Blonde's may have more fun, but the upkeep is a pain in the ass!

I'm very excited to be dying my hair later today (I'll be sure to give you the low down on the hoedown, as it were).  In the past, my hair has been all different spectrum's from the whitest of white platinum to red and all the way to a deep espresso brownish black.  It's seen some serious abuse.

I often get a lot of questions and comments about my hair.  Specifically how I keep my hair so blonde, and escape the curse of brassiness.  Since this blog is all about beauty on a budget, it's only fair to share some of my advice to you about color from a box.

If you do decide to do your color at home, I have found that brands really do make a huge difference if you want straight from the salon looking results.  I would advise you to stay away from Clairol and Garnier products; I've found that although these may look nice initially, but they simply aren't strong enough to give you nice, long lasting results in the blonde department, and tend to brass up your hair in a week or so.  (To be frank, I wouldn't really trust these to give me the results I want... I want a Salon look in a bottle, not just a hair color change).  I would also suggest that you avoid any color kits that promises "10 Minute Color"... if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

 

If its a whiter blonde you're looking for, L'Oreal has a line called Les Blondissimes.  This line has extra lightening agents in its formula that really helps to give you a nice bright blonde... minus the bleach!  (Bleach can be super rough on your hair, frying your ends and giving you a frizzy poofy look.  I got myself past the brunette to brown hump using Les Blondissimes ($8.99).  If you've ever tried to go blonde from a darker blonde, I'm sure you know it can be a battle.  The "two-shades up" rule of thumb simply doesn't cut it as your hair just simply absorbs the lighter dye.  L'Oreal Feria also has beautiful blonde shades that will provide you will all over, shimmering results.  When I was platinum (Think, Gwen Stefani),  i always used L'Oreal Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color in #110 Very Light Blonde-Cooler ($9.99).  It gave me excellent, shiny results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've used L'Oreal's Preference and Excellence Cream. I wasn't wild about the results from excellence, I found it to be kind of flat, but preference gave me natural looking results.

As for Revlon color, Ive never tried it but I find a lot of their stuff to be not so good. (Their false lashes and nails are uber bogus.) Basically, their hair color makes me nervous.

If you do decide to go to a salon for your hair color (especially if you're planning to go blonde) make sure you go to a reputable one!!  A lot of those cheapy salons do not know how to handle blondes, and that is a dangerous thing.  It will obviously cost you more at a salon than a bargain place, but if they screw it up it will end up costing you waaaay more in the long run to fix it.  (Or even cost you your hair!! Severely over processed hair will need to be chopped)  Sometimes salons can be shady, so be careful!  I went to college with a girl that ended up with carrot orange hair!

 

Everybody's hair is different, and that is something to absolutely keep in mind.  If your hair is prone to reddish tones, stay away from anything that says "warm" and go with a box that has the words "ash" or "cool" on it.  "Natural's" are pretty safe too, but just remember that ash tones will neutralize the red tones, thus keeping you brass free till your next coloring.  :)

 

I do dye my hair like, every 4 weeks, but i focus mainly on the top and brush through to maintain the color i have.

 

To keep my hair color as bright as possible and touchably soft, I use Organic's Coconut Oil Shampoo and Conditioner.  It smells fabulous and has a mild formula that's easier on your color.  Once a week (usually Fridays) I give it a good wash with John Frieda's Sheer Blonde Extra Lightening Blonde Shampoo ($7.99).  It visibly lightens your blonde and and gives it a healthy look and feel.  I then follow up with Redkin 'All Soft' conditioner all over and I leave it on for 5 minutes.  (CVS carries small travel sizes for $3.50)  You don't need a lot, and the small size lasts me for about a month, and I do use it once or twice a week.  I'm pretty sure it's the best hair product I've ever used.  Makes my hair super soft.

 

Hope this helps. =D