The Complete Handbook of Hair Color Removers

I bought this mainly for the glazing and troubleshooting chapters, and they are helpful. The section on banding in Chapter 1 explains why my last two corrections went wrong, so that was worth the price. What I didn't like is that it's a bit dry and technical for a quick reference, and I wish it had more on the newer 'soap cap' methods. I liked it, but I can't say I loved it.

Finally, a book that treats me like a professional. The author's explanation about the difference between reducing and oxidizing agents is the clearest I've ever read, and it instantly made me understand why some products worked on my clients and others didn't. The business chapter alone (the bit about supplier MOQs) saved me from thinking I could go private label overnight. This is a must-have for any serious stylist; it goes on my salon shelf right next to my color wheel.

I'm a barber who does the occasional color correction, and this book was a godsend. It's not fluffy; it's direct chemistry and process, which is exactly what I needed. The troubleshooting chart for 'unexpected darkening' helped me out of a bind last week, for real. It's the first handbook I've seen that makes me feel like I'm in control of the chemicals and not the other way around.

The information is solid and the chapter on the actual chemistry is interesting, but I found the book a little too focused on salon-style processes. As a home user, I don't have access to some of the professional tools and products mentioned, and I think the book could have done a better job offering alternatives. It’s a good reference, but I'm not sure it's the 'complete handbook' it claims to be.

I gave it three stars because I expected more on the very newest, gentle formulations. The book is great on classic reducing agents but feels a little behind on some of the newer antioxidant-based systems I see coming into the industry. That said, the sections on why hair breaks down are crucial, and the 'don't shampoo before' warning in Chapter 4 is simple advice I'd never heard before. It's a good grounding, but I wanted more of the 'next thing'.

Excellent reference. I've been doing hair for 15 years and I still learned a lot from the clear breakdown of how a plain developer/reducer works compared to a dye-stripping product. The section on banding in Chapter 1 is a great, subtle reminder of the cause of those weird lines I see all the time. The only complaint I have is that the binding is a bit stiff; it doesn't want to stay open next to my station. But the content itself is solid, practical, and smart.

This book does a good job of mixing the 'why' with the 'how', which was refreshing. The detail on the molecular breakdown was a bit heavy for my hobbyist brain in some parts, though. I found the 'Selection Matrix' in Chapter 3 to be the most practical part, as it helped me identify a good product for my specific stubborn red pigment without wasting money on the wrong thing. It's a good read, but I think you need to be a true nerd for the science to fully appreciate it.

I was initially worried this would be a fluffy buying guide, but it's a serious technical manual. I especially appreciated the coverage of residual alkanolamine claims and how to neutralize them, as that's a problem I inherited when I bought my salon. The business chapter is also a nice addition, giving me actual numbers on markup and shelf space planning. Four stars only because, well, a four-hundred-page book on color removers isn't exactly a page-turner, but it's a wicked good tool.