by Kristen Parks

As a stylist, I see so many trends come and go.... some in small waves, and others in HUGE waves. Right now, thanks to a certain previously dark haired celeb, going blonde in one salon visit is one of those HUGE waves.

LBVS here. This is about a big of an ordeal as it is a trend. Don't get me wrong, I can only dream of having lilac white blonde hair myself. But there are some things to take into consideration before making that hair decision!

How long is your hair right now? Shoulder length? So if, on average, hair grows 1/4 to 1/2 an inch each month it took you about... 2 years to grow that? How attached are you to the length? Lightener's job is to remove every bit of everything from your hair, which can cause dryness, damage, even the dreaded chemical cut. A pretty significant trim is needed after going blonde. Even if you think it feels good, trim it. We want purposeful cuts and shapes in our hair cuts, NOT chemical induced breakage!

Back to that hair that took about 2 years to grow... What ALL has been done to your hair in those two years? Box color? Professional color? Perm? Keratin Smoothing? Kool-aid coloring? BE HONEST! I CANNOT stress this enough. Be. Honest. This will help your stylist make the right decision on whether or not going blonde in one visit is possible, the methods and products to use, and so. Which will help preserve the integrity of your hair, so again BE HONEST! There's nothing worse than a surprise found under that "natural" hair color... old bright hair colors, use of metallic dyes (HUGE NO NO) and just plain old chemical cutting. A stronger lightening product may be needed for old hair colors and it should be noted that lightener can react negatively with metallic dyes and cause serious damage to your hair. A perm chemically alters the structure of your hair, those bonds may no longer be strong enough to handle going blonde in one visit.

Do you like gold blonde hair? Or do you mind weekly or bi weekly visits to the salon for a toner session? More often than not, hair turns gold rather than those adored cool tones, white, silver, lilac, ash. If you like golden blondes, perfect. If not, you'll need a toner. Toners are demi-
permanent, meaning they will last up to 6 ish weeks... depending on the condition of your hair, your wash schedule (read all about wash schedules here...!), you may need to come in weekly or bi weekly to maintain the desired cool as well as even tone. Even the goldilocks blondes may need toner to make sure it's an even all over color. Ask your stylist about how long the service will take and how much it will cost, to make sure you're staying in your budget and you can always call me for a professional consultation!

How committed are you REALLY to being and staying blonde? Are you ready to maintain roots every 4-6 weeks? Against the lightest of blonde hair, any natural hair color is going to look DARK, which can drive anyone CRAZY. As previously mentioned, hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch every month. Although you may have to visit the salon more often, root touch-ups are much easier and less time consuming (and less expensive) than the initial process!

If you still feel like you want to try going blonde in one process, talk to your stylist ahead of time. Make sure she/he has allotted enough time for you in their schedule, is prepared with the needed product, and they may want a consultation with you before hand. If you don't have a stylist, PLEASE FIND ONE (or call me). Prevent excess damage to your hair and possible injury to yourself by NOT doing this at home or unprofessionally! Your stylist can also be prepared to send you home with products that will keep your hair healthy between visits!

If your stylist recommends you take a slower approach to going blonde, LISTEN TO THEM! They are the professionals! They can make educated decisions to keep your hair in the best health possible. If you don't believe your stylist, get a second and third opinion from other stylists in other salons! Then make your decision!

Do you have any experiences with going blonde in one salon visit? Tell us about it in the comments!