I have been very much enjoying my new role with East Coast Salon Services and one of the things I enjoy the most is all of the diversity of products that ECSS allows me to work with on my salon guests. It allows me to play in ways I never have in my past. Usually, when a new product made an impact in our industry, I would be part of a group trying out the products to see if the company I was with could create a similar result. I also had been utilized to launch hair color lines around the world including Asia, Africa, Europe, and, of course, North America. So, when ECSS Sales Manager, Linda Fellows, asked me if I wanted to try a new hair color that can cover gray in 10 mins, I said sure… but really was not looking to be impressed.

Our team at ECSS sent me a Megix 10 Swatch Book and said what would you like to try? I looked through the swatch book and knew I had the perfect model - my wife, Leah. Leah and I have been together for 30 years and during that time she has been a willing test subject and a very good sport. On various occasions, I have broken off all of her hair and colored her root area (zone 1) purple with Lilac highlights. Both were accidentally, because I was trying to see if I could do something (that one broke of all her hair) or to test a color someone sent me, applying it scalp to ends on virgin hair (that one ended in bright purple roots). Luckily, Leah is still with me and still lets me test colors on her and this time it was Megix 10.

In my past experiences I have learned that the best way to test something is to, first, follow manufactures’ directions - read the directions and follow them exactly - no matter what you usually do. Second, mix and time accurately. This means if you mix by eye, you can’t for the test. I use a scale, I ALWAYS mix with a scale, even when I am mixing color I will be applying with a bottle. It keeps my formulation very accurate and with very consistent results for the guests. It also means I can adjust the size of the amounts mixed and keep the exact same proportions because the old standard of 2oz of color and 2oz of developer is not enough for some and too much for others. That’s it! Follow the directions; mix and time accurately, apply as needed for the results desired (retouch, virgin, foil, painted). For Leah this was going to be a virgin application, off the scalp through the ends, then immediately brought to the scalp and timed for 10 minutes after the application.

To make this a challenge, the formula we chose was 4.71 with 21 volume, and my wife's natural level is level 4 medium brown with about 25% grey. The color was mixed in equal parts with the 21 volume developer and applied with a bowl and brush. So why was 4.71 a challenge? Because there is enough warmth in the shade selected that there could easily be hot roots if the color did not perform properly. Plus the tone was unique, a .71, which is a warm/cool tone combination, something that can be difficult to have consistent from scalp to ends with a virgin application. Bust despite that challenge, low and behold - it was perfect in 10 minutes! Even from scalp to ends and covered her gray!!!

So what else is cool about Megix 10? Aside from a comprehensive color pallet that can be used in its entirety or cherry picked. Megix 10 is also mixed in 4 different ways to offer even more flexibility and a broad range of usage.

Mixing Color: Developer

1:1.5 with 12vol for 10 mins. gets you tone on tone results

1:1 with 21 volume for 10 mins is for Level 1-6 Gray Coverage

1:1 with 32 volume for 10 mins is for Level 7-10 Gray Coverage

1:2 with 40 volume for 20 mins is for Extra Lightening

So Why Do You Need Megix 10?

• •Express color options for your menu
• •Lunchtime color for your guests
• •MEN! Order just the Ash and Naturals with 12 and 21 volume - that is about all you need for most men’s color
• •Excellent for cutters that are looking to expend into offering hair color for their guests
• •For ANYONE working without an assistant that can’t have more than one guest at a time! Now less waiting for a color to process.

Who’s it not for? Your guest with the worst resistant gray. For everyone else, Megix 10 gives salon professionals a new way to create scheduling and creative success - like a time machine for color!

I’m excited to have Megix 10 as part of my color palette to create beautiful results for my salon guests. Ask your East Coast representative how Megix 10 can help you grow your color business.