Should I go blonde? How blonde?

Has anyone not thought about going blonde? Blonde is beautiful, light, carefree and fun. However, blonde can also be a disaster—so the first question you want to ask yourself, and your colorist, is: “How blonde can I go?”

The answer involves many elements. What color are you starting with? For example, going from red to blonde is different from going from brown to blonde. Is there already color deposited in your hair? What state of health is your hair in? How committed are you to upkeep? Ultimately, whether you have beige or atomic blonde in mind, the bleaching process will mean opening up the cuticle of your hair, increasing porosity, and damaging the keratin bonds which are so important to your hair’s health. Therefore, it is important to understand if you are ready for what it will take to maintain gorgeous, healthy blonde hair.

The evolution of healthy blonde hair

See the images below for how sylist Charlie Rose took her client from deep cocoa to dynamite blonde in multiple sessions, while focusing on repair and getting a gorgeous depth of color at every turn. 

The “how blonde should I go?” checklist

If it is blonde or bust, we support your babylight and balayage dreams! Even more, we got our favorite colorists to make us a must-do checklist for living happily ever blonder. 

1. Have a healthy blonde game plan.

Find a great colorist and ask them to help you set expectations. How blonde you go and how many steps it takes you to get there will vary based on your current color and hair characteristics.

“Asking for expert advice from your stylist is vital to your long-term hair coloring success. Whether you are a brand new client or have been with your stylist for years, take time to consult with them on your color goals, and plot out your brilliantly-hued future together.”

—Deanna Burnette-Doty, Colorist

2. Go blond in stages.

If you like to go back and forth between dark and light, take the lightening process in steps.  

“Keep your hair healthy! Start slow, by incorporating highlights around your face at your first spring visit to the salon. Build in color as the season rolls on. By the time summer approaches you will have healthy, blonder hair, and if need be you can always give it an extra push with a mid-summer ultra-blonde balayage.”

—Francisco Hernandez, Stylist

3. Decide which blonde is right for you.

Once you have consulted with your colorist, align on what’s realistic for you. Does your hair goal match your lifestyle?

“You have to ask yourself how many times you want to come in and out of the salon. Are you ok with high maintenance hair?”

—Charlie Rose, Colorist

4. Check your account.

Going blonde is expensive, so talk about the money! Your colorist knows your history going back three boyfriends ago. You talk about everything else, so this one should be easy.

“Don’t ever be afraid to discuss money! Color is a commitment and there are multiple solutions, so be informed about your financial obligations as well as your at home maintenance!”

—Deanna Burnette-Doty, Colorist

5. Maintain that new blonde hair.

If you are going multiple shades lighter, a brassy yellow tone can easily sneak into your hair. Your colorist will likely do a toning treatment before your service is done, but a purple or violet shampoo will be vital for at home maintenance. SEVEN Rinzu® HELIO toning system includes a violet shampoo and a violet conditioner saturated with a high level of pigment so your ashy locks don’t go lemon.

6. Repair your hair.

When bleaching, your salon service should include a reparative step, but don’t let it stop there.  

“I won’t let a color client leave the salon without the SEVEN Kente® BOND system which ensures that the hair stays healthy at home.“

—Chu Emery, Stylist

The Kente® BOND system is simply the best salon product out there to repair hair. More than just a treatment for dry hair, BOND shampoo, BOND conditioner, and BOND reparative spray work together and were each carefully formulated to magnify the result of the others. This bonding system restores brittle hair using positively charged smart ingredients that are attracted to specific areas of need on negatively charged, damaged hair. It’s an investment that means you get healthy blonde without any hair breakage.  

Not sure what system is best? If you can’t decide between a violet shampoo, violet conditioner, and reparative system like BOND, mix it up. We recommend the Rinzu® HELIO system once per week. On your second wash, use the Kente® BOND system. Whatever you choose, always follow your cleansing routine with a spritz of Kente® BOND reparative spray to seal the cuticle and lock in healing.