Watch: Neutralizing & Formulating Fashion Colors

Learn How To Neutralize & Custom Mix Fashion Colors

Olaplex Team Member Kat Collett (@katkolors) went live to talk all things fashion color related, from custom mixing to neutralizing them for a more pastel finish. Keep scrolling to get Kat’s tips for prelightening, neutralizing bright hues and avoiding muddy results, PLUS check out the finished look and grab the formulas!

Check Out The Finished Look!

Lift The Hair According To The Finished Result

For this look, Kat lifted her client to a Level 9 to 9½, but know that not all guests need to prelighten to such a high level. It will depend on the desired finish! For example, if the client wants to be a rich, vibrant red, lifting the hair to a Level 9 or 10 platinum will make the hair appear more pink once the color is applied. In that case, lifting the hair to a Level 7 would be best so the darker tone will act as a filler for the hair. 

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Neutralizing Fashion Colors 

Fashion colors can be extremely vibrant straight out of the tube. To neutralize or tone down a fashion color, go with the hue opposite it on the color wheel. Always add the neutralization color in sparingly, because it’s easier to add more than it is to take away.

Pro Tip: If the haircolor still looks really bright in the bowl after adding in the neutralizing color, it will still look bright in the hair. The haircolor should look slightly muddy in the bowl, so it goes on neutral when applied to the hair.

Be Aware Of Which Colors Are Placed Together

When color melting, keep in mind which colors will cancel each other out to avoid a muddy result. Kat knew the yellow and purple formulas would melt to create a brown tone, so to avoid that, she placed a pink formula as a transition shade between the two.

Tap The Beaker For The Formulas!

• Formula A (Dark Purple)

  Pulp Riot Semi-Permanent Direct Dyes Nightfall + Velvet + Olaplex No. 1

• Formula B (Light Purple)

  Semi-Permanent Direct Dyes Nevermore + Olaplex No. 1

• Formula C (Dark Pink)

  Semi-Permanent Direct Dyes Cleopatra + Clear + Area 51 + Olaplex No. 1

• Formula D (Yellow)

  Semi-Permanent Direct Dyes Lemon + Lava + Lilac + Olaplex No. 1

• Formula E (Light Peach Pink)

  Semi-Permanent Direct Dyes Clear + Blush + Lemon + Lava + Nuclear + Olaplex No. 1

Products Used

Bond Builders

Olaplex

Olaplex