So, You Want to Be Blonde Friday, 17 December 2010 12:12 Written by Elena feat. Douglas King

As many of you know there is a lot of talk about hair among foreigners in Shanghai. Almost everyone experiences some hair issues - hair loss, wrong color, dreadful hair cut, oily/dry hair etc. We have already featured some hairstylists in our Blog and Forum and now we go extra mile by inviting experts to give their professional advise on related issues. Since this is a Dolls blog and some of them are men, they will be featured as a "guest blogger." I'm delighted to introduce Douglas King, master colorist & stylist who will give us a hair education. Feel free to shoot your questions and comments at Douglas.

Like so many women you probably have either heard the nightmares or experienced them yourself when it comes to getting Highlights or being Blonde, well there’s help!

With the right information, techniques and products you can have the Blond you’ve always dreamed of without the drama, damage or other issues you’ve heard about.

First you need to be honest with yourself and ask:  Am I really a Blonde and do I have the right hair and skin tone?  Second, does a color change like blonde match my personality and lifestyle and am I willing to manage the up keep?

If you decide that Blonde is the new you your next choice is finding a stylist or salon that is truly a Color Specialist or Master Colorist.  Many stylists claim the title but lack the actual experience and Blonde is nothing to trust to lesser hands.

What to look for when looking for a colorist or salon

Try to find someone with at least 10 years of experience as this is the least you can have to qualify as a Master Colorist under most professional companies.

Most importantly WATCH, sit in the studio awhile and see who you feel the most comfortable with, if you do not have a recommendation and pick several salons not just one.  You can usually tell the experts by how they perform behind the chair.  

Remember, you are the client!  You have the right to ask questions and the right to walk away if you are not comfortable with what you see and hear.  This is a business and we are businessmen,  feelings aside, if you end up with damage or a color you do not feel comfortable with it takes months or years to grow out so it is better to wait and find the right relationship than compromise.

Techniques and Products

We make Hair Color to a very specific set of guidelines and it is designed to be used specifically as we instruct in the directions. However as most of you know this rarely happens.  Here are a few things to look for when going Blonde:

• If using bleach and doing highlights always take each foil out when it reaches the desired color.  DO NOT EVER leave all the foil packets process for the same amount of time because bleach does not stop lifting and will be brighter where you started.  This is why people use toners and a toner will only diminish the effect of the highlight by creating a more all over color look.

• Use High-lift tint instead of bleach whenever is possible!!!!  Today’s color companies almost all have a High-Lift color which is much gentler on the hair than a bleach.

• Toners are not supposed to be used to correct blond highlights as they contain ammonia and will lift your natural color giving you gold undertones.  

Well, there you have enough information to get you started.  The main thing you have to remember when doing any color or chemical treatment to the hair is that your number one priority should be  a “CONDITION”!  It matters not what color you are or what cut you have, if your hair is dry and damaged that is all people will ever see.  

A properly qualified stylist will always place condition before anything else and will use only products and techniques that enhance the condition not destroy it.  Lastly, and most importantly, remember that though we are artists we are also business people and you are our client.  Never be afraid to ask questions or to see the products being used and never be afraid to change your mind.  After all, its your hair and your image and you have to feel beautiful!

Comments 

 

#1 toner — Chris007 2012-04-05 14:27

"This is why people use toners and a toner will only diminish the effect of the highlight by creating a more all over color look"
"Toners are not supposed to be used to correct blond highlights as they contain ammonia and will lift your natural color giving you gold undertones"
Sorry, but this is totally bullshit !!!
If you have a client who has a lot of red Pigments , (like Scotish or Irish people) or Asian, than you need a opposite color , to take out the Yellow tone, like a silver or violett ! To tell here, don't use a toner, thats shows the disqualification of this stylist. Maybe he has something to tell about this :-)
But he is right , that you don't wash the foils all at the same time out.
There are a lot of bad hairdressers in Shanghai !!!

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