Friday Focus: Blonde Blonde Blonde Hair

Hey guys

So I have been wanting to turn my brunette hair blonde for some time now, but always panic because of the many different shades of blonde out there and not knowing which one suits me best, and even if I did choose one that suited me, whether this could be achieved. But next Thursday I am booked in for an appointment... I have warned my hairdresser that "I'm going blonde". The last time I was there (February - yikes) she talked me out of it (knowing that I visit the salon twice a year max!) and I ended up with dip-dye! I must say that dip-dye/ombre is a convenient option as you obviously don't get any root issues whatsoever, hence why I haven't been to the hairdressers for 8 months! This is also another issue with blonde - maintenance - something I'm quite concerned about!

Well anyway, despite this, I'm still going blonde, the thought has been lurking for a year now and I just need to get it out of my system! I have been blonde a couple of times before - but the last time round was over some red hair and it was just not a good blonde. It made me aware that some shades of blonde are bad (brassy, eww) and so I have been researching pictures in order to be able to fully inform my hairdresser of the blonde I'm after. There are literally millions of shades of blonde so picking the right shade is vitally important. 

The main thing you need to consider when going blonde and choosing a shade of blonde is your skin tone.  Nicola Clarke creative director at John Frieda said this "As a rule if you're fair skinned then bright, bold blondes - even platinum shades and ash tones are the most flattering. For medium skin tones you should keep it a little warmer, with golden tones, anything too light will drain the complexion. If you have dark skin, go for blonde tones and again avoid going too light". 

So let's look at some examples of this:

Medium Skin: Blake has a a medium skin tone aka she is tanned all year round, so she has more of a golden, honey blonde which complements this. 

Similarly, Jennifer Anniston also chooses more caramel and honey shades of blonde due to her medium complexion. Both Blake and Jennifer have lighter strands which frame their face. It is important to consider things like this!

Fair Skin: In a blog post on blonde hair, how could we not mention our favourite Legally Blonde star Reese Witherspoon. She has a far paler complex to Jen and so her hair colour is much lighter mixing platinum and ash blondes. She has a few darker shades pulled through her fringe. The bright blonde and bright blue eyes look amazing - bringing me to another point: it is also important to consider eye colour when thinking about the right shade of blonde for you. Often fair skin tones and light eye colours look better with a lighter blonde (i.e. Reese) but fair skin tones with a medium eye colour can mix lighter and medium blondes (i.e. Fearne in the pic below).  

Fearne Cotton also has a fairer complexion and so she opts for a more platinum coloured blonde but adds in a few medium blonde highlights to add some depth and richness to the colour. 

Taylor Swift chooses more of an ash blonde to complement her fair skin.

Beyonce successfully pulls of blonde hair with her darker skin by opting for a rich caramel blonde.

As seen in these celeb pictures it is possible to vary lighter and darker shades of blonde with different coloured highlights. Your hairdresser will more than likely mix two-three shades of blonde into your highlights so it is important that you make your wishes clear with your hairdresser - pictures are always helpful. 

Another thing to consider when going blonde is that the colour can start to look dull after a few weeks, so it is important to consider purchasing new shampoos specifically for coloured/blonde hair. I can recommend Herbal Essences' Ignite My Colour which I wrote about here and Chelsea also provided us with some great tips on reviving blonde hair in her blog post here. Check it out.

Finally, you will need to reconsider the make-up that you use to complement the new blonde hair i.e. it is probably time for new shades of blushes/lipsticks/eyeshadows. The best solution to this would be to visit a beauty counter at a department store and ask the make-up artist to test out some different colours for you.

Well I hope this has provided some hair inspiration to you all! I'll post a picture of the transformation on Thursday! Ahh I'm a bit nervous!

Naomi x 

Monday Makeover: Hair Time and a Mascara Update

Happy Monday to everybody! I hope you are all managing to stay dry in this horrific monsoon weather, but if like me your umbrella blew inside out and your hair has been exposed to the dampness, then read on, as today's blog post provides you with some weapons to ensure that you win the battle against rain-induced frizzy poof!

Today I am going to run you through my favourite hair products at the moment. 
NB: these products work well on my hair which is long, thick, coloured and dry. 

So my routine starts with Herbal Essences Ignite My Colour Shampoo and Conditioner.  This shampoo and conditioner (separate bottles, not a 2 in 1!) works wonders on my fairly subtle ombre effect hair colour. It makes the blondey ends extra colourful rather than some shampoos which makes it look like I've just got serious growing out issues.  It is a true reflection of it's name, so if your hair colour feels dull and needs a boost, this is for you! Also, as with all Herbal Essence products it smells absolutely delicious. Another bonus is the price - it is cheap and is always involved in some sort of deal somewhere! I've noticed that this seems to be the most popular Herbal Essences shampoo/conditioner and is always sold out first!

Following the wash I apply two products: 

Firstly I run Organix Moroccan Oil through the ends of my hair. It is a lightweight oil used to seal in moisture and prevent heat damage. This is my favourite product at the moment. Another good smeller which makes my hair feel so soft and shiny. Be careful not to add too much or apply to the roots as it could cause a serious grease issue.

Secondly I add Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep, another brilliant product for taming frizz and creating smooth locks. This product is made from all natural ingredients and claims to defend from humidity (or in our case damp air) for 12 hours. I can vouch for this as I used it when I was on holiday in the Caribbean and I could not believe how un-poof my hair was! 

It might seem weird to use both products - but I can't tell which one works better and together I think they cover all bases for frizz control, rejuvenating dryness and protection!

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Now, on a non-hair related note you may remember my post Mascara Dating. Well I was perfectly happy with the combination that I shared with you (it would seem that I like to combine products), but then I received a sample of Clinique High Impact Mascara and I have to say that it trumps Falsies. With the Clinique Primer and this Mascara my eyelashes look amazing! It is a new winning combination! It's time to upgrade the make-up bag girls!

I hope that I have provided you with some helpful hair product knowledge, and sorry about the change of mascara so soon - it was unexpected for me too!