From Subtle to Bold: Exploring the New Age of Blondes and Highlighted Hair
What it takes to achieve the perfect blonde for you
Coloring trends come and go, but did you know blonding makes up 75% of our coloring business?
Blonde hair has continued to hold court as the most popular coloring service because there are different tones and colors within the blonde family to meet nearly everyone’s preferences. And, while blonde hair has remained a popular option, how we achieve blonding today differs vastly from 10 years ago.
Because there are so many options, our Wentzville colorists are constantly increasing their knowledge and learning the latest techniques to accomplish the looks our customers want. In this post, we look closer at the latest trends and answer some of our customers’ most frequently asked questions.
The Blonde Lifestyle
Going blonde isn’t for everyone.
If you weren’t born with golden tresses, switching to the lighter side takes some work and a good deal of commitment.
Big color changes require more upkeep than subtle changes. If you’re going from brunette to blonde, you’ll need to prepare for more frequent visits to the salon for touch-ups, toning, and other upkeep services.
Blonding takes time and needs multiple processes and colors mixed to accomplish certain looks. The time the blonding process takes affects your investment, too. Some of our clients spend as much as $175 an hour to achieve the blonding they want safely.
At The Color Room, we won’t take anyone blonde who isn’t ready to commit to the lifestyle.
We don’t tell you this to discourage you from going blonde. We tell you this so you can make the best decision for your hair and your budget.
How do I keep my blonde hair vibrant?
As we mentioned above, chemically achieved blonde hair (aka not natural) requires maintenance. To get the most mileage out of blonding, we recommend washing your hair less. The more you shampoo, the more you’ll need maintenance visits to keep your hair healthy and damage-free.
Using products specifically for blonde hair helps your color stay fresher and more vibrant, too. Here are some products our blondes love:
L’Oréal Products
Absolute Repair Molecular
Vitamino Color
Blondifier
Aveda Products
Blue Malva
Color Control
R+CO Products
Sunset Blvd.
Gemstone
Super Garden
Atlantis
Blonding Techniques We Love
Do you already have blonde hair and want to take it up a notch? We use six different lighteners and a host of techniques to ensure we help you achieve the look you want safely without damaging your hair.
Here are some next-level blonding techniques we love.
Lotus Lights
This technique helps you achieve a naturally sun-kissed glow with a few pops of blonde around your face. Many of our clients choose this as an upgrade to their current service, but it’s also booked as a standalone treatment.
Low Lights
Having blonde hair doesn’t mean it’s naturally bright. Blonde hair can look dull and uninspiring. Instead of adding highlights to your already light hair, why not go with lowlights? Lowlights add richness and dimension to blonde hair that looks flat. Often, we use a combination of lowlights and highlights to help our clients achieve a natural, effortlessly textured look.
Platinum Lotus Lights
Our signature pops of blonde mixed with the Metal Detox treatment, a glossing toner, and the Absolute Molecular Treatment. This blonding technique gets your hair blonder and more nourished.
Platinum Blonding
This service offers a blonding experience that will leave you with a lighter shade across your entire head. Whether you’re already a blonde looking to add some extra brightness or have naturally dark hair and are ready to go blonde, our skilled team can make it happen. Additionally, this service sets the stage for creative colors and color corrections, which may incur additional costs.
Root Smudge
Is the contrast between your natural roots and your previously bleached or dyed-blonde hair too stark? Do you want to soften the demarcation line? One way we do this for our blondes is by smudging the root. To achieve a seamless look, we mix a shade that complements with the natural root color or your previously colored hair.
Shadow Roots
This low-maintenance technique doesn’t lighten your hair. Instead, it gives your hair depth and dimension. Our colorists apply a shade darker than your natural color to your roots while leaving the rest of your hair light. It creates a stylish, yet low maintenance look that doesn’t require as many salon visits.
We achieve each of these “blonding” techniques using semi and demi-permanent hair colors. They last about 20 washes. So, if you want to get the most from your service, we recommend shampooing less frequently and using a dry shampoo in between washes.
The High Dimension Blonde
This technique lightens about half of the hair, resulting in a stunning contrast between lighter and darker tones. We achieve this versatile method through balayage touch-up, partial balayage, or partial foil. It lightens up to 75% of your hair, creating a seamless blend of lighter and darker tones. Choose from a full balayage, full balayage touchup, or full foil to enhance your look effortlessly.
What do toners do?
Toning is a process we use after coloring hair to ensure you get the exact blonding results you desire. It’s used to make hair less brassy, to pull out more natural-blonde tones or achieve a more golden hue. The type of toner we use depends on what blonde you’re hoping to achieve.
When the toner fades out, it’s time for a maintenance visit or another blonding and toning session. Using professional products will greatly affect how your blonde hair lasts. We believe in detoxing our blondes of build up and nourishing the hair for best results and use only premium, proven products by industry leaders like L’Oréal and Aveda.
Do Blondes Really Have More Fun?
Your hair color doesn’t have anything to do with how you approach life. So, while we can’t say that blondes have more fun, we can attest to the fact that blondes work harder to achieve and maintain their desired look.
Oh, and the saying “blonde hair don’t care?” Well, we’re here to tell you that if you want your blonde hair to look great, how you care for it goes a long way. Remember, achieving your desired shade may require multiple appointments.
Blond hair is a journey — not a quick fix!