Going blonde isn’t as simple as a trip to the hairdressers – if you’re after Kim Kardashian-esque platinum tresses, there’s a lot you need to know when it comes to upkeep with the high-maintenance shade.
Luckily, maintaining your beautiful blonde hair colour doesn’t have to be a total pain or cost you a fortune. To get the most mileage out of your blonde hair in-between appointments, you just need to do your homework. These three little at-home steps will help keep your blonde colour looking vibrant and salon-fresh for longer.
1. Become besties with a purple shampoo
When you picked your perfect shade of blonde, chances are you didn’t have a brassy, yellowy-orange colour in mind. But, just a few weeks since you last saw your hairdresser, that’s exactly what you’ve ended up with. Now that you’re blonde, any ol’ shampoo and conditioner just isn’t going to cut it. You need to make the switch to purple formulas.
If you have never tried a purple shampoo and conditioner before, they can be a little daunting. Because yes, they really are purple. But no, they won’t dye your hair a vibrant shade of violet. The way they work is a lot like your colour correcting concealers. As purple and yellow are on opposite sides of the colour wheel, the purple pigment in the formula counteracts the yellow undertones in your blonde tresses to neutralise the shade back to a just-stepped-out-of-the-salon cool blonde colour.
For hair that’s already turned brassy, get your hands on John Frieda Violet Crush Intense Purple Shampoo. The intense formula contains crushed violet and blue pigments to sort out yellow and orange undertones in one fell swoop, and it’s so effective it can refresh your colour back to its just-coloured glory in a single wash. Plus, it will cost you a mere $17.99, which is music to any blonde’s ears!
Another personal fave of the fair-haired members of the GF team is OGX Blonde Enhance + Purple Toning Shampoo or OGX Blonde Enhance + Purple Toning Drops, which will extend the life of coloured hair with a hydrating blend designed to protect against colour fade and reduce brassy colour tones.
The best part? The OGX Blonde Enhance + Purple Toning Drops allow you to control the final result – simply mix drops with your go-to shampoo, conditioner or cream-based styling product. The more drops the deeper the toning effect!
These gems won’t break the bank either, with both the shampoo and the purple toning drops retailing for just $22.
2. Keep your shower cool
With winter coming, the thought of taking a cold shower is not appealing. But a blonde’s gotta do what a blonde’s gotta do. The good news is you only need to finish up your shower with a cold blast. Start with warm water to open up the hair cuticles and allow your shampoo and conditioner to penetrate the hair and do their thing. Then, rinse with cold water at the end of your shower to re-seal the outer layer of the hair to lock in the colour. This will also leave your hair looking shiny and smooth, which makes those goosebumps all the more worth it.
3. Protection detail
Any time you reach for your hairdryer, straightener or curling wands, always spritz your hair with a heat protectant first. While this advice applies to all hair colours and types, it’s even more important for blondes as your hair is particularly prone to damage. The more damaged your hair, the harder it is for your strands to hold onto colour; not to mention, your mane will become frizzy and dehydrated, which will make your colour look dull.
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