Has the pandemic made you want to switch up your hair? You’re not alone. They say a change is as good as a holiday – and never have we been in more of a holiday than we are right now. Before you reach for the scissors, may we suggest you try lightening your colour instead? That way, you’ll still feel like you – only a few shades blonder.
Recently, Melbourne it-girl-slash-fashionista Rebecca Harding underwent a two-stage makeover, transforming her virgin brown hair to platinum blonde. It was a big gamble for the Kérastase Australia ambassador who isn’t normally one to play with colour. “I had highlights when I was younger but I’ve never been completely blonde,” she tells marie claire. “It’s a huge change for me but it’s been so much fun trialing different make-up looks and styles which are better suited to blonde hair.”
Let’s Talk Prep
Going from brunette to blonde is no easy feat! Harding enlisted the help of Jamie Furlan and Danni Solier from Xiang Hair to guide her through the process. “It was really fun deciding how we were going to transform my look. Knowing that we had the new Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicaextreme on hand, I was confident that we’d be able to keep my hair healthy and still go quite blonde.”
There’s blonde and then there’s blonde. The Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicaextreme collection was formulated for anyone seeking a more extreme transformation. The high-powered products – including Le Bain Cicaextreme restorative shampoo-in cream, Masque Cicaextreme conditioning hydration mask and Huile repair oil – are designed for post-lightened care. Infused with hyaluronic acid and Edelweiss flower oil, the formulas are deeply hydrating and nourishing, helping to prevent hair from becoming brittle, dry and inelastic.
Stage 1
When going lighter, you’ll need to stay realistic about what you can achieve in one sitting. No matter what, bleach is going to damage your hair to some extent – so you’ll need to lean on your hairdresser’s expertise. Harding’s transformation was broken up into two parts. “First, Danni and Jamie from Xiang Hair created a gorgeous ‘bronde’ look that took about three or so hours.”
Stage 2
“Then we went full blonde!” Harding shares. “The second took a little longer and I was probably in the chair for around four hours.”
The Mane Event
Harding is thrilled with the final result. “Breakage was probably my biggest concern going into this transformation but the range of Kérastase products have been amazing. To be completely honest, it’s in the best condition of its life! It’s still retained its shine and general health, but it feels thicker and is so much easier to style. I’ve also found a blow wave or style will hold so much better.”
So… do blondes really have more fun? “So much fun! I still love my hair natural, but I’m having a ball being blonde.”
Brought to you by Kérastase.
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