The Bubble Technique: 5 Tips To Create Rainbow Hair Color

All Things Vivids: Learn Unique Color Placement, How To Avoid Color Bleeding & Color Preservation Tips

For those clients who want to skip the pastel pink, and commit to bold rainbow ribbons of bright vibrant tones that make a statement, the “bubble technique” is for them. Inspired by the iridescent glow of a bubble, this technique was taught by Pulp Riot Regional Artistic Director Kelly Martin (@kellyawesomesauce) at Ulta Beauty’s Best of U Event—their annual educational conference created to uplift Ulta stylists.

Keep scrolling to see what we learned from Kelly: Get ready to save her unique placement tips, must-have haircare products—plus, learn why you can process colored sections on top of each other, no saran wrap needed *gasp*!

1. What Is The Bubble Technique?

This vivid application technique was born backstage among friends: Kelly, Samantha Smith (@bottleblonde76) and Kasey O’Hara (@hairbycaseyoh): “They are two very creative and inspirational industry friends of mine,” Kelly shares. “When they completed the [rainbow color] application and looked at the color processing, they noted a resemblance between that and the iridescent look when blowing bubbles—and the bubble technique was born!”

Photo Courtesy of Kelly Martin

2. Key Tips To Create The Look

Although this technique is so visually impressive, the actual application isn’t as tedious as you’d think—here’s the basic process Kelly follows to create a rainbow “bubble” effect: 

• Divide the hair into a traditional four-part sectioning
• Start in the back at the nape, applying each shade in ¼ inch sections
• Follow ROYGBIV color order during application
• Place each colored section directly ON TOP of your previous section, no saran wrap needed! Keep reading to learn how this works…

Pro Tip: Avoid finishing the last section of each quadrant in the same color. This will create a veil of one color over the entire head.

Photo Courtesy of Kelly Martin

3. Your Insurance To Prevent Color Bleeding

This technique is possible because you’re utilizing clear as your bleed insurance—read this breakdown from Pulp Riot National Artistic Director Cory Hoffman (@coryhoffmanhair) to see what we mean:

“When we’re working with similar tones or levels, we don’t need to be concerned about it bleeding. What happens is the longer you leave the color on, it starts to create a hard shell or an encapsulation. So, when we’re rinsing, we’re just rinsing the clear,” Cory explains.

Be careful with dark shades: “The only exception is when we’re using really deep colors like Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Color Noir (black) or Nightfall (deep blue). Those deeper, darker colors are something you’d want to rinse first,” Cory adds.

Pro Tip: Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Color doesn’t require shampoo when rinsing—when you’re finished processing, simply rinse the color out with high-pressure, cold water.

4. How To Formulate Rainbow Shades

When creating a bubble effect, Kelly reaches for Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Color Neon Electric Collection. To create her colors, Kelly starts with clear and adds in pigment until her desired tone is achieved. “This also helps you avoid overmixing,” she shares.

Kelly’s ROYGBIV Colors: 

• Pink/Red: Candy
• Orange: Lava
• Yellow: Firefly
• Green: Area 51
• Blue: Blue Muse 
• Purple: Since this collection doesn’t include a purple shade, Kelly uses Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Color in Lilac or Elixir because they both complement tones of their neons well.

Photo Courtesy of Kelly Martin

Want PAID education (like this!), a 70% promotion rate from within & more? Ulta Beauty is hiring!

5. Color Preservation: 4 Tips To Make Vivid Color Last

There are many ways to extend the life of your vivid color at home; but, it always starts with salon-quality products. Get Kelly’s vivid care checklist below:

• Invest In A Good Shampoo and Conditioner: “I always let my clients know they can use any color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo. It doesn’t have to be brand specific if it’s salon-quality, however, my personal go-to is OLAPLEX No.4 Shampoo or amika Hydro Rush.” 
• Avoid Warm Water: “It’s important to always wash in cool water, warm water will open the cuticle and cause the color to wash out way more quickly,” Kelly explains.
• Wash Less Frequently: “Likewise, I recommend they shampoo no more than three times a week. If that is a hard ask for them, I introduce them to my No.1 pal, dry shampoo,” Kelly adds. Her go-to is OLAPLEX No.4D Dry Shampoo—here’s why: “It helps to absorb oil and adds volume without buildup or dryness, so it’s perfect for daily use.”
• Be Cautious of Environmental Factors: “Summer months bring sunshine and chlorine, so I also like to note that chlorine should be avoided and if you’re in excessive sun, wear a hat, head wrap or pull it up! The UV rays can naturally cause color to fade,” Kelly concludes.

Photo Courtesy of Kelly Martin

Want to get PAID for top-tier education? That’s what Ulta Beauty stylists experience. BTC had the special opportunity to learn with Ulta stylists, as they flying out their entire Pro and Design Team to refine their skills together. These artists took what they learned and brought it back for Ulta Master and Elite stylists to learn, too.

Ulta Beauty’s mission is to foster internal growth, investing in their team to grow their craft from within. Evident in their outstanding internal promotion rate of 70 percent, Ulta has also elevated 6,000 women into managerial positions in the last five years. Are you ready? Click here!

Join a team that wants to invest in YOU—Ulta Beauty is hiring stylists now!

Products Used

Demi-Permanent Color

Semi-Permanent Direct Dyes

Pulp Riot

Product Launches

Olaplex No.4D Dry Shampoo

Olaplex

Conditioners

Olaplex No.4 and No.5

Olaplex

Haircare

hydro rush intense moisture shampoo & conditioner

amika