Hundreds and thousands…of shades of blonde!

Deciding to go blonde can be a tricky decision and definitely needs to be done by a professional. There are hundreds of shades of blonde and if you suit your hair light then chances are there is a shade of blonde for you. Having blonde hair means you have a blank canvas for your stylist to work with and with the right toner you can usually achieve any shade of blonde.

Traditionally blondes were thought to just be ‘platinum’ which certainly is not for everyone. These days the options for blondes are endless. The warmer shades suit warmer skin tones and brown eyes, you may have heard descriptions like honey blonde, strawberry blondes or sandy blonde.

If you have a cooler skin tone and blue or green eyes you’ll probably want a cooler shade of blonde, sometimes described as ash blonde, icy blonde or silvery blonde. The look of your blonde hair colour will also depend on the technique used to lighten the hair. On-scalp lightening will lighten the whole head of hair. Foils will lighten the pieces of hair that have been put into the foil, leaving the rest of the hair untouched. Balayage or ombré will give you more of a subtle lightened look with the lightening product swept onto the parts of the hair that your stylist thinks will highlight your features. The desired tone of the blonde is achieved by the shade of toner your stylist chooses. This is usually a combination of colours mixed and applied to the pre-lightened hair.

Remember that the lightening product used is always some form of bleach and should never be attempted at home. You are altering the chemical makeup of your hair structure and should only be performed by a professional. He or she will assess the condition of the hair before deciding whether or not it is strong enough to cope with a lightening product. Professional hair care (shampoo/conditioner) is also a must before, during and after any lightening service. Think of it as your hair colours insurance. A good stylist will always offer home haircare advice and in my opinion should always be listened to.

So if you are thinking of lightening your hair, speak to your stylist and make sure a thorough consultation is done beforehand.