How-To: Corrective Blonding Techniques To Avoid Banding
Blonding Retouch Education: How To Avoid Bands & Uneven Lift
Picture this: Your bleach and tone client is FINALLY coming in after eight plus weeks and they are no longer a simple root retouch—but are a full-blown color correction. What do you do? We had Alfaparf Milano Master Colorist Jeannetta Walker-Rodgers (@watchmyhairbounce), teach her go-to corrective blonding techniques on BTC University to demonstrate how to adjust your application to avoid banding and achieve an even lift. Click here to purchase the course and scroll for everything you will learn!
Takeaway Tips:
You can learn Jeannetta’s full technique in her 90-minute course, but we’re teasing these tips you need to know now!
Tip #1: Pay Attention To Partings
The secret for achieving maximum lift, is thin partings. “Partings play a huge role in how your bleach is going to process,” Jeannetta explains. For this kind of bleach retouch application, thick partings will not achieve the lift needed. Her advice: “You should be able to read something through your partings. Make sure they are thin enough so you can easily penetrate and distribute the bleach so that all areas lift evenly and avoid any splotchiness or dark spots.”
Tip #2: Use Section-Sized Foils To Avoid Overlap
Instead of a traditional slice and folded-foil technique, Jeannetta will cut her foils to match her section size. Why? She breaks it down: “In a closed foil, the bleach could expand, which can cause overlapping. So with pre-cut foils, I am allowing the air to escape. You want to make sure the bleach has enough room because if it expands into the hair that is prelightened, then you will get a band. Even if you tone the hair afterwards, there will still be visible overlap.”
Tip #3: Find Your Client’s Texture To Determine Their Formula
Texture categorizes the diameter of each hair strand as fine, medium or coarse. This plays a HUGE role in determining which bleach you should be using. “Fine hair is not going to react the same way to bleach as coarse hair and vise versa,” Jeannetta explains. So she suggests paying close attention the client’s individual strands during consultation. “I am able to lift eight or nine levels with the Alfaparf Milano BB Bleach Easy Lift because I know I can use it on fine hair, but will need BB Bleach High Lift with coarse hair. If you are not taking the diameter of the hair strand into consideration when formulating, you will not get the desired result,” she adds.
Slide To Check Out The Gorgeous Before & After!
Have Questions? Jeannetta Has Answers!
One of the benefits of watching a course on BTC University? Artists are able to answer your questions in REAL TIME! Here are some technical questions viewers had for Jeannetta during her livestream:
Question: Do you ever use cotton with this technique?
Answer: “It depends on what I am trying to achieve. You could use cotton with this technique, but I find that if I am working on a darker starting canvas, say a Level 3, I’m using foils. I need the foils to protect the bleach and provide a bit of incubation so I can get the lift that I need. If I use cotton on a Level 3, the bleach can start to dry out and it doesn’t work as well. Also, I don’t know about you guys but a lot of my natural blondes stay yellow forever! So, if I am working with this much new regrowth on a client that happens to be a Level 6 or higher I need foils to ensure—again—maximum lift. I really only use cotton for a regular four week touch-up.”
Q: What factors do you consider when formulating a toner?
A: “It honestly depends on the overall look and the porosity of the hair. Toning is always a case-by-case basis. Most times I am able to tone everything the same. But, depending on if there is any damage, or if the cuticle is exposed, those factors determine how and what I use to tone. In a perfect world, you would be able to use one toner for the whole head, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. So pay attention to what the health of the hair is after lightening.”
Click On The Beaker Below For Jeannetta’s Formula Deets!
Products Used
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