There are many things that people don't tell you about going blonde. The inevitable dumb blonde jokes are obvious, as are the dreaded brown roots (for those of us with naturally darker hair). But no one really tells you how much harder it is to keep blonde hair fresh. More frequent touch-ups, more expensive products, and more products in general! Not to mention the damage from bleaching....

I'm not trying to scare you away from going blonde! I absolutely love my blonde hair and I would not trade it for anything. It is worth all of the money and time I put into it. But here are a few things I've learned when making the transition from deep chocolate, to bright and golden, and then all the way to platinum! 

A Good Colorist Will Both Bleach and Tone Your Hair

Be sure to ask your colorist what the process is before they start dyeing. If they only bleach your hair and nothing else, THAT IS WRONG! A good colorist will bleach your hair to get it to the lightness they need, and then they will put on a toner to give you more of a flattering, natural color. And the type of toner will depend on what shade of blonde you want! My Colorist uses Violet and Pearl toner for my ashier-pale blonde!

Also Read: Preparing to go Platinum

Warm or Cool?

This is an essential question when choosing a shade of blonde. Will a cooler, white-based blonde or a warmer golden-blonde look better? As a general rule, warm skin tones should stick to cooler blonde shades to keep from looking too brassy and cool skin tones tend to look better with warmer shades of blonde. But that doesn't mean you can't pull off a different shade! Search pinterest before your appointment for some inspiration, and ask your colorist which shade they think is best.

Heat Protection and Deep Conditioner Are a MUST

If you go to a professional salon (which I highly recommend!) more than likely they will be using top of the line products that will nourish and protect your hair as much as possible (ask your colorist about their products and research them) But no matter what, the bleach will put a strain on your locks, so be sure to pick up a good deep conditioner (I love this one) and use a good heat protectant every time you're styling! (I use this one).

Purple Shampoo Is Your New Best Friend

Yes, it's an odd color, it doesn't smell as nice as regular shampoo, and you might be afraid it will turn your hair purple (it wont, I promise), but purple shampoo is essential to keeping that color you came out of the salon with, and reducing brassiness for as long as possible. I wash my hair about three times a week and I use purple shampoo for 2 out of 3 washes. My personal favorite is Beauty Protector's Blonde Toning Shampoo, which is a Birchbox-only brand, but it works like magic! Check out Best Products For Bottle Blondes for more bottle blonde products!

Bring a Picture! (or 5!)

You may have a gorgeous Ash-blonde shade in your head, but how do you communicate that to the colorist? I promise, it's absolutely impossible to accurately describe a hair color, so to be on the safe side, bring a picture of EXACTLY what you want. And even better, bring a picture of a similar shade that you DO NOT want, so that they can get the perfect shade for you!

Going blonde can be a bit of an adjustment, but in the end, if you love the color then it's all worth it! I love my golden locks! Check out Best Products for Bottle Blondes for my complete list of products! 

Thinking about going blonde? Already blonde and need to keep your tone intact between appointments? Tell me about your ideas/experiences in the comments or ask me a question about mine!

xoxo,

Audra