Navigating the world of hair color can be both exciting and daunting. For those with brown hair contemplating a blonde transformation, the journey involves understanding various factors, from selecting the right shade to maintaining hair health. This comprehensive guide provides insights and advice for achieving the perfect blonde, specifically tailored for individuals with brown hair.
The allure of blonde hair is undeniable. As style director and DJ India-Jewel Jackson admits, “Marilyn Monroe’s hair gave me life for as long as I can remember.” This sentiment captures the transformative power of blonde hair, inspiring many to experiment with lighter shades. Celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble notes that “women today are wanting to do something different and bold,” drawing inspiration from celebrities like Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, and Ciara who confidently sport various hair colors.
Embarking on a blonde journey requires acknowledging the potential challenges. Rita Hazan, a celebrity colorist, emphasizes that predicting the final result can be tricky. "Lightening hair has so many parts to it-it depends what you had on before, what the environment is, what chemicals [you use], what your water is like, etc." She advises consulting with a colorist and providing reference photos to ensure a shared vision. Beyoncé, with her consistently beautiful color, serves as an excellent reference point.
Not all blonde shades are created equal, and selecting the right hue is crucial for complementing your skin tone. Kimble recommends considering undertones and eye color. "For example, hazel eyes look good with ashy blonde, golden eyes look great with golden-blonde tones, warmer skin tones go with warmer hair color, and cooler shades with cooler tones." Tia Williams, a Bumble and bumble copy director, expresses her lifelong fascination with "black-girl blondes," citing Etta James, Mary Wells, and Tina Turner as inspirations.
Patience is key when transitioning to blonde. Amoy Pitters, founder of Amoy Couture Hair, advises, "Going blonde is not easy. It should be done in steps so that your hair is not compromised." Opting for highlights initially and gradually building towards the desired blonde shade over several weeks is a prudent approach. Megan O’Neill, a former platinum-blonde, shares her experience of achieving the perfect shade over three years through a "piecemeal" process. She also recommends Olaplex treatments to rebuild broken disulfide bonds, emphasizing, "It’s no gimmick-it’s science!"
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Individuals with relaxed or natural hair can also achieve stunning blonde looks. Kimble stresses the importance of finding a professional who understands hair porosity. Aixa Weekes, a retail sales and marketing expert at Nickelodeon, acknowledges the potential for shedding and breakage due to combining blonde hair with chemical relaxers but manages it by keeping her hair short. For those with natural curls, be prepared for potential changes in curl pattern, as color can sometimes loosen the curl. Williams recommends using hydrating products like Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil to nourish and de-frizz curls while enhancing highlights.
Maintaining blonde hair requires a dedicated at-home care routine. Hazan’s top rule is to use shampoo specifically formulated for color-treated hair. Kimble emphasizes the importance of conditioning, recommending steam treatments at home with a towel to enhance moisture penetration, followed by a light moisturizer like Kimble’s Beauty Shea Butter. It's also crucial to resist the temptation of DIY color correction, as Jackson warns, "It’s so easy to accidentally tint your hair green if you get too much chlorine in it, or lavender if you leave your color-correcting conditioner on too long."
After a stint with platinum hair, one writer decided to return to her natural brown. The experience taught her valuable lessons about hair chemistry and personal preferences. The decision to go back to brunette was driven by the desire to restore hair health and embrace a more natural look.
Whether your blonde is natural or artificial, moisturizing your hair is crucial before dyeing it darker. Genna Still, a master colorist, advises using a protein-rich, hydrating conditioner to prepare the hair for absorbing color molecules. Equalizing solutions, like Aveda’s BB Damage Remedy, can also reinforce hair porosity. The good news is that going brown generally doesn't pose further risk to hair health.
Choosing the perfect brunette shade involves considering maintenance requirements and natural tones. Still suggests that if you want the least maintenance possible, it’s best to play on the natural tones you already have in your hair. Hair texture also affects how the color holds. Curly hair tends to be drier, causing the color to oxidize faster, while straight or thicker hair absorbs and holds more color.
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Transforming from blonde to brown requires a significant time commitment. Adding pigment back into the hair is an hours-long process. If starting from platinum blonde, the stylist will need to fill the hair with missing color molecules before adding the brunette color. The cost can start at $200 for the initial color and increase with additional glosses and toners. Consulting with your colorist beforehand can help avoid surprises.
Glosses are essential for achieving the best possible color. Still explains that glosses can range from sheer to opaque. A gloss adds darkness, while another adds overall shine, leveling out the line between natural roots and newly dyed ends.
Maintaining the color transformation requires specific hair-care products. A sulfate-free, color-conserving shampoo is essential. Still recommends products with low pH to keep hair cuticles safely shut. Color-boosting hair masks can also help maintain a fresh-from-the-salon look.
The most significant makeup adjustment is swapping blonde eyebrow products for darker shades to match the new hair color.
While possible, going back to blonde after a brown dye job is challenging and considered a color correction. It involves color removal and can be damaging to the hair. Highlights or balayage are safer options for those wanting some light dimension.
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Dyeing hair at home is an option for those who prefer a budget-friendly approach or avoid salons. Jeremy Tardo, a Clairol color consultant, advises that the most important thing to keep in mind is how damaged your hair is. If it’s super damaged from bleaching, the color will be inconsistent, so you’d best head to a pro.
Warm tones are often described as buttery, honey, golden, or bronze and have underlying tones of yellow, red or orange. Golden toned blondes can be very beautiful and also appear brighter, and shinier than ashy blondes.
Filling the hair of the lost pigment is a MUST, otherwise the hair will look flat and muddy. After mixing the filler formula 1:1 with 9 volume developer, on dry hair start from the bottom and work your way up. It is important to not take huge sections and you also want to comb through with a medium to fine tooth comb. After processing for 20 minutes room temperature you are going to take 2 separate chocolate brown formulas to make the end result more dimensional. Taking zig zag sections, I am doing a mixture of 4N in Demi permanent and 5B in permanent. This will give the hair a lot of light reflection. When you lighten the hair, you essentially strip the hair of all of its natural pigment. As determined, my model has level 4 hair. That means I need to replace all of the pigments that were stripped out. My final formula for the filler was 6GG and 6C, gold and copper, to replace those lost pigments. Even if you wanted a more ashy brown, you still want to fill the hair otherwise the hair will look muddy and green. Not cute! If you are scared of copper, just fill the hair with gold. If you are just going down 1-2 shades, there is no need to fill the hair. However, if you are going down 4 or 5 shades, you need to fill the hair. If you don’t fill the hair, multiple things could happen. For one, the color will appear dull. The warmer undertones help reflect light, so without that, it will look flat. Second, the color will fade. Probably in about 6-8 weeks, the color will be a lot lighter than what you originally put on it. The color will have nothing to grip to so it will wash out a lot faster than if you did use a filler formula. Overall, you’re going to want to fill the hair with gold, copper, or red. But, there are dozens of shades your client could want over another!
Several products can help protect your hair color and keep it vibrant.
Going from brown to blonde hair is one of the best ways to brighten up your look. However, transitioning from brown to blonde hair is a big step-and a potentially damaging one. Knowing the proper technique for lightening your hair can help minimize damage and keep your strands looking healthy and vibrant.
Once you’ve achieved your ideal blonde hair color, make sure you give it the extra care it needs to keep it in excellent condition. This includes swapping out your regular hair care arsenal for products that are specifically formulated for color-treated hair.
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