Hi friends! If you follow me via social media, then you know that at the end of November I went platinum blonde. My new platinum locks have been such a fun transition, and I’ve had wonderful feedback about the change. Considering the look is so completely different from anything I have ever done, I thought a dedicated blog post outlining my experience was in order. Hopefully this will answer any questions you may have if you too have been thinking about going platinum, or even just doing something very different.
WHY PLATINUM?
I have always loved experimenting with my hair. It’s been various lengths and colors throughout my adult life, so for those that know me well, this new do shouldn’t really be a huge surprise. I will say though, that this color is the most jaw-dropping hue my hair has been just because it is so light and bright. To go back to the actual question of “why platinum?” goes back to genetics. I’ll explain… Both of my parents have very thick hair. My mom’s is so thick and gorgeous that people are constantly commenting on it. But, in addition to thick mops, they both also started greying at a very early age. I think my dad was 18 when it began for him, and not much longer after that for my mom. Me, as their daughter, not only inherited the very thick hair, but unfortunately the early onset greying too. I found my first grey at 21, and gradually since then, they continue to multiply (insert eye roll). The past couple of years I have had balayage and have loved it for the low maintenance it required, but unfortunately my white hairs have over taken my hairline and center part to the point that I was having to get my roots done about every four weeks in order to keep that pesky grey from showing. It was defeating the whole purpose of having balayage. So, what’s the old saying? “When you can’t beat ’em, join ’em?” This is exactly what I decided to do. Hence, how I chose my new color.
THE PROCESS
Now, deciding on the new look was the easy part, but reality then sets in, and I had to think about how I was actually going to achieve such a drastic change in the least about of salon visits possible. Que the professional… Luckily for me, I have a KILLER hair stylist. Ashley at Meraki Salon in Raleigh is the real deal, and I pretty much trust her with my life after she worked her magic on this look. We had multiple conversation on what this process would entail and cost estimations as well because I knew this was not going to be cheap. I definitely had to save up for this one. I discuss this more in a bit.
After she chopped off some of the length because I knew I also wanted a blunt bob, she began the bleaching process. Ashley decided she didn’t want to bleach my hair from root to tip all at once because I had permanent color on the majority of my hair, but I also had about an inch of regrowth at my roots. What this means is that colored hair and uncolored hair lift (lighten) differently and at different amounts of time. So, the gameplan was to foil my entire head, leaving my regrowth out, allow the hair in foils to lift (bleach), wash that out, then attack my roots.
I don’t think either of us anticipated the amount of foils it would take to cover all my hair. In all, she used 127 FOILS! Check out the pics below!
Slowly getting there…
After the hair in the foils had lifted, Ashley wash that out then put the bleach mixture on my roots.
*Insider tip: have your stylist add a little sugar to the bleach so you don’t feel as if your skin is being burned away from your scalp. 😉
Once my roots had lifted, that was then rinsed out, and now my hair is YELLOW! Obviously, yellow is not the final product I wanted, so the NEXT STEP was to tone my hair. The toner is essentially what gives blonde various hues. I was going for a cooler, whiter, blonde, so Ashley used a toner that could give me that. She actually ended up toning my hair three times, in order to achieve that color we wanted. When all was said and done, including the haircut, I was at the salon for 7.5 HOURS! It’s a good thing we planned for this! Please don’t spring this on your stylist last minute!
Now let’s talk money.
THE COST
As I mentioned earlier in this post, this is not an inexpensive change. If you think about everything that is happening: the amount of product being used, the labor that it takes, and the time required, the pricey cost makes sense, especially if you want it done RIGHT! Most salons will charge somewhere in the ballpark of $500 to $1000 for something this drastic.
As a reminder, I went from this… To this…
Again, I had many conversations with my stylist prior to the actual day. Not only did we talk about the process of coloring, but also how much money I could expect to spend. Then, I started SAVING. Once I was ready, I made the appointment.
CARING FOR PLATINUM HAIR
I’m going to be honest, caring for this color takes a little more effort that my previous balayage, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Once you identify the biggest enemies that can destroy your platinum tresses and all that hard work your stylist did, you can quickly learn how to combat them.
Enemy number one: the type of shampoo you use
It is SOOOOOO IMPORTANT that you invest is a good purple shampoo. I bought one from Meraki, the salon I go to, and it truly has been the thing that keeps my hair from becoming brassy in between salon visits. This purple shampoo from O&M is the real deal! It’s free of sulfates, parabens, and any other junk that can suck the life out of your locks.
O&M Conquer Blonde Silver Shampoo
I also use a hair mask about once every week to keep the strands strong and hydrated. Remember, bleaching every inch of your hair can take a toll if you don’t pamper it. Lastly, I use a hair oil to give it even more moisture after washing. This one from Moroccan Oil is one I’ve used for years and love so much. It also smells divine!
Enemy number two: HEAT
Subjecting your hair to intense heat day after day can definitely play a part in bringing in unwanted brassiness. I’m not about to NOT style my hair, but I do attempt to use as little heat as possible. I only wash my hair once every 5 to 6 days. After I style my hair following that initial wash, I try and just leave it alone for the next few days. I may use a flatiron to fix a section or two if needed, but honestly, I’ll just throw some dry shampoo in my hair, maybe brush it (MAYBE…) and call it good. I’ve been using hair accessories like bobby pins, hair clips, and headbands to give my style variation. Keeping the heat at bay has made a world of difference, not only in my color, but also in the health of my hair. That’s just a good habit to start regardless of your hair color or type.
It is no exaggeration when I say this style is at the top of my list for all-time favorite hair-do’s! The work that it took to get to this point and all the effort to takes keep it looking its best is worth every second! If you are considering joining the platinum club and have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out. I’m sure I probably forgot something. 😉 In the meantime, thanks for reading! You are all so very appreciated!
-Megan
