The Blonde Journey: The Chapel’s guide to the perfect colour transition

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Here at the Chapel, we view a blonde hair transformation as a journey — a process which takes time and care. Going blonde no longer means that you’ll be left with frazzled, yellow toned locks, rather your end result could be anything from a shiny, silvery platinum to a golden auburn. This means that you can tailor your blonde specifically to your skin tone, hair condition, and starting shade, to ensure you achieve the perfect colour for you.

So here is our guide to the perfect blonde colour transition, from the preparatory steps you should take, to how to work with your stylist, and finally how to maintain your colour — because blonde really can be for everyone.

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Colour studio at The Chapel, Tunbridge Wells

Do your research

Regardless of the colour you are starting with, going blonde requires research, as there are multiple shades, tones, and colour combinations that can be used to create your signature blonde. Social media sites can hold a wealth of inspiration and allow you to save some reference images for your hair colourist. Aim to find images that feature people with a similar skintone to you, so you can get a good idea of whether the colour will suit you.

At this stage, you should be thinking about the exact tone of the blonde you would like to achieve, whether or not you’ll change your style, and how much time you can devote to maintaining it. Your skin tone and initial hair colour are big factors when choosing the correct shade. Cool skin tones work best with silvery and buttery shades, whilst those with warm skin tones should opt for sandy and golden tones. Particularly for first time blondes, aim to go no more than two shades lighter than your original shade, to maintain the condition of your hair and avoid overly prominent regrowth. You can always deepen or lighten your colour with highlights or a tint if you don’t get your desired shade the first time around.

Another decision you have to make is whether you want an all over blonde, or something more subtle such as balayage or highlights. All over colour, depending on your natural hair, will generally require more maintenance than balayage or highlights, as you’ll have visible regrowth after about 3-4 weeks. We would advise to leave no longer than 6 weeks between colouring appointments, to ensure your colour looks fresh, with minimal regrowth, and to reduce the amount of excess stress on your hair.

If you’re after something a little more natural, balayage and highlights will allow for a few extra weeks in between salon visits, and add extra dimension to your colour. When used with sandy and warm tones, these techniques can give your hair a sun kissed look which will be easy to maintain. If you’re a first time blonde, balayage and highlights are definitely the best way to go before all over bleach, not only from a maintenance aspect, but due to the permanence of all over bleaching.

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Emma and Saskia discussing options in The Chapel, Tunbridge Wells

Consult and book in with a professional

It’d be silly to waste all of your research by opting for a packet colour, as they often provide inconsistent results that can damage your hair. Make sure to book in with a professional for a consultation in regard to your blonde transformation. They will be able to give you a practical insight in regards to what can actually be achieved with your current hair, and provide advice on which tone will work best for you. A professional hair colourist will be able to provide you with quote and expected duration of your appointment, suggest products to prepare and maintain your colour, and styles that will best suit your new blonde tresses. Whilst online research is extremely valuable, you cannot gain better advice than from an expert colourist.

Prepare your hair

Going blonde generally requires some form of bleaching. This can have a damaging effect to the hair, so it is vital that your hair is in optimum condition prior to coloring — giving your hairdresser the best canvas possible for a healthy blonde transformation. Hopefully you’re doing this already, but make sure to invest in regular conditioning treatments, hair trims, and a quality shampoo and conditioner to eliminate any excessive damage or malnourished hair.

Maintenance

As lightening your hair is a permanent process, post colour care is key to ensuring your hair remains healthy. Similar to when you’re preparing your hair for the transformation, you should continue regular conditioning treatments, trims, and use a blonde-specific shampoo and conditioner to get the most out of your new colour. During your hair appointment, ask your stylist to suggest the correct products for your colour. There are a vast range of products that that deposit colour to continuously tone, or add protein to encourage strength.

Don’t let this comprehensive guide scare you, as the maintenance for blonde hair is definitely outweighed by the result. So get researching, prepare your hair, and book your appointment with one of our amazing colourists to begin your blonde transformation.

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