Milbon Dye

MILBON (Milbon Co., Ltd.) is Japan's largest professional-grade hair care and color brand by salon distribution. It does not sell through standard consumer retail in Japan - its products are distributed through licensed salons and professional supply channels. The brand's color lines, including Oldive and the associated dye formats, are formulated to the tolerances of professional colorists who require predictable lift, tone consistency, and oxidizer compatibility across multiple developer strengths.

Buying MILBON hair dye through authorised international channels like skinsli.com provides access to the same salon formulas without requiring a salon account. The products are intended for professional or highly experienced home colorists who understand how to assess current hair colour, select a target level, and choose the correct oxidizer ratio for the lift they want.

The Oldive Botte is MILBON's flagship salon color range within the Oldive Oujia system. Botte refers to the bottle or tube format of the color cream rather than a specific shade family. The shade codes follow a level-and-tone system: the letter-and-number prefix (b4, b6, b7, b8) indicates the target brightness level, where higher numbers correspond to lighter results. The suffix (NB, CB) indicates the tone family.

NB (Natural Brown) gives a warm neutral result with brown base tones that complement both cooler and warmer complexions. CB (Cool Brown) leans toward an ashier brown with less warm undertone, suited for buyers who want to neutralise brassiness or yellow in previously lightened hair. The b4-NB is the deepest available shade in the range (dark brown equivalent); b8-NB and b8-CB produce medium-light results.

Several MILBON dyes in this collection are sold as single-use kits with the oxidizer already included in the package. The Failkaki designation refers to MILBON's mixing system for oxidizer-included kits, where the oxidizer is packaged separately within the same unit for in-pack mixing before application. This eliminates the need for a separate developer purchase and provides a pre-measured ratio of color to oxidizer.

Shades available with included oxidizer include Gray Pearl (a soft neutral grey for over-grey coverage or a grey fashion result), Amethyst (a purple-toned fashion colour), and Silver (a cool silver-grey). The 80g size per shade tube is sufficient for root touch-up on short to medium hair or for a one-pass colour on very short hair. Full-head coverage on longer hair requires multiple tubes.

The dye-without-oxidizer format (Oldive Bote 80g, no oxidizer included) is the professional's option for buyers who supply their own developer at a specific volume strength. Professional colorists use developer volumes of 10, 20, or 30 depending on the amount of lift required and the current state of the hair. A 10-volume developer deposits colour with no lift, 20-volume lifts one to two levels alongside deposit, and 30-volume lifts two to four levels.

Buyers choosing the no-oxidizer format need to source a compatible MILBON developer or a professional developer of similar formulation to pair with the MILBON color cream. Using a mismatched developer can affect the final tone and the longevity of the result.

MILBON's b-series levels map broadly as: b4 is a deep brown (approximately level 4 on the international 1-10 scale), b6 is a medium brown (level 6), b7 a medium-light brown (level 7), and b8 a light brown (level 8). If your starting hair colour is darker than your target, the oxidizer volume determines whether you can lift to your target in one application or whether pre-lightening is needed.

A general guide: for one level of lift from your starting colour, use 20-volume developer. For two or more levels, 30-volume can achieve this in healthy virgin hair, but bleached or damaged hair requires a gentler 10-volume to avoid breakage. On grey hair, any level deposits without lift because grey hair has no pigment to lift; the result will be the target level's shade.

MILBON's NB and CB shade series are formulated to cover grey hair. The Gray Pearl oxidizer-included kit is MILBON's designated grey-blending option, designed to produce a grey-toned result on natural hair or a blended effect on partially grey hair. For full grey coverage to a brown target, the Oldive Botte b4-NB through b7-NB provide natural-looking coverage that avoids the too-dark or too-flat result of many home colour formulas.

For grey hair, a 20-volume oxidizer is typically used even without a lift requirement, because grey hair's coarser, more resistant cuticle needs 20-volume to open sufficiently for deep pigment deposit. Using 10-volume on resistant grey produces a semi-permanent effect that fades more quickly.

Section dry or slightly damp hair into four quadrants. Apply the mixed colour to roots first, working section by section, then extend to the mid-shaft and ends in the last five minutes before rinsing to avoid over-darkening the already-processed portions. Processing time for Oldive Botte is typically 30 to 35 minutes at room temperature; longer times increase the risk of cuticle damage without significantly improving deposit.

Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear, then apply a colour-safe conditioner to the ends before final rinse. Avoid shampoo in the first 24 to 48 hours after colouring to allow the cuticle to fully close and the pigment to set. MILBON recommends its Ordeve or Jemile Fran treatment range for post-colour care within the brand's system.

The 80g single tube is designed for root touch-up on short to medium-length hair (approximately ear-level or shorter). For a single-application full-head coverage on medium hair (shoulder-length), two tubes are typically needed. For long or thick hair, three tubes ensures enough color to saturate all sections without running short mid-application.

Buying more than you need on first purchase is safer than running short, because stopping a colour application mid-head and rinsing leaves a visible demarcation line. Unused mixed colour cannot be stored; unused unmixed dye tubes can be stored sealed for up to the manufacturer's expiry date.