As the seasons gently transition and the leaves change colours, it’s only fair to crave a change of your own be it a wardrobe refresh, a cleaning session, or even a hair color change. Hairstylists will be the first to tell you that drastic hair transitions come with increased risk of damage. Celebrity hairstylist and color expert Jenna Perry is here to help.
1.Never go from dark to blonde in one session
The cardinal rule of hair transitions: Never go blonde in just one session. Now if you’re already blonde-ish, then you may be able to achieve the lighter tone you desire in one go, but those transitioning from brunette to blonde have to proceed with caution.
“In this case, for all hair types, I recommend more than one session of hair coloring,” Perry says. “Low and slow is my motto for a transformation like this in order to keep the hair healthy.”
How many sessions it takes will depend on what color you start with, the color you want to reach, your hair type, past damage, etc. To be safe, ask your stylist for the best approach to preserve your hair’s health.
2.Minimize how much bleach you use
While bleach is essential most of the time, you don’t have to use tons of bleach all over your hair.
“With my approach to highlighting, I always use a clay bleach with a lower volume,” Perry notes, as it's a gentler way to lighten hair than going in full force with traditional bleach.
Each stylist will have a different approach, but it’s worth asking your local hair experts and finding someone who is on the same page and shares your goal of lighter yet healthy strands.
You may also consider trying balayage first—this coloring technique involves hand painting highlights into the hair, generally starting at the mid-shaft and becoming more opaque as it moves toward the ends of the hair.
“I find that balayage is a lot less harsh of a way to lighten hair, and I have never had any issues,” Perry notes.
3.Ramp up the bond-repair products
Regardless of how gentle you are, lightening the hair in any capacity does put you at some risk for damage and dryness. To ensure your hair stays at its healthiest, add some bond-repair products to your routine. As a final tip, Perry recommends all of her clients with bleached hair get a water filter for their shower to avoid hard water, too. See, hard water is often filled with drying chemicals that may exacerbate dehydrated strands. If you'd like to go above and beyond, you may want to invest in a filter system for your showerhead.
The takeaway
It is certainly possible to lighten your hair without completely wrecking your strands, but you'll have to book with intention. Find a stylist who shares your goal of lightening your hair in the safest way possible, be patient if it takes more than one session (knowing that's a good thing), and start using bond-repairing products ASAP.
Adapted From: MBG Lifestyle
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