[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/beauty-and-wellness-careers\/the-science-of-hair-color\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/beauty-and-wellness-careers\/the-science-of-hair-color\/","headline":"The Science of Hair Color","name":"The Science of Hair Color","description":"Although it might not always be on our minds, hair color is an important part of our identities. Whether we are naturally blonde, brunette, redheaded, or raven-haired, our ...","datePublished":"2020-05-04","dateModified":"2025-07-01","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/author\/bellus-editor\/#Person","name":"Bellus Editor","url":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/author\/bellus-editor\/","identifier":3,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Bellus Academy","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Purple_Logo_Bellus_horizontal.png","url":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Purple_Logo_Bellus_horizontal.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/bellus-academy-science-of-hair-color.jpg","url":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/bellus-academy-science-of-hair-color.jpg","height":600,"width":900},"url":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/beauty-and-wellness-careers\/the-science-of-hair-color\/","about":["Beauty & Wellness Careers","Barbering","Cosmetology"],"wordCount":615,"articleBody":"Although it might not always be on our minds, hair color is an important part of our identities. Whether we are naturally blonde, brunette, redheaded, or raven-haired, our hair color can affect the accessories, makeup, and entire outfits that we choose to wear.However, an increasing number of people are going beyond the limits of their natural hair color with artificial dyes. Whether they choose to get lowlights or a whole head of bright, neon color, today\u2019s salons can accommodate a host of client requests safely and effectively. Here, Bellus Academy, an award-winning beauty school with locations in California and Kansas, delves into hair color science.Origins of Natural Hair ColorEach of us has natural hair that is black, brown, red, or blonde. These colors are created by a combination of pigments, which are known as melanin and produced by our bodies. There are two types of melanin \u2013 eumelanin is the darker pigment, and pheomelanin is the lighter pigment.Ultimately, your natural hair color depends on the amount of each pigment that your body produces. In black and brown hair, there is more eumelanin than pheomelanin. Conversely, there is more pheomelanin than eumelanin in both blonde and red hair. And when both of these types of melanin are absent, we see the common hallmark of aging \u2013 white or gray hair.Methods of Changing Hair ColorThere are a few different ways that salon technicians or DIY pros can change one\u2019s hair color. Although many hair products work differently, today\u2019s professionals typically use the following methods:Temporary Hair ColorWith temporary hair color, a client can briefly enjoy a new hair color that washes away over time. In many cases, these products deposit acidic dyes onto the outside of the hair\u2019s shafts, giving it a new, vibrant color. In other cases, these dyes have small pigment molecules that easily slip inside the hair shaft and deposit nonpermanent color.Either way, these products don\u2019t contain ammonia, leaving the hair\u2019s shafts closed while dying. This allows clients\u2019 natural hair color to remain intact and be revealed again after a few days or weeks of shampooing.Hair LighteningHair lightening, or bleaching, often precedes permanent dying. During the lightening process, bleach reacts with the melanin in our hair, producing an irreversible chemical reaction that removes its color.During this reaction, bleach oxidizes the melanin molecule, providing what is theoretically a colorless result. However, bleached hair typically earns a yellow tint because keratin, the protein that hair is made out of, is naturally yellow.Permanent Hair ColorTo permanently change someone\u2019s hair color, the outer layer of their hair\u2019s shafts, also called cuticles, must be opened. Ammonia is typically used to open these cuticles. But first, many professionals lighten their clients\u2019 hair to provide an even, colorless base to deposit the new color on top of.After the cuticles are opened and the hair is lightened, salon professionals will deposit a new, permanent color into the cortex of each hair strand. Peroxide is also used to remove any preexisting color and break the hair\u2019s current chemical bonds. Finally, professionals use special conditioners to close the hair\u2019s cuticles, sealing in and protecting their client\u2019s new color.Applying the Science of Hair ColoringIf you\u2019re interested in hair color science and want to learn how to apply it in a salon setting, Bellus Academy can help you do it. To learn all of this industry\u2019s best practices, including hair prep, strand testing, hair lightening, color application, and more, contact one of our friendly admissions officers about enrolling at one of our four campus locations throughout CA and KS."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Beauty And Wellness Careers","item":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/beauty-and-wellness-careers\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Science of Hair Color","item":"https:\/\/web.bellus.qa.dev-q.com\/beauty-and-wellness-careers\/the-science-of-hair-color\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]