Blond is still one of the biggest services supplied by hair stylists – mainly because getting to that perfect blonde that you desire is not easily obtained at home. Whether it is getting to the platinum blonde without the severe damage like Lady Gaga, or getting to the right tone of blonde, like Barbie, sometimes it’s best to leave it in the hands of a professional.
Platinum blonde does not suit everyone as skin tone and eye colour plays a big role. Someone like Lady Gaga can pull it off perfectly, but for others a golden, beige or caramel tone enhances their features better.
Let’s look at the differences, as well as how to maintain your blonde easily at home.
The Platinum blonde
Platinum blonde hair refers to a very light, almost white shade of blonde. It is characterized by its cool, icy and pale appearance. Platinum blonde hair can be a striking and bold look, and can complement various skin tones, but it tends to look particularly striking on people with fair or cool-toned complexions.
Platinum blonde is achieved by lightening the hair to a very high level of blondness, typically removing most or all of the natural pigment from the hair shaft. To achieve platinum blonde hair, the hair usually needs to be bleached multiple times to lift the natural and/or cosmetic colour and reach the desired level of lightness. This process can be challenging and very damaging. Hopefully your stylist is using a good quality bleach with a built in or added fiber protector like a PLEX, osmo-protector or another bond protector like Keraveg.
It is important to note that maintaining platinum blonde hair requires regular maintenance which can be VERY costly. It also requires proper home care, as even platinum hair tends to turn yellow due to oxidation, the natural underlying hair pigments that remains after bleaching, and environmental factors like hard water and UV rays.
The Golden blonde
Golden blonde refers to a warm and sunny shade of blonde hair. It is characterized by its golden, caramel and honey tones. Golden blonde is a popular choice for those who desire a natural-looking and warm blonde colour. Golden blonde hair can complement a range of skin tones, particularly for people with warm complexions.
Golden blonde hair typically has underlying yellow and orange tones that contribute to its warm appearance. It is achieved by lightening the hair to a medium to light blonde level and then adding golden, beige or caramel toners. Bleaching is not as severe, as the required level can be a lot lower than that of a platinum blonde.
Maintaining golden blonde hair involves regular maintenance and care. Because of the remaining underlying red and yellow pigments, hair can easily turn brassy.
Recommended home-care
We recommend the following home care:
- Preferably use a sulphate free shampoo, packed with moisture, as bleached hair tends to be very dry post service.
- Use a chelating range that can neutralize any metals, minerals, chlorine, etc. from the water, as these elements contribute to oxidation. Chelating shampoo’s combats water hardness, i.e. the activity of the metal ions contained in water. Calcium and magnesium are the main ones. Other heavy metals include chlorine, sulphates, copper and lead.
- To tone down yellow tones in hair with levels 8 – 10 (like platinum blondes), use an anti-YELLOW shampoo or mask, containing violet pigments. This will help obtain a cool tone.
- To tone down copper tones in hair with levels 5 – 7 or highlights, use an anti-ORANGE shampoo or mask, containing blue pigments.
- Always protect your hair from excessive heat styling or sun exposure. Use a thermal spray and/or UV protector to keep the hair safe, fresh and vibrant.
Consult with a professional hairstylist for personalized advice and solutions based on your specific hair type and concerns.
