The first thing to know is that hair likes to be warm. Warm tones live in the hair at all levels (light to dark) and everyone’s hair “pulls warm”. We control it as much as we can through lifting color out of the hair (bleaching), but we have to work with what your hair will allow. The darker your hair is to begin with, or if you have previous color on your hair, the harder it is to get to that light, “brass” free blonde.
After lifting the hair as light as is possible, we apply a toner which helps to close the cuticle of the hair and shift the tone of the pre-lightened pieces. If we opt together for a cool or ashy tone, you can leave the salon with a cool toned look. But all toners eventually fade and you are left with the warmer tones that still live in your hair. If you like the look of your hair toned, you can come in for an hour service in which you can get your cooler toner reapplied, and a beautiful blow out. At home – here are some things you can do to help.
Use quality shampoo and conditioner! Cheap shampoo has harsh cleansers (think dish soap) that will strip your toner or color out very fast. Wash your hair as infrequently as is reasonable for you. You may want to consider using a few specialty shampoos. A high quality clarifying shampoo (Kevin Murphy, ColorProof,Unite) will help remove build up and hard water that may be adding to a “brassy” look on your blonde. (Have you ever noticed a hard water ring in a toilet that has gone unattended? It’s got a orangey/rusty color to it. These minerals can build up on your beautiful blonde too.) You might also consider a shower head that filters hard water, rust, and chlorine.
Purple shampoo. Use sparingly! Purple shampoos are almost always drying, and can often leave a dull grayish look on your blonde. They can be a great tool, but do not over use them. If you really love your purple shampoo, use it at least every other time you shampoo, and consider alternating it with a moisturizing shampoo and an occasional clarifying shampoo to help avoid build up and drying. Purple shampoo will not tone dark or very gold blondes. The pigments they contain are not strong enough for that. If your hair has very gold, almost orange tones (common when you have the above aforementioned dark hair or previously colored hair), you may want to consider using a blue shampoo, or the strongest toning shampoo on the market – Fanola No Yellow. This comes in a violet or blue shampoo. Do not abuse and over use this product – a little goes a long way!
If your hair is a light blonde and needs occasionally refreshing, Kevin Murphy’s Blonde.Me.Wash and Blonde.Angel gloss are a great at home tool that will not over pigment, dull out, or dry out your light blonde hair. High Ph (cheap) shampoos and heat open the cuticle and let which lets color out, and yellowing minerals in. Keep your water in the shower on the cooler side (if you can stand it!) and your heat styling to a minimum. Use a heat protectant before blowdrying and styling (Kevin Murphy Heated.Defense). Keep the hot tool temperatures in a reasonable range (see above).
Be good to your hair at home, and it will make our work when you come back easier! We’ll always still need to work on perfecting and refreshing your blonde each and every time you come in, but the healthier and happier your hair is, the better it will respond to our hard work.