FAQ
What is the difference between the bottle I usually use and The Hummingbird®?
The commonly used hair color bottle is a two-part bottle that squirts color using gravity. This requires shaking color down towards the nozzle, much as we do with a ketchup bottle. Color comes out in uneven and uncontrolled spurts.
In order for the common bottle to work, the head and body must be positioned underneath the bottle which has to stay upside-down. This position limits visibility which is important when applying dye.
The Hummingbird® was designed by a hairdresser and is all about precision, results and experience. Composed of precisely engineered parts, most importantly, a double-valved system that allows color to be applied in an upright position so you can see what you're doing, while providing ultimate control of the flow of color. The beak takes precise partings and spreads the color.
Precisely applied hair color means healthier hair, superior results and a less messy, premium experience.
The Hummingbird® is a patented 3 in 1 tool that can be used again and again!
Which brand hair colors can I use in The Hummingbird®?
The Hummingbird® works and plays well with virtually every professional or home formulation that you would normally use in a bottle. This includes most professional and home glosses, liquid toners, liquid semi-permanent hair colors, light lotions, light gel formulations, and virtually all box colors.
The Hummingbird® does not work well with colors specifically formulated for bowl and brush applications, direct dye masks that are very thick, or gels that become too thick. If you can pick up a wad of color in your hand, it will not work in The Hummingbird®.
See our full list of approved brand hair colors here.
What makes The Hummingbird® a 3-in-1 Tool?
Unlike the typical bottle applicator, The Hummingbird® can be used to Part, Apply and Spread.
It's "beak" takes long clean partings, which means excellent color coverage and fewer missed spots.
The double valve system gives ultimate color control so you can apply evenly along the parts, or all over.
No more messy spreading hair dye with your hands or fingers! Use the long side of The Hummingbird®'s beak to gently push the color into the areas you want to color.
Plus, The Hummingbird® works upright, so you can see and control all the action!
How do I clean The Hummingbird®?
Little known fact! Hummingbird®'s do not like dishwashers, as the high heat damages the material.
It's super easy to take the components apart, using the yellow spoolie provided, to clean narrow areas like the beak and valve. Then, simply air dry overnight before reassembling. Your Hummingbird® is then ready to use again and again.
Pro Tip: for hard to remove color, add a tsp of salt and warm water to your bottle, and shake vigorously with your mixing cap to break it up!
Watch this video and fast forward to step #8 to see how easy and fun she is to clean!
My dog chewed up my Hummingbird. Are there replacement parts?®
Contact Us with the heading Replacement Parts and we will try and fix Fido’s damage. Parts are priced separately and shipping is added, but certainly less than buying a whole new bird!
Umm, unless Fido chewed up the entire bird.
Why is it called The Hummingbird®?
Kathryn, a professional hairdresser, and inventor of The Hummingbird®, did not set out to make a bird shaped hair color applicator.
Over the many years creating prototypes, and over countless iterations, the function always drove the design. The body and head shape, the beak, the "eyes" all have an important purpose.
Magically, she somehow transformed into a bird. It was Kathryn's son, that thought she most resembled a Hummingbird with her long beak, and thus The Hummingbird was born!
We provide the bird, it's your imagination and creativity that gives her the wings to fly.
Why the price?
The Hummingbird® is made up of 9 custom components and two accessories, all engineered to fit perfectly together so the upright action works. It costs a lot to manufacture, but we wanted it to be just right so our Hummingbird® friends have the best hair color experience ever!
Troubleshooting The Hummingbird®
Color not coming out, sputtering, or extremely hard to squeeze.
One of two reasons:
1) The Hummingbird® is not assembled correctly. It’s ideal to assemble the Hummingbird® a time or two before using it with color in order to create the necessary seal. Watch our “Care and feeding of your Hummingbird®” in our video section linked below or look at the booklet provided in your package. When assembled properly, The Hummingbird® makes a nice strong squeak, which means you’ve got it, so your color should flow well. Most importantly, the valve needs to be seated properly in the applicator FIRST, and next the colored part of the tube is inserted all the way into the valve. Screw the Hummingbird® head on firmly until feels snug. Try your squeak again.
2) If you know you’ve assembled properly, consider your hair color. Is it too thick? Bowl and brush color formulations do not work well in The Hummingbird®. It likes formulations that are meant for a bottle; light lotions, light gels and liquid glosses.
Watch the "Care & Feeding" Video for more tips.