The Gordon family has spent several years helping guests successfully pull-off their desired color changes. Though, it’s often harder and more time consuming than it looks. Despite what you see on Instagram from celebrities, hair pages, and influencers, taking your hair from jet black to platinum blonde is not something that should ever be done in one day. Walk into any salon as a deep brunette and ask for Kim K’s trendy cool-toned white locks, and you may find the stylist looking at you as if you are growing things out of your head.
The hesitant reaction from your hairdresser is because lightening hair requires the use of oxidizing agents that put your hair in a very vulnerable state. Lightener penetrates into your cuticle, stripping your hair of it’s natural melanin or pigment that creates your hair color. Applying too much of these agents at one time can cause irreversible damage to the hair cuticle, such as dryness, breakage/ over-processing and split ends. The pH of your hair needs time to become stable before you go in to highlight or lift the hair. However, this does not mean the dramatic color change you are desperately wanting is impossible, it just needs to be done over a period of time.
With patience, proper technique, and trust in your stylist, a dramatic change from dark to light can be done seamlessly without causing irreversible damage to your hair. Your experience at Gordon Salon should be the perfect example of how to jump several shades lighter while protecting the quality and integrity of your hair.
As the client, your first step in the process of going from dark to light is understanding that this journey will take multiple appointments and sessions with your stylist. You should not expect to go from black to blonde in one sitting. Hair can only be safely lifted so many levels at once due the reasons as stated previously. Multiple sessions will be required for the change you more than likely want to see. Whether you are naturally dark or removing dark hair color, spreading out your highlight appointments over a few weeks or even months is the safest way to achieve your ideal lightness.
Trusting your hair stylist is the second step to success. When client’s sit in the chair, they often have a lot of questions running through their mind. Are they able to lift your old color out? Would you end up with bright red hair? Luckily, because we often highly encourage a consultation before your initial appointment to know what you are looking for, all worries and questions should be discussed as well as the process during the consultations, you will know that working in steps is a normal part of the color correction process.
The final thing to remember when going lighter is that you are taking on the important responsibility of maintenance. As I mentioned previously, oxidizing agents are necessary to lighten hair. However, they do pull out moisture and protein, leaving hair feeling dry and vulnerable to breakage. To combat this damage, Kyle did an Olaplex Treatment on my hair during my appointment. As Kyle explained to me, “Olaplex is a repairing treatment that helps to reconnect the disulfide bonds that become broken when lightener is applied.”
Gordon Salon offers two different treatments: Olaplex and Botanical Repair treatments as an additional service that can be done in the shampoo bowl on the same day as your color, or as a separate appointment. Gordon also offers deep conditioning treatments as an add-on service to keep the integrity of your hair in the best condition. These deeply penetrating, quick treatments are a great idea for anyone who is looking to add moisture, shine, and bond-builders back into your strands.
Going from brunette to blonde without ruining your hair is totally possible. As long as you have trust in your stylist, are aware of what your hair is going through, and how to keep it healthy, there is no need to be afraid of making the change you’ve always thought about. If you are planning on making the big jump from dark to light, be sure to ask your stylist about our homecare products that can help maintain desired tone and repair damage after going lighter.