Colorado Cosmetology Written Practice Exam

Underlightened hair will appear to have more __________ than the intended color.

1. Blue

2. Green

3. Red, yellow, orange

4. Violet

The correct answer is: Blue

The correct answer is that underlightened hair will appear to have more red, yellow, or orange than the intended color. Underlighting occurs when hair is not lightened sufficiently before applying color, which can cause underlying pigments to show through. In the coloring process, darker hair contains more warm undertones, such as red, orange, and yellow. If the hair isn't lightened adequately, these warm tones remain dominant when a color is applied. This results in a final appearance that can include unwanted shades of red, yellow, or orange, which are the underlying pigments of darker hair. The other color choices do not accurately relate to the results of underlighting. For example, blue and green are cooler tones that are less likely to occur from insufficient lightening since they are not the natural undertones of the hair. Violet can sometimes be used to neutralize warm tones but is not an indication of what underlightened hair will appear as. Thus, recognizing the impact of lightening on hair color is key to understanding why the presence of red, yellow, and orange is prevalent in underlightened hair.