The Reality of Going from Brown to Blonde Hair
Yes, we know that summer is coming up and that usually means a lot of women want to lighten up their hair to match the tan, summer vibes. But before you ditch your dark locks, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. We are going to share with you the important things you need to know about the process from going brown to blonde, without severely damaging your hair.
Getting blonde hair requires bleaching, and the darker your starting shade, the more work is going to need to be done to reach your desired blonde shade. If you have super dark brunette hair and are looking to go blonde, you shouldn’t expect to get the results you’re looking for in just one visit. Its important that you understand that you most likely will need a few sessions to achieve your dream blonde shade. We also recommend bringing a few pictures to your appointment of your desired shade of blonde, that way your hair stylist can get a clear idea of what you want – your idea of cool or warm blonde could be completely different from your stylist’s idea.
Are You Ready for This?
First things first, you need to make sure you are ready to become a blondie. Let’s talk about what that actually entails.
Damage – Going lighter always means there will be some type of damage done to your hair. Any type of color at all when going blonde requires bleach. There is not other way to lighten hair with color on it. Some people like to think that color lifts color out of your hair and were here to tell you that sadly, it doesn’t. That is why as stated above, it will most likely take a few sessions to reach your desired blonde. If your hair is already severely damaged, you really need to ask yourself AND your stylist if this is in your hairs best interest at that moment to go lighter. If your hair is healthy, and the lightening process is done correctly and slowly, you can safely go lighter with your hair over time. But even then, there will most likely be some minimal damage.
Time – Going from dark to light takes several appointments, and several hours each session. To start you are going to need to be in the salon every 4-6 weeks. If you plan on going light, make sure to tell your salon beforehand so they can make sure to schedule enough time for you. If you are a new client, request a consultation first or explain to the receptionist that you have dark hair and are wanting to go blonde.
Patience – We cannot stress enough that going from brown to blonde takes patience. Be patient with your stylist when going lighter and understand that you might have to live with a color that is “in between” what you’re hoping to achieve for a few weeks. Dark hair naturally lifts warmer tones, especially if you have old box dye on it, so you are most likely not going to be ashy blonde until you’re closer to the lightest blonde shade. However, it still should be a pretty color during the process.
Money – Going blonde is no where near cheap. It is a higher maintenance lifestyle that isn’t suited for just anyone. If you’re going brunette to blonde, that requires several appointments for full highlights every 4-6 weeks, until your desired blonde is attained. Once you’ve reached your desired color, you then will need to come in for touch ups or a base break every 5-10 weeks.
Becoming a Blonde
Now that you have decided to move forward with going blonde, we’re going to tell you how to get there, safely.
Trying to go blonde on your own is not a smart idea for several reasons. It can cause breakage, and most of the time you don’t get the result you were looking for. Always, always, ALWAYS go to a professional! They know how to safely lighten your hair. It will save you time and money (color corrections aren’t cheap!)
1st Visit – Depending on your hair history and how dark your hair is, your stylist most likely will start your first appointment with a full highlight. They will artistically choose what to lighten. Since you are still going to have some of your previous hair color in between what is being highlighted, they shouldn’t leave too much contrast or take too “chunky” of sections to keep that natural look until your next appointment. If your hair is extremely dark or has years of box dye on it, your stylist might need to strip the color by first doing a color removing process, and then highlights.
2nd and 3rd Visit – Over the next few visits your stylist will strategically highlight the darker pieces of your hair each time, with each session you are leaving with lighter and lighter hair! Once your desired color is achieved, then you can go into scheduling highlight touch ups.
Keep This in Mind: Everyone’s lightening process will be different depending on the history of your hair, and texture of hair. Someone with less coloring processes, and thinner, fine hair may be able to lighten their hair more quickly than someone with years of color that has super thick resistant hair.
Keeping Up with Being Blonde
Invest in Good Products – After investing a lot of your time and money into being blonde, it is in your best interest to know how to make the most out of your new do! We recommend investing in GOOD products. This will be your foundation for keeping your blonde hair looking luscious! It is also in your best interest to get a deep conditioner to use once a week as well because no one likes straw-like hair. You have to keep your hair healthy during and after the blonding process! Feel free to ask your stylist what products they recommend.
Get a Glaze – We also recommend getting a glaze. A glaze is a sheer shade that helps achieve that perfect blonde tone and seals in an extra 4-6 weeks of shine. You can get a clear glaze to lock in color, shine and softness, or a toning glaze to help keep your blonde from getting brassy in-between touch ups.
Use Purple Shampoo – Using purple shampoo is key. Use it once a week to cut out those yellow tones and help keep your blonde shiny and flawless!
Shampoo Less – You can try to make your color last longer by shampooing less. We recommend dry shampooing when you can!
Last but not least, use caution with heat. Since blonde hair is more fragile, you want to use caution when applying heat. Always use a heat protector and make sure you’re not over doing it with the heat tools!
If we didn’t scare you away from going blonde by all the intense details above, contact us at (610) 489-2049 to make an appointment today to become a part of the blonde fam!
