HOW I MAINTAIN MY BLONDE HAIR

You know what they say – with great hair comes great responsibility. Just kidding, I don’t actually know anyone who says that. While having great hair sometimes seems like a list of never ending things to do on the daily, the truth is, my hair routine is actually quite simple.

I’ve been a blonde my entire life. I actually think my hair color has become part of my identity. Anyone else feel that way or am I crazy?! I can’t even imagine sporting any other hair color than I have my entire life. As a young child I had bright white, blonde hair. Both of my parents were natural blondes. My dad used to joke about how when he was a kid, his hair was so blonde that in the summer when he would be sweating in the heat, the inside of a baseball cap would actually tint his hair whatever color was on the inside. True story. When I was young, I remember going into pools in the summer that were very chlorinated, and it would often leave me with a bluish green tint to my hair. Ohhh, the joys of having blonde hair. Since my hair isn’t quite as blonde anymore, I don’t usually have to deal with these things. But I do have a major tip about how I keep my hair blonde that you need to know! Keep reading to find out. 🙂

Over time, minerals in the water we bathe in, the sun, and pollution can start to make blonde hair appear a bit brassy. What is brass? If you’re a blonde, you probably know this term quite well unfortunately, but for those of you who do not color treat your hair, I’ll give you a quick explanation. Brassy hair is hair that has a yellow or reddish tint to it. Using the spray-in bleach that was supposed to “activate with the sun” that was popular in the 90s (not going to say any names lol) can often give you a brassy, reddish tint to the hair because the bleach is not strong enough to let the hair process long enough. Not leaving your hair color in long enough can also result in brass. If you ever do your hair yourself (I used to do my own highlights, but it’s extremely tedious for a girl with hair as thick as mine) and you’re going for a lighter shade and it appears red, keep it on longer. This means the hair hasn’t gone through the full processing quite yet. So while this is sometimes how brass can happen (especially if you’re going from a dark hair color to very light), our hair can also appear brassy after picking up minerals from the water we shower in, the sun, pollution, or even the color of your shampoo (for example: if it’s red or orange).

There’s roughly two types of tones when it comes to blonde hair – warm tones and cool tones. Think of cool tones as more of the white blonde or “icy” blonde (how I like my hair to look because I think it looks more natural), and then warm tones (think of it as more of a yellow blonde). It’s important to know the difference and what your preference is, since it’s something that’s commonly asked when you get highlights or have your hair done. Since I like having an icy blonde tone to my hair, when my hair starts getting too yellow or warm – I don’t like it. But does this mean I run to the salon to get my color updated? No! Would you guys believe me if I said I only go to the salon twice a year? It’s completely the truth. Like I stated above, I’m actually very low maintenance with my hair, and I like getting cuts and colors that allow me to “let my hair go” and have it be low maintenance. I let my hair air dry 75% of the time. Because I’m a natural blonde, I can get away with going to the salon fewer times, because the highlights I’m getting aren’t too much lighter than the true shade of my hair color. However, if you’re naturally a dark brunette and are going blonde, you won’t be able to get away with this. If you’re looking to have more low-maintenance hair, I would recommend something like a balayage. It grows out very nicely, the highlights are always very close to your natural hair color (if it’s done correctly), and is extremely low maintenance. I recommend embracing your natural hair (with light enhancements) as a way to have your healthiest, best hair.

So without making you guys wonder any longer – what’s my number one tip for getting rid of brass that also allows me to only go to the salon a couple times of year? PURPLE SHAMPOO. Okay, it sounds crazy right?! I absolutely swear by it. I’ve been using purple shampoo since high school or college and have tried the drug store versions, the “designer” versions, and everything in between. I recently became familiar with BLNDN (prounounced blondin’) and not only am I obsessed, but it’s the best purple shampoo formula I’ve used by far. So many times when you’re not happy with your hair color, it doesn’t mean you need to run to the hair salon (but sometimes it does), perhaps you’re not happy with the tone of your hair. Purple shampoo is exactly what it sounds like; it’s a shampoo that is an intense purple color. I know what you’re thinking – “Will it turn my hair purple?” Absolutely not. What it will do is get rid of all of the orange, red, and yellow tones in your hair. Think back to the color wheel from elementary school. Purple is across from yellow and orange which means it makes sense that purple tones (your purple shampoo) would be able to neutralize the yellow and orange shades in your hair.

I’ve been using the “Signature Regimen” from BLNDN which contains a brightening shampoo (the purple shampoo), the “Repair You” hair mask as a second step (acts like a deep conditioner), and the “Save You” balancing cream as a third step which reminds me a lot of a leave in conditioner. Their product line is designed to “give you softer, stronger, shinier, thicker, and just plain better hair within 10 washes.” In fact, if you’re not happy with your results, you can get a full refund. However, I’m confident you won’t be getting a refund. The key ingredients in this line are baobab protein, murumuru butter, camellia leaf extract, and pomegranate seed oil. Together, these ingredients work to repair strength, provide intense shine, rapid cell regeneration, and an antioxidant boost. I’ve been obsessed with these products and have used them religiously since receiving them.

Most purple shampoos can be extremely damaging to the hair and should only be used about once a week. To me, they feel similar to how your hair feels after a clarifying shampoo, because it gets rid of all the gunk and feels like it’s stripping the hair. Not a good feeling. BLNDN’s formula is the gentlest purple shampoo formula I’ve ever tried, which is amazing because it means I can use this shampoo every time I shampoo my hair (about 3x a week max). Imagine how much quicker you see results when you’re able to use the shampoo every time you wash your hair, rather than once a week? The results of BLNDN are by far, the best results I’ve ever seen from a purple shampoo. After four shampoos (about a week and a half’s time) I noticed a complete change in my hair’s tone. Pieces near the front of my hair (always my blondest, natural pieces) were back to looking white blonde.  If you want to try the shampoo but don’t want to commit to the rest of the products in the line, I highly recommend that you get yourself a leave in conditioner for use after the shampoo. Your hair is definitely going to need something to repair it.

Are you a believer in purple shampoo? It’s not just for blondes! Even those of you who are brunette but get highlights or color treat your hair would greatly benefit from using this product line.

FAVORITE PRODUCTS FOR BLONDES + THOSE WITH COLOR TREATED HAIR:

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