5 Tips to Formulate Soft Pinks & Rose Golds
Looking for fresh ways to formulate pinks and rose golds? We rounded up some of the most insightful tips shared inside Formulate with Kate, a collaborative education community led by KEVIN.MURPHY Global Colour Design Director Kate Reid (@katereidcreative). From selecting the right toning approach to creating wearable pinks that fade beautifully, these formulation strategies can help you customize pink and rose gold tones for every client.
1. Create More Wearable Pinks With Sheer Pigment
Not every client wants a highly saturated pink. For a softer, more universally flattering result, Kate recommends diluting pigment.
According to Kate, layering a soft diluted red pigment over clean, even prelightened hair creates a pink that feels modern and wearable. A balance of warm and cool reflects helps create a neutral finish, while the sheer pigment fades cleanly without patchiness.
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Customize It:
- Add 8.4 for a warmer peach-rose finish.
- Add 8.86 for a cooler violet-blush finish.
“Because the pigment is sheer and tonal rather than dense, it fades cleanly without patchiness, making it low-commitment and easy to maintain,” says Kate. “[It’s] best suited to blondes and lighter brunettes who can achieve a soft, even lift. Ideal for clients wanting to introduce fashion colour in a more refined, wearable way without a harsh grow-out.”
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Color Consultation Checklist
2. How To Create The “Perfect Pastel”
“I’m often asked how to create the perfect pastel,” says Kate. Here is her exact breakdown of recommendations for pastels ranging from dense to delicate and luminous.
For a denser, longer-lasting pastel:
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COLOR.ME Toners like ROSE are a favorite. Because these toners don’t contain any natural reflects, you get a huge amount of pure, true pastel pigment. They develop depositing colour in and around the hair shaft for a deeper, denser pastel that really lasts.
For a luminous, delicate pastel:
Try GLOSS. It gently coats and deposits in the cuticle only, giving a sheer, subtle glow that’s light and ultra-reflective perfect for those sheer dreamy pastels that washes out completely, leaving a gorgeous blonde underneath.
With so many options in reflects in both ranges, you can choose anything from bold dense pastels to light, airy shades there’s a pastel for every vibe. Here is an example of how soft GLOSS can be while repairing and looking luminous:
3. Create Longer-Lasting Rose Golds With ROSE + APRICOT
When a colorist asked how to create a rose gold without using GLOSS, Kate shared one of her favorite combos. Applied over yellow tones, the formula below creates a balanced rose gold finish with soft warmth. Kate says to always consider how light the hair is and how much warmth is existing in your canvas.
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Pro tip for a softer result: Add CRYSTAL to create a paler rose gold finish.
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4. Layer Services To Build Dimension
Community contributor Alex Fuchs (@alexfuchshair) a pink transformation that demonstrates the power of layering services rather than relying on a single formula. Tap the beaker to save the color formulas below for this light bubblegum pink.
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5. Use The New GLOSS Colour Wheel As A Formulation Tool
Kate recently introduced a new colour wheel designed specifically for GLOSS shades. The visual helps colorists understand where reflects sit on the wheel, making it easier to predict tonal direction and formulate with confidence.
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“Whether you’ve just had the shades land in salon or you’re still getting to know how they move on different bases, this is your shortcut to nailing the result every time,” says Kate.
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