Abstract:
A frosting cap is designed to only cover the lower portion of the head leaving the upper portion of the head uncovered. This allows the shorter lower hairs to be highlighted by pulling them through perforations in the frosting cap and applying the dye. Upper hairs which tend to be longer can then be highlighted by segregating the bundles of hair, applying dye and encasing them in sheeting such as aluminum foil.

Description:
When hair is highlighted or frosted, selected strands of hair are treated with either a dye or a bleach (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as dye) to alter the selected hair&#39;s color so it is distinguished from the remaining hair. In order to do so, the dye must be applied to the selected hairs and that treated hair must be separated from the remaining hairs or else the dye will bleed into adjacent hairs creating an undesirable effect. 
     There are two methods used to separate the hairs. The first is a frosting cap which is simply a plastic cap much like a raincap which has a series of perforations spaced throughout the cap. The cap is placed over the individual&#39;s head utilizing a device similar to a knitting needle, the hair dresser pulls bundles of hairs through the perforations so that the strands of hair are separated from the remaining hair. The bleach or dye is applied to these selected hairs with the cap keeping the bleach or dye from contacting the remaining hair. This is very effective for short hair. Longer hair is difficult if not impossible to pull through the small perforation. 
     For longer hair, hair dressers use aluminum foil as a means to separate the selected bundles of hair. Basically strands of hair are separated from the remaining hair. The selected strands are placed on aluminum foil. The dye or bleach is applied to these selected strands and then the aluminum foil is folded back over the strands of hair separating them from the remaining hairs. This is repeated to achieve the desired result. The aluminum foil functions well for longer hairs but is very difficult to apply with shorter hairs. Certain hair styles leave the upper hairs longer than the lower hairs. This makes it difficult to utilize either method to frost hair. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is premised on the realization that one can frost hair more easily utilizing a frosting cap which covers only the sides and back of the head. Such a frosting cap if properly fastened acts to separate hairs to be dyed from hairs which should not be dyed and can be utilized very easily by the hair dresser. The upper portion of the head can then be highlighted utilizing standard methods such as aluminum foil or the like. 
     In a preferred embodiment the frosting cap of the present invention incorporates a lower unperforated sheet which can be folded up over the frosting cap after the dye is applied to separate any upper hairs from the dye applied to the hairs pulled through the frosting cap. Utilizing this method significantly simplifies highlighting of hair and thereby reduces the amount of time required to highlight an individual&#39;s hair. 
     The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in light of the following detailed description and drawings in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention as used on an individual; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention with the lower flap raised; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of the present invention in use; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic depiction of the utilization of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a further diagrammatic depiction of the utilization of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a frosting cap  12  which includes a first side panel  14 , a second side panel  16  and a back panel  18  which extends from side panel  14  to side panel  16 . The cap further includes an upper edge  20  and lower edge  22 . Two straps  24  extend from corners  26  at the lower edge  22  of the cap. Only one side shown. These straps are designed to be tied together beneath the chin  28  of an individual. 
     The frosting cap of the present invention also includes an upper fastening system which includes a first upper strap  32  extended from upper corner  34  and a second upper strap (not shown) extended from the opposite upper corner. These straps  32  include hook and pile (velcro™) fasteners. Alternatively, the upper fastening system could simply be tie strings or pressure sensitive adhesive coated straps or simply adhesive tape designed to adhere to the forehead of the individual. 
     Extended downwardly from the lower edge  22  is a lower sheet  44  which should have a length equal to the distance from the upper edge  20  to the lower edge  22 . 
     Preferably the frosting cap of the present invention is formed from plastic sheetings such as polyethylene and includes a plurality of perforations  40  which can be spaced anywhere from a quarter inch to an inch apart with about a half inch being preferred. Again, the spacing of the holes is a matter of choice. The size of the holes is further a matter of choice and generally will be in the neighborhood of about ⅛ of an inch. The panels  14 ,  16  and  18  themselves preferably include two layers, the outer layer being perforated and a coextensive inner layer (not shown) which is not perforated. This inner layer is punctured as hair is pulled through the perforation  40 . It acts to prevent dye from leaking through any holes which are not filled with hair. 
     The frosting cap  12  of the present invention is used by tying it about the head of an individual. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, hair clips  46  are used to pull the upper hair  48  away from the lower portion  50  of the head. The frosting cap  12  is then applied beneath this pulled up hair  48 . The lower straps  24  are tied together beneath the chin and straps  32  are fastened together using the hook and pile portion about the forehead  52  of an individual. Sheet  44  hangs down covering the neck  54  of the individual. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, bundles of hair  56  are then pulled the individual holes. This is done by simply passing a needle similar to a knitting needle through the perforations and poking a hole through the inner sheet. The bundle of hair  56  is then collected by the barb of the needle and pulled back through the hole where it extends out as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     A dye or bleach is then applied to the hairs  56  that are extended through these holes. Sheet  44  is folded back over the hairs  56  as shown by arrow  58 . A piece of adhesive tape (not shown) or a clip can be applied to hold this in position. 
     As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, sheets  62  of aluminum foil are then used to apply dye or bleach to selected strands of the upper portion of the head  48 . This is done by segregating bundles of hair  64  and placing these over sheets  62  of aluminum foil as shown in FIG.  4 . The hair which is not selected lies under the foil. Dye is then applied to the selected hairs  64  resting on the aluminum foil. The aluminum foil is then folded back on itself as shown by arrow  66  of FIG.  5 . This is continued until selected strands of hair from the entire upper portion of the head are highlighted. 
     After the dye has had a sufficient period of time to alter the color of the selected strands of hair, the aluminum foil and frosting cap are removed and the hair is washed to remove the remaining dye or bleach. 
     Thus the present invention allows the hair dresser to quickly highlight hair. The frosting cap facilitates highlighting shorter hairs along the sides of the lower portion of the head whereas the upper portion of the head is quickly highlighted using aluminum foil or other plastic sheeting to segregate the highlighted hairs. Further, the lower flap portion of the frosting cap when folded up traps in heat which accelerates the dying process. The frosting cap itself is relatively inexpensive and disposable further facilitating clean-up. 
     This has been a description of the present invention along with the preferred method of practicing the present invention.