How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses
Blonde hair is a beautiful and sought-after hair color that many people dream of having. However, achieving the perfect shade of blonde can be tricky. It requires careful planning, the right hair products, and good technique. With some knowledge and effort, you can learn How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses.
Determine Your Base Hair Color and Desired Blonde Shade
The first step is determining your natural base color and the specific shade of blonde you want. How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses ranges from platinum and icy tones to warm golden hues. Cooler platinum tones generally suit those with very light base colors, while warm golden blondes pair better with darker bases.
Consider your skin tone as well. Warm golden blondes flatter peachy and olive skin tones, while ashier platinum blondes suit fair, pink undertones best.
Here is a chart showing different How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses options:
Blonde Shade | Description |
---|---|
Platinum | The lightest, coolest blonde. Almost silver-white. |
Baby blonde | A slightly warmer version of platinum. Still very light. |
Icy blonde | A very cool, ash-toned blonde. |
Golden blonde | A warmer and richer blonde with gold/honey tones. |
Strawberry blonde | Light blonde mix with red and gold highlights. |
Honey blonde | Warm golden blonde reminiscent of honey. |
Once you decide on the How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses you want, you can determine how to reach it from your natural base.
Transition Gradually Using Highlights
It is extremely important not to rush into blonde hair. Drastically lightening your hair all at once causes severe damage.
Highlighting is a gentler option. Rather than lighten all your hair at once, subtle highlights softly transition your base color towards blonde.
- For dark brunettes, start with lighter browns first before adding buttery highlights. This prepares the hair.
- If your base is a medium brown, add warm caramel and golden highlights first.
- Black hair should先den with auburn then coppery tones before lighter blonde.
Gradually increase the proportion of highlights until your hair blends into a beautiful blonde. This keeps damage minimal.
Use Purple Shampoo to Reduce Brassiness
As brown hair lightens towards blonde, it passes through warm brassy orange and yellow stages. Cool toned purple shampoo keeps brassiness at bay between highlights.
The violet pigments in purple shampoo cancel out yellow-orange tones. Using it 2-3 times per week keeps blonde crisp and free of brassiness.
Choose a sulfate-free purple shampoo to minimize drying and breakage. Apply it like regular shampoo and leave 1-5 minutes before rinsing. Be patient, as it takes time to see the full demi-permanent toning results.
Rely on Olaplex to Strengthen and Repair
Olaplex bonding treatments greatly reduce the damage from highlighting and lightening. The active ingredient (bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) bonds broken disulfide links in hair, repairing damage and breakage.
Use Olaplex No. 3 once a week as an intensive conditioning hair mask. For fastest results, apply it freshly mixed with No. 0. Wear it for at least 10 minutes before rinsing out.
You can also get Olaplex treatments at your salon. Ask your stylist to use Olaplex No. 1 with the lightener and No. 2 as a post-treatment. This provides the maximum strengthening and repair benefits.
Use Low-Volume Developer with Lightener
When lifting your highlights, always opt for the lowest volume developer possible. The higher the developer volume, the more damage it causes.
10 or 20 volume developers will gently lift hair with minimal damage. 30 volume and beyond is very harsh and should never be used for full head highlighting. Reserve high volumes only for isolated touch-ups.
Low volume lightener will require more applications and time to reach blonde. But the health and integrity of your hair is worth the trade-off.
Shine Bright with Gloss Treatments
Once you’ve reached your perfect blonde, gloss treatments keep it vibrant and healthy. These clear glosses deposit conditioning agents without further lifting.
Apply gloss like hair color but leave on just 5-15 minutes. The results are luminous hydration, amplified shine, and removal of any remaining brassiness.
Use glosses in between full coloring services. About every 4-6 weeks is ideal for maintaining soft, glossy blonde tresses. Choose glosses labeled for color-treated or blonde hair.
Protect and Hydrate Between Salon Visits
Salon visits are important for achieving blonde hair goals. But maintaining hair health between appointments is equally vital.
Use a weekly hydrating hair mask for deep conditioning. Look for ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and argan oil.
Wear hats and limit sun exposure to prevent fading. Rinse with cool water and avoid over-washing. Heat tools like blowdryers and curling irons cause more damage to blonde hair. Minimize their use.
Finally, reduce breakage and split ends with regular trims every 6-8 weeks. This keeps blonde hair looking its best.
Conclusion
Achieving How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses requires time, patience and proper technique. Transition gradually through highlighting, toning brassiness with purple shampoo, and relying on Olaplex for bonding and repair. Low-volume developers, gloss treatments, hydration, and protection also keep blonde hair healthy and beautiful. With some knowledge and minimal damage, you can enjoy gorgeous blonde locks.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses
What is the healthiest way to go blonde?
The healthiest way to go blonde is slowly and gradually, through repeated highlighting sessions over several months. This allows the hair to gently adjust to lightening instead of drastic all-over lightening. Olaplex treatments and low-volume developers are also essential for healthy lightening.
How often should you get highlights when transitioning to blonde?
When transitioning to blonde from a darker base color, plan to get highlights every 6-8 weeks. This gives enough overlap for gradual lightening while allowing the hair to rest between sessions. Going too fast causes breakage.
Should I use toner to get rid of brassiness?
Yes, toner is very effective at getting rid of brassy yellow and orange tones after highlighting. Purple toner helps cancel out warmth and achieves cool ash blonde tones. Blue toner reduces brassiness in more golden blonde shades. Apply toner after highlights.
What’s better for blonde hair, purple or blue shampoo?
Purple shampoo is best for cooling down warm yellow brassiness in pale blonde to platinum shades. Blue shampoo is ideal for fighting orange tones in golden blonde hair. Pick the version opposite your unwanted tone.
How often should you use purple shampoo?
Limit purple shampoo to 2-3 times per week at most. This prevents your hair from getting too ashy or dried out. Apply it like regular shampoo for 1-5 minutes before rinsing. The longer you leave it, the more it tones brassiness down.
Can you bleach your hair twice in one day?
It’s not recommended to bleach your hair twice in one day. Doing so extremely damages the hair and risks chemical burns on the scalp. Leave at least 2 weeks between lightening sessions for hair to recover. Bleach once in one session then wait before applying again.
Is 20 volume or 30 volume developer better for highlights?
For highlights, 20 volume developer is always gentler and better than 30 volume. The lower the volume, the less damage to your hair. 20 volume lifts hair more slowly but with far less breakage. Reserve high 30 volume for isolated touch-up spots only.
Should I use Olaplex before or after highlighting?
Use Olaplex both before and after highlighting for best results. Olaplex No. 1 mixed into lightener prevents damage during the process. No. 2 follows as a post-treatment to rebuild bonds broken by the highlighting. Using both maximizes strengthening.
How long does Olaplex treatment last?
A single Olaplex treatment provides bond-building benefits that last around 4-6 weeks. For continued strengthening, use Olaplex No. 3 weekly as a mask and get periodic salon treatments with No. 1 and 2. Consistent use provides the most lasting repairs.
Should I wash hair before using Olaplex No. 3?
It’s recommended to apply Olaplex No. 3 to clean, freshly shampooed hair for optimal penetration and results. Pre-wetting hair also dilution helps evenly distribute the product from roots to ends. Rinse after 10+ minutes then follow with conditioner.
Conclusion
With the right techniques and products, beautiful How to Achieve Perfect Blonde Tresses is achievable for most people. Transition slowly through highlights, repair damage with Olaplex, remove brassiness with toning shampoos, and maintain shine and hydration between salon visits. With some patience and TLC, you can enjoy healthy, gorgeous blonde locks.