Our co-founder Brian O’Connor recently transformed @jacmystyle’s green hair into a stunning magenta with Good Dye Young. We sat down with him to learn about his process, and to get some tips on shifting vivid shades. Read on to learn how he approaches this type of color shift, and find the secrets to this custom look!

Q: What are the first things you think of or questions you ask for new clients that already have vivid hair?

A: First and most importantly are their hair goals, and whether they’re achievable based on hair history. You need that trust so clients tell you everything; what have you done to it, how bleached is it, how many colors has it been, have they gone dark before? That is the key that will all affect what you can lift to and what's achievable. 

Once that's known, you have to do a test strand, and it’s even more important over vivid hair. Even if they're trying to be honest, they might not remember or understand everything another stylist has done with their hair. If you just go by what they tell you, you could burn their right hair off or promise something impossible.

If they're previously bleached out, their hair will be more porous and color will fall out faster. If you run 20 or 25 volume developer over already-lightened hair, you could cause unnecessary damage unless you're taking that previous lightening into account.

Q: What's the best way you have found for removing existing vivid color from hair?

There are so many techniques and tricks, but it’s all about pulling that existing color out as much as possible before you use any more lightener on that hair. For Jac, I used Malibu C Color Disruptor as well as a vitamin C treatment for the first stage, and then washed through with three rounds of high pH shampoo to really get that green gone. Bleach washing was the final step, and in this case I mixed the Good Dye Young Lightening Kit with a level 6 developer so I could control the process while keeping an eye on it the whole time.

Q: What do you do if it becomes clear a client's hair can't safely get to the color they want?

I mean transparency and honesty come first and foremost. As a professional, you should know what's doable based on the fundamentals of colors. The most important thing for your credibility is never pushing the hair past what you think is safe. You have to be able to tell them the truth as opposed to what they want to hear. If they want to go from a blue to a neon yellow, it might not be possible. If they want to go from blue to green, that might be a lot more realistic for you as a stylist, but you should still help them understand that blue will stick around longer and the green will fade more towards blue than it otherwise would.

You're there to solve a problem for the client and it's up to you to solve it. They want a new color, a new look, and it’s up to you to bring that to life. Sometimes the goal is just not realistic and you need to be transparent about that.  It's a shame if they then go home and end up damaging their hair trying to get that color they want, but you did everything you could.

You're educating them, and in some cases you can show them what will be doable over several months if they have the commitment for it, but that is a conversation about their goals and their long term investment in what they actually want. 

Q: What are differences in dyeing clients' hair that has been previously colored versus their natural tone? Does it take more time?

A: Both have their obstacles and can be easy and difficult in different ways, the approach and how you get there is totally different. 

The main thing with vivid is you're keeping in mind  the previous bleaching. It will always be more difficult since you're not starting with a fresh canvas. It has been previously compromised, and with fresh hair you can really control the results more, it's all up to you. Instead, you’re going over someone else’s work and being more careful, discovering what has been done to the hair and pulling out each color that’s been there before.

On the other hand, there are some cases where someone else has done a lot of the lifting for you, and that can make for an easier color refresh, and a shorter visit for the client.

One of the largest factors, vivid or not, is just the individual and the properties of their own hair. If someone has beautiful, dark, level 2 hair naturally, it might not be able to reach an icy platinum and maintain its integrity, but there are so many other options that would look good on them. Regardless of hair history it’s all about finding the color that the client loves and their hair can support.

Q: Is there anything new you learned or techniques you tried on Jac's hair?

A: I took time thinking about the fade out and ensuring they would continue to have strong results in the future. I was patient removing the green, using as many steps as we needed, because I really didn't want the final shade to end up muddy. 

Knowing that Jac loves to style and change her look, I wanted to take an especially delicate approach knowing she will want more options in the future for what she can do with her hair.

With any client, you’re trying to accomplish a look they love, but also set them up for success in the future. For Jac, that meant using a bond builder, and pulling out color with powdered vitamin C and using that as a paste application under heat with Good Dye Young Prewash. I  mix it to the consistency of lightener then apply it on foils or under heat. That can take 45 minutes or an hour, it's a fantastic way to remove color without actually lightening the hair the way our lightener does.

Q: Any other tips for pros who are helping clients shift their vivid hair?

A: Building strong relationships with your clients so they understand how to reach their hair goals is the key. Remind your clients that it will be much easier to work over a color that’s already faded out than taking something they just touched up at home and totally transforming it. If they know they want to do a big shift next month, start them on a washing schedule so they’re pulling out that color at home. It makes your life easier and opens up so many more options by the time they’re sitting in the chair.

For vivids, patience is always a virtue. It can be a six, eight hour process and you really want to make that worth it. Patience is also important for hair goals, so keep that communication open and ask them where they want their hair to be in six months or a year. If it’s a big change, you can work on that over multiple sessions.

The most challenging is when clients flip-flop, and say they want one thing but their actions show they’re not committed to it. If they’re committed, you could easily do five shades in five months, bringing them from blonde to yellow to orange to red to purple to blue. But if they want to go back to platinum after that, well that will be when their hair grows out. Help them understand that in advance so they know what goals are possible. Committed clients are such a joy, because they understand it’s a journey you’re on together, and then you as a stylist can take their hair from good to amazing.

It’s not an easy task to take green to pink in one session, but with the right approach, it’s possible! Now that you’ve learned how to approach a drastic color shift like this, let’s walk you through this stunning transformation. Take a seat; this one requires a lot of expertise and a little patience. 

Step 1: Prep like a PRO
Advise your clients to come with clean hair! Having a clean canvas is key for even application, as build-up of oils or dirt can create a barrier around the hair and lead to patchy results.

Encourage your clients to stop using heat tools (blow dryer, curling iron, or flat iron) excessively for at least a week before the bleaching process. Styling with heat can strip hair of moisture and cause heat damage, which can dry the hair out unnecessarily during the lightening process. 

Step 2: Consult like a PRO
During the consultation get their full hair story. Before promising the world, set some realistic expectations for the end result.  For this look the starting color was green. Prior to Brian committing to a color, he wanted to remove all the green first. Perfect your canvas then choose your color if the client is open to doing what you think is going to be best for them.

PRO Tip:  Since reds and pinks are opposite the color wheel from green, they can be the most difficult to achieve from a green canvas. It’s advisable to pre-lighten to a level 8, which has mostly yellow undertones, before attempting to apply a warm color. Pre-toning with Pink DYEposit or an oxidative pink, is a wise path to take from your yellow base.

Step 3: Remove color like a PRO
Assess the health of the clients hair to determine the best route for lightening. While color removers like Malibu DDL or CPR are not as harsh as bleaching, they might not give you enough removal, especially in a process such as this. Break down the color molecules first with said color remover, to see if this gives you enough removal for the color you’re applying. If you still need more lift, apply lightener from midshafts to ends, keeping it off the root by an inch, using a low volume developer. Once the hair is 1-2 levels away from your preferred canvas, then apply to the roots. Allow to process until everything is even but no longer than 50 minutes. 

Step 4: Wash like a PRO
Rinse hair thoroughly and cleanse using our Color Kind Wash Shampoo to remove all lightener. Apply our Color Kind Rinse Conditioner and let sit for 2-3 minutes, then rinse. This will even out the porosity of the hair and help you achieve a more even color.

Step 5: Dry like a PRO
Dry your client’s hair thoroughly. Color will absorb more evenly and come out more vivid if applied to clean, dry hair. Make sure to skip any leave-in conditioners and hair oils for this stage. Porosity equalizers such as k18’s repair mist are okay. 

Step 6: Section like a PRO
Place a comb flat on the very top of your head to find where the tippy top of your guests head is. Take your comb and draw a line from that top to behind your ear on both sides. This will separate the front from the back equally on both sides. Then, separate the very center of the hair from front to back, giving you four equal sections in total. 

Step 7: Color like a PRO (for the vivid side)
Once you’ve perfected your section, use a generous amount of Good Dye Young’s Semi Permanent hair dye in Ex-Girl and Live Laugh Love.  To create some dimension, Brian used these 2 colors and applied using square sectioning while alternating colors, similarly to a checkerboard pattern.  Once you have your pattern perfected and the hair is fully saturated, let the color sit for at least 30 minutes before rinsing.

Step 8: Color like a PRO (for the natural side)
For the natural side, Brian wanted to create a higher contrast look, so he used a level 6 brown dye in demi permanent, oxidative color. If your client doesn't want to commit to an oxidative dye, Chocolate DYEposit would be great for the brown side. Apply from bottom to top to ensure you keep a clean line, and keep the dark color off your clients pink side. Place a foil over the top of the pink side so no color transfers from the brown dye and adheres to the pink.

Step 9: Wash and Rinse like a PRO
During the rinsing process for two colors, hold the hair directly out from the head and rinse the two sides separately so no color transfer happens. You can clip the pink side away and out of the shampoo bowl until the brown side is washed thoroughly with shampoo and conditioner. Then wash and condition the pink side while the brown side is clipped out of the way. This will keep any color bleeding from the brown out of the pink side. Inform your client to wash in cool water in the future to keep the color vibrant and to prevent color transfer at home. 

Step 10: Style like a PRO
For this look Brian with with a classic blowout, sheared in some layers and removed dead ends to create the healthiest hair possible and create some shape. 

PRO tips for clients:
Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance! Advise your client to use a color-protecting shampoo. Good Dye Young’s Wash is formulated to safely cleanse while keeping color in-tact, and has hibiscus extract and coconut oil to nourish the hair.  Remind them to wash in cool or lukewarm water. We also recommend using a color protecting hair primer prior to using any hot tools. Good Dye Young’s Prime hair primer coats the hair cuticle to keep color from fading due to heat sources and UV rays while promoting hair health.