A change in hair color is called “hair coloring” or “hair dyeing.” The main reasons people do this are purely aesthetic: to hide gray or white hair, change to a more popular or attractive color, or return hair to its original color after it has been bleached by the sun or changed by hairstyles.
Table of Contents
Professional Hair Color Terms and Definitions
Ammonia- Ammonia is an alkaline substance that helps deposit hair color molecules in the hair.
Babylights- Fantastic highlights that resemble the unprocessed appearance of young children’s hair that has been sun-kissed.
Hair Painting- Hair painting is the application of freehand, downward sweeping soft strokes of hair color, lightener, or toner directly on the surface of the targeted part. Using this technique, one can achieve dimension with a soft, natural appearance.
Base Color- The color is applied at the root area or all over before a dimensional/creative coloring technique is done.
Bleach or Lightener- When powder, gel, cream, or oil lighteners are mixed with the developer, the hair’s cuticle is raised. The lightener then penetrates the hair to break up the color molecules, which makes the hair lighter or less colored.
Bronde- This trend is popular for brunettes who want to lighten their hair without going completely blonde. Between blonde and brown, it has a delicate tone.
Buttery Blonde- A slightly golden or yellow shade of blonde.
Chocolate Mauve- A pink balayage technique often adds depth to rose gold hair with a dark brown base color.
Chunking- It is a technique for enhancing hair that uses very thick, unblended highlights.
Contrast- A measure used for highlighting. High-contrast highlights are very noticeable because they are much lighter than the hair around them. Low contrast highlights give off a more organic appearance.
Cool/Ash- The tonal values of blonde, brownish, and red can all be great. If a hue leans toward blue, violet, or green, it is considered to have “cool tones.” Platinum blondes, ash browns, and plum reds are cool colors.
Coverage– It is the degree to which a hair color may conceal gray. Specific hair color formulas are too transparent to cover gray successfully.
Demi-Permanent Color- A deposit-only, non-lifting hair color formula. It does not alter the natural hair color, but a developer is required.
Developer- When hydrogen peroxide is mixed with an alkali, the hair color fades, which lets the mixture get into the hair.
Dimension- Based on the variety of tones in the hair. One hair color is referred to as “flat” or lacking in size. A stylist uses highlights or lowlights to give hair color volume.
Double Process- Two hair coloring services are provided during a single salon visit. Typically, when the first color service is finished, the hair is washed and dried, and the second is carried out. It could involve bleaching the hair, putting on toner, or using permanent color and then a glaze on top of it.
Flamboyage- A modern version of the ombre trend, this style showcases a more natural progression between tones to create depth instead of the line between colors seen in the ombre trend. It’s best for dark blonde or brunette clients with medium or long hair.
Foiling- Hair that is mounted on foil strips is colored or lightened. The foil is then wrapped around parts of the hair to make highlights and lowlights.
Full Highlights- Instead of just coloring the top layer of hair, highlights are put on sections of hair all over the head.
Glaze- A semi-permanent color is used to complement, intensify, match, modify, tone down, or enhance naturally colored or color-treated hair while balancing contrast.
Highlights- Hair color or lightener makes isolated fine strands lighter than the base/natural color. Highlights are made with foils, a cap, or specific combs or brushes for “painting on” the color and can enhance the dimension by standing out from the rest of the hair.
Jewel-Tone Hair- Bright, bold hues embody the brilliance of some of the world’s most beautiful gems.
Lift- The method of chemically lightening hair color. Different formulas of hair color have various lifting capacities.
Lowlights- Foils, caps, or paint are used to add color to individual parts to deepen them and add dimension. Lowlights are typically 2-3 levels darker and slightly warmer than the base color. They can be applied to the hair to add accents or give it a more natural appearance.
Ombré- The ombré style has lighter hair at the tips and darker hair at the roots. The highlights/color begin further down the strand, which makes it less noticeable as your hair grows.
Oxidation- The chemical reaction is caused by mixing hair color and developer. Oxidation lifts the cuticle, allowing the hair color to work inside the shaft.
Pastel Trend- Tints of colors like red, purple, green, orange, yellow, or blue have been softened or lightened. When applied to ashen blonde hair, pastel tones can be used as colorants or toning shades to create hues like pink, lavender, or mint green.
Permanent Hair Color- Permanent hair color changes how the hair looks by reacting with the hair’s natural color. The dyes in permanent hair color are tiny, colorless molecules. With the help of ammonia, they penetrate the cuticle, and when combined with hydrogen peroxide, they create a chemical reaction called oxidation. As the molecules of permanent hair color oxidize, they change shape and become part of the structure of the hair fiber. The result is hair color that withstands multiple shampoos.
Rebalancing- The process of balancing hair color through glazes, lowlights, and highlights.
Rose Gold Hair- Over the past few seasons, popular hair colors have inspired jewelry, laptop bags, clothing, and home goods.
Semi-Permanent Color- These formulas can cover gray without lifting in five to ten shampoos. No developer is required. The resulting hair color is the shade from the bottle or tube.
Single Process- Color is applied to the entire head in one step by depositing a new base color. A single process will have less variety than a double process, but it helps cover gray hair and add shine.
Strawberry Blonde- A cozy reddish-golden color.
Temporary Hair Color- Hair color that only lasts from shampoo to shampoo
Tone- This property distinguishes a warm, cool, or neutral color. For example, ”golden” blonde, “coppery” red, and “ash” brown.
Toner- When hair is still damp, a demi- or semi-permanent color formula is used to blend and even out colors that don’t look right, especially after double processing.
Tortoiseshell/Ecaille- To make the change from dark to light look natural, colors from gold to chocolate are added and mixed into the hair. The tortoiseshell technique starts with a darker root that gradually fades to a warm blonde and is a little softer and more natural-looking than ombré.
Warm- Blonde, brownish, and red colors can all be classified as having warm tones. If a hue leans toward yellow, orange, or red, it is considered to have “warm tones.” Golden blondes, auburn brunettes, and copper are examples of warm colors.
Here are the top 5 best hair colors in India
L’Oreal Paris Semi-Permanent Hair Color, Honey-Infused Conditioner, Glossy Finish, Casting Crème Gloss, Darkest Brown, 300 (87.5g +72ml)
About this item
- No-ammonia hair color that gives natural-looking color with visible shimmering tones and a glossy shine
- Colour lasts up to 28 shampoos. Maximum Shelf Life 36 Months
- Royal jelly is a conditioning treatment that makes hair silky soft, healthy, and exceptionally shiny.
- Optimal grey coverage. It ideal For Men & Women
Iba Halal Care Hair Color Free Sachet, Dark Brown, 70g
About this item
- Vegan, cruelty-free, and Halal Certified; PETA Certified.
- Key Benefits: As opposed to chemical hair colors, it will give you naturally colored, gorgeous hair by coloring it without harming the structure of your hair.
Revlon Top Speed Hair Color Women, 186g – Brownish Black 68 |No ammonia | With Ginseng Root Extract and Mother of Pearl
About this item
- They Cover gray hair in 5 minutes.
- The ammonia-free formula protects the natural texture of hair
- Infused with Mother of Pearl and Ginseng Root Extract that deliver shiny and resilient hair
- A complete hair coloring kit comes with two brushes: 1 for full coverage and 1 for root touch-up.
- No mixing is required.
- Easy to use at home.
- Available in 8 shades.
Garnier Color Naturals Crème hair color, Shade 1 Natural Black, 70ml + 60g
About this item
- A formula that is rich, non-drip, simple to use, and contains no ammonia
- The Pack contains: Developer milk(50ml), Hair colourant III(50g), Hair conditioner(2x5ml), Instruction leaflet and gloves
- 100% Grey Coverage
- Long Lasting Colour with 8-week Color Lock technology. Maximum Shelf Life: 30 Months
- Included are three oil conditioners for post-color maintenance.
Godrej Expert Rich Creme Hair Color (Pack of 4) – 4.00 Natural Brown
About this item
- It does not contain Ammonia
- Enriched with Aloe Vera and Milk Protein – it makes your hair soft.
- Pre-measured sachets require only mixing, applying, and rinsing
- Also available in 4 other variants: Burgundy, Natural Black, Dark Brown, and Black Brown
