
Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
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Danni Gess (@dannigess) of The Big Bang Studio, Cocoa Village, Florida, impressed many colorists with her ability to cancel the gold in her clients hair. "This was a new, fine haired client with 3 to 4 inches of level 10 pale yellow ends ...

Danni Gess (@dannigess) of The Big Bang Studio, Cocoa Village, Florida, impressed many colorists with her ability to cancel the gold in her clients hair. "This was a new, fine haired client with 3 to 4 inches of level 10 pale yellow ends from a previous pixie cut and 4 inches of uneven brassy gold box color at her midshaft and root," says Gess. "She last colored her hair at home, a week or so prior." In the consultation, she "expressed a desire to maintain her lighter ends, but somehow blend the uneven color at her root without adding highlights. The crown and sides were a level 8 gold/orange and her nape was mix of level 6 and 7." Gess decided to tone her uneven midshaft and root, "while protecting her very light ends."
When approaching her cut, "We put in the shape of a graduated bob, acknowledging that we had to blend some of her shorter layers which, incidentally, gave her hair more a uniform lighter blonde feel due to the level 10 ends. To create the volume on her fine limp hair, I used Fat Muk Volumizer. Using a Denman brush, I used the flat wrap technique, made popular by Vidal Sassoon, for a smooth, full finish with lots of movement."
Here Gess offers the HOW TO:
Step 1: Apply Matrix Colorsync 8A and a line of 10V to the crown and sides.
Step 2: At the nape and back, Apply 1/2 6A, 1/4 8A and a line of 10V to the back and nape.
Step 3: Process according to manufacturers instructions and then tone the pale yellow ends with 10V. Process for 10 minutes and then rinse.
Gess shares her top three tips to get rid of unwanted gold:
1) Matrix Colorsync 10v is my "go-to" demi to take out unwanted gold tones in my highlift blondes.
2) At times, the gold tones just need to be neutralized at the sink with a reliable toning shampoo. I use Blonde Muk Toning Shampoo. Used as directed, you will keep your blondes cool without the "oops!" Violet staining.
3) To keep my clients in the cool zone in between services, I send them home with Blonde Muk Toning 1 Minute Treatment. Not only will it keep my blondes balanced (bye bye gold) but strengthen the hair internally. Something my blonde addicts can't live without!
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MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.

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