Diversion & the Drugstore

When coloring hair, there is always some uncertainty about what the end result will be. Several things come into play, such as the integrity of the hair, its natural tone, the remaining pigment left in the hair when it’s lifted, if there is hair color previously on the hair, and so on. In the previous postS, What To Expect When You’re Going Blonde: Part 1 & 2, I mentioned that a big color transformation requires patience and a lot of trust in the stylist. Understanding how the process works from start to finish can make going blonde a lot less scary and stressful for you and relieve your worries.

A common challenge for clients is they feel their hair is not light enough, or they feel it is “too brassy” after a highlight appointment. As I mentioned in Part One, hair can only lighten so much in one sitting. Additionally, naturally brunette hair is more often than not warm-toned underneath. The challenge of combating warmth is a necessary step in the process of going blonde for most clients. When we lift darker, richer color, we can expect to see some warmth left behind. Toners or glosses are usually required to neutralize the warmth or change the tone of the hair due to the remaining pigment in the hair. This is how stylists are able to get an exact match to your desired color. Whether the goal is to add warmth or remove it, using a toner or gloss is how the stylist is able to cancel any unwanted undertones.

Breaking through warmth is one of the hardest parts about going from rich black to dark brown to light blonde. Even though most peoples eventual goal is to have minimal red undertones, knowing from your consultation with your stylist should tell you, lightening your hair too much in an attempt to get rid of the warmth right away would result in irreversible damage. This is where being patient comes into play. I encourage most clients to wait a minimum of two weeks in between each appointment during their transition. Each time, you should be able to go lighter. I also recommend to protect your hair from breakage by adding Olaplex or Botanical Repair into the color/lightener itself, or adding a treatment as another service. Although, the most critical step in maintaining the integrity of your hair during this process is your homecare regimen. Th