Frequenty Asked Questions

What is a Permanent Hair Color? Permanent Hair Colors are colors that lift “lighten” and Deposit “darken” at the same time. Permanent Hair Colors contain both ammonia and peroxide. Permanent Hair colors can lighten up to four shades or levels. Some Permanent Colors “such as Wella, Kolestone” can lighten almost up to 6 levels. It all depends on the porosity and condition of the hair. It works by opening up the hair cuticle and depositing the color pigment deep into the hair. Even though they are called Permanent Colors, they still fade due to hair washing, conditioning, sun, light, heat, humidity and styling. The color usually stays true up to four weeks, before fading starts to show. However, Dark and Blonde tones do NOT tend to fade as fast as Reds and Coppers When can a Permanent Hair Color be used on my hair? Permanent Hair Color can be used on virgin hair and chemically treated hair. Even though it can be used on previously colored hair, it does NOT lighten it. Only Lighteners such as bleach can lift Permanent Hair Color. It can only lighten virgin hair. However it can darken previously colored hair. Hair that has Henna in it can NOT be colored or lightened. What is a Semi Permanent Hair Color? Semi Permanent Hair Colors are colors that can ONLY darken or change the tone of the hair. There are many different types of Semi Permanent hair colors, some are made from chemicals and others are made from natural ingredients “such as vegetable dyes”. Semi Permanent Hair Colors do NOT contain ammonia and most of them have less than 2% peroxide in their developers “mixing lotion”. Some will have no peroxide at all. It works by depositing the color on top of the hair shaft, therefore not lasting for more than three to six weeks. When can I use a Semi Permanent Hair Color? Semi Permanent Hair Color can be used on all types of hair. However, it does NOT lighten hair. Semi Permanent Hair Color can darken hair to any color that is lighter than the existing hair color. It can change the tone of the color. In a lot of cases, Semi Permanent color is used as a toner. What is a Demi Permanent Hair Color? Demi Permanent Hair Color is a color that falls between a Permanent Color and a Semi Permanent Color. It contains no ammonia but has peroxide in it. Even though it has peroxide, it does NOT lighten the hair; it only darkens and changes the tone. It is more aggressive than a Semi Permanent Color, in that it penetrates the hair shaft therefore allowing for more deposit. The longevity of this color is just as good as a Permanent Hair Color. When can I use a Demi Permanent Hair Color? Demi Permanent Colors can be used on all types of hair. However, it does NOT lighten hair. Demi Permanent Hair Color can darken hair to any color that is lighter than the existing hair color. It can also drastically change the tone of the color. It usually gives a brighter effect than the Semi Permanent Color and it lasts about as long as Permanent Colors. What is a Toner? A toner is a Type of Semi Permanent Color that is used to darken or change the tone of Hi-lights. Just like a Semi Permanent Color, Toners do not lighten hair and do not contain ammonia or peroxide. When can I use a Toner? A Toner is used when Hi-lights are too light and need to be darkened a little. It also changes the tone of the Hi-lights and adds shine to the hair. What is Cellophane? Cellophanes are Clear or slightly pigmented rinses. They are usually made of natural ingredients. Some times they are referred to as rinses. They are from the Semi Permanent Color family. It usually lasts one to three weeks. When can I use Cellophane? Cellophane is used when one is trying to give their hair shine, or brighten up their hair color and/or hi-lights. It is not recommended for use in replacement of Semi, Demi or Permanent Color. What are Hi-lights & Low-lights? Hi-lights & Low-lights are used in many ways to accent the hair with different colors, change 10 % - 75% of the hair color, or to camouflage grey hair. The sky is the limit with what you can do with hi and low-lights. You can hi-light hair with one, two or as many as four different colors at the same time (also known as dimensional hair coloring). They can also be used in combination with an all over hair color. The difference between hi and low-lights, is the color. If you are going lighter than your base hair color, it’s referred to as hi-lights and if you’re going darker it’s considered low-lights. There are many different ways to hi/low-light hair; the most common method is foiling technique. That’s where desired sections of hair to be hi/low-lighted are weaved out and placed in an aluminum foil with the color applied directly on it, then folded and closed up until the color is processed (usually 20 to 40 min). Other common methods are the cap hi-light and painting also known as baliage. What is a Hair Relaxer / Straightener / Re-texturizer? Hair Relaxer is a chemical that is used to permanently straighten hair. There are many different types of Relaxers made of a few different types of chemicals on the market today. There is a Sodium Hydroxide “lye” Relaxer/Straightener, a Guanidine Hydroxide “no-lye”, and an Ammonium Thioglycolate “Thio” Relaxer / Straightener / Retexturizer. Those different chemicals should never, ever be mixed together. Once you have one of them in your hair, you should never get a different type of relaxer in the hair. If you do, it will melt your hair! Chemical Relaxers / Straighteners are very dangerous chemicals therefore they should only be preformed by a licensed professional. Re-texturizers are often used to correct hair cowlicks and growth patterns. Relaxers and Straighteners are used to loosen curls and straighten waves. When can I use a Chemical Relaxer / Straightener / Retexturizer? These types of Chemicals can be use on anyone with curly or wavy hair. If you are trying to get rid of your Curl or Wave and you don’t have Hi-lights in your hair, than you are a good candidate. A professional consultation should be preformed first in order to determine which Chemical best suites your type of hair. Retexturizers are often used to correct hair cowlicks and growth patterns. What is a Japanese “Thermal” Relaxer and is it for me? Japanese Relaxers, aka Thermal Re-conditioners, are a Thio based chemical. They are used on wavy to curly hair. It is used with a thermal flat Iron, to get the hair as straight as possible. This is a time consuming procedure. It usually takes four to six hours to complete this service. However this service is not recommended for excessively curly and/or Afro hair. What is a Perm / Body Wave? Perms are Ammonium Thioglycolate or Acid based chemicals, which are used to give the hair a permanent curl or wave. The type of curl or wave given, is determined by the rod or roller used, not the perm (chemical) it self. The smaller the rod the tighter and smaller the curl will be. Perms usually lose up, but don’t completely fall out, they simply grow out. A body wave is a perm that is given using big rollers; therefore getting a big lose wave designed to give body, not curl. Body waves are not permanent and they tend to not last more than six to eight weeks. What are Hair Extensions? Extensions are used to give the hair length, fullness, highlights, or most importantly, to make the person look and feel sexy. There are two different types of extensions: temporary and some semi-permanent. The most popular semi permanent type of Extensions, are applied using a process known as bonding. Bonds are made up of the highest quality of glue or bonding material. The type of bonds we use at Dolce Vita Salon, come from Keratin, which is a tough, fibrous, insoluble protein that makes up skin, hair, and nails. There are also a variety of hairs in a multitude of colors and textures that can be used; the best being a 100% real human hair from Europe or Asi What are temporary extensions? These are the clip on types that are only applied for a special occasion, birthday, or a night out in town and can be easily removed. They can be used over and over again, but they don’t tend to look as real as the semi-permanent type. How are Extensions applied? Hair extensions are applied by taking horizontal sections starting at the nape area, keeping the sections one inch to 1.5 inches apart. Your extension artist will then work on subsections that include the application of bonding glue (keratin) with 15 to 20 strands of hair at a time. The horizontal and subsections will then be smoothened out to form a small clear tube that holds the pieces of hair together. Next, 12 to 20 subsections of bonding will be applied into a full horizontal row as the process is repeated until the desired look is achieved. Am I a good candidate for hair extensions? If you want more length and or thickness to your hair, you probably are a good candidate for hair extensions; however that determination can only be made after a professional consultation is received. What can hair extensions do for my hair? Hair extensions can make your hair appear longer and/or thicker, in just a matter of hours. They give you the look you see many celebrities with on the red carpet without the long wait for naturally growing your hair out. Are they painful or uncomfortable? Not at all, if done properly. If you feel any discomfort, your extension artist is not putting them on properly and you should stop. Will the extensions look natural and will the color and texture match my own hair? Yes we are able to match the hair extensions to your own hair, and place them in such a way which will make them look very natural. Invest in 100% real human hair and schedule a consultation prior to ordering them. Can they damage my hair? No, on the contrary, extensions will help protect your hair from splitting and allow your hair to grow healthier. Can I treat my hair the same as always? Do be gentle on the roots where the bonds are. Certain brushes, shampoos, and colors seem to preserve the integrity of your extensions better than others. Brush them more frequently with a soft brush; gently tie them before going to bed. Dry your extensions before going to bed and immediately after exposure to water. Besides that, you can treat your hair normally. Can I get them highlighted? Sure. Many people prefer highlighting their extensions instead of coloring and highlighting their own hair. Highlights on extensions stand out more and extension artists can have fun creating different shades from blonde and red to pink, blue and purple. How long can I wear them before getting them redone? It is recommended that you not leave them in for more than three to four months. If left in longer they will begin to break your natural hair. How soon can I get them redone once I take them out? We recommend that you give your self a break for two to four weeks before getting new ones. Can I get hair extensions as hi-lights? Sure, we have many clients that like to get some hi-lights done with extensions instead of coloring and hi-lighting their own hair. We can create many different colors with them ranging from blonde to red to pink to purple. How much do hair extensions cost? The price usually ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 (including the hair and application). Pricing depends on what the client wants to achieve. Factors include current length and thickness vs. desired length, thickness and the number of colors to be matched. A rule of thumb: For thickness only, the cost is around $1,500 and for full length, the cost ranges. What is dimensional coloring? Dimensional coloring uses different tones of light and dark next to each other to create the illusion of more or less hair depending on the desired result.