"Auto stop" haircolor

[Kaelee]

Every once in a while I see a commercial for a product like this- the most recent one is Just for Men- a haircolor that "stops" at EXACTLY the right color? No matter what color your hair naturally is?

All I can say is...HUH? This seems to defy everything I know about chemistry. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[millyaulait]

I think it's silly.

Firstly you are told to rinse it out after a certain amount of minutes, secondly it comes in different shades and presumably developers too.

So even if it was 'auto stop' it's not like you could really go overboard, right?

[akilina]

Lol!!! Yeah, I wouldn't believe an ounce of what they claim. You both are right that it doesn't even make sense. If you have a certain color you are using (example: 7N) it will never go beyond that exact color, or get any darker or lighter or anything like that.

The only instance I can think of color getting darker is if you use color oops, then dye your hair right after, or even the next day. If you used something lighter it will most likely always go back to the darkness of the previous color used.

p.s. I think they are pointing out something stupidly obvious just so men will buy it. Those words will trick them into thinking its something good when REALLY. No color would keep processing and get darker than its meant to go.

[fairview]

With permanent color, there are 2 types - progressive or oxidative. Progressive continues to get darker the longer it remains on the hair. Progressive is old school. Oxidative as it names implies requires oxygen to process hence the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the developer. The color is carried in a highly alkaline carrier (ammonia) which lifts the cuticle and allows the color molecules to enter. As the color molecules process they become larger to the point that they become so large as not to be able to get up under the cuticle and at this point the color is done and the hair will not become darker unless there is additional direct deposit occurring on the outside of the hair shaft which will be shortly removed after a couple of shampoos.

So an auto stop color is not anything new. All modern colors are 'auto stop'. They are just marketing to men who are concerned by the black magic of hair color. Men's color is usually a demi permanent also so technically auto stop is even applicable since the cuticle is barely lifted which is why it will completely fade after 12-18 shampoos. Also demis eliminate the concern of new growth line of demarcation showing up as the new growth appears the color has generally faded nearly all out. Just mix in a squeeze bottle and apply 100% coverage in the shower.

[Kaelee]

With permanent color, there are 2 types - progressive or oxidative. Progressive continues to get darker the longer it remains on the hair. Progressive is old school. Oxidative as it names implies requires oxygen to process hence the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the developer. The color is carried in a highly alkaline carrier (ammonia) which lifts the cuticle and allows the color molecules to enter. As the color molecules process they become larger to the point that they become so large as not to be able to get up under the cuticle and at this point the color is done and the hair will not become darker unless there is additional direct deposit occurring on the outside of the hair shaft which will be shortly removed after a couple of shampoos.

So an auto stop color is not anything new. All modern colors are 'auto stop'. They are just marketing to men who are concerned by the black magic of hair color. Men's color is usually a demi permanent also so technically auto stop is even applicable since the cuticle is barely lifted which is why it will completely fade after 12-18 shampoos. Also demis eliminate the concern of new growth line of demarcation showing up as the new growth appears the color has generally faded nearly all out. Just mix in a squeeze bottle and apply 100% coverage in the shower.

That's a great explanation, thanks! I really didn't know how these things worked.

And it totally doesn't make sense...just marketing. I often shake my head at marketing. They make up words, like "Pro-vitalizing molecules", big shiny words that make no sense whatsoever. I usually wind up thinking that marketing departments everywhere must think I have a bunch of empty space between my ears.

[akilina]

I usually wind up thinking that marketing departments everywhere must think I have a bunch of empty space between my ears.
Most consumers do ^_^ That is how they make the big bucks.

Also, thank you fairview I also didn't know that (was never taught that in beauty college) so, great to know. I guess it has never came to be an issue because like you said, its obsolete and mostly a thing of the past.

[Kaelee]

Most consumers do ^_^ That is how they make the big bucks.

Also, thank you fairview I also didn't know that (was never taught that in beauty college) so, great to know. I guess it has never came to be an issue because like you said, its obsolete and mostly a thing of the past.

I *think* the exception might be deposit only dyes (I know henna works that way up to a point....less time equals less color...until you get to a certain point where it just won't get darker because the dye "demises" and is no longer effective. But henna is a slooooow process. I don't know if conventional dyes would give less color if left on for less time.)

[akilina]

I *think* the exception might be deposit only dyes (I know henna works that way up to a point....less time equals less color...until you get to a certain point where it just won't get darker because the dye "demises" and is no longer effective. But henna is a slooooow process. I don't know if conventional dyes would give less color if left on for less time.)

What might happen if permanent dye was rinsed off too soon would be that it would probably be light and splotchy. Permanent dye lifts, then deposits. Id say if you rinsed off demi dye too soon it might not really be as saturated either. More like a gloss effect in a way.
They say bleach quits working after some time but once someone left bleach on their doll head over night and it turned totally paper sheet white, and shrived right up and off the fake head :p After an hour of processing it was still golden blond too, so it definitely kept going. I have heard that bleach quits working after some time, but I think that maybe that time is quite a bit longer than I was told. I know were not even talking bleach here though...its a totally different ball game when it comes to bleaching.

[Kaelee]

What might happen if permanent dye was rinsed off too soon would be that it would probably be light and splotchy. Permanent dye lifts, then deposits. Id say if you rinsed off demi dye too soon it might not really be as saturated either. More like a gloss effect in a way.
They say bleach quits working after some time but once someone left bleach on their doll head over night and it turned totally paper sheet white, and shrived right up and off the fake head :p After an hour of processing it was still golden blond too, so it definitely kept going. I have heard that bleach quits working after some time, but I think that maybe that time is quite a bit longer than I was told. I know were not even talking bleach here though...its a totally different ball game when it comes to bleaching.

I think the bleach quits working but not after it devours the hair.

:lol: That bleach and doll head story reminds me of something that my Home Ec teacher did one time though. She left cookies in the oven OVERNIGHT. I don't know how it didn't trip the smoke alarms/sprinkler system. The janitor found them the next morning. They were literally carbon. He gave them to the shop teacher, who varnished them and put them on a plaque for the home ec teacher. :lol:

[Rosetta]

LOL, sorry to be OT but when I saw the thread title I thought this was about (or had something to do with) hitchhiking, as it's called "auto stop" in many countries! :lol:

A hair colour to make cars stop, now that sounds interesting ;)

[Bagginslover]

The length of time it takes for bleach to stop working depends on 2 things, heat, and the vol of the develover. He warmer it is, the faster it will stop, the lover the vol, the faster it will stop (I imagine the doll head had a hefty vol on it?). Its all do do with the breakdown of the hydrogen peroxide (which is the chemical that the 'vol' refers to), to oxygen and water. I'm a lab tech, and to keep my H2O2 more than a few days (I buy 100 vol) I HAVE to keep it refridgerated. It will still break down, but not as quickly. On someones head, its heated, and so 20vol will last somewhere in the range of 20 mins to 1 hour, depending on what its mixed with.

I am not a hairdresser just a lowly chem tech, but chemicals are my thing so ;)

[Magalo]

LOL, sorry to be OT but when I saw the thread title I thought this was about (or had something to do with) hitchhiking, as it's called "auto stop" in many countries! :lol:

A hair colour to make cars stop, now that sounds interesting ;)

Ah, I'm not alone. :lol::lol:

[fairview]

I *think* the exception might be deposit only dyes (I know henna works that way up to a point....less time equals less color...until you get to a certain point where it just won't get darker because the dye "demises" and is no longer effective. But henna is a slooooow process. I don't know if conventional dyes would give less color if left on for less time.)

There are so many categories of color. Henna is unique and I don't feel knowledgeable enough to make comment on it. Permanent color is made up of 2 types of color action - direct and indirect deposit. Direct deposit is what it says it is. This color is deposited directly on the hair shaft. Indirect is the color that finds its way under the cuticle. The cheaper the color the more direct deposit color it will contain and the faster and more it will fade off tone than colors with a larger amount of indirect color. Color where the greater portion of color is indirect will generally be more expensive, have a higher % of an alkaline carrier to open the cuticle more, will not fade much and will typically fade true to tone the way natural color would fade.

Because of the action of permanent color of lifting the cuticle, if it is removed to soon if it doesn't look absolutely hideous, it will act like a demi-color or toner. Most every quality permanent color has instructions in their swatch book how to use that way by using 5 volume developer and adjusting the time for the desired outcome.

[fairview]

(was never taught that in beauty college)

Me neither! I'm just a nerd and ask 'Why and How.' I was never satisfied with 'because the book/instructions says to do it that way. Drove my instructors absolutely insane but I think by having a complete understanding of a product's actions and reactions during the chemical process, I can deliver more consistent results.