How To Go From Black to Blonde
Going from black to blonde is a major hair change. As you probably know, it can be a tough journey to get there. So many factors come into play when making this drastic change, each adding another layer of difficulty to the overall transformation.
Not to worry, if there’s a will, there’s a way!
We’ve got you covered to get there. With a lot of patience and persistence, we can get you there. This process is a journey and it could take a few visits to get your dream result.
Keep your hair healthy.
Before starting on your color journey it’s important to consider the health & integrity of your hair. Because the color process is lengthy and harsh on your hair. Start with conditioning treatments, minimize the use of heat tools, and swap out cheaper products for salon quality shampoos and conditioners (sulfate/paraben free). Trimming any dead ends is also important as you want your hair to be strong enough to handle the bleaching process. Once your hair has been prepped to optimal health you can start the dyeing process.
Do a hair analysis.
You can expect to have your entire head bleached, except for about 1 inch of your root — your scalp is a heat conductor and therefore will process your root bleach faster than the rest of your hair, so it’s important to do this step last. Your colorist will bleach your roots once the rest of your hair has had time to process.
Color stripping.
This is a tedious process. You should expect the color stripping to be repeated a few times before you reach the “pale yellow” stage. The stages of your color will go from black to red, red to orange, orange to bright yellow, and then ultimately to a pale yellow where toner can be applied to achieve your desired blonde. If your hair can handle second bleaching within your first visit your colorist will repeat the bleach out again. If not, they’ll suggest coming back after your hair has had time to recover — typically six weeks.
Note: It is important to wait the appropriate time before re-bleaching your hair as you should have the desired length of a 1-inch root before re-bleaching. If you rush this part of the process you can risk overlapping which can cause breakage. By waiting too long to re-bleach you may risk color banding -- different shades of blonde lines due to uneven lifting.Repeat.
Depending on your hair's starting color & strength, you may have to repeat the stripping process for a third and or fourth time to reach the pale yellow stage. This color stage is needed in order to tone your hair to a softer blonde.
Color!
Whether you’re wanting to go full Marilyn Monroe or a little softer blonde, it’s all in the toner. Bring inspo pics to make sure your colorist has an exact idea of what tones you’re wanting to achieve for your final look.
Being a blonde is no joke! Maintenance and care are just as important as the process it took to get there. Maintenance on your color can typically be every eight weeks to include; root touch-up, tone and trim if needed. Nourishing your hair is always important, especially after such a harsh process, so routinely using conditioning treatments and purple shampoo to keep brassy tones out is key!
Looking for more hair advice and styling tips? Subscribe to our newsletter to step up your hair game.