What is Gems 75 Cocoa?

Gems 75 Cocoa is a semi-permanent colour mask by Code Zero, from The Gems Collection, that deposits a deep cocoa brown. It is ready to use, without ammonia and without developer: apply, leave on for 5 to 15 minutes and rinse.

On light or lightened hair it deposits the full brown of the colour chart; on natural mid to dark hair it leaves a cocoa reflection and refreshes the brown. It is used on its own, diluted with Gems C Clear for a lighter, more transparent brown, as a pre-pigmentation before colour, and it is part of three official formulas of the collection, in the Brown and Ash / Gold families.

Specifications

The starting base decides the colour

Gems 75 Cocoa does not lighten: it adds its pigment to the colour it finds on the hair. Unlike the pastel shades of the collection, a deep brown also shows on darker bases, but with a different intensity on each. Assessing level, porosity and evenness before application is the step that decides the final colour.

How to assess the base

• Level: how light the hair is, on a scale from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde). The lighter the base, the more the brown shows as a clear change of colour; on a mid-brown base it reads as a cocoa reflection.
• Underlying tone: a warm, orange or yellow undertone makes the brown warmer; a very light, cool base gives a cooler, flatter brown.
• Evenness: roots, lengths and ends can have different levels, and each area shows a different depth of brown.
• Porosity: lightened or treated hair takes the pigment faster than natural hair: with a deep shade, porous ends can turn darker than the rest.

What to expect and how to act

How to achieve the cocoa of the colour chart

1. Assess the base: level, porosity and evenness, as described above.
2. On very dark hair, the cocoa of the chart needs a lighter base: a lightening service in the salon. On light to mid-brown hair no lightening is needed.
3. Apply Gems 75 Cocoa to washed, towel-dried hair for 5 to 15 minutes, or to clean, dry bleached strands for 15 to 20 minutes, and rinse thoroughly.
4. Finish with Stabilizer pH 3.5 as the last step.
5. Revive the reflection when it fades: on washed, towel-dried hair, 5 to 15 minutes according to the desired intensity.

On light or bleached hair the brown deposits quickly: a test on a hidden strand shows the result on the real base in advance and avoids an uneven colour between lengths and ends.

How to use Gems 75 Cocoa

On washed hair

1. Wash the hair and blot the excess water.
2. Apply the colour mask and comb through.
3. Leave on for 5 to 15 minutes according to the desired reflection intensity.
4. At the end of the processing time, rinse thoroughly.

On previously bleached strands

1. Apply the colour mask to clean, dry hair.
2. Leave on for 15 to 20 minutes.

Pre-pigmentation

1. Apply the colour mask to lengths and ends.
2. Comb through.
3. Remove the excess product.
4. Proceed with the colour application, with or without ammonia.

Wear suitable gloves before application.

Mixes with Gems 75 Cocoa

Gems 75 Cocoa is used on its own for the cocoa of the chart, or diluted with Gems C Clear for a lighter, more transparent brown. It is also part of three official formulas of the Gems Colors Chart: two browns, with Gems C Clear and Gems 02 Lavender or with Gems 62 Fuchsia in equal parts, and, in a small amount with Gems 3 Very Light Golden Blonde, a gold blonde:

All 31 official formulas of the collection, with the percentage of each shade, are collected in the Gems Colors Chart.

For professionals

• Service: cocoa brown toning, a brown reflection between colour services, pre-pigmentation before colour with or without ammonia, part of the official Brown and Ash / Gold formulas.
• Processing time: 5-15 minutes on washed, towel-dried hair; 15-20 minutes on bleached strands, applied to dry hair.
• Formats: 200 ml.
• At the station: Gems C Clear to dilute the shade and the Gems Colors Chart to show the client shades and formulas on real hair.
• After the service: Stabilizer pH 3.5, the acidic leave-in spray for the last step.

Gems 75 Cocoa compared

• vs Gems 7 Moka: the mocha brown of the collection. Gems 75 Cocoa suits a cocoa brown; 7 Moka suits a mocha brown.
• vs Gems 81 Black: the black of the collection. Gems 75 Cocoa suits a deep brown; 81 Black suits a black.

FAQ

Does Gems 75 Cocoa need a developer?

No: it is a ready-to-use colour mask, without ammonia and without developer.

Does it show on brown or dark hair?

On mid-brown hair it shows as a cocoa reflection; on very dark or black hair it is barely visible.

Why can the ends turn darker than the lengths?

Lightened or porous ends take the pigment faster. Starting from the minimum processing time and applying to the ends last keeps the colour even.

Is it applied to damp or dry hair?

To washed, towel-dried hair for normal use; to clean, dry hair for bleached strands.

Which Gems shades does it mix with?

In the official formulas it combines with Gems C Clear, Gems 02 Lavender and Gems 62 Fuchsia (Brown) and Gems 3 Very Light Golden Blonde (Ash / Gold).

Can it be used before a permanent colour?

Yes, as a pre-pigmentation: apply to lengths and ends, comb through, remove the excess and proceed with the colour, with or without ammonia.