We are in love with Nicki’s pink hair done by New Talent Kelley Rose using Goldwell’s Elumen. Do you hear us? In. LOVE. 
But her color isn’t the only thing giving us allll the heart eyes. The dye is too. Have you heard of Elumen? It’s honestly sort of a game changer in the world of coloring hair. Like, for real. A hair color that is actually—gasp!—GOOD for your hair? We live. And we need to know more. What exactly is it? Who would it be good for? Any cons?
Luckily, we had Nicki trapped in a salon chair while her hair processed, offering the perfect opportunity to pick her brain on the topic.

What is Elumen?
Elumen is a highly active, acidic color that has a small molecular size, meaning it has a LOT of pigment, like pure color pigment. It works with your natural hair color, creating a result that is personalized for each individual.

How is it different than standard color?
The primary difference between Elumen and standard hair dye is that Elumen is non-oxidative, meaning it doesn’t physically open up the cuticle of your hair. Because the molecules are so small, it sneaks right into the strands of your hair without having to go through the chemical lift or softening the cuticle. Standard hair color, on the other hand, is oxidative and needs to lift the cuticle to actually get in and color your hair—no matter what, there is going to be some damage. This is also why color from standard dye fades faster. Color from Elumen sticks around. Fun fact: Our hair is positively charged. Elumen is negatively charged, making it like a magnet for hair, which is another reason it has so much longevity to it.
So Elumen is basically a long-lasting option for changing your hair color without damaging it. Plus, it has high reflect (aka it’s highly reflective), so your hair stays shiny.

What are the pros of Elumen?
-It’s non-oxidative, so it’s healthy for your hair and also a potential alternative for those with allergies to oxidative color
-Being low-damage makes it especially great for folks with silver or grey hair, whether they’re looking to do fun colors or all-over coverage
-Because it is so customizable, it can be created to match your natural hair color exactly
-High reflect means dull hair becomes shiny
-It can give you a permanent fashion color (think those bright rainbow and fantasy pastel colors that have been dominating your feed)

What are the cons?
-It’s extremely permanent
-Color bleed—It has residue, and though it’s not permanent on fabric, depending on how much your hair holds onto it, you could see it bleeding out in the shower or showing up on your towels for a while after your service. A solution for this is having Elumen Lock applied during your service, which basically squeezes out any leftover residue so will eliminate the bulk of the color bleeding that could occur
-Wig effect—the color WILL stain your scalp and flake off over the course of the next few days, which can look a little strange. KEVIN.MURPHY’s SCALP.SPA SCRUB can help speed this process up
-It does NOT like saltwater, so cap up before diving into the ocean. It’s fine with chlorine, though you should still cap up for general hair health before diving into the pool, too!

Who would be a good candidate for Elumen?
I’d recommend Elumen to folks who are feeling dull or looking for grey coverage; blondes looking for more shine; someone interested in slow-fading color or who isn’t looking to change their hair color often; and folks with delicate hair who are still interested in color services.

What should folks interested in Elumen know?
Before using Elumen for grey coverage, I think it’s important for people to know it has high reflection and shine, and because of that, it’s going to look brighter, but it’s also going to be healthier; you could say it brings hair back to youth. Also, because it has such an individualized expression, I always recommend a patch test so you have a sense of how a particular color will show up in your hair specifically.
Folks interested in using Elumen for fashion colors, should know we are serious when we say it is VERY permanent. Elumen fashion colors are so notorious for being tough to get out it’s often said the only way to actually do it is to cut it out. SO if you are someone who likes to vary your color a lot, this product is not for you. This is not true of the natural Elumen colors.

We’re officially obsessed. (And stocking up on swim caps for summer.) Talk to your stylist about Elumen. IMMEDIATELY.