hair color theory | 2024

color wheel breakdown, fillers & toners.
key points:
•three primary colors: blue, red & yellow
•all hair colors are made up of a combination of the three primaries
•blue = darkest, red = medium, yellow = lightest
•hair can either be warm, cool, or neutral
•warm= sunset (reds, oranges) cool = mountain scape (blues, greens)
•neutral colors are made by mixing 1 part blue + 2 parts red + 3 parts yellow
•N= natural/neutral on the color box
•two neighboring primary colors mixed together in equal parts = secondary color
•secondary colors= orange, green & violet
•complementary colors = colors across from each other in the color wheel
•complementary colors cancel out unwanted tones (violet will cancel out yellow tones, blue will cancel out orange tones & red will cancel out green tones)
•for fantasy colors (pure red, greens, oranges, pinks, etc.), the hair must be lightened (yellow base) to show up. The brighter you can get your hair, the brighter the fantasy color will look.
•fillers equalize the porosity of the hair / they replace the missing primary color
•If you have blonde (yellow) hair and decide to color it darker (blue), it will turn green unless you include red. All three primary colors have to be present when going darker, or you will always get the opposite color of the missing primary. (red is across from green on the color wheel)
•fillers can be applied to the hair before you apply the color you want to achieve, or it can be mixed into the formulation
my main channel: ‪@BrittneeAlexus‬
timestamps:
three primary colors: 0:00
neutral color ratio: 2:07
secondary colors: 2:31
complementary colors: 4:36
how to achieve fantasy colors: 6:55
green hair & fillers: 7:51
recap: 9:13
website: www.brittneealexushair.com

[@jillbos]

Yesterday I took a two hour class on color theory regarding watercolor painting. But dang! I could’ve saved myself a shit load of time and boredom. I’d rather be laughing my ass off with you while learning about the primary colors. If you were a high school teacher The students would be dying to take your classes. You make everything hysterical. Thanks for the hilarious videos you make.

[@brittneealexushair]

Damn girl!! Two hours you'll never get back LOL! How much was that class? maybe I need to look into teaching watercoloring for beginners LOL! I love that so much!

[@msnace]

Don't you EVER! think you are not smart. I learned soooooo much from you today. I've been fallowing you for over a year on your other channel and enjoy your anticks on your purchases from stores. I'm from Kentucky and we are sisters in many ways. You are so open with your feelings on life. God Bless You and keep on posting. I look forward to all your video's Thank you for being YOU.

[@brittneealexushair]

I love this so so much! Thank you so much for joining me on both sides of the internet! 🤍🤍🤍🤍 I am too soft for this world or maybe this internet gig but I am trying and crying LOLOL

[@ErinChamberlain]

Brittnee! First time watching this channel. Girl. You explain things in a way that my brain is able to understand. I hope you get paid to teach this stuff! I mean, obviously KZbin but you know what I mean. Oh, I'm so excited!! Twice a week with our girl! YAYYY! My Southern Sister from another Mister!

[@brittneealexushair]

thank you so much! I left my gig teaching cosmetology before the pandemic but I do miss it. So here we are LOL!! Thank you for joining me on both sides of the internet.

[@Broken2Bright]

You are the legit da best! Like seriously breaking it down so well

[@crystalpoole1560]

I understood most of that, but it reminded me of math class 40 years ago when we were taught algebra, it made sense for a minute and then I got confused lol.

[@brittneealexushair]

LOLOLOL I felt this so hard!!!

[@angelinabrown5378]

i’m currently in cosmetology school and my teacher kind of ends up confusing me especially during color theory and hair coloring in general. ur videos have been a LIFESAVER. I even send them to my classmates and they really do help make things easier to understand ❤

[@MidwestMarissa]

I’ve been watching your main channel for awhile now. So thankful for this second channel!! You’re so helpful!! ❤

[@brittneealexushair]

Thank you for joining me here🤍🤍🤍

[@mahsa2651]

Please do a video on colour shampoos.

[@SusanSalt-sm6rf]

This is brilliant, can you do a follow up….as a hairdresser of 40 yrs…this is one of the best theory lessons I have heard…thank you x

[@paulameeks112]

🤩 MY FIRST VIDEO🥳 & IM A FAN. You just explained color theory better than many cosmetology teachers I’ve heard. Looking forward to checking out more of your content. (btw- your sleeve is beautiful!) God bless🥰

[@brittneealexushair]

THANK YOU!!!!!

[@lindashearman7778]

Tnk you so much for good infor

[@user-cathysbd1]

love this channel of yours xxxx

[@e.coleman2504]

😂😂😂 cat piss yellow in the sink.. Great explanatory video this should be in all cosmetology classes

[@mezmarionybarra]

Brilliantly Explains SOOO MUCH ❣️❣️❣️ LOVE You❤ Love This❤ Thank you ❤

[@andreathomas7869]

I've been bleaching my own hair (with my husband's help) for about 7 months now to an 8 and toning with Wella T-28 which sounds similar to the Pravana 8.22 that you recommended for toning orange and yellow. I am looking forward to trying the 8.22! If I ever decide to go strawberry blonde, your video taught me that I'd probably need to tone with an 8RG instead. R= red and G= gold (not green!)

[@brittneealexushair]

Yes!! you have to try the pravana! If you can't find it check eBay and sometimes it's on amazon!

[@jenniferfernandez8764]

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again - you, my love, are delightful!

[@kikiwebb7731]

Thank you!

[@emilyqui5629]

Can you make a video on how to read toner labels? Like when you mentioned 8.22 how do you know what the .22 means or for the wella t-25, what is the t and what is the 25 🙏

[@jovanajohanna]

You're actually an amazing educator, and a natural teacher. You're completely making sense. When you explained the N tone, something clicked in my brain, and I'm no longer confused about them being used for toning. Also, now I understand why my experiment with trying to achieve grey/silver hair failed spectacularly when I bleached it and put diluted black over it. I missed my girl primary red to neutralize the overarching blue in the black dye, which, in turn, would've created my girl violet to fight with the yellow tones at the same time. Instead, I'm left with a greenish tint at the roots and orange-ish tones throughout the middle shaft of the hair...

[@brittneealexushair]

Thank you so so much! I am glad it could help!! Yes! never miss ya girl red!!!!

[@stephaniem2510]

My hairdresser said that I am a level 6 ash. It looks super dark, so people think that my hair is dark brown.

[@Growstuff70]

In the last 2 years, I’ve grown out my silver hair, but this series makes wish I had brown hair again, 👩🏽

[@brittneealexushair]

NO!!! Keep your silver hair!! I bet it is gorgeous!

[@mimpate7666]

You are wonderful. I have tried over and over to get beige. I can’t seem to do it. Any suggestions for this amateur?

[@watermelonsunsets]

Thank you - your videos are so detailed and understandable! It makes color selection way less intimidating. Do you have any advice for color selection with lowlights? I have level 10 pearl blond with level 5 neutral brown. I’m hoping to lessen the contrast btw my brows/roots and hair. After seeing your results in the lowlight video I’m considering the level 6bv or 7bv pravana.

[@kimruccione5937]

10:20 you have a knack for teaching. I have been using LUMISHINE 10 minute 100% gray coverage 7N. 1:1 20% developer but it is depositing color very dark, much darker than I would like almost looking like the deepest brown hinting towards black. How do I start lightning these shades again? I am 100% gray. I’d like it to be a light brown.

[@brittanymorgan626]

Yay

[@jennifernoyes2387]

Love watching you and your personality 🤣😂🥰🤗 so can I ask you, Where does an ash blonde come in? I'm a level 7-8, and I love the ash blonde, but I'm only doing my roots by using matrix soCOLOR ULAA WITH 40V, BUT I keep getting gold roots and have to dye it again the next week, and then it's good for a couple of weeks. Can't bleach it because my hair is already damaged and this works best for me to just use the 40volume. Thanks🤗🥰

[@brittneealexushair]

Thank you! Ash colors are mostly made up of blue so you are using the correct one to help with the gold. Maybe try switching the hair color brand- if you have any access to Redken Blonde Idols High lift colors, they have a really nice colors (pearl, pearl ash, and natural ash)

[@jennifernoyes2387]

@@brittneealexushair awww thank you so much for taking the time to respond!!!🤗🤗 That was very kind of you to be so generous with your time, greatly appreciated 🤗❤️☺️

[@brittanymorgan626]

On my way to do a tour of a beauty school!!

[@brittneealexushair]

Good luck!!! Did you end up finding one you like?!

[@brittanymorgan626]

Think so!! It’s a competency based program, and it works with my work schedule. I’ll be going to class from 6pm-9pm Monday through Friday! Also on my way to Sally’s to get some ion cream lightener to do some highlights in my hair. I have natural medium brown hair and I was wondering how you recommend doing the highlights? On virgin medium brown hair?

[@cathieperezreyes]

I’m slightly green at the moment 😁

[@brittneealexushair]

It's ok!! it will go away! if you don't want to add any color on it you can use a clarifying shampoo or look into those color foaming mousses, they have them in all shades and even straight red. You usually apply them in the shower and rinse them out. It's basically a temporary color in mousse form but work really well for canceling out greens

[@cathieperezreyes]

@@brittneealexushair thanks for the advice. You’re the best 😁

[@PromiseNovember]

Can you recommend a toner to cancel yellow to silver?

[@krazidae]

I have medium brown hair with a reddish look to it, I understood from the video I need to get blue to make it a darker neutral brown color, what exactly do I need to buy

[@DestinysChild-j1m]

Hey hun. I have level 10 hair with a red/orange color over it. Would using an emarald blue/green color before dying it to about a level 3 be ideal?

[@elizbathann5178]

Any idea why the color oops brand stripper smelled so bad like sulfur!? I’ll never try that again. I need to get a filler cause one of the colors I just added, black turned to that murky greenish. So now I have copper and brown with kinda greenish and no blond yet. I like having red blond and black hair looks wicked in the sunlight, but my hair always fades back to red-orange. The brown and supposed to be black always fades out maybe cause I wash my hair so much.

[@stawbewwi]

Hellooo~ May I ask how much or what percentage/volume of developers to use if I were going to dye some ashy purple to my lvl 8-10 bleached hair? 6%? 9%? Or 12%? The exact name of the hair color I'll use is "Deep Platinum Purple Ash" or "Bremod, 9.16" Thank youuuu💜

[@maryczerwinski2437]

I get the color theory, but I am struggling with the fillers. I understand the concept of a filler, but what kind of product is it? Is it another toner color or is it a separate product called a filler? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I have super light blonde hair and have always wanted to go back to my natural dark blonde, but I have had the greenish problem before.

[@brittneealexushair]

they are confusing- you typically won't see a product that says just a "filler" you use hair color to create them. for example anytime I have light hair and want to go darker I put RED straight up RED on the hair and wipe it off with a towel after 15 minutes then apply the actual darker color I wanted to achieve. You can do fillers a lot of different ways, some people like to just add red in the actual formulation to save a step. You just have to be careful- the more red you add the more of a red tone it will have in the light. Some people like the warm tone (and it beats having a green tone)

[@maryczerwinski2437]

@@brittneealexushair interesting...that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying. Now I understand why I've had greenish tones on some of my platinum highlights.

[@mimiclout4792]

I have swamp water hair 😢😅

[@brittneealexushair]

It can be fixed! If you don't want to use any color you can use Clarifying shampoo (Generic brand from Sally's is a great one- it will say some jazz like comparable to Paul Mitchell one) It does make your hair dry so you will need to follow up with a conditioning treatment

[@mimiclout4792]

@@brittneealexushair thanks so much

[@lifeoflw84]

So if I wanna remove red from my brown hair I use green?

[@andreathomas7869]

Yes. Use green or ash and green.

[@brittneealexushair]

yes, it will not turn your hair green- it will just cancel out the red

[@NylahCosmetology]

@@andreathomas7869is ash just another name for green? That’s the only color I’ve never understood I only am familiar with neutral(green )warm(red) and cool(blue/grey) undertones

[@erikaesqueda1985]

I loved this video for the most is so smart this info 🫶🏼