Do blondes have more fun?

Clairol posed this question back in the late 1950’s during a campaign for their home colour kits. Many lifestyle surveys and research have been carried out on the lives of blondes verses redheads and brunettes to get an answer which to this day remains inconclusive!

Now, being a redhead, I don’t claim to know much about the fun a blonde might have outside of the salon. However, I can tell you about the journey a blonde may have inside the salon.

There is no question that blonde is the highest maintenance of all salon created colours. To reach those ice cream locks, the Scandinavian blondes or “Mother of Dragons” white takes time, dedication, patience from both the client and the colourist. The darker your natural hair, the more patience, dedication and money you will need to keep your hair healthy with a great looking colour that will last.

The process of lightening hair takes natural hair colour through the warm colour spectrum of red, orange, yellow, pale yellow to white. Bleach is a corrosive product consisting of a combination of fast and slow acting salts. Different combinations of these salts are used depending on what the bleach is needed to do, whether scalp bleaching, lifting artificial colour or gently lightening untreated hair. In most cases the colourist will want to get a lift of pale yellow similar to banana flesh (not the skin!). From this colour toners can be used to neutralise or soften any yellow tones further or add tones such as pastels or neon colours

It needs to be pointed out that toners are only semi permanent. They will start fading with the first wash. We do advise our blonde clients to have a toner and blowdry midway between their next appointment to top up the colour and keep it fresh. This also gives your stylist the opportunity to check the condition of your hair and advise you accordingly. We stock a range of products you could use at home to refresh your colour. Please ask your stylist.

How long a toner will last on your hair is determined by a number of factors. The first being the condition of your hair. We recommend having Olaplex with all our bleach services. Olaplex mends the bonds in the hair broken by bleach during processing. Olaplex no 1 will be added to the bleach in the bowl followed by an Olaplex no.2 treatment on your hair at the backwash to mend further broken bonds. This will give your colour the best chance of survival. Next would be the shampoo and conditioner you use. Professional products from the salon will always treat your hair better than anything you might buy from the supermarket. Be wary of online imitations too. Your stylist will prescribe the perfect products for you. Third would be how often you wash your hair, the more you wash the less time you will have with your colour.

Be assured we have all the right products, skills, patience and dedication to get your hair to the colour you desire. In some cases it may take you and your stylist on a journey together as it won’t be possible in one appointment. In others; the whole transformation can be done in a few hours. Book a consultation and we will guide you through the steps to your perfect blonde.

Catherine x