Big Up The Blondes
Beautiful pale blondes are all over the fashion and culture pages for SS17. Simon Webster Hair (SWH) Team Colourist, Sophie White has the lowdown for you on how to achieve and care for chemically-lightened hair.
Blonde colour services are always the most popular in the run-up to summer; whether it is a pale, creamy shade or a soft gold balayage or ombre, highlights or all-over colour.
But lightening your hair requires maintenance and a trusted professional to keep the hair healthy and the colour in good condition. Out of the bottle and you risk dry, frazzled frizz, so always see a salon before applying the peroxide! Here are my tips…
Be realistic
We can’t all go platinum. Always have a thorough colour consultation with a technician in-salon. They can analyse your hair and tell you what shade you can reasonably reach without causing damage. If the hair is dark, contains lots of gold tones or has been previously coloured, then a warmer tone will be more suitable. Even if it is possible to reach the shade you want, it may take several visits over a few weeks (or even months) to maintain healthy locks. It’s an investment of time, money and patience, but one that is well worth it.
Go grey gracefully
Grey-blondes are only temporary! They’re achieved by lightening the hair and then applying a semi-permanent tone to cut out the gold, so they will wash out and the gold will begin to show through, whether they’re silver, gunmetal or denim. How soon depends on the condition and porosity of your hair, but also your homecare routine. To maintain them as long as possible, you need to invest in salon quality cleaners, conditioners and masques. Even then you’ll need return visits to top-up the grey between getting your roots done, around every two weeks to see maximum results. If you’re lucky enough to have grey hair naturally – embrace it, flaunt it, flick it!
Be smart
If you’re investing in a colour service in-salon, pay the little extra for a colour-protection service. SmartBond is essential when lightening your hair to protect the bonds of the hair during processing and after the colour. It helps prevent damage and allows your colour technician to push the boundaries further in how light you can go, without affecting the integrity of your hair. You can also purchase a take-home SmartBond treatment for the best colour aftercare.
Put in the time
Aftercare is so important. SO IMPORTANT. If you buy a designer dress and are wearing it every day, you’d take care on how you washed it! Equally, you can’t expect a colour to look as good as it did in the salon if you’re not maintaining it with the right products and haircare routine. I would always recommend the Shu Uemura Colour Lustre range to increase the life, depth and shine of your colour. Added to that the SmartBond home treatments between visits and you’re good to go.
Wish you were here
If you’re having a holiday, give your hair one too! Your hair colour will always fade or change with exposure to the sun, swimming or pollution. If you can wait until your holidays are over, do. If you can’t, wear masques or treatments on your hair for added protection and a summery sleeked-back look. Scarves and hats give added respite from the effects of the sun as well as being boho-chic.
To book in with Sophie for a complimentary colour consultation, call the SWH Team on 01273 605 577 or book online.