Going Silver, Lavender, or Platinum Blonde
Hair Creations and Article Written by: Jessica De Somma, Hair Stylist, Yoga Teacher, Ayurvedic Life Counselor
Are you thinking about dying your hair platinum, silver, or lavender? First of all, is it possible for your hair? What is the process like? After you achieve your gorgeous silver hair of your dreams, how do you take care of it? These are all important questions to think about when you want to have silver hair!
It seems like silver platinum hair is the most coveted color right now! Can your hair handle going silver? In one lightening session, usually the hair can lift close to 2 levels with box dye, 4 levels with professional dye, and up to 7 levels on virgin hair. Fine textured hair tends to lift faster than coarse hair. Everyone's hair is different and will lift to a blonde at their own pace so, the best way to tell if your hair can go platinum is to do a strand test with your stylist. I never say a project is impossible but if someone has coarse, jet black box dyed hair then it could possibly take over a year with at least 5 lightening sessions lasting between 2 and 5 hours. If you happen to be a natural dark blonde with no previous hair color, it may be possible to go platinum in the first sitting. Keep in mind, to truly get to a bright white color, it can sometimes even take multiple lightening sessions on brassy blonde hair.
Below shows the multiple lightening sessions of one client with box dyed black hair. It took 5 sessions over a 15 month period to achieve the opalescent blonde picture at the bottom.
What is the process like to go platinum? If you want your color to be one color all over without highlights, you would want a decolorization. A decolorization consists of applying the lightener from root to tip (first starting with the mids and ends and finishing with the roots). A cap can be used to process and sometimes foil for a longer application but higher lift. Most people like to start with a full head of foiled highlights. When lightening small sections of hair in foils, it creates maximum lift and an optimal dimensional blend. While doing highlights can take longer to get to an overall lighter tone, it is usually a faster service, more predictable, cheaper, healthier for the hair, and creates a softer grow out for lower maintenance.
How do you keep your beautiful silver, lavender, or white hair looking and feeling good? It can often be very high maintenance in comparison to other hair colors. The icy toners that keep your hair looking ashy can sometimes fade in as little as a week or two. Use dry shampoo like Evo Water Killer as long as you can to avoid washing your hair constantly; every wash will slowly fade the silver tone. When you are washing, use a violet shampoo like Surface's natural Violet shampoo and conditioner (they use blueberries for the violet pigment!). The violet will neutralize the yellow that naturally comes with faded blonde hair. You can also get a custom conditioner that your stylist mixes up for you to do at home once a week. The Fab Pro custom conditioner is stronger than a violet shampoo/conditioner but does not last as long as a toner.
Toners in the salon are a necessity every 2-4 weeks and are usually fast, non damaging, done in the shampoo bowl, and are very affordable. It's also important to keep up on small trims every 6 weeks to get rid of dead ends and breakage which tends to be more prevalent in blonde hair.
A good product regimen is important in keeping your hair healthy long term. A good leave in conditioner after the shower is essential like the Surface Trinity Protein Cream which not only detangles the hair but also makes it stronger. A serum like Loma's natural Nourishing Oil Treatment that can go on wet or dry hair helps to completely soften dry ends and protect against heat. A good deep conditioning treatment to use about once a week or every other week for 15 minutes is the Daviness Vegetarian Miracle Mask that can bring life and moisture back into the hair.
Silver hair is not impossible! It takes a good stylist, a patient client, lots of lightener, and some awesome products! Is this a style you can rock and keep up with?
