Hair Color
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12.14.2020
Root Shadow vs Root Melt
photo credit: @summerevansstudio
Root shadows and root melts are techniques that allow a client’s hair to look blended, dimensional, and lived-in. Below we explain the difference between a root shadow and root melt and a technique that you may want to start doing instead to provide better control of clients’ regrowth.
ROOT SHADOW – depth is applied after traditional foil highlights are added giving brightness from roots to mid-lengths and ends.
- Result: Creates a blend or “shadow” between the highlighted root area and the natural color.
- Technique: Apply the shadow root formula in horizontal sections, 1-inch from the roots down, leave out the hairline for brightness in the front. Process for 5 to 15 minutes.
- #ProTip: Use a demi or semi-permanent color only and formulate 1-2 levels darker than the highlights.
ROOT MELT- depth is applied after a teasylight foil when to create a lived-in look.
- Result: Erases demarcation lines, you should not be able to tell where the natural base color ends and the highlights begin.
- Technique: Apply the root melt formula about 1 inch past where the teasylights begin, typically 2- to 3-inches down from the root. Process for 5 to 20 minutes.
- #ProTip: Formulate to the same level as the client’s natural color or one level darker at most. Use demi or semi-permanent color like combinations of Color Touch 7/89, 5/1, 6/0, and 5/0.
In this video, @wellaeducation demonstrates what six months of regrowth will look like using Koleston Perfect versus Color Touch. They also prove that instead of highlighting all the way to the root, it will work in your favor to softly blend lightener in the top of the foil to the root in order to leave a natural depth at the base. When the client returns in 6-8 weeks, you will not need to worry about banding or color correcting the darker shades! Watch to see the results:
