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Ive had raven hair my whole life.
Photos: Sierra Pruitt/Tractenberg; Collage: Briana Rengifo
Until recently, just the thought of going from brunette toblondemade me shiver.
Billie Eilish’s silver hair sparked my interest in going blonde.
Since then, going lighter with my naturalhair colorbecame a pipe dream of sorts.
Billie Eilish’s silver hair sparked my interest in going blonde.
In Sweden, blonde was everywhere, and the variety that fit under the bill of blonde (Wheat!
Platinum!Bronde!)
had me yearning for a bottle of hairbleach.
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Blonde hair was everywhere in Sweden, and I pondered if I could pull off this particular shade.
Humeara Mohamed quelled my fears of experimenting with color.
Here she is with silver hair.
Blonde hair was everywhere in Sweden, and I pondered if I could pull off this particular shade.
She quelled my fears with her firsthand experiences of experimenting with color.
Their reasons ranged from time constraints to the fear ofchemically searingmy hair in the process.
(I found that to be totally fair.)
Humeara Mohamed quelled my fears of experimenting with color. Here she is with silver hair.
I realize how fortunate I am that they reached out with this servicegratis.
Having darker roots, Bussing said, gives a softer, more gradual appearance as they grow out.
The first thing they did when I sat in the chair was talk about final expectations.
My (glorious) before and after.
Hair texture often determines how quickly and cleanly you’re able to lift the hair, she said.
For this reason, its crucial to space out appointments strategically and stay in close communication with your colorist.
Bussing and I decided to power through one 10-hour session since my semi-virgin hair was thick and resilient.
Colorist Kylie Bussing treating my hair with bleach.
After rinsing out the first app, she applied a second layer of bleach to further lighten my hair.
Though it was the shortest round and lasted around 45 minutes, it was probably the most taxing part.
Seven hours into the process, we had reached the final coloring step.
Getting my hair trimmed and styled by Harry Josh.
Thought we were over?
In the words of Madison Montgomery, Surprise, b*tch!
My brunette-to-blonde transformation
My (glorious) before and after.
From then on, I was no longer JenI became Jen 2.0: brighter and bolder.
Having a head oflight blonde hairjust felt right to me in ways my original color didnt.
Therefore, expect your colorist to charge accordingly.
You may need two to three sessions, each one lasting approximately three hours.
First, a purple-tinted shampoo is crucial for maintaining tone.
Using apurple shampooor conditioner every third wash will help to eliminate brassiness, said Bussing.
In terms of texture, my hair certainly isnt as thick and soft as it used to be.
I learned very quickly that I had to increase moisture andheat protectionfor my strands to survive in my care.
Overall, going blonde is hands down one of the best decisions Ive ever made for myself.
If youre questioning whether you should go blonde, I cant give a definite yay or nay.
Youll have to dedicate time, hair health, and money.
Ready to try a new hair color?
