Important Boise Hair Salon Tips About Going Platinum Blonde

Platinum-blonde haircolor isn’t anything new, but recently, quite a few celebrities (especially brunettes) have been getting the dramatic icy-blonde makeover lately. However, it’s important for you to know that from going to dark brown/jet-black hair to platinum-blonde isn’t as easy as you think, so the stylists at unDONE salon wanted to explore the whole process with you by putting together a list of things to learn when it comes to exactly how much time, money, and maintenance platinum-blonde hair takes:

Six months before, stop dyeing your hair. Grow out your previous haircolor for as long as possible before bleaching your hair so that the bleach can lift your hair to an even haircolor all over.
1-2 Weeks before, get a deep conditioning treatment. Bleach will dry out and damage your hair no matter what. A deep conditioning treatment beforehand will help to minimize dryness and breakage.
48 hours before, stop washing your hair. The natural oils in your hair will help protect your scalp against irritation during the bleaching process.
Anytime before – Mentally prepare to cut off some length. Bleach will cause breakage and damage, so cutting off dead hair or hair that’s been previously dyed may be necessary.

Potential Damage Your Hair Will Face

Its important to note, that even when it’s done by a professional Boise hair salon stylist, bleach will damage your hair a little bit. Going platinum blonde usually requires at least two rounds of bleach (and potentially a third or fourth, depending on how your hair reacts). *Keep in mind that this bleaching process can be even more damaging than the usual blonde highlights.

Besides the physical preparation of your hair, there’s the mental preparation of taking on a completely new look.

Remember, you’re going for a change, which means you’re going to look different & people are going to notice. Mentally prepare yourself for this. Rest assure that no matter what type of reactions you get, many are going to love your new look! As long as you’ve done your homework and feel confident with your Boise hair salon stylist, then go right ahead and enjoy your glamorous, new transformation! After all, your hairstyle is one accessory that you will get to wear every single day so why not switch it up?

Once you decide to go platinum, here’s what to expect:

Bleach is applied to the hair with a brush for whats called the first process of color. Expect this to take around 2 ½ hours. The first process of bleaching lightens hair from its darkest point. Because the bleach is first applied to the back of the head and then the front, the back is washed out before the front. This way, the bleach will be on the hair for the same total amount of time, ensuring an even color all over.
Next, heat is applied to the hair, and when it’s time, the bleach is rinsed out of the hair and the hair is blown dry. Expect this to take around an hour. Heat helps the bleaching process work faster, so heat is applied to the front of the head to speed up the process, which will make the front and back a uniform color. The rest of the bleach is then washed out of the hair, and it’s blown dry to prepare it for the next process of bleach.
Finally, a second round of bleach is applied all over the head for the second process. Once that is washed out the hair is cut (which is optional but suggested), a toner is applied to the hair, and it’s blown dry. Expect this to take around 3 ½ hours. The second application of bleach takes the hair from blonde to an even lighter blonde. The toner is what eliminates the yellow tint in the hair, making it a true white blonde. While a haircut isn’t necessary, it’s usually a good idea to cut off some length to get rid of the damage at the ends after bleaching hair.

Upkeep:

Daily – Use a sulfate-free color-safe shampoo and conditioner. Why? Shampoo and conditioners that contain sulfate can damage your haircolor and turn it yellow instead of white-blonde.
Once a week – Use purple shampoo. Why? Purple shampoo will help tone the hair and eliminate any yellowness.
Every 2 weeks – Use a protein mask. Why? Protein masks will rebuild and strengthen the hair cuticle that’s been damaged through the platinum process.
Every 4-6 weeks – Touch up your roots. Why? To avoid “banding”. When the new hair growth does not match the mid-lengths of your hair.

By following these guidelines, you will eliminate unnecessary damage, and your hair will remain healthy. You also won’t have to deal with the yellow tint that can happen when platinum hair isn’t cared for properly. If you’d like to stretch the time between touching up your roots, the stylists at unDONE salon suggest going in every eight weeks for foil highlights instead of a single process of bleach.Highlights help to avoid the “banding” effect, which is what can happen when the new hair growth does not match the mid-lengths of bleached haircolor.

The Cost of Platinum Hair

$150 for the first 2 treatment hours – $40 per treatment hour after that as recommended by your Boise hair salon stylist.

If you change your haircolor so dramatically, it a good idea to adjust your makeup too

Highlighter: Because bleaching hair can take away some of its natural luster, using a highlighter or a luminous tinted moisturizer will give the skin a healthy, fresh finish.
Eyebrow Pencil: Avoid an overly done eyebrow, but define the brows you have with a light eyebrow pencil.
Black Eyeliner: Using a black liquid eyeliner is a simple way to make the eyes stand out without using color.
Bronzer: This helps to give definition to the face shape. Just stay away from a bronzer that is too orange or too warm-toned, which can look artificial, especially with platinum-blonde hair.
Warm-Toned Red Lipstick: Bright, bold lipstick colors play well with icy-blonde hair, and keeping it warm-toned will help to brighten the whole face compared to a cool-toned hair color.