American Board of Certified Haircolorists Newsletter   March
By Andre Nizetich

Product Watch: This Stuff Don't Work!
            
            We tested Color Graphics to determine how much actual color deposit was achieved.  Much to our surprise there was none.  Read on to see how the test was conducted.
 
           The instructions state that each of the various colors will add tone to the hair. I question why anyone would want green in the hair, which is one of the colors in the series.  I suppose you would if you wanted to tone down unwanted red tones.  That is if there was any green deposit to to be seen.  We added each of the colors to the Color Graphics bleach.  It was packed in a one pound container and sells for a hefty $20.00. The entire kit, one pound of bleach and six tubes of color cost $100.00. The colors came in two ounce tubes.

        
            For all of the good the colors do you may as well flush them away.  This is a note to product manufacturers that we think it is wrong to say your product does something when you know it does not.  It is deceitful and wrong to take advantage of an group of individuals who have been taught to always follow manufacturers directions.  For a new cosmetologist just graduating from beauty schools it is easy to dazzle them illusions of grandeur and sell products that do not work.   

          The adding color to your bleach phenomenon started with Farouk and Sun Blitz 25 years ago.  Farouk himself traveled the country on the show circuit pulling hair through a cap and painting various colors of bleach on the hair.  Very ornate designs were painted on the hair in a variety of colors.  People held their breath waiting to see the cap removed and the fabulous array of colors in the hair.  When the models were presented, it was just bleached hair, no colors just blonde hair.  In spite of the lack of color deposit in the hairdressers bought it, millions of dollars were spent on Sun Glitz.  After Sun Glitz There was Kaleidcolors and Color Graphics, just to name a few. These products that don't work continue to sell even though they do nothing but bleach the hair.  These products should not be confused with "Lights and Shades" or "Magma", that do deposit color on the hair, lots of color!    

            We selected Color Graphics to test because it is considered to be a professional company and we had some in stock.  The ingredients were carefully weighed So the portions were just right.  We did not use the Color Graphics Activator (why can't we all just call it peroxide) we used 10, 20, 30, and 40 volume peroxides with each of the toned bleaches.  We applied the different colors on hair that had a one inch of natural hair.  We can see how much deposit there is on the natural hair as well as on the pre-bleached hair.  No deposit, none, zero.  Who is buying this stuff?  You can buy it once, just based on what the instructions say.  But to keep buying it, shame on you.

We have enough recent graduates of beauty school purchasing Color Graphics to keep it alive.  I can't imagine a real professional haircolorist continuing to purchase a product that don't work.  On the other hand we know who the companies are that divert products, yet we continue to support them.  Why?   
      
By Tamara Dahill
Want to Learn How to Take the ABCH Exam? Go to The Summit

        I along with Paul Morrison, Bridget Davis, Jay Marshlick will be teaching Future candidates how to take and pass the ABCH performance examination.  Paul Morrisons class will be using a fake bleach and there is no surcharge.  Tamara's class will utilize Real bleach and color on a mannequin that has been prepared for the examination so you will get some real hands on experience on what the examination is all about. 
          This is a real examination of whether the candidates have the psychomotor skillsto perform the various tasks necessary to pass this portion of the examination and become certified.  During the performance examination 
Tamara is the Evaluator Captain  
You Can Practice For The ABCH Examination on Line

   Go to the ABCH website www.haircolorist.com If you click on the exam link you will find a "sample examination".  This examination has 40 questions and it is timed.  You have 20 minutes to complete the 40 questions.  When the time runs out or you finish the examination the exam will be corrected to give you your score.  You can go back to view the questions you missed or review them all.  it will give you a description of the answer.  WHAT A REALLY GREAT WAY TO LEARN HAIRCOLOR.
      Most of the questions have pictures that you can enlarge to get a clearer view.  If you like the format of the Exam you can sign up for the "practice examination" there are 8 practice examinations with 60 questions each and they are timed for 30 minutes.  All of the questions that are in the ABCH written examination can be found in the practice examinations.  There is a small fee for taking the examinations depending on how much time you need   to take them all.  The Exams are powered by EXAM PROFESSOR  There are questions  on formulating, chemistry as well as all of the disiplines of haircoloring. It took the board of directors a total of 500 man hours to complete all of the examination questions. If you intend on taking the ABCH examination this is a wonderful method of assuring your passing.  If you haven't seen the new redesigned website this is a good excuse for visiting us, you'll love it


by Mary Petello
Unwanted Advice 
        When I think of celebrity hairstylists, one ofthe first names I think of is Dwane Ross. He tells fellow hairstylists at the ABCH Energizing Summit
DWAYNE ROSS 
many of his secrets to working with celebrity clients and how to translate these insights into local clients to make them feel like celebrities.
I recently saw an article online about a celebrity stylist who personally charges $950 for a
haircut at his name-on-the-door salon in New York. However, the topic of the article was a technique for clients to highlight their own hair at home.
�       The photos in the article showed well-placed balayaged highlights.
�       There was no mention of what product to use for the highlights. The material in the photos appeared to be bleach and with the timing suggested (approx. 15 min.), one might assume bleach.
�       The general guidelines are to go one to two shades lighter than the natural base. Do clients know the difference between shades and levels?
�       Nothing was said about what to do if the hair has previous color. The photo shows lightener applied from � "off the scalp in thin, fine strokes. If the hair has been previously colored with perhaps 1-3" of new growth, this procedure might result in the roots of the highlights becoming lighter than the ends since the colored hair will take longer to lift. This result would be obviously unnatural and definitely not the promised "sun-kissed" look. The rules of natural haircolor, from the ABCH curriculum, state that the ends should be lighter than the scalp.
        Wisely, one of the final words of advice was that if the highlights do not appear as light as desired, the client should simply wait several weeks, as highlights tend to get lighter on their own. Many haircolorists have performed color correction on home highlights, which were applied  too heavily.
          Why would a professional who charges so much for his haircuts, suggest that clients do their own hair? I went back to his website to see how much he charges for his own haircolors. Huh-what do you know-he doesn't do color, only cuts! His top stylist charges between $110 and $320 for partial or half head highlights.
         To learn the correct methods for successful, moneymaking balayage techniques, enroll in the Siggers Team Balayage class at the 2010 Energizing Summit. This class is offered eight times over the Summit but I suggest that you register soon though because this class fills up quickly!

www.haircolorist.com
Thanks for reading our newsletter, we will keep you updated on what is new in the industry as well as give opinions from some of the ABCH Board of Directors as well as some of the members.
Sincerely,
Andre Nizetich President
ABCH