Let’s talk about blonde hair.
Specifically those gorgeous, bright, icy, white blonde photos we all save on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok.
Because honestly? I love those photos too.
Bring me the inspiration pictures.
Show me the screenshots.
Tell me your goals.
But there are a few things I wish every client understood before deciding they want to be blonde.
And the biggest one is this:
Blonde is not just a color. Blonde is a commitment.
A lot of people show me a photo and say,
“I want this.”
And that’s completely fine.
The problem is that photo doesn’t tell me everything.
It doesn’t tell me what that person’s hair looked like before.
It doesn’t tell me if they have extensions.
It doesn’t tell me how many appointments it took to get there.
It doesn’t tell me what products they’re using at home.
It doesn’t tell me if they’re naturally blonde or naturally dark.
And it definitely doesn’t tell me what filters were used.
What I see behind the chair is the starting point.
And sometimes that starting point matters more than the inspiration photo.
One thing I wish more people understood is that my job is not just getting your hair blonde today.
My job is making sure you still have hair tomorrow.
Sometimes clients come in wanting that solid, bright blonde look and are surprised when I recommend something different.
For example, I recently chose to do a full head of babylights on someone instead of an all-over bleach application.
Why?
Because I know their maintenance habits.
I know they don’t come in every four to six weeks.
I know they’re more likely to come back with several inches of regrowth.
And while an all-over bleach retouch can be beautiful, it’s also one of the highest maintenance blonding services available.
When someone regularly waits several months between appointments, that line of regrowth becomes harder to manage and harder on the hair.
So sometimes babylights are actually the better long-term choice.
Not because I can’t do the bleach.
Because I’m trying to set you up for success.
Sometimes the best blonde isn’t the most dramatic blonde.
Sometimes it’s the blonde that still looks good three months later.
And let’s talk about something else.
Your hair has limits.
I know that’s not the fun answer.
But it’s the truth.
Your hair doesn’t care about your Pinterest board 😅
Your hair cares about its condition.
Previous color matters.
Hard water matters.
Heat styling matters.
Sun exposure matters.
Swimming matters.
Hormones matter.
Medications matter.
The amount of damage already sitting on the hair matters.
All of those things affect how your hair lifts.
Which means not everyone’s hair is capable of becoming icy white blonde in one appointment.
And honestly?
That’s okay.
Because healthy blonde hair will always look better than broken blonde hair.
One of the biggest questions I get is:
“Why won’t my ends get lighter?”
And honestly, your ends have probably lived an entire life.
Your roots are brand new.
Your ends are years old.
Those ends have been colored.
They’ve been toned.
They’ve been blow dried.
They’ve been flat ironed.
They’ve been curled.
They’ve been out in the sun.
They’ve been in chlorine.
They’ve been through every phase you’ve had for the last several years.
So when I tell you your ends aren’t lifting the same way your roots are, it’s not because I’m holding out on you.
It’s because older hair has history.
Sometimes we can use techniques like a bleach wash to help brighten those areas.
Sometimes it works beautifully.
Sometimes it helps but doesn’t completely get us where we want to go.
And sometimes pushing further would mean damaging the hair.
At that point, I would rather protect your hair than chase one more level of blonde.
Let’s also talk about maintenance.
Because white blonde hair is one of the highest maintenance colors out there.
That bright, icy blonde doesn’t stay icy all by itself.
Hard water can affect it.
Well water can affect it.
Chlorine can affect it.
Lake water can affect it.
Heat tools can affect it.
Mineral buildup can affect it.
Even sunscreen, self-tanner, foundation, bronzer, and makeup around your hairline can contribute to blonde hair looking dull, yellow, or darker over time.
Blonde hair is basically a giant sponge.
It absorbs everything.
Which means what you’re doing at home matters just as much as what I’m doing in the salon.
And while we’re on that topic…
Please use heat protectant.
Every. Single. Time.
I know.
I sound like a broken record.
But if you’re spending money on blonding services and then putting a 450-degree flat iron directly on your hair every morning without protection, we’re working against each other.
Your hair doesn’t need to be cooked like a casserole 😅
Heat damage adds up.
And once it’s there, we can’t magically erase it.
Another thing I wish clients knew?
Sometimes your hair is simply stronger than someone else’s.
And sometimes it isn’t.
Some people can color their hair for years and it stays incredibly healthy.
Some people have finer, more fragile hair that requires a much slower approach.
Neither is right or wrong.
It’s just different.
Which is why comparing your hair journey to someone else’s isn’t always helpful.
What works for your friend may not work for you.
What works for the girl on TikTok may not work for you either.
And that’s okay.
At the end of the day, I want your hair to be beautiful.
But I also want it to be healthy.
Because nobody has ever sat in my chair and said,
“You know what I really want? Hair that’s completely fried off.”
Healthy hair will always be the goal.
Sometimes that means taking a slower approach.
Sometimes that means multiple appointments.
Sometimes that means choosing a different blonding technique than what you originally came in asking for.
And sometimes that means trusting your hairstylist when they tell you your hair needs a little patience.
Because blonde is a process.
And good blonde is worth waiting for.
Because if it’s something we talk about in the chair…
it probably needed to be said here too.
— From The Chair
