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HOW DOES AFRO HAIR DIFFER TO CAUCASIAN OR ASIAN HAIR? “Hair is made of keratin and amino acids. Its outer layer – the cuticle – is there to protect the inside of the hair shaft from any external damage,” says Anne Veck, owner of Anne Veck. “The colour pigments eumelanin and pheomelanin are the same. Where extremely textured hair differs is in the number of cuticle layers present and how they lay on the hair. Generally speaking, more eumelanin than pheomelanin are present as the average colour is usually a base 4 or darker. Because of this, the rules of colours are the same. As you lift the hair you will expose the red/orange and yellow pigments and you need to decide once you’ve exposed the underlying pigments whether you will use it or lose it.”
What should I cover in the consultation?
“With Afro hair always check if your client has had any chemical treatments, such as relaxers. This will determine the colour to be applied,” advises Tracy Hayes, Fudge Professional global colour ambassador. “If so, a complete colour change to blonde may not be possible without forfeiting the condition. If in doubt always do a colour strand test,” she says. “Preparation and consultation are key for any colour client,” adds Joe Hill, Aveda UK international technical capability manager. “When approaching colour for a client with a textured hair type, anything from 3b to 4c, a pre-treatment is almost like the insurance to your colour service. This will help with manageability when combing and sectioning the hair
throughout the colour service,” he says. “Textured coloured hair can often be very porous. That’s why I love to work with a porosity equaliser like Aveda’s Botanical Repair Equalising Primer. This is sprayed throughout the hair just before applying the colour to prime the cuticle and cortex ready for the colour,” he says. Can colouring Afro hair alter the natural curl pattern?
“The curlier the hair, the less even the distribution of keratin,” explains Vivica Davies, ALFAPARF Milano international educator. “Extreme lightening services, such as bleaching, can alter the curl pattern. Therefore, it is important to approach extreme lightening carefully, to minimise damage and help maintain the elasticity and vitality of the curl. The first step is to check the condition
of the hair fibre to ensure it is strong enough to withstand a bleaching service,” she says. “Combine this with a type 4 fine texture, and the result is a hair texture that is particularly delicate. Using a permanent colour, such as ALFAPARF’s Evolution of the Color, on natural hair will not alter the shape of the hair, since it creates a maximum of 4 levels of lightening and contains nutritive ingredients,” she says. How should you approach highlights?
“Freehand hair colouring is a perfect choice for Afro hair as you can analyse the hair texture and where the curls fall to see which areas of the hair would look best highlighted,” explains Suzie McGill, Schwarzkopf Professional ambassador and international artistic director at Rainbow Room International.
AFRO HAIR
SIA asked the experts to answer your critical questions about colouring Afro hair
online @ saloninternationa.co.za online @ saloninternational.co.za
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