requesting pastels or metallics, always book out a lightening service FIRST. Cassie recommends prelightening to a Level 10 before metallics, and lifting in multiple sessions if needed. Splitting the services will allow your pricing to better reflect the time and work that goes into every part of the coloring process.

Watch Cassie’s full how-to below, then check out the transformation!

Peep the metallic makeover before and after pics below! 

Now, CLICK HERE to check out a metallic violet rose how-to by Cassie!