Within an hour, the Goldwell Elumen High Performance Semi-permanent haircolor in "black" had destroyed the top gloss coating of my tint bowl. Gray coverage on the hair worked well though. My client's hair look great and has remained healthy through two or three Elumen applications!
At another color session, the tint brush suffered damage to its glossy coat using the same Goldwell Elumen high performance semi-permanent haircolor. The haircolor was sitting for hours before I rinsed the color off the brush to discover this discoloration. That is why I did not leave the haircolor in the tint bowl past an hour the next usage, but I still got discoloration. I will have to avoid using transparent glossy tint bowls and brushes in the future with any of the Elumen haircolors.
This haircolor does not require any mixing with an activator type lotion. It is used immediately from the bottle. It has been providing excellent gray coverage in-between relaxer services. I will not advise it on the same day as the relaxer because of its high performance action.
I see a Lactic Acid and sodium hydroxide in the ingredients list. So I believe the cuticle is slightly swollen to make this semi-permanent haircolor high performance. It also leaves a slight line of demarcation.
According to other online reviews, Elumen holds almost permanently to damaged hair. People like Elumen red color(s) because they do not bleed out nor fade. Damaged hair is considered any hair that has been chemically altered or mechanically roughed up.
Overall, the Elumen haircolor should be used with caution. I would use a protective barrier around the hairline to avoid a hard line. This protective barrier may not be an uncommon practice, but with Elumen darker colors, forgetting the protective barrier may be a battle that you do not want to fight at the end of the hair service. Also, gloves are essential. The Elumen haircolor seems to stain the hands instantly.
