A seamless color melt is every hairstylist's dream, but achieving a soft and subtle blend of colors without harsh lines takes practice. Jamie Sea (@prettylittleombre), Redken ambassador and owner of Salt Hair in Cheshire, CT, has worked hard to master the melt. Here, she shares five key points to keep in mind before your next appointment.
1.) Melt on damp hair. This is going to even the porosity and help prevent splotchiness in your final result.
2.) Be sure to use the correct tool. Using a wide-tooth comb or a wet brush will help you avoid transferring product into blonde ends.
3.) Use a demi-permanent color for a softer, less-saturated result. When formulating with a demi-permanent like Redken Shades EQ, don't be afraid to formulate two levels below your target level. Shades EQ is translucent and requires you to formulate darker for a deeper finish. Also, when you're color melting on damp hair, this can dilute the intensity of your formula!
4.) Placement is very important! Try to place the color melt in a tear drop formation so there is more brightness throughout and depth in the crown.
5.) Remember that color melting and root smudging are two different things. Color melting is creating depth in throughout the zone one and two, while a smudge is buffering out foils lines only in zone one.