About Clairol Professional
Clairol was founded in 1931 and built its reputation on the first easy-to-use creme hair colour for the home and salon. The professional division - Clairol Professional - sits today inside the Wella Company portfolio and supplies stylists worldwide with toning, colour and developer systems. Two of its most recognised products are Shimmer Lights and Pure White Creme Developer.
Shimmer Lights - the original purple shampoo
Released in 1985, Shimmer Lights pioneered the category of violet-pigmented toning shampoos. The purple base on the colour wheel sits opposite yellow, so the pigment deposits on the hair shaft and visually cancels the warm tones that build up on blonde, highlighted, silver, grey and white hair from sun, hard water, mineral build-up and natural oxidation.
EBS stocks two Shimmer Lights duos:
- Shimmer Lights 16oz Duo - 16oz shampoo + 16oz conditioner. Best for personal use or one-chair salons.
- Shimmer Lights 30.5oz Duo - 30.5oz shampoo + 30.5oz conditioner. Back-bar size for busy salons.
Pure White Creme Developer - 10, 20, 30, 40 Volume
Pure White is a slightly thicker, opaque-finish creme developer engineered for bowl-and-brush work. It is laboratory-stabilised for predictable lift and timing across mixes and ships fresh for three years. Use the matching volume to the result you need:
VolumeLiftBest for10 Volume (3%)No real lift - deposit onlyToners, demi-permanent colour, refreshing ends, glossing20 Volume (6%)1-2 levelsStandard permanent colour, grey coverage, gentle highlights30 Volume (9%)2-3 levelsLift on medium hair, pigmented results, low-porosity hair40 Volume (12%)3-4+ levelsMaximum lift on dark hair, high-lift colour, off-scalp lightening on coarse hair
How to use Shimmer Lights
- Wet hair thoroughly. Apply a quarter-sized amount of Shimmer Lights shampoo.
- Lather and leave on for 2 to 5 minutes - longer for stronger tone correction. Start at 2 minutes and adjust.
- Rinse, then follow with Shimmer Lights conditioner for 1 to 3 minutes. Rinse cool.
- Use once or twice per week between colour services. Daily use will darken or muddy lifted tones.
- Wear gloves if you do not want temporary pigment on your nails or skin.
How to mix Pure White Developer
- Always follow the colour or lightener manufacturer's mixing ratio. With most Clairol Professional permanent colours this is 1:1 (colour : developer). With lighteners this is typically 1:2 (lightener : developer).
- Use a non-metallic bowl and brush, or an applicator bottle.
- Mix to a smooth, lump-free consistency before applying.
- Conduct a strand test before the full service. Do a patch test 48 hours before colouring if it is a new client.
- Process for the time the colour or lightener manufacturer specifies. Do not extend processing beyond the recommended time.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Clairol Professional in Canada?
Eastern Beauty Supply is an authorized Canadian retailer. We ship Clairol Professional Shimmer Lights and Pure White Developer across Canada.
Is Clairol Shimmer Lights the same as a purple toning shampoo?
Yes. Shimmer Lights is a violet-pigmented toning shampoo and was the original product of its kind, on shelves since 1985. The pigment cancels yellow and brassy tones on blonde, highlighted, silver, grey and white hair.
How often should I use Shimmer Lights?
One to two times per week between colour services. Daily use can over-tone lifted hair and leave a violet or grey cast. If hair starts to look dull or shadowy, scale back to once a week.
Will Shimmer Lights work on brown or dark blonde hair?
It will tone warmth on lifted highlights and balayage in dark blonde to medium brown ranges. It is not a colour-changing product and will not lift, lighten or visibly tone naturally dark hair.
What is the difference between Shimmer Lights and a blue shampoo?
Purple cancels yellow - that is Shimmer Lights, used on blonde, silver and highlighted hair. Blue cancels orange - that is a blue shampoo, used on brunette and dark blonde hair to neutralise warm copper tones from lifting. Choose by the unwanted tone you see, not by hair colour alone.
What developer volume should I use?
10 Volume for deposit-only work, toners and demi-permanent colour. 20 Volume for standard permanent colour and grey coverage. 30 Volume for 2 to 3 levels of lift. 40 Volume for maximum lift on coarse, resistant or very dark hair, used off-scalp where possible. Always follow the colour or lightener manufacturer's instructions for the specific service.
Can I mix Clairol Pure White Developer with other brands of hair colour?
Clairol Professional formulates Pure White to work with the Clairol Professional permanent colour and lightener systems. Mixing across manufacturers can change lift, timing and shade outcome. For a guaranteed result, mix Pure White with Clairol Professional colour and stay within one manufacturer per service.
Is Clairol Professional cruelty free?
Clairol Professional and Wella Company state they do not test their finished products on animals. Some markets still legally require animal testing on certain ingredients. Clairol is not currently Leaping Bunny certified - if certification matters to you, contact us and we can recommend a Leaping Bunny equivalent for the same job.
Do you carry Beautiful Collection, Soy4Plex, LiquiColor, BW2, Jazzing or Kaleidocolors?
Not at this time. Our current Clairol Professional assortment is the Shimmer Lights toning duos and Pure White Creme Developer. If you would like us to bring back Beautiful Collection semi-permanent, the LiquiColor / Soy4Plex permanent line, BW2 powder lightener, Jazzing semi-permanent or Kaleidocolors painting powders, contact us and we will track demand with the distributor.
Where is Clairol Professional manufactured?
Clairol Professional is part of the Wella Company portfolio. Wella Company manufactures across facilities in the United States and Europe. Country-of-origin for any specific batch is printed on the bottle.
