Going Platinum Blonde. Everything You Need to Know

Welp, I’m officially the most indecisive person on the planet because I changed my hair AGAIN. I chopped it all off and dyed it blonde. One of my life goals is to slowly turn into a Kardashian (just kidding…kinda) and my inspiration for this change was when Kim went blonde. She looked amazing and I’ve really wanted to try it ever since. This is the picture I used for reference.

Let me tell you, it is NOT easy to go from black to blonde. It is a 12 hour + process and costs almost a grand (being pretty ain’t cheap!). It takes at least 3 rounds of bleach to get the black pigment out, and then I did two rounds of toners to get the nice white colour. My hair takes to bleach really easily because I have white genes in me, and caucasian hair is much easier to turn for some reason. For other ethnicities like Asian girls that have truly black hair, it’s much harder and will take more rounds of bleach.

I’ll insert a few pictures of the bleaching process (sorry they are blurry lol). It went from black to orange to an unsightly yellow (purely bleached hair is not cute, you need to tone afterwards). It takes a long time because you need to sit in the bleach for an hour, and then because bleach is so damaging to your hair, I needed to do an intense treatment in between bleaches so my hair wouldn’t fall right off.

After the third round of bleach and treatments, it is time to tone and get rid of all the yellow tints. After the first toner I was a little worried because it was still pretty yellow, but then my hairdresser put something special in the second toner to try to lift all that yellow as much as possible. While it wasn’t perfect (it still had some yellow tints and was not pure ice white like Kim K.) we got pretty darn close! I have to go back in a month for another round of bleach and toner to try and get it as white as we can.

Now, let’s talk about aftercare. In the shower I use the Fanola Purple Shampoo and Mask, and I switch out that mask for the Schwarzkopf Keratin Smooth Perfect Conditioner for unmanageable hair. After the shower I towel try my hair for a bit then apply the Oribe Gold Lust Oil, and then the Oribe Straight Away Smoothing Blowout Cream. I then take a round brush and blow dry my hair straight. This combination of products leaves my hair SO SMOOTH and straight for days on end.

 

I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out, I’m excited to see how it looks after my second round!

That’s it for now!

xoxo,

Sarah

 

Healing Your Hair With Hair Masks – By Marisa Chiorello

Hey there, beautiful souls!

So it’s safe to assume that we have all heard of facemasks and even used them. There are facemasks for acne, added moisture, and removal of excess oil. Facemasks also rid the skin of impurities, and help your pores. There are many different types of facemasks such as sheet masks, clay masks, and exfoliating masks. In a matter of minutes, you’ll have glowing, healthy, beautiful skin. What if I told you there are masks that do this for your hair?

That’s right, I’m talking about hair masks! Recently, I tried Davines Minu Illuminating Hair Mask, $21. 90.  I specifically decided to test this one because it’s ideal for colour treated hair. I knew using this hair mask would not damage the colour I have in my hair. I was so ready to heal my hair!

This hair mask is really easy to use. After I got out of the shower, I towel dried my hair. Then, I applied the mask. Although the directions say to leave the mask in your hair for 10-15 minutes, I felt that my hair would benefit from as much time as possible. So, I left the mask in my hair for exactly 15 minutes. I used a comb to ensure that the mask saturated every strand. Once my hair was combed, I rinsed out the mask and dried my hair.

I saw and felt the results of this masks immediately! My hair felt so soft, silky, and healthy! It even improved the life of my hair color! I definitely recommended this mask if you have color treated hair. It’s available at Walmart and on Amazon, but is currently sold out on Davies.com. If you don’t have color treated hair, here are some other masks you can use:

Tresemme Nourish & Replenish Mask, $6.

This mask contains coconut milk and aloe vera, so it’s very rich but beneficial. This mask works well if you have brittle ends or brittle strands from heat damage. After one use of this mask, your hair will feel softer and will begin to heal. You can find this mask at your local pharmacy!

Bee Mine Bee-U-Ti-Ful Moisturizing Deep Conditioner, $19.

This mask is ideal for curly hair. It’s infused with shea butter, organic coconut oil, and cupuaçu butter. Although these ingredients may seem heavy, they aren’t when it comes to your hair. The directions recommend you leave this mask on for 10 minutes. Once you rinse it out, your curly locks will feel completely moisturized and utterly soft and healed.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner, $5.

If you do not have 10-15 minutes to spare throughout your day, don’t worry! This hair masks actually works in 3 minutes! This hair masks works best on seriously dehydrated hair. If you’re hair is begging for moisture, this is the hair mask for you. You can also use this mask as a leave-in treatment for 30 minutes. Whatever you choose, your hair will feel silky soft. Your hair will smell amazing, too!

Let me know which mask you try and how your hair is healing!

Until next time,

Marisa

Playing With Joico Hair Dye

I was getting a little bored with my grey hair, so I felt like changing it up with a semi permanent hair dye! I wanted to start of with a light colour and work my way up to the more fun darker colours since it’s way easier to go from light to dark. I went to a hair supply store near my work and was drawn to a giant display of Joico hair dye. After 10 minutes of debate with my co-worker I finally decided on the lilac purple shade.

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The instructions say to apply it to dry hair and let it process for 20 minutes. You can apply heat to make the colour last longer throughout washes and this is what I did. The hair dye has sparkles in it too which makes the process a little more fun 😉

The Results:

Since my hair wasn’t completely bleached white to begin with (it had the grey tones in it), the end result turned out much more blue than purple. I’ll insert a picture below.

This is fine and still very pretty, but just wasn’t what I was expecting. I even did a second coat of the dye the next day to see if it would bring in any more purple tones but it just turned out even more blue   I think this stuff would work much better on completely bleached hair with no toner in it.

After a few shampoo washes the colour has completely changed again! (but this is expected with semi permanent hair colours). The colour now is more like a muted turquoise blue with grey undertones. Truthfully it’s not my favourite colour so I bought some stuff that is supposed to remove semi permanent hair colours. I read some other blogs and found that vitamin c powder mixed with an anti dandruff shampoo mixed together as a hair mask should help to lift up the majority of the colour.

After I remove the colour I was thinking of trying a pink or a more vibrant purple! What do y’all think I should do?!

xoxo

Sarah

 

My Top 3 Products for Wavy Hair – By Marisa Chiorello

Well hey there, beautiful souls!

From the time I first started styling my hair, I wish for luxurious, long, bouncy curls. Truth be told, I envied girls with curls. So, because I couldn’t get those girls, I straighten my hair every. single. day. I know… I know exactly what you’re thinking: “Ouch, the heat damage!” “Yikes! The damage!” “But… but… THE DAMAGE!” Yes, here’s my second confession: My hair became terribly damaged, crispy, even. My hair was also really flat with no body or bounce to it. It was basically straw on my head. Sigh. Those were some sad, sad times.

As I got older, I quickly learned to embrace the hair I was given. I threw away my hair straightener and haven’t straightened my hair in SIX years! I think this is quite the accomplishment, and my hair certainly thanks me. It’s now healthier than ever before!

So, what type of hair do I have? I have long, wavy hair. The top of my head typically remains straight, and my waves start at a handful of inches below my scalp. Because my hair is not classified as “curly,” but a mix between curly and straight, it was always difficult for me to find the ideal hair product for my locks. After years of wearing, and leaving my hair in its natural form, I’ve finally found products that leave me with beautiful waves each and every time. Here they are!

DevaCurl Arc Angel Gel, $24.00

This is my go-to, #1, and absolute favorite hair gel! It’s one that I currently use, almost every day. Although it’s a bit pricy, it’s SO worth it! This gel does not make my hair crunchy like what happens with most gels. Instead, it coats each individual strand of my hair while leaving my hair feeling soft, smooth, and frizz free. This gel also defines each wave so my hair has never looked better! I get so many compliments on my wavy hair when I use this gel. It’s great to use during the summer when it’s hot and humid out. If you don’t mind splurging a bit on hair products, I definitely recommend purchasing this one! I purchased mine at Ulta. You won’t regret this purchase, and your hair will look fabulous!

Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Tousling Mousse Medium 2, $3.99

I don’t always spend an arm and a leg for my hair or makeup products. In fact, I love shopping at drugstores for these products. You can find a lot of great items! This includes the tousling mousse! This mousse comes in a range of numbers from 1-4. I purchase number 2, because I have wavy hair. I like this mousse because not only does it smell delicious, but also a little goes a long way. I don’t have to use much of this product to get bouncy waves that last all day! I also love that it protects my hair from the humidity and controls frizz. It does all this AND it doesn’t leave my hair sticky or crunchy. Once my hair dries, it looks fantastic after using this product. This is my second choice when it comes to hair products, but it still leaves my hair looking amazing. I totally recommend this one!

Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray, $6.49

This is another product I use that doesn’t cost that much. I love this spray because it is lightweight; it separates each strand of hair for me, and transforms my locks into beautiful, textured waves! It literally looks like I just came back from the beach! I also like how it is infused with sea salt and sea kelp. If you desire beach-like waves, I recommend this product! It’s one of my faves!

Let me know which ones you try! Also, let’s be kind to our hair!

Until next time,

Marisa