Help! I’ve Never Colored My Hair!!
So you want to color your hair but you’re afraid of damage. Let’s weigh your options.
Find out if you want to go lighter or darker.
Your first step is to find out what color you want. Not all color is created equal, and not all color is damaging.
You want to go lighter (blonde-ish)
If you want to go lighter, your stylist will have to use bleach to remove pigment from the hair. This causes damage, yes, but your stylist can use a very gentle developer along with Olaplex steps one and two to ensure that your hair remain as damage-free as possible.
There will be maintenance involved and an investment in your home care regimen on your part, so make sure you account for that.
You want to go darker
If you want to go darker, a toner, or demi-permanent hair color, is your best friend. My favorite is Redken’s Shades EQ; a hair color that is used by thousands of salons worldwide. It glosses the hair, seals the cuticle and makes the hair shiny and healthy.
When the ends are sealed and healthy, it prevents breakage and the hair can actually grow.
Your stylist may choose to use permanent color, but the damage is still less than bleaching.
You want vivid or silver hair
Un-natural hair color is going to be the most damaging of all. In order to get to that level of hair color, the hair has to be bleached and completely stripped of all natural pigment.
To find a stylist that specializes in vivid hair, look up #vividhair plus your city on Instagram.
You have no idea what you want
That’s a perfectly okay place to be in. I get it - you want a change but where do you start?
First, find out what your hair color is. I know that seems funny to mention, but if you’re brunette and you’re looking at blonde photos for inspiration, it’s unrealistic (this happens a lot).
Once you find out what your natural color is, browse Instagram for hair colorists who specialize in your hair color.
Look up #blondingspecialist or #blondespecialist plus your city and see what comes up. DM or book with the ones that do hair similar to yours for a consultation.
If you want to go darker, look up #colorist plus your city.
You’re already blonde and just want a tint
This is super fun. If you’re already blonde and you want a little fun color, ask your stylist for a color tint. This is a quick and short appointment and can be a really nice change.
If you decide color is not for you
So you’ve decided you don’t want any of it but you just feel like you want something. A clear gloss is what you need! Ask your stylist to give you a clear gloss, which is essentially toner with no pigment, with Olaplex steps one and two.
A clear gloss will create a shiny topcoat for your hair. It penetrates the hair shaft but not so deep that it cannot be removed.
