Tips On Going Blonde/Lighter

When I made the decision to go blonde, I tried to do some research into it - you know the kind of thing, what prep I should consider doing, what products I should use both before and after the big change, how to keep it healthy and looking good etc but struggled to find anything on the world wide web.
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you'll know that on Thursday I had my first treatment to going lighter/blonde done, and am absolutely thrilled with the results so far! I have already planned to have some more blonde put into my hair in a few weeks time.
From This;                                                                                

To This;

I've been contemplating lightening my hair and having some blonde put into it for a long time, I'm talking years, and so I had well and truly made my mind up on this one, this was no spur of the moment. I should also note that I am not an expert when it comes to hair care, these are just the steps that I took. Stage One - Prep You've decided you want to go blonde/lighter? The first things you should consider are; your colouring - what skin tone, eye colour and natural hair colour do you have? Speaking to your hairdresser will help you decide what shade of blonde you should be aiming for to ensure that the colour you end up with will suit you. The condition your hair is in; If, like me, you've changed your hair style/colour/texture more times than you care to remember then there's a strong chance that your hair is going to be damaged. Applying bleach (very damaging) to already damaged, dry and brittle hair could be a recipe for disaster. In this case that you need to go about helping to hydrate your hair - for this I used a ton of different shampoo's, conditioners and treatments for about five months before I had any lightening treatment performed. You should also be realistic about how much of your length you will lose when bleaching your hair. I went for the option of having around two and  a half inches cutting off, as blonde hair has a tendency of snapping off in damaged areas anyway. Time and cost; are also two factors you should consider before taking the plunge - the cost of going blonde can be very expensive and time consuming. You may not get the results you are looking for straight away depending on how your hair takes to the bleach. You may also decide that you want to go lighter or darker after your first couple of treatments - can you afford to decide you don't like it, and have a stylist correct it? You should also decide whether you are going to attempt to bleach your hair DIY or are going to a professional to have the work on your hair carried out. I would always recommend seeking the advice of a professional when undertaking such a drastic change. I myself went to a hairdresser that has been doing my hair for a long period of time and whom I trust. My hair stylist told me that the best way to lighten my hair would be to go with a full head of foils as this would be the least damaging option and wouldn't be too stark of a change. I would also suggest taking pictures of what you want the end result; to look. This will give your stylist a really good idea of what you are looking to achieve. I would also advice looking at people of a similar colouring to yourself.  Stage Two - During During your hair appointment/consultation it is imperative that you are as honest as possible with your stylist, even if you feel awkward about telling someone you don't like the finished product. You are paying good money to have your hair done, and should therefore be left 100% happy when it is 'finished'. If you are unhappy with the shade/tone - tell them. If you were expecting something different - tell them. If you don't think you're on the same wave length - tell them. If you want to help ensure your hair ends up the way you have envisioned you must take charge. It may seem a little ballsy, but trust me, they'll understand! They may not be able to do anything right away, but they will be able to explain to you why your hair has gone that shade, and what can be done about it. If you are having your hair gradually lightened, caring for it in between hair appointments is a must. Helping to keep your hair healthy, happy and hydrated is key to achieving beautiful locks. You can also ask your stylist if they do in salon treatments, or recommend any treatments that you can do at home.  Stage Three - The Final Product  So you've gone as blonde/light as you want to and your happy with the final product. A couple of products that I would recommend are from the John Freida Sheer Blonde range, which caters for many different blondes. There is of course the 'Go Blonder' range, which can dry hair out - anything that lightens your hair is going to be packed full of chemicals and so is going to cause damage, however, if you do indeed want to go two shades lighter then I would definitely recommend these as they are a modern day Sun-In. I am currently using the John Freida Sheer Blonde Moistorising Highlight Activating Shampoo and Conditioner for Darker Blondes - which claims to help brighten your highlights whilst hydrating the hair. Blonde hair can end up looking a little dull, which is why a good purple/silver shampoo is imperative. I'm using the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Shampoo which neutralizes brassy tones and helps to restore salon fresh tones in just three washes.  Bleach can be very unforgiving on the hair and so the use of leave in conditioners and hair masks/treatments may be nessacary. A few good ones that I've come across are the Bleach London Reincarnation Mask, Aussie Three Minute Miracle Re-constructor, Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Spray, TRESemme Restructuring Deep Conditioning Mask, Boot's Own Ingrediants Coconut and Almond Intensive Hair Mask & 100% Pure Coconut Oil. You must take care when brushing your hair when wet with freshly bleached hair as it can be very brittle and can snap very easily. Investing in a soft bristle paddle brush can help to reduce this. I would also advise using heat tools such as straighteners and curling rods as little as possible whilst rebuilding the strength and health of your hair.  So those were my tips on lightening your hair. I hope they were of some help and if you are going blonde, good luck!

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