Step by Step: Rich, Vibrant Color Melt on 3B Curls
By: Kenra Professional
For clients that want a change without having to get highlights done, color melting is a great option that can be made as subtle or as bold as you would like. For lower maintenance looks, start with a color at the root that is only one to two levels lighter than the natural hair, and melt into shades that are lighter as you progress down the hair. (The only caveat is that the client will need to have virgin or only previously highlighted hair in order for this process to work in one step).
For this type of color application, the easiest and most efficient way to get through the service is to section the hair into four standard quadrants. Because the hair is ultimately all being colored in the same way, the quadrants don’t have to be perfect.
Start by applying the first formulation at the root and feather anywhere from 1-3” down. In the video below, Christin Brown uses Kenra Color Permanent 5C + 20vol as the base color on her model. Apply the root formula all over the head, consistently dragging the color down the same amount in each quadrant. An important pro tip, especially on coarse and curly hair types, is to work in very small subsections to ensure even saturation, lift, and deposit.
Once the foundation or root color has been applied, mix your next formulation for the gradual change in lift and brightness. In this case, Kenra Color Permanent 6C + 8C (Equal Parts) + 30vol was used on the mids and ends of the hair. Remember to adjust the developer when going lighter in level on the same hair. A great tip to help melt and blend the formulations together is by simply using your fingers (with gloves on, of course), to ensure not only the blend, but also the correct amount of saturation. Repeat this process in each quadrant, blending the two formulations together. Allow it to process for 30 minutes, and extend the process time to 40 minutes if covering gray hair.
One thing to keep in mind for curly and coily textures is that when the hair is wet, it can appear much darker than it actually is when dry, so if the freshly shampooed color formulation initially looks lighter at the roots, don’t panic. If you need to assess before fully drying the hair, you can towel blot and remove moisture from a particular strand or curl grouping to get a better idea of where the color lives.
When it comes to styling the newly colored curls, Christin suggests applying a generous amount of Luxe One Leave-in Conditioner on wet hair in sections to encapsulate moisture and allow for a natural curl grouping. Be sure to saturate the hair from roots to ends to avoid areas of dryness or frizz once the hair is dry. Then, choose stylers that will help complete the look you want to achieve. In this case, Kenra Styling Gel 17 is applied from root to tip to further encapsulate moisture while providing additional hold and shine. If you feel that too much elongation has happened while applying product, feel free to reset each subsection by gently shaking or cupping the section for a few seconds before allowing it to rest naturally.
Once all products have been applied and the hair is ready to be set, you can choose to diffuse the entire look or have the client sit under a hooded dryer for the majority of the drying process.
Watch Christin below as she creates this beautiful, fiery color melt transformation!
