Filling The Hair? Don’t Skip These 4 Steps!

4 Fill Formula Steps To Use ASAP! 

If your blonde clients are ready to embrace the darkness—by becoming a brunette—there is one step to NEVER skip. Filling the hair, or repigmenting the hair, is important for avoiding a hollow tone and creating a long-lasting finished result. 

Ready to learn more? Kenra Professional Artistic Ambassador Mirella Manelli (@mirellamanelli) shared a video on her Insta showing the process of taking her client from Level 9 blonde to a Level 6 brunette and we snagged some tips to share! Scroll down for the full video and her formula breakdown! 

Check Out Mirella’s IG Video For The Full How-To

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hair & Beauty Biz Education (@mirellamanelli)

1. Find Their Natural Starting Level 

Split the hair down the center back and check out the regrowth area to determine the client’s natural starting level. “This area hasn’t been seen by any sun so it will give you the best representation of their natural starting level,” Mirella explains. This is helpful in formulating a root shade and will give you an idea of the underlying pigment of their natural level.

2. Formulate Missing Pigments 

Use a color wheel to determine the underlying pigment of the desired end shade. Since her client was requesting a Level 6, Mirella needed to replace the orange and gold pigments that were lost during lightening. 

Pro Tip: Mirella’s fill formula was 75 percent gold and 25 percent copper. This will replace the missing orange pigment, creating a rich brunette shade. If the client was requesting a more vibrant red, Mirella suggests mixing 75 percent copper to 25 percent gold. 

Click The Beaker For A Full Formula Breakdown 

• Formula A (fill formula)

  Kenra Professional Kenra Color Demi-Permanent 5g 8G + 5g 6G + 10g 7CG + 40g 9-volume developer 

   

  Pro Tip: Only apply the fill formula to the midlengths and ends, this will save time during the application and product! 

• Formula B (regrowth)

  Kenra Color Permanent equal parts 6N + 6BC + 30-volume developer 

• Formula C (mids to ends)

  Kenra Color Demi-Permanent 1 part 6BC + 2 parts 9-volume developer 

3. Avoid Blotchy Results With Demi-Permanent Color 

“Using a demi-permanent for filling is vital because usually when dealing with previously lightened hair, we are dealing with high porosity,” Mirella explains. The Kenra Color demi-permanent line contains low ammonia, which is more gentle and will create a more even result for applying a gloss or final shade. 

4. Don’t Make These Mistakes! 

Avoid these mistakes to streamline color services and save time, money and sanity! 

• Not adding red or copper to fill formulas. Excluding warm tones from a formula can create a muddy finished hue. Even if the client is requested a cool or ash tone, adding red or copper will allow the ash to control the warmth and create a vibrant result.

• Don’t rush or skip the fill process. Be patient and only fill two levels at a time, Mirella suggests. Filling the hair helps color last longer and is crucial for avoiding hollow color. So take your time and let the client know (especially if it is a color correction!) that this is part of the process. 

Client Going From Blonde To Black? Click Here For More Filling Tips & Tricks!