Mallory Cook Pulp Riot Hair Color Specialist in Madison, WI
Pulp Riot sure has done what they came to do on the hair scene, they’ve caused a huge, positive, disruption to our industry. They’ve taken what artists in the hair industry are doing and trying to create, and given them the best means to achieve these results and made it possible to push the envelope to a new extreme.
Pulp Riot was first introduced in 2016 with a new collection of 16 semi-permanent fashion colors, which more and more clients have been asking for, but I know for me I was reluctant knowing the tools for these results people were looking for were limited, and inconsistent. The launch of these 16 shades people were seeking out was the first game changer, and they had a whole lot of information and images available for artists to find to feel inspiration, confidence and support. Co-founders David and Alexis Thurston, owners of Butterfly Loft, along with fellow stylists, created Pulp Riot to connect stylist, to help form a community to achieve that level of support. “Pulp Riot is not just a product company. Our company is linking the beauty industry. We’re providing more opportunities to stylists and making them feel like they’re part of something,” says David Thurston.
They followed up by launching an 80-shade, permanent hair color line, called Faction8 on September 1, 2018.
FACTION8, WHY IT’S BETTER THAN THE REST:
It’s been decades since any other top color companies have come to the scene. Pulp Riot has been created on what we are doing RIGHT NOW in salons as far as any trends and techniques go. We now use complicated techniques of blending, color melting, balayage, foilage, painting, etc, we need new products and tools that help us apply these new techniques to meet our guests beautiful expectations. Pulp Riot has beat any other color lines to the punch of being created for these new types of applications. The consistency, which is creamier, is so much easier for stylists to apply and blend softly into the hair, making these new looks all achievable, empowering stylists to feel truly like an artist.
Pulp Riot was created in hair salons, by stylists, for stylist. It makes sense to have someone in the same profession, especially working in a city that is on top of the latest and greatest trends, creating the products in which we are using today.
Not only did they hit the nail on the head with consistency, they really considered the ingredients going inside their product. Those ingredients we want, and those we do not. They contain quinoa, a gluten free seed with the power to deliver protein and moisture to hair. These are the top ingredients hair is made of, these are broken down and lost during any bleaching/coloring processes, and just every day from styling, being outside in the sun and wind, etc. Therefore, Pulp Riot color line not only has the power to achieve modern day color trends, but it also keeps hair to its healthiest potential, full of protein and moisture.
They’ve also considered one HUGE fact of life for many stylists, space for total stock of a color line. Not only does the Faction8 line have 80 shades, simple, but can achieve so much, but it can also be altered from a permanent line, to demi-permanent line with the adjustment of developer mixing ratio! Hallelujah!!! We can officially use that space where we’d have to keep two FULL color lines from the same company, to make sure we are well stocked in the full array of colors we’re using daily, being able to have confidence that we can achieve any color a client comes in asking for on any particular day.
WHAT FACTION8 MEANS:
David Thurston: “A faction is a smaller group of people who are dissenting against the larger group of people,” and this is what Pulp Riot has been striving for from their start in the industry. I love jumping on board with a company that started as a small group who wanted to find new and innovative ways of going about things, to achieve better results. The “8” on its side becomes an infinity sign, the idea came up when they were considering a permanent color line, I take this as a sign they are here to stay. Fun fact about Faction8 packaging, the art work was all done and designed by a tattoo artist, Chris Paez who owns a shop called De La Rosa Tattoo, resulting in tying things permanently together, making the line very much so about the art of our industry.
WHY 80 SHADES?
The 80 shades beautifully covers the needs necessary to formulate any type of color, from blondes, to rich black, from vibrant reds, goldens, ashy, to every single possibility in between. The 80 colors available cover the right amount necessary for a starting point, and leave plenty of room to grow. Again the benefit to being created by stylists, they could think hard about what was really necessary, and have made it so realistic for any artist to have all of the tools necessary to create an unlimited amount of shades and colors.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL TECHNIQUES CREATED WITH FACTION8?
Because of the consistency and blendability of Faction8, there is a whole slew of techniques that can be applied and any artist can feel confident in their end results being smooth and flawless. Shadow rooting, color melting, balayage, ombre, lowlights are all made easily possible by Faction8. It covers gray perfectly, and for those clients who come in as frequent as every 2 weeks with a tiny outgrowth, it is possible to tap it on to that tiniest bit of out growth and not worry about overlapping previous color. Thus solving the problem of color banding we see happen in our gray clients all to frequently.
I also haven’t had reds ever come out so fully saturated, they turn out vibrant and so bold. The depth of ashy colors is unmatched too, I really enjoy that the Faction8 natural colors are cool based, so many clients always have to specify they pull warm and extra ash is usually needed, compromising the consistency of gray coverage. With Faction8 I see those nice neutral results and full, solid gray coverage, leaving the hair shinier and more beautiful than I have seen in previous color lines.
HOT TIP:
Because permanent color is oxidative, and semi-permanent are not, be sure to use Faction8 permanent colors and Pulp Riot semi permanent colors in two seperate processes while using them together in a service. If they touch there will be some unpredictable friction! Use your permanent color along with any lightening first, shampoo out, and then apply the semi-permanent color over top for the best results every time!
HOW PULP RIOT IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CREATE A COMMUNITY:
Pulp Riot has done an amazing job focusing on getting out education digitally. They started out from the get go publishing information on their line, from facts to tutorials, there’s so many answers a stylist could need to switch confidently to their full product line.
They also have a private Facebook group that any stylist can sign up for, and an impressive Instagram that immediately connects to you multiple stylists offering up free info and suggestions daily! With countless pictures, videos, formulas, hot tips, a stylist will never run out of inspiration following these guys on social media. They do everything in-house, so response time is unexpectedly quick, creating that supportive community feel I’ve mentioned a few times.
NEW TO PULP RIOT:
This whole year, Pulp Riot has a full schedule of products launching, which so far has proved to be extremely exciting, and necessary. I’m a firm believer in a full system of hair care products & stylers. If I’m using Pulp Riot hair color on my guests and loving it, and they’re loving it, you can bet any shampoo, conditioner, any stylers, etc are going to go along beautifully with that, helping me help my clients achieve their best hair every single day.
Try out the best hair styling products in the industry from Pulp Riot, Pureology, Redken and More
I’d love to show you which products work best for you and your lifestyle. Schedule a haircut, color, product or bridal consultation with me today by contacting me by any of the methods below. I look forward to helping you find “The Right Style For Your Lifestyle!”
Mallory Cook | Hair Stylist | Pulp Riot & Redken Color Specialist | Madison, WI #mmcstyle