How to get natural looking blonde hair (no dark/black roots)

[Blondieee]

Hey everyone! So I've officially decided on a hair color. I want to go blonde. But there is a specific look I'm wanting when I go blonde and it doesn't seem easy to achieve because you don't see it a lot. You know how you see a lot of blondes with the black roots? I don't want that. I don't want my roots done at all. I want to leave my natural brown color at the roots. Your roots should be brown when you're blonde, not black. And I keep seeing the black look over and over. It's not natural looking at all and I don't like it. And as far as the shade of blonde I'm looking for, I want it to be golden blonde (not white or yellow). This picture of Gigi Hadid is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. A pretty golden blonde with natural looking brown roots, not black.

How do I achieve this? I've found a hairstylist who listens to what I want and barely takes any of my hair knowing I want to keep it long. She's great! But she's a blonde and has the dark/black roots. And when I go on her Instagram page, all the pictures of the girls have the black roots. Even some of them who have had a balayage. I want a balayage for sure but I don't want any dark roots. Even when I look up high quality well known salons in major cities, most of the girls have the dark roots. Are the girls saying they want this? Or are the hair stylists just automatically doing this?

Also, I've seen some girls who have been blonde for years and their hair has thinned out significantly. If you use blonde dye and not bleach, will it not thin out? Why is their hair thinning out? From using bleach over and over? I've had a lot of hair loss from health problems and don't want any more. My hair is finally starting to regrow and look nice.

[Blondieee]

http://i68.tinypic.com/oqb1w5.jpg

[Alex Lou]

Those women have black roots because their hair is naturally black or dark brown which looks black to you. Bayage usually leaves your natural root color so if you have light brown hair then your roots will be light brown. Is your hair as light as the roots in the photo? If not, you will need to lighten your roots as well. In any case you need to discuss with your stylist what color you want your roots to be with photos.

Any time you lighten hair, chemicals are used that remove brown pigment from the hair in an oxidative processes. Hair cannot become a lighter color with the addition of pigment (dye) alone. Most box dyes are actually a combination of dye which deposits color and peroxide which lightens the hair. A stylist will first use peroxide or bleach to lighten then a dye to achieve the desired tone. Any time you lighten hair with chemicals it is damaging. The extent of the damage will depend on how much you lighten, the starting health of your hair, and how strong or resilient your hair is naturally (genetics). Generally, someone going from light brown to golden blond will have much less damage than someone going from dark brown to platinum,for example.

The more damaged your hair is, the more you will see splits and breaks, causing your hair to thin. Most people who lighten their hair will see some splits and breaks which is why lightening hair is not recommended if your priorities are long or thick hair.

[lapushka]

Hey everyone! So I've officially decided on a hair color. I want to go blonde. But there is a specific look I'm wanting when I go blonde and it doesn't seem easy to achieve because you don't see it a lot. You know how you see a lot of blondes with the black roots? I don't want that. I don't want my roots done at all. I want to leave my natural brown color at the roots. Your roots should be brown when you're blonde, not black. And I keep seeing the black look over and over. It's not natural looking at all and I don't like it. And as far as the shade of blonde I'm looking for, I want it to be golden blonde (not white or yellow). This picture of Gigi Hadid is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. A pretty golden blonde with natural looking brown roots, not black.

How do I achieve this? I've found a hairstylist who listens to what I want and barely takes any of my hair knowing I want to keep it long. She's great! But she's a blonde and has the dark/black roots. And when I go on her Instagram page, all the pictures of the girls have the black roots. Even some of them who have had a balayage. I want a balayage for sure but I don't want any dark roots. Even when I look up high quality well known salons in major cities, most of the girls have the dark roots. Are the girls saying they want this? Or are the hair stylists just automatically doing this?

Also, I've seen some girls who have been blonde for years and their hair has thinned out significantly. If you use blonde dye and not bleach, will it not thin out? Why is their hair thinning out? From using bleach over and over? I've had a lot of hair loss from health problems and don't want any more. My hair is finally starting to regrow and look nice.

It all depends on your starting color. Maybe your stylist can do a test strand to see if you like the contrast; even dark brown or brown can look "black" against a very light blonde.

[Nique1202]

Yeah, I seriously doubt that anyone is colouring their roots dark to contrast with their blonde length and ends. It's just that anything darker than a quite light brown looks even darker next to any shade of blonde. The lighter you go, the more contrast there is. It's not that they're colouring the roots, it's just that their natural colour looks extra dark in contrast. How your hair will end up looking depends on your natural colour and how light you bleach the length.

As for thinning hair, balayage will help to keep the bleach away from the scalp so that it doesn't end up damaged (some people end up with chemical burns to their scalps from permanent dye or bleach) but the length and ends can end up thinner over time because of the damage inherent in the process. The only way to lighten hair is to damage it, and unless you're already within a shade's lightness of the colour you want, doing it with a box dye instead of bleach will likely end with a brassy mess.

[LadyCelestina]

Colouring the roots darker is actually a thing. It's called shadow roots.

Just ask them to leave your natural colour on top. If you want to be extra sure, lie a bit and say you get reactions from dye on the scalp.

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! My roots are super light brown with the rest of my hair an off shade of blonde/watered down tea look. I'll post a picture later. I think the Morrocan oil cream I use lightens my hair. I use it in the ends and that's the part of my hair that's very light. Everytime I use the Morrocan oil, the ends get like that.

Numerous hair stylists have told me that because my hair color is so light naturally that they don't have to use bleach on me. They can just use a blonde dye. I don't have dark brown hair naturally so it's not needed. I'm a natural blonde. I went blonde several years ago and the stylist used bleach and it turned out awful! It was very white and she realized she had messed up. And she was like "Oh, you must have been a blonde when you were younger." Really?! Thanks for realizing that after the fact lol but yes several hair stylists have said bleach is not needed on me, that they can use a dye. They said if I wanted white blonde they would have to use bleach but with golden blonde they don't. I wasn't talking about using a box dye. I meant having the hairstylist use a dye in a balayage.

I know the girls with the black roots aren't dying their roots black lol I meant is the hairstylist doing the highlights in such a way to create that effect? But I have lots of friends who have the black look and they don't have black or dark brown hair naturally. Their natural hair color is light brown. One of my friends has the black look who has light brown hair naturally and she bleaches her entire head. So when her roots grow out, it looks really bad. Why she's using bleach when she has light brown hair naturally I have no clue. But her hair is short, damaged, frizzy, and fried. My mom saw a blonde when she was at the store. Her hair was very long and healthy looking. She asked her about it and she said "Don't bleach it."

When I went blonde years ago, the hair stylist messed up so bad that I had the black roots!! And my natural hair color is no where near close to black. It's very light brown. So that's what I mean. I don't want that look at all. But that stylist bleached my roots too. Maybe the key is leaving the roots alone and just doing a balayage at the ends so there is no regrowth line?

[lapushka]

Why don't you try using a box dye? I'm not here to encourage you (if it goes wrong, don't blame me), but if that is what the stylist will basically be doing, it seems like such a waste of money (I'm on a budget, you may not be). The rule though when using box dye is, go a couple (one to two) shades off your natural color and you'll be fine.

[Alex Lou]

I tried to explain this carefully, but apparently I was not successful:

You cannot go lighter with dye only. If your stylist says she will not use bleach, then she is using something else to remove the brown pigment like peroxide or ammonia. Your hair will be damaged, although the damage may be minor if you only need to lighten a couple shades.

I think the stylist is a good idea because bayage isn't something you can easily do at home.

[lapushka]

I tried to explain this carefully, but apparently I was not successful:

You cannot go lighter with dye only. If your stylist says she will not use bleach, then she is using something else to remove the brown pigment like peroxide or ammonia. Your hair will be damaged, although the damage may be minor if you only need to lighten a couple shades.

I think the stylist is a good idea because bayage isn't something you can easily do at home.

If the idea is to do balayage, that is always done with bleach, to my knowledge. Peroxide + powder = bleach.

[Arciela]

Are the girls saying they want this? Or are the hair stylists just automatically doing this?

Also, I've seen some girls who have been blonde for years and their hair has thinned out significantly. If you use blonde dye and not bleach, will it not thin out? Why is their hair thinning out? From using bleach over and over? I've had a lot of hair loss from health problems and don't want any more. My hair is finally starting to regrow and look nice.

I live in NYC and this hair color you want like the photo you posted is very popular here :) Also, yes, "black roots" are very popular here as well, the celebrities are doing it too. Most of them say they just let it grow that way and leave it, some purposely get it bleached to look that way.

To get the look you want, I would just think you show the photo to the hair dresser and they will do it, no?

Their hair is thinning most likely because bleach/peroxide, and afaik, anything used to make hair lighter, is damaging, when used on the scalp, it makes hair fall out, the peroxide can kill the hair follicle and you'll lose volume over time. I have very thick hair, did this for a year professionally and it was falling out constantly to the point where my family was complaining about finding my hair everywhere. When I'd finger comb it, it would just come out a LOT.

Once I stopped, the hair stopped falling out quickly..and my thickness is back along with way better hair health.

and yeah, I would never recommend lightening hair at home, unless you are trained with it. One tiny mistake can ruin hair for years x.x For a balayage, I would def go into a stylist.

[melesine]

Whatever your natural hair color is, is the color that your roots will grow in. There's no avoiding that and they will show between touch ups.

[Corvana]

While hairstylists differentiate between bleach for very dark to very light, and "blonde dye", they both will have lightener in some form in them, which is damaging. Full stop. How damaging it ends up being just depends on a big pile of factors such as current hair health, how much is used, for how long, later care, etc. But lightening your hair is still technically bleaching it (using the dictionary definition of lighten with a chemical process, not the actual chemical of bleach itself). Hairstylists use two different terms for both clarity in their work (it's easier to know to get the "blonde dye" vs "get the bleach no not that one no not that one"), and IMO a tiny bit to hide the fact that regardless going lighter uses damaging lighteners in some capacity.

So, if you're fine with that, then take in that photo and explain exactly what you want. Maybe find a bunch of photos of what you want. Make sure you're prepared to care for your hair afterward, with deep conditioners and masks and such. Doing so will help your hair's integrity.

[Rhoward]

Gigi Hadid's natural colour is already blonde (somewhere between a level 7 and 8 ) so that's why her roots look lighter - because they are, the lighter you go from your natural colour the darker your roots are going to look.

It would be a lot easier to help you if you uploaded a photo of what you hair looks like now.

[lapushka]

It would be a lot easier to help you if you uploaded a photo of what you hair looks like now.

I agree with that. OP, it would take the guesswork out of this whole equation. Could you post a picture?

[Obsidian]

As already mentioned, roots will generally look darker when the length/ends have been lightened. If your friend has light brown hair but her roots look black, its due to the contrast.

My daughter has light ash blond hair, this spring she went platinum and once her hair started to grow, the roots looked dark brown. Took her a couple trips back to the salon to blend the roots to the rest of her hair.

[Blondieee]

I know it can look like that from the contrast, but I don't want it to look like that. It doesn't have to look like that. I was a blonde when I was younger and when my hair started turning brown, my roots were brown with the rest of my hair blonde. It looked natural and there was no harsh line and no darkness or black at the roots. It looks so unnatural and fake when it's like that. I don't want that look.

I will post pictures of my hair, hold on.

[Blondieee]

Is there a way I can post it on here without going to an image uploading site? This ad popup keeps coming up so I can't get it uploaded.

[Blondieee]

But I know if you don't use bleach to lighten hair, you have to use peroxide with the dye. But I'm pretty sure even Redken Shades EQ has peroxide in it and that dye makes my hair extremely moisturized and healthy. I think the peroxide is needed to get the dye into the hair. But bleach is just plain damaging. There's no words for it. You can tell a distinct difference in blonde girls who bleach their hair and those who don't. The hair quality is night and day. Plus it's not needed on me. My hair color is so light naturally. It's not needed at all. It takes me way lighter than I want to go super fast.

[Nightshade]

I can't help on the uploading bit, but another style to search for is something called 'baby lights'. It was popular a few years ago and supposed to simulate that natural darker to lighter blonde gradient that young girls have just from their baby hair growing long and then being in the sun.

http://www.byrdie.com/hair-highlight-ideas/slide5

http://www.lorealprofessionnel.co.uk/hair-advice/hair-colour-advice/what-are-highlights-and-lowlights



Re: bleaching. It's all really the same.
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Tl:dr- All lightening methods ultimately do the same thing: they break down the melanin in your hair. The darker your hair, the more melanin has to be broken down. There is no way to break down melanin without also damaging the other protein-based structures in your hair, like keratin. Damaging one damages the other.

There's ways to mitigate this (pre-oiling with coconut oil, lifting color over several sessions, etc.) but 'bleach' is no more intrinsically damaging than 'peroxide'. You're fortunate that your hair is light so you only have to lift through a few shades, which also minimizes damage :)

[Rhoward]

But I'm pretty sure even Redken Shades EQ has peroxide in it and that dye makes my hair extremely moisturized and healthy

Redken Shades EQ is a demi colour that you mix with very low level peroxide, its deposit only, thats why your hair feels good after using it, its not going to lighten your hair though, you will need permeant dye with a higher peroxide (20 vol or stronger depending on there results you want) or if your hair is not completely virgin (which if you have used shades EQ on it then its not virgin) then you will most likely need powder bleach to lighten it.

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! My hair is virgin. I haven't had Shades EQ put on it for 6 years. I will post a pic of my hair as soon as I can. I don't know why the image uploading site I always use is having this stupid popup to where I can't upload the picture. I just used it a couple days ago to upload the pic of Gigi Hadid. I'll just try to describe my hair the best I can in the meantime.

Will permanent dye with a higher peroxide thin the hair or does only bleach thin the hair? And how much peroxide would be needed in the dye going from a very very light brown/dark blondish color to a golden blonde color like in the pic with Gigi Hadid?

[Rhoward]

Will permanent dye with a higher peroxide thin the hair or does only bleach thin the hair? And how much peroxide would be needed in the dye going from a very very light brown/dark blondish color to a golden blonde color like in the pic with Gigi Hadid?

I cant answer these questions without seeing your starting colour, hair colour is all about levels, where you start from and where you want to be. Your very light brown could be a level 5, 6 or 7, each of these levels would require very different formulas to achieve what you want. Then there is also the question of texture and condition. It's just impossible to give you any advice without seeing your hair.

Have you had a colour consultation at any salons? They are free and will give you an idea of what will be involved in the colour process, the cost and the results you can realistically expect. I'd go to a few different salons for consults before deciding on one. If it turns out you only need to go a maximum of 2 levels lighter you can probably just do it yourself at home.

[WeirdCatEars]

Will permanent dye with a higher peroxide thin the hair or does only bleach thin the hair?


Similar to what Nightshade said: Whenever you lighten your hair with any avaliable product what you’re doing is oxidizing all of the existing proteins in your hair. Since you’re not using something that attacks specifically the pigment, you also attack the other proteins present, like the one that gives the hair its structure, which is what causes the hair to thin, since the structure is weaker and breaks easier.


There is no commercially avaliable product that attacks only the pigments in your hair (as far as I know, and if there was it would be ridiculously expensive) so no matter what they use, some damage to the structure is to be expected, it’s just that something with more oxidizing power (using something stronger like bleach or a more concentrated solution of peroxide) damages more because it oxidizes more.


As for how much product is needed I have no idea, sorry, even if I had a picture avaliable. Just here to put my lack of studying for a test about proteins to use, by explaining exactly what I’m avoiding studying.

[lapushka]

Similar to what Nightshade said: Whenever you lighten your hair with any avaliable product what you’re doing is oxidizing all of the existing proteins in your hair. Since you’re not using something that attacks specifically the pigment, you also attack the other proteins present, like the one that gives the hair its structure, which is what causes the hair to thin, since the structure is weaker and breaks easier.


There is no commercially avaliable product that attacks only the pigments in your hair (as far as I know, and if there was it would be ridiculously expensive) so no matter what they use, some damage to the structure is to be expected, it’s just that something with more oxidizing power (using something stronger like bleach or a more concentrated solution of peroxide) damages more because it oxidizes more.


As for how much product is needed I have no idea, sorry, even if I had a picture avaliable. Just here to put my lack of studying for a test about proteins to use, by explaining exactly what I’m avoiding studying.

What about Olaplex or variants on that product. It's being used a lot now, I think.

[WeirdCatEars]

What about Olaplex or variants on that product. It's being used a lot now, I think.

I’m not familiar with it, but I just searched and it works by repairing damage done to part of the proteins. It doesn’t prevent the oxidization of them but helps restore one component of the structure (which afaik is the component that gets affected the most when you oxidize). Not sure what it does to the pigment, probably repairs it but not enough to restore colour? I don’t know too much about the specifics.

[Arciela]

What I am curious is what does Gwen Stefani do to stay blonde without going bald from weekly "bleaching"? I saw that the guy who does her hair/roots weekly claims he found a way to get her blonde without bleach and no damage, always wondered how in the world that is possible, because like it was said, the only way to lighten hair as we know it, is by oxidizing it, which is super damaging.

[lapushka]

What I am curious is what does Gwen Stefani do to stay blonde without going bald from weekly "bleaching"? I saw that the guy who does her hair/roots weekly claims he found a way to get her blonde without bleach and no damage, always wondered how in the world that is possible, because like it was said, the only way to lighten hair as we know it, is by oxidizing it, which is super damaging.

I don't think there is any other way, TBH. :) I think the guy may be referring to Olaplex, or some sort of product. But it still involves bleach (there literally is no other way to go more than a few shades lighter).

[_anya]

Hey everyone! So I've officially decided on a hair color. I want to go blonde. But there is a specific look I'm wanting when I go blonde and it doesn't seem easy to achieve because you don't see it a lot. You know how you see a lot of blondes with the black roots? I don't want that. I don't want my roots done at all. I want to leave my natural brown color at the roots. Your roots should be brown when you're blonde, not black. And I keep seeing the black look over and over. It's not natural looking at all and I don't like it. And as far as the shade of blonde I'm looking for, I want it to be golden blonde (not white or yellow). This picture of Gigi Hadid is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. A pretty golden blonde with natural looking brown roots, not black.

How do I achieve this? I've found a hairstylist who listens to what I want and barely takes any of my hair knowing I want to keep it long. She's great! But she's a blonde and has the dark/black roots. And when I go on her Instagram page, all the pictures of the girls have the black roots. Even some of them who have had a balayage. I want a balayage for sure but I don't want any dark roots. Even when I look up high quality well known salons in major cities, most of the girls have the dark roots. Are the girls saying they want this? Or are the hair stylists just automatically doing this?

Also, I've seen some girls who have been blonde for years and their hair has thinned out significantly. If you use blonde dye and not bleach, will it not thin out? Why is their hair thinning out? From using bleach over and over? I've had a lot of hair loss from health problems and don't want any more. My hair is finally starting to regrow and look nice.

What's your natural hair color? What color are your roots (first few inches)? Do your roots tend towards warmer, more golden to reddish tones, or more neutral or ashy? Black roots in blond hair is because their normal hair color is brunette or much darker than the high-lifted or bleached fake blonde, even if they started out with dirty blonde.
Also, remember that the lighter ones hair is bleached/highlifted (think level 9 or 10) AND the ashier (whiter) it is toned to be, the darker the roots will appear when growing out because of the extreme contrast. For example, even if you're a natural medium golden honey blonde but then lift or bleach your hair to a blue-based level 10 blonde (icy platinum) in which they'll also tone it to strip out any residual yellow brass/golds, your medium warm-blonde hair is going to look VERY dark, nearly a murky brown when it starts to grow in because of the contrast of warm vs cool tones of blondes, which can look stripy and kind of dirty. This is one reason why being a light bottle blonde is so frustrating for many who later wish to revert back to their normal hair color again because their natural color, especially if dark-med blonde, can look so muddy in comparison and they just end up getting highlights over and over out of frustration.
So back to square one, what is your natural color and tone? If you can have the colorist try to keep the tone similar to your natural base tone whilst lightening your hair, growth won't be nearly as annoying and obvious. It all depends on your hair and what kind of maintenance (and money) your ready to spend.
Personally, my natural blonde is a level 8 (9 in summer) with the odd luck of having both neutral and golden tones, so when I used to bleach my hair years ago the regrowth wasn't as much of a bother to me and I'd just go into the salon for a toner (to make things more uniform and save money).

[_anya]

What I am curious is what does Gwen Stefani do to stay blonde without going bald from weekly "bleaching"? I saw that the guy who does her hair/roots weekly claims he found a way to get her blonde without bleach and no damage, always wondered how in the world that is possible, because like it was said, the only way to lighten hair as we know it, is by oxidizing it, which is super damaging.
Tons of toner. She's also a natural dirty blonde, at least back in the 90s and she very possibly has a lot of gray in her hair which bleach binds to nicely I think. Also, lots of extensions and weaves!

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! Does anyone know how to create an album? I think I'm just going to have to upload some pictures of my hair through an album. Can I access it through my phone?

I asked my current hair stylist about going blonde and she seemed very distressed. She advised against it. She said she would have to use bleach on me and that she wouldn't do it with my iron being low. She said she would wait until my levels are all the way back up to normal. She said she could use a high lift dye on me but it would be just as damaging.

I'm just very confused. Is blonde very damaging no matter how you do it? Because I want long hair. This hair stylist respects that I want my hair to be long and she only takes off exactly what I tell her to which is a really small amount. But I've seen lots of girls with bleached hair where it is extremely dry and extremely short (like a little bit past the shoulders). Is it breaking off from the damage and becoming that short? Or is it just so damaged that they have no choice but to cut it?

I just don't understand because if I could get a picture uploaded, you guys could see that the ends of my hair (which is what I'm wanting to be blonde anyway, not the roots) are already a blondish color. So why in the world would bleach be needed? I just don't get it. And I've had some people tell me bleach and a blonde dye are just as damaging and some people tell me there is a huge difference between the two. I'm just so confused.

[poli]

Hi Blondieee, I would listen to your hairdresser. The bleach or dye blond is both damaging and high maintenance. My hair is naturally dark blond. At one time I had platinum bleached pixie and I was seriously thinking about growing it long and keeping the blond. I gave up after few inches. Yes the ends were disintegrating into nothing. I believe it is possible for some to have long blond hair but for me with my fragile and fine texture it was either blond or long (by long I mean waist + real live long, not LHC long).

[Rhoward]

Thanks everyone! Does anyone know how to create an album? I think I'm just going to have to upload some pictures of my hair through an album. Can I access it through my phone?

I asked my current hair stylist about going blonde and she seemed very distressed. She advised against it. She said she would have to use bleach on me and that she wouldn't do it with my iron being low. She said she would wait until my levels are all the way back up to normal. She said she could use a high lift dye on me but it would be just as damaging.

I'm just very confused. Is blonde very damaging no matter how you do it? Because I want long hair. This hair stylist respects that I want my hair to be long and she only takes off exactly what I tell her to which is a really small amount. But I've seen lots of girls with bleached hair where it is extremely dry and extremely short (like a little bit past the shoulders). Is it breaking off from the damage and becoming that short? Or is it just so damaged that they have no choice but to cut it?

I just don't understand because if I could get a picture uploaded, you guys could see that the ends of my hair (which is what I'm wanting to be blonde anyway, not the roots) are already a blondish color. So why in the world would bleach be needed? I just don't get it. And I've had some people tell me bleach and a blonde dye are just as damaging and some people tell me there is a huge difference between the two. I'm just so confused.

Your hairdresser would know your hair history, if there is a need for bleach to lift the hair then I would trust that opinion, I would also trust the opinion that your hair simply isn't able to handle such a process at this time. Focus on the health of your hair for a while, and the health of yourself as well.

[lapushka]

Your hairdresser would know your hair history, if there is a need for bleach to lift the hair then I would trust that opinion, I would also trust the opinion that your hair simply isn't able to handle such a process at this time. Focus on the health of your hair for a while, and the health of yourself as well.

I ditto this. You have posted a lot of health issues with your hair in particular in the past. Going blonde is very damaging, and the fact that it is often so short is because it breaks off at the ends from damage. Yes, it IS very damaging! :flower:

[WeirdCatEars]

I just don't understand because if I could get a picture uploaded, you guys could see that the ends of my hair (which is what I'm wanting to be blonde anyway, not the roots) are already a blondish color. So why in the world would bleach be needed? I just don't get it.

No matter how light your hair is, if you want it to look lighter you need to remove some of the colour that’s already there. otherwise the lighter colour is not visible, or only partially visible. It’s like if you put a red tinted glass over a blue tinted glass, you’d end up seeing a purple tint and a lot more opacity, if you have a faintly blue tinted glass you’d see a colour that’s a lot closer to the original red tint and opacity, only with different shades of yellowish for the hair.

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! Yes I trust her. I'm just so confused. I'm not wanting platinum blonde or anywhere close to that. I'm wanting hair like the picture of Gigi Hadid. A golden blonde like that. My hair stylist said once my iron levels are all the way up, then bleach would be fine. She said especially since I'm not wanting platinum. But I don't want bleach on my hair at all. Even once my levels are up. I've seen what bleach does to hair and I don't like it. I don't even understand why it's needed since I'm not wanting platinum blonde and considering my hair is very light brown/dirty blonde naturally. Because I've had 2 other stylists tell me they also didn't feel comfortable using bleach on my hair and that they could use a blonde dye on my hair. So I have one stylist saying blonde dye would be just as damaging as bleach and two other stylists saying it would be healthier than bleach. I don't know what to believe.

I'm fine with leaving my hair alone right now but even when my iron is all the way up, I just don't want bleach on my hair. I've seen lots of girls with long blonde healthy looking hair. Are they using bleach? If so, how does their hair look so healthy? Some of my friends have long healthy looking blonde hair and it's not natural blonde. I don't see how bleached hair can look healthy when you're taking all the protein out of the hair.

[Blondieee]

Ok I uploaded a picture of my hair. I think I got it. If you go to my profile, the picture is below my name. At least that's how it's showing for me.

[Alex Lou]

Your hair is a really pretty color.

My natural color is about the same value as yours. Years ago, I decided to do ombre and bought a box that contained peroxide and it lightened to a honey blonde like you want. I'd be pretty fine if I were to keep my hair BSL, or even waist. But all these years later, that damage is still in my hair since it's so long and the damage progresses as the individual strands get older.

[Deborah]

I think your natural hair is pretty just as it is. I'd hate to see you damage it by lightening it. Just something to think about.

[Rhoward]

Assuming it's all virgin hair with no colour left in it at all (like NONE, meaning you haven't put any colour on it - especially demi colour - like shades EQ - for at least 6 years) then I would just use colour on it, I'd probably go with an 8N or a 9N with 20vol and do a balayage with that. I doubt that would get you to the lightness you are after but it would be pretty and your roots would not be so noticeable, which I know is important to you. I think it would be a much more realistic way to go and a lot less damaging.

I think the hairdresser is talking bleach or high lift colours because of how light you want your hair, you might not think Gigi's hair is super light but its a lot lighter than your hair and colour can only do so much. But seeing a photo and actually feeling the condition of your hair are two very different things. If your hair is really weak then colour could possibly cause damage and breakage.

[OhSuzi]

Anything bleachy contains Hydrogen Peroxide and Ammonia, any permanent / supposedly lightening hair dyes may not contain peroxide - but will probably contain Ammonia.


Anything WIthOUT these in, like vegetable dye will NOT be able to lighten your hair - they can deposit colour over the top, but like felt tip pens:
If you're colouring on white paper / really light hair you're gonna get a really strong truer colour.
If you're colouring over black paper / really dark hair you're practically not going be able to see any difference - maybe a shine of colour when the light hits it.
If your colouring over yellow or red or brown, your going to get a darker less true colour and you can not get a lighter colour!
The best you can hope for a some kind of warmy blond toner / vegetable dye is a slightly warmer goldy hair colour / shine - but not lighter hair.

And if your colouring natural whitey grey hair - it's can be a bit like felt tip pens on plastic - not quite sure if it's going to get a really vibrant colour that stains & will never properly wash out - or if it just wont stick at all & all the colour looks like it'll be amazing but then it all just washes out.


Peroxide more effective as this strips pigment from your hair making it lighter, Ammonia helps colour bust through your hair cuticle so it'll look more vibrant at first but it does make the cuticle deteriorate.


There are 'natural' ways of lightening your hair - honey / cinamon / lemon juice / camomile tea / the sun - but
1 they have very little effect you'd have to be committed to using it every day for like 6 months & you'd probably get like somewhere between no difference at al & 1/4 shade lighter and with a reddy tint.

Or you could look to history - the romans used pigeon poop and medieval people used several week old really smelly urine

All these methods only work because they have / produce ammonia/peroxide.
The lemon juice & honey etc only have it in real real small quantities hence being considered gentler & having very little effect - although lemon juice for example is still really drying so you'd want to condition your hair really well after attempting it.


If you want really long lighter hair, I would commit to growing it first - get it to the desired length, then tinker around with bleach / dyes.
If your lightening your hair once from virgin - yes its going to be damaging - but in my experience, one application of bleach /dye strong healthy virgin hair can take it!
It's when you regularly & constantly apply bleachy hair dye products that it really starts to dry & thin out your hair.
So grow it first, then colour it once - then only get your roots done & maybe only use highlights so it's not your whole head of hair being damaged & generally look after your hair with a healthy diet, no high heat tools, nice conditioners and micro trims etc.

Also ALL hair dressers freak out about going blonde or going a few lighter shades of hair in general especially if your hair is long. Because they know its damaging and they know that there is a degree of difficulty & unpredictability e.g. you most likley to go redder or yellowier than desired and it's a battle to get the right warm / ashy tone that people are after.
Basically it's totally possible, they just don't want to be responsible for the risk or the blame of my hair was damaged, my hair fell out, my hairs to orange etc. Or have some one who is really precious about their hair having a meltdown in their salon.

However, you can have black / dark drown hair and box bleach it your self all over and get really white hair or brassy yellow hair - Or you have short bleached hair with pink bits in or whatever, the hair dresser will then be totally happy to tone it / dye it / add high lights etc. without complaint, although they might make you wait about 4 wks after your first application.
Because you were responsible for the damage your self already and they can see your the sort of person who isn't afraid to experiment with hair - your less likely to freak out about a drastic change and if your hair is really short - they also know whatever happens to your hair it'll be back to normal in like a month.

[OhSuzi]

- Also to note re Gwen Stefani - I LOVE LOVE LOVE her and her style one of my all time favourite artists!
But
- she's got a super mega ton of cash to throw at her hair stylists
- She only has to look perfect when on telly or for photo shoots - again she'll have had her hair perfectly quaffed & there's Photoshop, really good lighting, plus weaves and wigs - that may not be practical for everyday use but fine for a photo shoot or sitting on a "The Voice" chair for an hour.
- Bleach does damage your hair so I imagine it is thinner & more porous if you ever looked at it close up on a basic day and I have seen her own selfy vids where it can look yellowy / brassy. However her hair dressy team will have an array of expensive products and can use temporary fixes on hair like toners and super coney shampoos and hair oils and stuff etc.
- also whilst her hair is going to have some damage to it & generally not be as healthy as virgin hair - bleach doesn't mean you have to be bald with tufts of frazzled hair like you were in a nuclear explosion. Her hair is/was naturally blonde & she only needs to bleach the roots, which are virgin & strong, once to get the white blonde effect, shes not going to be putting a ton of bleach over the already bleached ends.

I have read the article that says he uses a secret formula - I call bull poop on that! If you could lighten dark hair in a special way without bleach - you'd patent that & get way rich or at least use it on your clientele not just exclusively Gwen, unless its something really weird like inject genes that are more likely to have vitiligo into her scalp????

I suspect he wont say what the secret formula is because having mysteriously perfect hair makes Gwen more of an untouchable star than yep we regularly bleach her roots. & it is a plug for pantene products - I have never liked any Pantene stuff my self & only had rubbish experiences with them.

[lapushka]

Ok I uploaded a picture of my hair. I think I got it. If you go to my profile, the picture is below my name. At least that's how it's showing for me.

Yeah... to me? That is *quite* blonde already. I would not go lighter. And it is such a pretty color too! Why don't you just leave it be and grow it out even more, that would be so nice! :flower:

[OhSuzi]

your hair is a lovely ash pale brown / deep blonde it really is lovely already!

[Arciela]

Thanks for the replies on the Gwen question I had! It makes sense now haha I would think too that if someone had a way to lighten hair without damage they would share it and become a billionaire! I know I would :lol:

And I agree with what everyone is saying Blondieee, your hair color is so pretty and your hair looks so nice! I would just leave it be. You mentioned that you see people with really long hair that is light and healthy, I was able to do that, I had tailbone length processed hair, had it lightened to a light blonde, but the thing is..at least from my experience with bleach, is that the damage didn't come right away, it came down the road..a year later. For the first 8 months or so, my hair looked really great, then it started getting more and more tangled, dry and thinner. Every time I got my roots only done, I'd lose a lot of hair. Since I stopped, I am not shedding hardly at all and my thickness is SLOWLY coming back, I also had to cut back to waist due to the damage.

I thought that if I let my virgin hair grow, I could get away with bleaching the length twice professionally (They hardly left it on too) and then only doing roots...nope! Too much hair loss (I went from a 7" pony tail to 4") and way too much tangling. I did not realize that bleach changes the structure of the hair and that the damage is something that happens slowly over time, I thought you bleached if its not too damaged, I'd be fine, nope nope nope...there is simply no way to go lighter with no damage. Not worth it at all imo! Also may I add, I have incredibly tough hair, I am sure I could keep it blonde if I didn't mind losing thickness, but to me its way more important than a color :flower:

[Alex Lou]

Blondieee,
How long do you want to grow your hair?


Assuming it's all virgin hair with no colour left in it at all (like NONE, meaning you haven't put any colour on it - especially demi colour - like shades EQ - for at least 6 years) then I would just use colour on it, I'd probably go with an 8N or a 9N with 20vol and do a balayage with that. I doubt that would get you to the lightness you are after but it would be pretty and your roots would not be so noticeable, which I know is important to you. I think it would be a much more realistic way to go and a lot less damaging.
Great advice. 20vol causes damage, but it is the damage that many people don't notice with the addition of some coney products.

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! I agree that my hair looks really beautiful in that lighting but that's just that lighting. In most lightings, my hair looks what I call "watered town tea" and doesn't look good at all. Especially since I don't shampoo every day and my hair gets darker and greasy each day I don't wash it. Thank you for saying it looks pretty and I do think in that particular light and picture it does look pretty, but majority of the time it looks awful as far as color goes.

My hair is recovering from the anemia that I've suffered from for years. It is looking much nicer and thicker at the roots. And the last thing I want to do is put bleach on recovering hair. Because a lot of girls who are in good health, their hair can't even handle bleach. And even when I was in good health and the hairstylist used bleach (despite her using too much and making me platinum blonde when I wanted a golden blonde) it was really awful looking. It looked yellow in some lightings and in other lightings it looked like I didn't have a hair color. It literally looked like all the pigment had been stripped out of my hair. And people told me to get a hair color. I also had harsh roots growing out. And my roots were growing out thicker than the blonde parts which shows that the bleach did thin it out. And it was dry but I will say, it was long and not anywhere close to as dry as it could have been considering I also flat ironed it an hour each day. It didn't start getting really dry until I started having thyroid issues. I like blonde hair but I don't like bleach and what it does to the hair. Although that was white blonde and I'm wanting golden blonde now so maybe it's different. Ugh I don't know. I'm just confused because I have two other hair stylists saying a blonde dye is fine with my health issues. Why would they lie and say they wouldn't use bleach on me but a blonde dye would be fine? If they just wanted the money, wouldn't they just bleach it and not care about my hair?

My hair is already to the length I want it. I can't believe how long it is! I had an old hair stylist that kept it super short and although I loved everything else about my hair, I hated the length. Now that it's finally been able to grow, it's such a beautiful length which I'm guessing blonde would ruin :( But I'm not wanting to grow it any longer. The length it's at now is perfect for me. I just want thickness which just has to grow in. It's getting better the more my iron comes up. And I'm wanting color, either a golden blonde or a darker brown.

What if I had her use bleach (if absolutely necessary, if she can't use dye) at the very ends (just on some strands like an inch from the bottom) to give the appearance of highlights from the sun and then if it gets really damaged she can just cut those parts off?

[Blondieee]

Assuming it's all virgin hair with no colour left in it at all (like NONE, meaning you haven't put any colour on it - especially demi colour - like shades EQ - for at least 6 years) then I would just use colour on it, I'd probably go with an 8N or a 9N with 20vol and do a balayage with that. I doubt that would get you to the lightness you are after but it would be pretty and your roots would not be so noticeable, which I know is important to you. I think it would be a much more realistic way to go and a lot less damaging.

I think the hairdresser is talking bleach or high lift colours because of how light you want your hair, you might not think Gigi's hair is super light but its a lot lighter than your hair and colour can only do so much. But seeing a photo and actually feeling the condition of your hair are two very different things. If your hair is really weak then colour could possibly cause damage and breakage.


Thank you! I like that idea but I'm confused. Is there a difference between a high lift dye and what you're talking about? I thought 20 vol is bleach.

[Rhoward]

Yes there is a big difference, High lift dyes are designed to use with double or even triple 40 or 30 volume developer (1 part high lift dye to 2 or 3 parts developer) to get maximum lift, are left on the hair a lot longer and in all honesty are almost as damaging as bleach.

I'm recommending you use just normal blonde hair dye mixed with 20 volume developer (1 part colour to 1 part developer). 20 volume developer is what is used in most permanent colour services, it's only going to lift your hair a couple of levels and since you want a golden colour I would suggest you use a Natural reflect to work with the warmth your hair will naturally occur when it lifts, giving a golden blonde (don't let them use a Gold reflect, it will be brassy), it will not be super light, it will be a darker blonde - but it would be very pretty.

I'd go with either and 8N or a 9N mixed with 20 volume developer (probably 9N as it would get you slightly lighter). If you tell your hairdresser you want this formula done in a balayage you should be ok.

Developer is what is mixed with the colour or the bleach powder or cream.

Bleach powder is mixed with developer just like colour is mixed with developer

Developer - Colour/tint - bleach powder or cream are three very different products in a hair salon.

20vol developer or any volume developer for that matter is not bleach

[MidnightMoon]

I don't see what would be so hard to do/what could go wrong. From your picture your hair is light brown, that's easy to get to blonde... at least here, any hairdresser would do it without asking twice, it's the most common thing to do, and it's not like your starting colour is black, or your hair coarse or anything.
Yes, it won't be in the same condition, and getting to longer lengths will be harder, but you won't have to go through several bleaching sessions, and technically would only have to bleach the same piece of hair once or twice.
My reasons for avoiding bleach are others... and I have black hair.
I hated the maintenance, the expense... wasting so much time on my roots.
I despised my roots, and felt "fake" whenever I saw them (and that's easy to spot when you dye your hair copper).
I also felt "less natural", but that's the folk side of me speaking.
If you want a smooth transition and low contrast between your colour and the blonde you wish I think you will have to lighten all of your hair, but keep the ends lighter, or settle for a darker blonde, so you can leave your roots alone. (There's only so much lightening that can happen to hair naturally, and that's what I'm guessing you're aiming for. A transition from light brown to a pale blonde on waist or BSL hair doesn't look natural, for ex.)

[lucid]

If you want longer than bra strap length hair, I just wouldn't do it. I had highlights done on virgin hair 1.5 years ago, and started seeing damage from it a little over a year later. My bleached hair is literally breaking off. I will have to maintain at tbl for at least I year I'm guessing, since the tapering is increasing every day. Some hair have broken off at bra strap length and even shorter at armpit length... My virgin hair has virtually no splits or damage. So there is a huge difference.

I had no problem with bleach (even multiple bleachings on the same hair) and color when I kept my hair shorter (bsl and above). So the length really does matter when it comes to what your hair can handle.

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! I'm starting to think I should go brown. Can someone please tell me what length my hair is now in my picture? Is it bra strap length? I looked up a picture of the different hair lengths and I for sure don't want armpit length like I used to have. I don't like that at all. Based on the picture I'm looking at, I'm ether wanting bra strap length or mid-back length. No shorter than bra strap length and no longer than mid-back length.

There's a friend of mine who has Hashimoto's too and she has really dry hair and told me she lost 1/3 of it. She had blondish/brown hair before. She just dyed it darker and it looks great. No noticeable frizz or damage like she had before. But why is it that some girls who dye their hair darker have really healthy looking hair and some have hair that's as dry as bleached hair? That confuses me.

My stylist said she could use the Shades EQ on me no problem. I've used that before when my hair was really dry and it's always the same outcome, silky, shiny, soft beautiful hair. I love it! But you guys mentioned that even with Shades EQ, there's a low volume of peroxide mixed in so if you use Shades EQ over and over and over again, is it equivalent to using bleach? Or is nothing as damaging as bleach?

[Blondieee]

Yes there is a big difference, High lift dyes are designed to use with double or even triple 40 or 30 volume developer (1 part high lift dye to 2 or 3 parts developer) to get maximum lift, are left on the hair a lot longer and in all honesty are almost as damaging as bleach.

I'm recommending you use just normal blonde hair dye mixed with 20 volume developer (1 part colour to 1 part developer). 20 volume developer is what is used in most permanent colour services, it's only going to lift your hair a couple of levels and since you want a golden colour I would suggest you use a Natural reflect to work with the warmth your hair will naturally occur when it lifts, giving a golden blonde (don't let them use a Gold reflect, it will be brassy), it will not be super light, it will be a darker blonde - but it would be very pretty.

I'd go with either and 8N or a 9N mixed with 20 volume developer (probably 9N as it would get you slightly lighter). If you tell your hairdresser you want this formula done in a balayage you should be ok.

Developer is what is mixed with the colour or the bleach powder or cream.

Bleach powder is mixed with developer just like colour is mixed with developer

Developer - Colour/tint - bleach powder or cream are three very different products in a hair salon.

20vol developer or any volume developer for that matter is not bleach

That sounds like that could work. Thank you! I'm undecided between blonde or brown again. That sounds really pretty. My hairstylist acted like she couldn't do that though. Is it because I showed her the picture of Gigi's hair so she didn't mention it?

[Rhoward]

That sounds like that could work. Thank you! I'm undecided between blonde or brown again. That sounds really pretty. My hairstylist acted like she couldn't do that though. Is it because I showed her the picture of Gigi's hair so she didn't mention it?

The picture would have confused her as Gigi's hair is very light and you would have to use bleach (or high lift colour) to get your hair that blonde.

Just tell the stylist. I want balayage done with either 9N or 8N and 20vol developer. Be direct with them, its your hair and your money.

If you don't want balayage another option would be foils done in the same formula.

If your hairdresser wont do balayage or foils with tint (colour) then go to another salon, bleach is cheap so a lot of salons push using it.

[Blondieee]

The picture would have confused her as Gigi's hair is very light and you would have to use bleach (or high lift colour) to get your hair that blonde.

Just tell the stylist. I want balayage done with either 9N or 8N and 20vol developer. Be direct with them, its your hair and your money.

If you don't want balayage another option would be foils done in the same formula.

If your hairdresser wont do balayage or foils with tint (colour) then go to another salon, bleach is cheap so a lot of salons push using it.

Thank you for your help and for explaining this so well! Is 20 vol developer damaging at all? Will I still be able to keep my hair between bra strap length to mid-back length?

[Rhoward]

Thank you for your help and for explaining this so well! Is 20 vol developer damaging at all? Will I still be able to keep my hair between bra strap length to mid-back length?

Any colour process is damaging, even a demi is damaging on a small level, but I do think it is your best bet if you want to keep your length. You will need a trim but you shouldn't need a big chop or anything drastic like that

[Blondieee]

Any colour process is damaging, even a demi is damaging on a small level, but I do think it is your best bet if you want to keep your length. You will need a trim but you shouldn't need a big chop or anything drastic like that

Thank you for your help! Just to explore all options, is a demi like Shades EQ super damaging if used again and again like once a month or once every couple months? If I decide to go darker like a darker brown, is it healthier for my hair to use a permanent dye and then touch up the roots when they grow in? Or is a permanent brown really damaging compared to a demi? I see some girls who dye their hair darker and their hair looks like it's been bleached.

[Rhoward]

Thank you for your help! Just to explore all options, is a demi like Shades EQ super damaging if used again and again like once a month or once every couple months? If I decide to go darker like a darker brown, is it healthier for my hair to use a permanent dye and then touch up the roots when they grow in? Or is a permanent brown really damaging compared to a demi? I see some girls who dye their hair darker and their hair looks like it's been bleached.

A permanent brown colour would use 20vol developer (maybe 10vol if you get a good stylist but most would use 20vol) which will cause some damage (just like a blonde colour mixed with 20vol would)

If you wish to go brown (or just darker in general) then insist on a demi colour (like redken shades EQ or loreal dia richesse) they use a much lower level developer and the colour itself is usually acid not alkaline like permanent colour (acid PH colour is more gentle on the hair), you can use them to dye your hair brown long term, you wont need to put it over your entire hair every time, the colour will build up if you do (which you dont want) but your stylist will be able to tell when you just need your roots done and when you need the demi dragged through the ends for a short period of time to 'freshen it up'

BUT be warned if you colour your hair darker (either with Demi or permanent colour) and you ever want to go lighter again YOU WILL NEED BLEACH - even if you think it is all washed out and faded, trust me its still in there and colour CAN NOT lift colour.

[OhSuzi]

developer fluid is still hydrogen peroxide / ammonia though isnt it? - genuinely asking as im not sure!

I think personally if I really wasn't happy with my hair colour, Id maybe have a crack with a toner / colour shampoo - they can add a nice shine of gold / red etc. depending on what colour your going for and make your natural colour just a bit warmer / intensely pop more rather than be flat.

[lapushka]

I don't know. I just wouldn't do it. Nobody on here can guarantee that your hair will be undamaged after strong bleach (I had a disaster happen like that with bleach, chemical cut & burn) and that you will still be bra strap length or be able to grow it. I think your hairdresser has the best eye on that, and if they refuse to do something, then there is a good reason for it (after all they want to make money). Yes, you can go to a different salon and demand they do it, but... IDK I just would rely on good advice (direct, IRL) over anything else.

Good luck on whatever you decide.

[Deborah]

Anything that lightens the color of your hair damages it - period. Some folks are lucky and the damage is not too visible, but many, many of our members on LHC have suffered huge damage from lightening their hair. Some even had to cut all or most of it off and start over again to grow back healthy hair.

It's your hair of course, but if you read back through this thread I think you will see that there is much advice against what you have your heart set on doing. We all wish you well, and hope that you can find a way to be happy with your hair, whatever you do going forward.:flower:

[ghanima]

https://s20.postimg.org/hppg5b9od/IMG_0391.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/4ljvsmhmh/)
Just a few days ago I saw the beautiful pictures of this poster, dollhair, and then I went to her profile like I often do to see her routine, and she sprays her roots with John Frieda Blonde Spray.
And so I thought of this thread. Why don't you try it too?

[Blondieee]

Thanks everyone! Definitely not letting this hair stylist do anything with my hair. She messed up my mom's hair! What does it take to find a good hair stylist?!

[Alex Lou]

https://s20.postimg.org/hppg5b9od/IMG_0391.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/4ljvsmhmh/)
Just a few days ago I saw the beautiful pictures of this poster, dollhair, and then I went to her profile like I often do to see her routine, and she sprays her roots with John Frieda Blonde Spray.
And so I thought of this thread. Why don't you try it too?

Looks like the main ingredient is peroxide. I'm thinking it will either not have much effect or will be effective but cause brassiness since it does not tone.

[ghanima]

Correct, it is only indicated for natural blondes or light brown. I think Blondee said she was already a rather light tone?
I must say that anyway in my experience (not on my hair because I am really dark, but on a friend's hair) with peroxide, if you take some sun, even in the winter, the red tones are not a problem.

What mostly struck me about dollhair's photo is that she has gorgeous very long and healthy hair, so this product must contain other ingredients besides the peroxide that make it not so harsh on long hair, apparently. So the usual idea that either you get the blonde or you get the length may be only partially true. And it's something that you don't need a hairstylist for. Worth a try, or worth a pmail to that poster at least.

[Alex Lou]

I really don't think there's anything special about the John Frieda spray. It's just a re-marketing of a Sun-In type product. :shrug:

Also I think dollhair's starting color is very light already. Blondieee's looks like a 5/6, I think?

[ghanima]

Blondiees hair are maybe a different tone than doolhair, but they are light enough I think. These sprays are kind of handy, also a friend of mine, who's naturally blonde, used something like that and the result was really quite extraordinary. You need to spray your hair many times, for a period of time, because the effect is subtle, but that also means that you get to choose when to stop more easily. And it's best if you also take some sun on them.
I think the natural color of Blondieee is very beautiful already, so she needs to do nothing. But if I were a blonde type, I would go that pathway because the accent these highlights give is very flattering, imo. And then protect the hair very well, do lots of DT's. There are dedicated threads of natural blondes and also of bleached hair. Of course, if the aim is to get to knee length it's probably a forget-it case. If the aim is to hips or tailbone, it's doable if you pay attention to assist the hair.