6 Things You Need To Know About Going Blonde for the First Time

If you’re thinking about going blonde, we totally get it. After all, it is known for being more fun!

Cliches aside, blonde is a great, flattering hair color with a lot of different shades to choose from, meaning it can look good on everybody. But it does require some work and upkeep, which you definitely want to know about before you make your salon appointment. So in the interest of making informed beauty decisions, here are six things you should know before dying your hair blonde for the first time.

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1. It May Be a Long Process

Unfortunately, if your hair is a darker brown or black, you probably won’t be able to walk out of one visit at the salon with beautiful, light blonde hair. That’s because dying hair blonde requires using some rather damaging chemicals, and doing too much of it at once can leave your hair looking pretty fried and even cause it to fall out. So to maintain healthy hair while going blonde, a lot of people end up having to come in for multiple dying sessions, each a few weeks apart.

2. Your Hair Will Probably Feel Different

Those bleaching chemicals that make your hair look gorgeous and blonde also permanently change the structure of your hair, meaning that you might notice some pretty significant differences after your dye job. Your hair may take longer or slower to dry, feel different texture-wise (usually less soft and moisturized), and may even become less curly or wavy.

3. You’ll Need a New Beauty Routine

Blonde hair requires more maintenance than just getting your roots done every six to eight weeks. You’ll also probably have to change up a lot of aspects of your haircare routine. For example, you might want to start using a purple or brightening shampoo to keep your color looking fresh, as well as color-safe products that don’t have the damaging sulfates that can make chemically-treated hair look even dryer. You’ll want to focus on health and moisture, so it’ll be a good idea to avoid heat styling and introduce masks and leave-in conditioners.

4. Don’t Do It Yourself

Dying hair blonde requires a solid understanding of color theory, hair products, and the structure and makeup of hair. Without it, you can make some pretty serious mistakes, leaving hair looking and feeling terrible and even falling out. For that reason, it’s really best to leave it to the professionals, so don’t bother with those at-home blonde dying kits if you want good results.

5. It’ll Be an Investment

Between paying for the initial salon visit, touch-ups every one to two months, and all of the products that blonde hair requires to stay feeling healthy and looking good, having unnatural blonde hair can cost a pretty penny. Before you make the commitment, take a good look at your budget to make sure that you’ll be able to afford it.

6. You Might Feel Different

Hair color doesn’t just change the way you look, it can also totally change how you feel about yourself. As a blonde, you might find yourself wanting to wear different clothes and jewelry than you did before. And it may make you so confident that you’re willing to take risks and make moves you weren’t able to before. So embrace the blonde way and be prepared for a major life change!