Can you go blonde when you have natural hair? Is blonde hair going to damage your natural tresses? Many women who have decided to go natural still love color and even love the lighter shades of blonde but does that mean they will have to damage their hair to obtain that brash shade? Of course you can! Whether you are a fan or not, Naturals are rocking blond hair with some serious #blackgirlmagic. As the saying goes, Blonds have more fun but when a natural decides to go blond, she is doing more than changing her life. She’s changing her hair health!
The Power Of Tea For Natural Hair
Going blonde requires bleaching and bleaching hair is the harshest treatment you can put your hair under. Despite the risks, millions of women dye their hair blonde every year, but the concern on how it will affect your hair should always be present. The market is flooded with products to soften the blow of bleaching but curly girls already have delicate strands. Couple that with wanting to ensure we get blond and not yellow brassy hair and you see why some women are leery on going blonde in the first place.
Properly prep your strands for blonde hair
Get your hair ready for the bleaching by prepping. I consulted with American Board Certified Hair Colorist and licensed cosmetologist Monae Everett on how to prep hair before going blonde. She says make sure your hair is in the healthiest condition prior to going blonde and to make sure to condition and moisturize on a regular basis, so your hair will maintain its current state of good health.
This also goes for making sure to not use any other damaging techniques while prepping hair for the bleaching. Skip flat irons and other heat stylers along with any chemical applications like a keratin treatment or a texturizer. Been missing your deep conditionings or protein treatments? Beef up on them before the bleaching as well. Think about getting hair in perfect shape at least a month prior so hair is properly prepped and in the best shape possible.
Getting blonde hair (correctly) can be costly
Are you ready for the sticker shock of blonde hair? I hate to say it but often when you see a woman with blonde hair that’s yellowing, brassy or her hair looks fried, she didn’t but enough money into the process and her hair and look is suffering. There is an upkeep with coloring your hair no matter the color but when it comes to going blonde, the new growth will be hard to conceal and you must worry about the color between touch-ups not going wrong.
The Power of Proteins For Natural Hair
Getting the right color blonde takes work and usually from a professional which also increases the price. The touch-ups are anywhere from four to twelves weeks and special products need to be used to keep the color true, vibrant and not to sacrifice the health of your hair. If you are not ready to spend the cash, skip the venture until a later date when you have the right funds to fund the project!
Head to the professionals for the dirty (blonde) deed!
If you haven’t guessed it by now, here’s the flat out truth…you need a professional to get you that blonde you desire. Bleaching is tricky and getting the right color without damaging your hair takes more than guts. It takes skills and no matter how amazing your girlfriend is with that hair, if she’s not a professional, then skip her this time around and hit a salon. Opt for a salon that caters to coloring natural hair to ensure they have your needs met.
Perks for going to the salon are plentiful. For one thing, you are apt to getting the EXACT blonde you want and hopefully the truth from your stylist. They should be able to tell you if you can achieve the color you want and even if you SHOULD and they will be able to tell you if your hair is healthy enough for such a harsh treatment. They also will have the amazing treatment to help safe your hair from damage. (See below) If you don’t have the ends for such a treatment, wait and save up for it. It’s all about the color being right without harming your hair.
Provide “breakage insurance” with Olaplex
By now, most of you hair color divas have heard of Olaplex and know just how revolutionary this product line is. Olaplex stepped up on protecting your hair during a coloring service and touted as the “breakage Insruance” for a reason. It works!
“Our simple three-step process includes a patented active ingredient that works on a molecular level to seek out broken bonds in the hair that are caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage. You can use Olaplex to restore compromised hair, or add it to another service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance.” Olaplex
Make sure your salon is using this and yes, it’s worth the money! Bleaching is harsh on curly strands so just as we mentioned above about going blonde hair may be expensive, this is one component that is worth the expense.
Sorry, but you REALLY SHOULD use color-treated products!
I get it. Marketing is all about making you think you NEED whatever a brand is selling. Quite often, we don’t need everything we see bombarded in our faces from brand but when it comes to coloring your hair…buying color-treated products is a must if you want your hair color to stay vibrant and healthy. Many regular hair products neglect to protect your hair from the sun which can faded your color. Color treated products usually come with sun protection and added vitamins to help restore the hair and prevent future damages.
Healthy Hair Tips From Celebrity Hair Stylist Monaé Everett
Blond hair has special needs and color-treated products for blondes make sure to add those ingredients to your formulations. You may pay more for these specialized shampoos, conditioners and treatments, but you end of paying less when it comes to fading and hair turning yellow. Dish out the extra dollars and end up with prettier and less damaged hair.
Lay off the washing!
You may have a weekly washing routine that works well for your curls, but when it comes to coloring, nixing some of those washes are crucial to allowing your blonde hair to stay true and to keep hair moisturized. Your stylist will tell you when it is safe to wash your hair but decreasing your shampoos will help keep your hair’s color along with keeping those precious natural oils our strands need to stay healthy.
Try a dry shampoo if hair is getting dirty more often to help save the color and your style (for that matter). Too much shampooing can dull your blonde. If you haven’t tried cowashing, give it a try and it will be less drying to your strands and much more gentle to your new color.
These tips are going to help you get and keep some of the most beautiful blond natural hair looks you are craving. Get the color that you want with the protection that your hair needs and enjoy your blonde hair to the fullest!
Whose going blonde this summer or fall?
Sabrina
