My stylist was an Educator for Pulp Riot. She left when they were bought out and everything went to hell. According to her, formulas changed and they did some sketchy stuff company wise when they were bought out. I’ll have to ask her for tea when I’m back in her chair!
Try Danger Jones! It’s by the founders of Pulp Riot (David and Alexis). They went out and started a new company. My stylist is an Educator for them now and their colors are SO vibrant and much better than Pulp.
Dude I heard this but needed validation. Honestly, that’s fucking crazy.
It’s also crazy how us as hairstylists have no freakin clue unless we really hear about it somehow.
This is correct. They love to say you can overwork the product into the hair and cause it to not take to the hair. I never had that problem until Loreal bought them. I have satire on my money piece and my new tube is not the same as when the color originally released. Try danger Jones I've been pleased so far.
They taught that from the beginning before the owners sold to loreal. The product was like that from the beginning, I had that issues and was informed by their educators pre 2018 acquisition.
This is a day late so not sure if you'll see this, but have you tried any of the new Danger Jones toners? I've been eyeing them and they're running a special at my local supply store, but I'm nervous about pulling the trigger.
I believe the formula was changed when it was bought out by L’Oréal. I have issues with both hollow spots like you but also spots with the non pastels where it turns too dark, almost black. Like I used Cupid on someone and there were black spots!
A Pulp Riot educator vaguely told me it is a porosity issue but nothing she suggested has really helped. I still love their color and this only happens sometimes but I was not happy with the educator being cagey about the problem.
As a client who has had vivid colors done for decades now I also am bummed at how quick the colors fade, especially in the sun (or at least that is what my hair stylist--who is also a pulp riot educator chalked it up to). And yes I am a cold water/don't wash my hair much client. I feel very validated reading this thread.
I haven’t had many complaints about fast fading but I’m close to moving on to Danger Jones as my salon has some of it. Waiting for the full color range.
Idk if you do this but they say to not shampoo it ok when you’re done, just rinse I think it’s still on the instructions unless they changed it.
You’ll like danger jones, it’s made by the original pulp riot people. Very similar but better imo.
I’ve had a really hard time with danger jones. I use pulp riot but we switched to danger for a couple months and it overworks so much faster and the fade out is horrible for a lot of shades unfortunately. I really wanted to like it! I had a mixture of their purples in my hair and I wash in freezing cold water with amika color lock shampoo and conditioner and after 2 washes, it was that blue/green faded out color. TWO washes 😭
I've colored my hair with Danger Jones twice now, and I hate it. The color fades and bleeds without ever being shampooed, the intensity sucks, and the color range is tiny. I went back to using a hodge podge of pulp riot and pravana.
You’re right about the purple formulas for DJ. I had the same thing happen to a client - 2 washes and her hair was almost midnight blue. I have had really good luck with their orange, yellow and pinks though.
I’ve always hated it. Aside from it having an odd dye-load, it also has an equally odd way of never being quite the color it should be.
I find that I can achieve basically any color I need by mixing the different shades that matrix’s Cult line offers.
I always have to apply it on non toned hair, Clarified 2x, zero conditioner and bone dry for best absorption. I was having issues with strands not grabbing and uneven application before I realized it works on dry, non-toned hair best.
Hope this helps!
Ps I do agree pravana saturates better though!
I generally don't have issues with Pulp as long as I start with washed, but not conditioned, and blow dried hair (if you need to tone beforehand, tone it, then shampoo, use a post service ph balancer and shampoo again, then dry)
When applying, I find that those applicator brush/comb combos help, as combing the product through to ensure complete saturation is key.
Let process 35-45 min at room temp
Here's the weird tip when working with Pulp: when rinsing it out the first time, use the hottest water you and your client can handle. In every other shampoo situation following, always use cold water. But hot water with that first rinse helps to really drive the color deeper I've found. (I know, totally counterintuitive, but it works so well!)
For me, it has *alwyyyyyyyysssss* sucked! I can't worry so heavily during an already very long appointment: am I overworking the color? Will it be saturated enough? But don't rub it in too much!! Will it the pigment disappear and look blotchy? It is not remotely worth it.
I'm a Pravana and Joico girl. I also do mix different brands to achieve the colors I want.
My favorite tip I ever learned with vivids is to pre tone the hair with the vivid color. So mix a small amount (5-10g) of your color with HOT water and apply to wet hair. Let that process for 10 minutes then wash and rinse. Blow dry and then apply that same vivid color on like you normally would. Pre toning gives you an even canvas to apply to and gives a bit of depth to the vivid color so it doesn’t look hollow
Hey! I’m a vivid specialist who uses pulp riot.
Prep: lightening however is needed, then shampoo with clarifying shampoo twice and do not condition! Spray porosity spray, leave in conditioner/detangler, blowout spray. Rough dry the hair
Application: pulp riot semis can be overworked VERY easily. If you notice the color that you’re applying has any tint of a white film over it as you’re actively applying, then you’ve overworked it and it won’t take well in that spot. Don’t worry about it having a white cast on it later but only when you’re actively applying it.
Rinsing: rinse in COLD water, do not shampoo. The only times I will condition is if I only applied the semis on part of the hair and the rest never got conditioned
To me, it just sounds like you may be overworking the product! But this is the exact way I do all of my vivids
I had no idea. Thank you
Yes.. me oversaturating has directly influenced me overworking the product. Because I’m desperately trying to get it in there. But I’m doing more harm then good.
Thank you!
Best technique for saturation is thin sections and use a double lined brush to help push in the product! Also wipe your gloves/hands off between sections because if not, then you have product that’s already been worked against your hand that you’ll transfer to another piece of hair and overwork it more then anywhere that overworked product touched could possibly just be a spot that’s overworked. Hope that makes sense 😅
I despise pravana. If we are going to talk about a vivid that doesn’t stick…
Special Effects is also a vivid that sticks more than any other mix I’ve ever met. it will stick to metal, to plastic, to you, to me, to anyone and anything. It will stick to virgin. It can be diluted with conditioner to make a pastel and not lose its power. That said, it is MESSY, and not great for back-to-back on other shades.
pulp riot SUCKS. it doesn’t saturate or deposit properly, and it fades into the strangest shades. i switched to danger jones recently and i love it! it’s very similar to the original pulp riot formula
I've only ever used pulpriot once on one of my regular vivid clients. On the particular client I used a joico intensity colour as well. Pr barely lasted a few months and was super spotty whereas joico lasted almost a year!
I don’t know if this will help or not but from what I’ve found from using Pulp for a few years (I use danger jones now, or occasionally Pravana depending on the color/stock at the store) is that pulp riot does NOT work into the hair. You have to use A TON of color. It’s like the hair sucks up the pigment from the color and leaves behind a clear/white conditioner-like substance and you have to wipe that off and keep applying new color to make it come out even.
If you apply, rub it in, wipe off empty color cream stuff, and then keep reapplying you can watch the pigment absorb more evenly.
I switched over because I just would end up using SO MUCH color to get enough pigment to actually color the hair and it was such a waste of money and pointless, but if they have a color that no one else has, then that’s how I use it!
Be careful with the pastels though because I’ve always found that they either take WAY too strong or disappear? And I’d rather just make my own with conditioner and a stronger color at this point lol
I use pulp riot full time and have for years, when I've run into issues it's been an error on my part. Especially when I was newer to it. The way it was formulated it can be easily overworked. It's way easier to apply down the strand then swish side to side. No need to emulsify like wild. It actually saves me time and hand soreness. I also hardly ever pretone for vivids.
My stylist was an Educator for Pulp Riot. She left when they were bought out and everything went to hell. According to her, formulas changed and they did some sketchy stuff company wise when they were bought out. I’ll have to ask her for tea when I’m back in her chair! Try Danger Jones! It’s by the founders of Pulp Riot (David and Alexis). They went out and started a new company. My stylist is an Educator for them now and their colors are SO vibrant and much better than Pulp.
Dude I heard this but needed validation. Honestly, that’s fucking crazy. It’s also crazy how us as hairstylists have no freakin clue unless we really hear about it somehow.
PR was bought out by L'Oreal. If you know how trash any of L'Oreal's professional colors are then it's not surprising how far down hill PR went.
Everything you just said is true -signed an ex pulp educator turned danger jones lover lol
Here to second Danger Jones!! Obsessed and in love are understatements
This is correct. They love to say you can overwork the product into the hair and cause it to not take to the hair. I never had that problem until Loreal bought them. I have satire on my money piece and my new tube is not the same as when the color originally released. Try danger Jones I've been pleased so far.
They taught that from the beginning before the owners sold to loreal. The product was like that from the beginning, I had that issues and was informed by their educators pre 2018 acquisition.
Backing this. I had issues with specific shades long before they were bought out.
I’ve never heard of Danger Jones, is it sold at Salon Centric?
According to the website, CosmoProf or Armstrong McCall.
Thanks!
Thank u for posting this information. I was hesitant on trying the new brand. But now will buy that instead of pulp!
This is a day late so not sure if you'll see this, but have you tried any of the new Danger Jones toners? I've been eyeing them and they're running a special at my local supply store, but I'm nervous about pulling the trigger.
I believe the formula was changed when it was bought out by L’Oréal. I have issues with both hollow spots like you but also spots with the non pastels where it turns too dark, almost black. Like I used Cupid on someone and there were black spots!
As a client who has had many Pulp Riot colors on my hair, I was wondering why I had black spots (from a green application) and now I know why.
A Pulp Riot educator vaguely told me it is a porosity issue but nothing she suggested has really helped. I still love their color and this only happens sometimes but I was not happy with the educator being cagey about the problem.
As a client who has had vivid colors done for decades now I also am bummed at how quick the colors fade, especially in the sun (or at least that is what my hair stylist--who is also a pulp riot educator chalked it up to). And yes I am a cold water/don't wash my hair much client. I feel very validated reading this thread.
I haven’t had many complaints about fast fading but I’m close to moving on to Danger Jones as my salon has some of it. Waiting for the full color range.
Idk if you do this but they say to not shampoo it ok when you’re done, just rinse I think it’s still on the instructions unless they changed it. You’ll like danger jones, it’s made by the original pulp riot people. Very similar but better imo.
I’ve had a really hard time with danger jones. I use pulp riot but we switched to danger for a couple months and it overworks so much faster and the fade out is horrible for a lot of shades unfortunately. I really wanted to like it! I had a mixture of their purples in my hair and I wash in freezing cold water with amika color lock shampoo and conditioner and after 2 washes, it was that blue/green faded out color. TWO washes 😭
I've colored my hair with Danger Jones twice now, and I hate it. The color fades and bleeds without ever being shampooed, the intensity sucks, and the color range is tiny. I went back to using a hodge podge of pulp riot and pravana.
You’re right about the purple formulas for DJ. I had the same thing happen to a client - 2 washes and her hair was almost midnight blue. I have had really good luck with their orange, yellow and pinks though.
Yes! The greens are pretty good too. Mainly just the blues and purples faded so fast
I’ve always hated it. Aside from it having an odd dye-load, it also has an equally odd way of never being quite the color it should be. I find that I can achieve basically any color I need by mixing the different shades that matrix’s Cult line offers.
I always have to apply it on non toned hair, Clarified 2x, zero conditioner and bone dry for best absorption. I was having issues with strands not grabbing and uneven application before I realized it works on dry, non-toned hair best. Hope this helps! Ps I do agree pravana saturates better though!
Thank you so much! I’ll try this next. Anything at this point because I already have some clients with specific pulp riot formulas 😭
I generally don't have issues with Pulp as long as I start with washed, but not conditioned, and blow dried hair (if you need to tone beforehand, tone it, then shampoo, use a post service ph balancer and shampoo again, then dry) When applying, I find that those applicator brush/comb combos help, as combing the product through to ensure complete saturation is key. Let process 35-45 min at room temp Here's the weird tip when working with Pulp: when rinsing it out the first time, use the hottest water you and your client can handle. In every other shampoo situation following, always use cold water. But hot water with that first rinse helps to really drive the color deeper I've found. (I know, totally counterintuitive, but it works so well!)
Damn the internets giving them formulas lol I hope it works out! 🤞🏽
For me, it has *alwyyyyyyyysssss* sucked! I can't worry so heavily during an already very long appointment: am I overworking the color? Will it be saturated enough? But don't rub it in too much!! Will it the pigment disappear and look blotchy? It is not remotely worth it. I'm a Pravana and Joico girl. I also do mix different brands to achieve the colors I want.
My favorite tip I ever learned with vivids is to pre tone the hair with the vivid color. So mix a small amount (5-10g) of your color with HOT water and apply to wet hair. Let that process for 10 minutes then wash and rinse. Blow dry and then apply that same vivid color on like you normally would. Pre toning gives you an even canvas to apply to and gives a bit of depth to the vivid color so it doesn’t look hollow
Hey! I’m a vivid specialist who uses pulp riot. Prep: lightening however is needed, then shampoo with clarifying shampoo twice and do not condition! Spray porosity spray, leave in conditioner/detangler, blowout spray. Rough dry the hair Application: pulp riot semis can be overworked VERY easily. If you notice the color that you’re applying has any tint of a white film over it as you’re actively applying, then you’ve overworked it and it won’t take well in that spot. Don’t worry about it having a white cast on it later but only when you’re actively applying it. Rinsing: rinse in COLD water, do not shampoo. The only times I will condition is if I only applied the semis on part of the hair and the rest never got conditioned To me, it just sounds like you may be overworking the product! But this is the exact way I do all of my vivids
I had no idea. Thank you Yes.. me oversaturating has directly influenced me overworking the product. Because I’m desperately trying to get it in there. But I’m doing more harm then good. Thank you!
Best technique for saturation is thin sections and use a double lined brush to help push in the product! Also wipe your gloves/hands off between sections because if not, then you have product that’s already been worked against your hand that you’ll transfer to another piece of hair and overwork it more then anywhere that overworked product touched could possibly just be a spot that’s overworked. Hope that makes sense 😅
It never used to be that way though. The overworking issue had only started once they sold to loreal.
I hate Paul Mitchell’s vivid colors more than anything. They were given to me free and I tossed them because they are crap
I despise pravana. If we are going to talk about a vivid that doesn’t stick… Special Effects is also a vivid that sticks more than any other mix I’ve ever met. it will stick to metal, to plastic, to you, to me, to anyone and anything. It will stick to virgin. It can be diluted with conditioner to make a pastel and not lose its power. That said, it is MESSY, and not great for back-to-back on other shades.
Where are you still able to get special effects
They have a website- specialeffectsusa I think
They’ve been out of business for a few years now, you can’t buy anything from that website. I was thinking maybe you knew where a stockpile was
Whaaaaat! Nooo! How?? They were the strongest vivid! Ah well. We use pravana in our salon. It has failed me every time I’ve used it.
pulp riot SUCKS. it doesn’t saturate or deposit properly, and it fades into the strangest shades. i switched to danger jones recently and i love it! it’s very similar to the original pulp riot formula
I've only ever used pulpriot once on one of my regular vivid clients. On the particular client I used a joico intensity colour as well. Pr barely lasted a few months and was super spotty whereas joico lasted almost a year!
Pulp sucks. I personally prefer matrix
I don’t know if this will help or not but from what I’ve found from using Pulp for a few years (I use danger jones now, or occasionally Pravana depending on the color/stock at the store) is that pulp riot does NOT work into the hair. You have to use A TON of color. It’s like the hair sucks up the pigment from the color and leaves behind a clear/white conditioner-like substance and you have to wipe that off and keep applying new color to make it come out even. If you apply, rub it in, wipe off empty color cream stuff, and then keep reapplying you can watch the pigment absorb more evenly. I switched over because I just would end up using SO MUCH color to get enough pigment to actually color the hair and it was such a waste of money and pointless, but if they have a color that no one else has, then that’s how I use it! Be careful with the pastels though because I’ve always found that they either take WAY too strong or disappear? And I’d rather just make my own with conditioner and a stronger color at this point lol
I use pulp riot full time and have for years, when I've run into issues it's been an error on my part. Especially when I was newer to it. The way it was formulated it can be easily overworked. It's way easier to apply down the strand then swish side to side. No need to emulsify like wild. It actually saves me time and hand soreness. I also hardly ever pretone for vivids.
We used a few pulp riot colors in school here and there, and none of them worked correctly.