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Ever wonder what your hairstylist is thinking while standing at the color bar mixing your formula?
Creating the perfect hair color involves much more than choosing a shade from a swatch. Professional hair color is a combination of color theory, chemistry, experience and artistry, and your formula should be as individual as your hair.
How Do Hairstylists Choose the Right Hair Color Formula?
Before the color bowl ever comes out, your stylist considers several factors: your natural hair color, existing color, underlying pigment, hair condition, porosity, previous chemical services and desired result.
That’s why two clients can bring in the exact same inspiration photo and leave with formulas that look completely different in the bowl.
The starting point matters.
Why Are Undertones Important in Hair Color?
Hair contains underlying warm pigments that become more visible as hair is lightened. Depending on your starting level and desired shade, a stylist may need to enhance, balance or neutralize those tones.
Want a cooler blonde? Your formula may need to counter unwanted warmth. Dreaming of a rich brunette? Warmth may actually be intentionally added to create depth and dimension.
Understanding how colors interact is one of the reasons professional formulation matters.
Why Does Hair Porosity Affect Color?
Porosity describes how easily your hair absorbs and retains moisture and color. Hair that has been previously lightened or chemically treated may respond differently than untreated hair.
Your stylist considers those differences when choosing products, formulas, placement and processing.
Your Perfect Color Is Custom
At Studio 104 in Libertyville, we believe beautiful hair color isn’t simply mixed, it’s formulated.
Your hair history, lifestyle, maintenance preferences and goals all help determine the plan.
So the next time you see your stylist measuring, mixing and evaluating at the color bar, remember: there’s a little science happening behind that beautiful result.
One part chemistry. One part artistry. Completely customized to you.