HOW TO GO FROM BRUNETTE TO BLONDE HAIR

Brunette to blonde—should you take the plunge? Whether you’re contemplating a rockstar platinum look or a more natural-looking blonde, it’s a big—and exciting!—step.

Going blonde can be quite liberating. But the question remains: should you actually do it? After all, not everyone looks good with blonde hair. So before you make such a drastic color change, here are a few key things you may want to consider.

Before dying your brunette locks blonde, think through these 5 key considerations:

When choosing a hair color, your natural undertones are a huge factor. Cooler, ashier blonde hues look best with cool skin tones and eye colors. Think pink or bluish undertones with light eyes in shades of blue, green, grey, or brown.

Golden blonde hues will look more natural with warm, greenish, or yellowish undertones and hazel or chocolate brown eye tones. Can’t decide? A good colorist can help you choose a blonde that will work well with your natural undertones.

If you wear your hair with bangs or plan to cut bangs in, make sure to get a cut before making a big color change. Root regrowth will show more prominently if you have bangs or very short layers, so your new color will need to be frequently maintained. An all-over blonde base or highlights from the root will be your best option.

Drastic color changes require much more upkeep than more subtle styles. If you’re going from brunette to blonde hair, you’ll need a touch-up every 4-6 weeks to keep your roots from growing out and your color fresh and vibrant. Time equals money, so consider whether you have enough of both to maintain your new blonde ‘do.

Speaking of money, consider the clothing and makeup colors you have at home. Hair color is a big factor in deciding what looks good on your face and body. If your brunette is already an ashy tone and you’re going for an icy blonde, much of your makeup and wardrobe should still work. But if you’re switching from a warmer brunette to a cooler blonde, you may need to experiment with new shades.

Making a jump from dark brunette to blonde hair takes time and care when done properly. To avoid damaging your hair, give your colorist several months to make the transformation. Planning to DIY? Make sure you give your locks a good two week break between color sessions.

Still have your heart set on becoming blonde? You’ll want to do it the right way. Going from brunette to blonde hair is almost always best done by a professional colorist. You can lighten your hair at home if you’re very patient and careful, but a professional knows how to undertake the challenge without damaging your hair.

Either way, slow and steady wins the race. Going from beautiful brunette to blonde bombshell first requires bleaching—that is, lifting the pigment from your hair. And the darker your hair is to begin with, the more time it’ll take to reach your desired level of blonde. Be prepared to visit the salon several times, spaced a couple of weeks apart, to bleach and tone your locks.

Starting from virgin, un-dyed hair will take less time and be less damaging to your strands. Bleaching previously dyed hair only adds to the process, since your stylist will first need to lift the dye from your hair.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets brilliant results when going from brunette to blonde hair—especially if you DIY. If your first bleach job gave you brassy yellow or orange results, you may need to see a stylist for hair colour correction.

You can also try toning out the brassiness with a good toner or toning shampoo and conditioner. Our Violet Crush line for blondes neutralizes brassy yellow tones, while our Blue Crush line counteracts coppery orange. You may also need to touch up your roots with a blonde root concealer to avoid dark roots that don’t match your platinum blonde hair.

Bleaching can also sometimes result in a dry, frizzy mess. A deeply hydrating, restorative hair treatment like a blonde hair mask can moisturize and strengthen damaged hair, protecting it from further damage as you continue your journey from brunette to blonde hair.