Hair Color - Metallic Salts

Metallic Salts

Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Talk
Forum Name: Hair Color
Forum Description: The tricks and tribulations of changing your hair color
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=62680
Printed Date: July 29 2025 at 1:42am

Topic: Metallic Salts

Posted By: karen s
Subject: Metallic Salts
Date Posted: October 10 2008 at 10:05am

How can you tell if a client has metallic salts in their hair. I did a new clients hair today, her hair was a dark brown all over colour, she wanted her roots re done with the dark brown and copper blonde hi lights.

I applied the hi lights a after 5/10 mins her hair started to steam, of course I rushed her over to the sink and washed the bleach off, but some of her hair was damaged. I knew that the only thing that causes this reaction is metallic salt, but through her consultation and checking her hair, I didn't have any indication that metallic salt were present, her hair felt fine, and no green tinge or anything, so how can you tell, if metallic salts are present?

Needless to say my client was not happy, but she had previously applied 2 boxes of drug store colours, and I reassured her none of our product contain metallic salts, as we use pro colours only.

I am pleased to say I managed to fix her hair, but I had to colour over it again with level 4 dark brown, as it was all I could do, and told her not to apply bleach to her hair until she had a good few cuts.

I have never experienced this, and never want to again, talk about stress.

So how to identify metallic salts, can anyone advise please.

Karen x

ps i know by doing a strand test, if you have suspision of metallic salts.

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karen sanderson

Replies:

Posted By: DanaCO
Date Posted: October 10 2008 at 5:32pm

Whoa, Karen! I bet you freaked. I know I would have! I am sure you know a ton more about metallic salts than I, but, I have read a lot about them recently. Does your client remember what she used?

I have read some conflicting information, but, most of what I have read has said that most OTC hair dyes do not contain metallic salts anymore. The only ones that do are progressive dyes like Just For Men. I wonder if something like Loving Care might as well? I am not sure.

At any rate, since I am doing what is tantamount to a corrective color on myself, I looked at the boxes of all the colors I have used in the past and none of them have any metallic salts listed (and I have used several brands).

What I have read as far as removal is that Metalex is the best route to go. I haven't seen anything as far as testing for them. Maybe a Metalex (or something equivalent) treatment before chemical processing might be in order when there is a question of whether metallic salts have been used?

Anyway, HTH... of course, I am not a pro- this is just what I have read.

Posted By: karen s
Date Posted: October 11 2008 at 11:14am

Thanks DanaCo,

Yeah I did freak a bit, but kept my cool and dealt with it, in a professional manner. I did manage to fix my clients hair as best I could, she was lucky it was foils and not her scalp, causing minimal damage to her hair and scalp, but it was a scary experience I can assure you. I have now put in place that any new clients who come into the salon, and have used box colours( not saying well known brands contain metallic salts, but there are a few that still do, this is including henna) clients will have to come in and have an incompatibility test first before I any colouring treatments, not only to avoid this happening again, but for clients protection too, as most don't know what metallic salts are.

I have read up more about metallic salts and they say they hair can have very vivid shades of red and violet, could possible have traces of metallic salt, but in most cases its not visible.

I will read up about Metalex, thanks again for the tip;)

Karen.

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karen sanderson