Going blond can go really wrong, as evidenced by the thousands of Google search results for “Kim Kardashian, blond, epic fail.”
After her recent dye job drew comparisons to Harry Potter’s nemesis, Draco Malfoy, Kardashian lightened her hair again, to silver white. Maybe she intended to all along. Platinum and even gray hair is trending. (See the gray wigs models wore on Akris’ runway recently.)
In any case, radical lightening is not a decision to make lightly.
“Blonding is a lifestyle,” says David Stanko, a colorist at Cutler Salons in New York City and Redken ambassador.
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Many of Stanko’s clients spend 4-6 hours in the salon for heavy highlights, ombre or an all-over blonding process, which could cost about $300 depending on natural hair color and length. Achieving the shade they desire often requires subsequent appointments, all at additional cost.
Char Panico Muffitt, a color and texture specialist at Joseph Michael’s Salon and Spa in Chicago, says a celebrity who seems to go light overnight may have submitted to a gantlet of color processes over an entire day or more.
“It may take days resting the scalp and hair in between reapplications to get the platinum shade right before completing the toning process,” Panico Muffitt said.
Stanko and Panico Muffitt recommend these reality checks before taking a platinum plunge:
Does blond suit you? It’s not so much a matter of looking natural, Stanko said. “Blond is a state of style,” he said, pointing to Korean supermodel Soo Joo Park —”clearly, not an expected blond, but her attitude screams ‘Who cares!'”
All-over blond hair can clash with yellow skin tones, he acknowledges. “My rule of thumb is, if you were blond as a little girl and maintained blond tones into high school, you’d still make a decent single-process blond today.”
Bleaching stresses hair, and it’s often required to go from dark to blond. If hair’s already fragile, ammonia-free bleaches with conditioners or high-lift permanent tints can be gentler than ammonia formulas, Panico Muffitt said.Another alternative is highlights or hair painting (known as balayage).
Prime the hair. Panico Muffitt recommends a clarifying shampoo to remove product buildup the week before and then a conditioning treatment a few days in a row prior to bleaching. She recommends Kerastase Fusio-Dose treatments in salons (about $35) or Kerastase moisturizing masques at home. Stanko recommends Redken Extreme products.
Interview the colorist, and seek referrals from women whose color you admire. “Like with doctors, bleaching or lightening is a specialty — not all colorists are trained or great at it,” Stanko said.
Discuss price upfront and budget for repeat visits. It’s like working out with a personal trainer, it can take more than one visit to get the tone you want, Stanko said. Then you’ll need to return to the salon for touchups in about five weeks. The followups typically cost about half of the initial application.
Cut as much hair as possible prior to bleaching. “Old, fragile ends are susceptible to the most damage,” Panico Muffitt said.
Know the lightener type and toners best used. “Long hair will require different formulas for different areas,” Panico Muffitt said. — i.e. L’Oreal Platinium Plus or Infinie Platine for mid-shaft, and Platinium for hair at scalp and fragile ends.” Blue or violet toners are often used after lightening to neutralize yellow tones and achieve a platinum hue, Panico Muffitt said.
Don’t try this at home.
Bleaching is risky business, Panico Muffitt said. “Disasters range from spotty, uneven orange or yellow haircolor to blistered scalp or damaged hair that might break off,” she said. A violet toner can be used at home, she said, but “if left on too long on top of bleached white hair, one might get that pretty purple shade worn by Kelly Osbourne — a pretty color, but probably only if it’s intentional.”