Looking back at all of my posts, my bleached locks to ash blonde hair (which I have now deleted due to the quailty) post, is still one of my most read posts and it isn't even very informative. With that being said I thought it would be a great time to give you all an update and explain my full journey with pictures for those interested and who may also be trekking on the same journey as myself.
Last year in the summer and I guess fall/winter as well my hair was quite dark from dying it. My hair was a medium to dark brown and I wanted a change, so in December I went to the salon. I told the hair dresser I wanted gorgeous golden blonde hair like Kristin Cavalari and that did not happen at all.
My hair was an orange colour, mind you the lighting makes it look much nicer then it was. Not being happy with the results, I took matters into my own hands and bought a boxed dye. I bought a a dark ash blonde dye - Garnier #71 dark ash blonde - and I got a really nice dirty blonde colour.
To maintain and lighten my hair (because I wanted more of a light ash colour and also get rid of the orange tones) I started to use Joico color endure purple shampoo and conditioner once a week and left both in my hair for 15 minutes in the shower. I would and still do my roots about every 5-7 weeks. Back then when I would do my roots I would do everything (all of my hair) with a boxed dye (L'Oreal Excellence cream AA01 ultra light ash blonde), making my hair lighter every time. I would also tone my hair after dying, using wella color charm T18 or T14 (alternating each time). The Joico shampoo and conditioner worked amazing and lasted me about 8 months. When I ran out I started to use "light blue" purple shampoo and that also worked pretty well for a drugstore product (from shoppers or Walmart).
Still wanting my hair to be even more platinum I went out and purchased clairol shimmer lights purple shampoo and it is so comparable to my Joico shampoo that I used to use, but less drying on my hair. I now leave the shampoo in my hair for about 5 min (longer than 8 will turn my hair a purple/silver colour). For conditioner I now swear by the Organix brand sold at wal-mart and shoppers. I don't stick to a specific Organix conditioner, I get a different one every time and I leave it in my hair for 5-10 minutes, or longer if I have time. This conditioner makes my hair tangle free and so silky smooth every time, I LOVE it!!! In the summer (because my hair wasn't light enough) I did an over all bleach (L'Oreal extra bleach blonding kit #205) and my hair went to a Barbie blonde. To get rid of the brasiness I just kept on using my purple shampoo (shimmer lights) every time I washed my hair.
More recently now when I need to do my roots I have started to use bleach and the bleach I am currently using is the Ion color brilliance Creme lightener with ion 9% 30v developer and I leave it in for approx. 70-75 min. I leave it in a bit longer because my hair does not take to dye very easily (after such a long amount of time my roots are still a golden colour, they don't ever really get to that pale yellow, with bleach alone). After that I condition and blow dry, then tone. I now prefer the T18 toner and after bleaching I leave the toner on my roots for 30-40min and then I add it to any parts of my hair that need a little pick me up for the rest of the 20min.
So this is the before (brown) and the after (platinum). In total the amount of time it took me to get this colour was approx. 9 months (August). (Sorry there are so many pictures, but I wanted to show my full journey and the products I have used along the way).
I hope that this post has helped any of you trying to go blonde, or that it has given you some helpful tips if you are already blonde. I will also do a post next week with my everyday products that I use to maintain and keep my hair healthy. Thankfully I have never had my hair snap or get damaged and I usually only trim my hair once every 4 months or when needed.
*disclaimer - I am not a professional, these are only tips and tricks that I have acquired along my journey. I am not telling you what is right or wrong for you and your hair. Please consult a professional for the best products for your hair type, if your are unsure*
Thank you all for reading and if you have any questions or I have missed something please leave a comment below.
xoxo
annpaige
The blonde suits you SO WELL. I'm jealous since I love the look of platinum hair but it would look absolutely terrible on me!
ReplyDeletexo, alison*elle
Love this!
ReplyDeletePass by me dear <3
DressMe: http://erikabarbato.blogspot.it/ Twitter:https://twitter.com/ErikaBarbato
looks great !!! whats your natural hair colour ?
ReplyDeleteThanks. My natural colour is a light brown with golden highlights.
Deletethank you for posting your hair journey. this is so helpful. you're striking as a blonde!
ReplyDeleteThank you and I'm so happy that you find my journey helpful!! If you go blonde please share your link I would love to see it!!
DeleteWow! You really did go white blonde. You look so hot. My 2 friends and I (16 years old) have been playing with our hair color for about a year. We discovered your site last week, and have decided to all go white blonde. My Mom is a hairdresser and says she can make us all white blonde over a weekend. She warns us that it will require regular touch ups. But we are going for it.
ReplyDeleteSandy
Thanks!!! Good luck with the colour change. I don't do root touch ups that often, some girls do it every 3 weeks and that can be really damaging. I just use my purple shampoo every time I wash my hair and like I mentioned above I do my roots about every 7-8 weeks. My natural hair isn't really dark so it doesn't look bad, but it depends on you. If you blog or anything take before and after pics, I would love to see the transition!!!
DeleteAlso I forgot to mention use a blue bleach for your roots (which mom probably already knows). I found since my hair is much more of an ash tone now, when I do my roots they can still look a little yellow. The blue bleach will cancel out the yellow and make it match more to the rest of your hair. My current fav is quick blue powder bleach.
DeleteMy natural colour is dark brown with patience and being careful I was able to go light ash blonde almost platinum I love it.. no damage to my hair.. it took a month completely because I didn't want to destroy my hair.. I used quick blue.. then wella t-18 toner wella.. it can be done.. my hair isn't brassy and I didn't have to go to a salon.. take your time. . If you want it done tomorrow unless you have a lighter brown I wouldn't bother because you can destroy your hair
ReplyDeleteI’m nоt that much off a onlinе readeг to be honest but
ReplyDeleteyour bloogs reallу niсe, keeр it up! I'll go ahead and bookmark youг
sіte to come bаck later. Cheеrs
Look into my blog: great site (http://fmmusichall.com/1qry)
It's pleasant to see these A+ results from long, darker hair as this is not easily achieved with your results, specifically noting hair health.
ReplyDelete-Here's a cheap trick I use on my hair. It doesn't effect the color, leaves magically silk/soft, shiny, locks! This DIY trick has been in my arsenal a decade +.
-MAYO TRICK:
For optimal results, refrain from low/reduced cholesterol/fat mayo, saturate hair root to tip while your shower creates a hot, mini-sauna, do not apply water, keep hair tightly against head/in bun, then apply hair cap. The heat generated from your head and cap will aid results. After 1-2 hrs, shower mayo off head and neck/body. Use aromatic, moisturizing shampoo and conditioner as the mayo smell is sticky. Dry hair, style as usual, see the instant results, wait for the compliments!
-As a younger lass, I read a beauty mag featuring my still-adorn woman rocker, Fiona Apple. When asked about her hair's health, sheen, silkiness, and length, she folded. Her interview taught me a beauty secret!
-Ever since reading that article, I have done this minimally 1x monthly, preferring 1x weekly treatments. Baby fine however thick, it grows over ft. yearly!
-Annpaige: I would like to note that from my golden blonde color, I too use the EXACT same L'OREAL Paris shade first, AA01, and the same Feria Bleaching kit a few weeks following the first.
-ROOT TIP:
Keep a L'OREAL Feria Bleaching Kit at home. I can generally use one box for 3 months for root coverage. To save the kit and money, purchase plastic bottles alike those in the kit, precisely measure, pour and mix chemicals needed for touch-ups. Save all kit contents. Place developing powder into a labeled Zip-Lock Bag and simply tighten lids and bag to place into original box, store it. For those of you with fast hair growth (head hair), this is tremendously cost-efficient for touch-ups for many dyes.
-I am a HUGE Wella-Junkie when it comes to toners and experiment from time to time. Wella diamond dust shampoos, conditioners, and conditioning treatments are simply out-of-this-world.
-In the past 3-4 years of my life, I wore my hair black, with bangs, and the front-angled-bob. I've been living on Atlantic Coastal cities as well as Pacific Coastal cities. My black hair was very shiny and the short look was something that went rather well for me in the compliment-department. I used the mayo trick with the black hair more often when I would swim, surf, kayak, or do any activity in which my hair was prolonged to salt water. The black dye would go dull quickly as my husband and I lived a beach-bum type of life. I kept about 5 or 6 bottles of L'OREAL Feria blackest-black dye in my cabinets so that when it came time to dye (much more often then than now), I would not need to make a late-night hair dye trip.
-After years of black dye, I gradually tried to self-lighten from black to platinum similar to the first steps on this blog post.Despite my use of toning products, I had few choices to reverse the damaged lengths of my hair, saturated in black dye.
-From frustration and curiosity, I shaved my head entirely with my husband's electric razor in Nov. '13. After many salon cuts (rather than sporting a mullet b/c of awkward growth) my hair is a one-length cut at chins-length with my desired color.
-Think my black bob was a shock to those who know me? Try completely shaving your head, GI Jane-style!
Most people involved in my life were overcome with what to say about my hair experimentation. For the majority, my hair is always trimmed near my Dimples of Venus, to prevent sitting upon it. The transformation shocked many, my family especially. The are traditional and nearly all have blonde hair/blue eyes. I seemed to offend them with the black hair. The GI Jane shave left them speechless until they saw I was regrowing my blonde.
xoxoxo
Good and useful information. Thanks for sharing the blog
ReplyDeleteHair SpecialistIn Bangalore