I found a great article about cellophane. Now that I know it's a gel I may even try color on my own at home.
http://www.behindthechair.com/displayarticle.aspx?ID=1269
Cellophanes Then and Now
The Pigments That Changed Hair Color
Are Back…and Better Than Ever
Gather ‘round, stylists, it’s time for your hair history lesson. Today’s topic is Cellophanes, the iconic semi-permanent color formula created bySebastian.
When Cellophanes hit the hair market 32 years ago, it was the very first color of its kind and from that point on, professional hair color was never the same. Here’s how this dispensary-altering product evolved, along with the scoop on what Sebastian Cellophanes offers colorists today!
Watch a FREE VIDEO CLIP on Sebastian Cellophanes and learn the technique!
Pure Pigment, No Ammonia
Before 1976, semi-permanent color simply didn’t exist. Colorists had two choices, says Carole Protat, national training manager for Sebastian, oxidative color or henna. Oxidative or permanent color, of course, required developers to open the cuticle and permanently alter strand pigment. Henna was a natural stain, but because of its high metallic content that impacted other chemicals and narrow shade range, salon applications were limited.
But that year things changed when Sebastian Founder Geri Cusenza packed her bags for a holiday in Tunisia, on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. There she was struck by the vivid colors of the outdoor markets—the spices, the dishware, the fabrics--all in clear, saturated tones of saffron, tangerine, cobalt and emerald. Inspired, she envisioned a range of pure hair color pigments that would infuse strands with translucent shine.
Check out Sebastian Cellophanes!
The result was Cellophanes, an ammonia-free liquid formula, which, like its namesake, offered a translucent quality that didn’t mask hair’s natural essence. “Cellophanes deposited rich, vibrant color on the surface of the cuticle,” Protat explains. “It made hair shiny and highlighted, without looking ‘fake.’"
For stylists, Cellophanes punched a creative “on” button. Some of the shades in the original collection were intense, some were natural. All could be mixed and customized—the slogan at the time was “color mixed with color and blended before your eyes.”
For stylists and their clients in the latter part of the 1970s through the 1980s, Cellophanes opened up a whole new world of coloring options. Because the damage-free formulas simply altered the surface hue, it was an ideal first-step for the color-shy and a great, safe way to refresh color-treated mid-shafts and ends. Color “virgins” and veterans alike welcomed the opportunity to tone with dazzling shine. For the first time, it was safe to color chemically-altered textures. The adventurous experimented with the vivid hues, while the wildly popular Clear formula became a shine-boosting sealer for all hair types. Because the deposited color faded gradually without demarcation, clients didn’t have to cope with regrowth, and Cellophanes could be safely reapplied, roots to ends, visit after visit.
The Cellophanes Evolution
Cellophanes was a huge hit, confirms Protat. “It was the first semi-permanent and everyone used it,” she says. In fact, ‘Cellophanes’ became the default name for the entire semi-permanent category, the way ‘Kleenex’ is the word used for facial tissue. And it kept getting better. In 1989, Cellophanes became Cellophanes Plus. A formula upgrade resulted in a thicker, easier-to-apply consistency and improved color balance. What’s more, processing time was reduced from 45 minutes to 30 minutes with heat. In 1994, Cellophanes Plus evolved into Colourshines, and with it came another formula upgrade as processing time was cut to a speedy 20 minutes—a real bonus for busy, time-is-money pros.
Now get ready for the next generation of this semi-permanent stand-out, which will once again be called by the original name: Cellophanes. The easiest-to-use formula yet, new Cellophanes debuts in a large, 10.2-oz. tube with a unique, gel consistency that makes application more even and efficient, and facilitates intense color techniques with its improved strand adherence. The color palette has been streamlined and now includes the 10 most popular Cellophanes shades—three blondes (Pearl Blonde, Golden Blonde and Honey Blonde,) three reds (Gold Red, Hot Red and Red Red,) three brunettes (Golden Brunette, Red Brunette and Deep Brunette) and of course, the beloved Clear. “It’s more uncomplicated and more effective than ever,” notes Protat. “It truly can be used on everyone in the salon."
Curious how Sebastian Cellophanes looks? Check out the Collection!
The Cellophanes 411
Ready to Cellophane? Here’s how:
• Select bottle or brush application method.
• Create desired formula. What you see in the bowl is what you get, says Protat, so you can mix with confidence. For extra assurance, she recommends applying color to a sheet of white paper, then “tweaking” the formula if necessary. Also, “because Cellophanes are translucent,” she advises, “you must consider the color wheel because the existing hair color and the ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ will factor into the final result.” (For example, if you apply Golden Blonde over red hair, you will get a copper-toned hue.)
• Apply section by section, off-scalp to ends, to freshly shampooed, towel-dried hair. Finish the hairline sections by combing the formula through the hair. (Cellophanes will stain, so avoid contact with skin.) Be sure all strands are thoroughly saturated.
• Cover hair with plastic and process with heat for 20 minutes.
• Remove the plastic and cool completely. This allows the cuticle to close and prevents fresh color from “escaping” at the shampoo bowl.
• Rinse until water runs clear, then shampoo and condition with color-safe formulas.
Cellophanes last four-to-six weeks and then it’s safe to do a complete reapplication. “It’s pure color,” says Protat, “so the more you use the better the hair gets.” What’s more, conditioning ingredients like soy and wheat protein; the pH balancing properties of wheat amino acids and special UV light inhibitors improve hair’s condition and integrity.
Color for the People
So who needs Cellophanes? The question really is, who doesn’t? Use Cellophanes to:
• Provide virgin hair with dimension and dazzling shine without commitment.
• Seal in permanent color, prolong color life and vibrancy and prevent premature fading (especially recommended on reds!)
• Refresh color intensity and restore healthy, vibrant shine between color services.
• Restore color, life and bounce to relaxed and permed hair. (Because of the porosity of this hair type, reduce processing time to 10 minutes.)
• Revitalize dry, dull, lifeless or damaged hair.
• Infuse blondes with shine and shimmer.
• Add intensity and sparkle to redheads.
• Provide richness and shine for brunettes.
“Even after 30 years, it’s still a one-of-a-kind product,” notes Protat, “that can be used on anyone—blonde, brunette, damaged, men, kids. It makes any hair type look shiny and healthy.”
Learn the Sebastian Cellophanes Step-by-Step!
To learn more about what else is in store for Sebastian, please visitwww.sebastianwhatsnext.com.
Class dismissed!
