Bronze to blonde transformation - lots of breakage

[Chrismari Hill]

Hi everyone!

So my client came in on Friday, she has years and years of black box dye on her hair. She wants to get to silver blonde, to match her own grey hair. I had her come in 2 days prior to the appointment and gave her a treatment of Liquid Hair (Wella).

She has had highlights done (foils) previously on two occasions, but the hairdresser she used did not manage to lift her hair evenly throughout - bands of colour. Her natural colour is probably a level 2/3 Dark Brown and she had a serious accident with heavy head trauma, resulting in hair growing out almost 70% gray in between. Her greys are almost a bright white which is gorgeous. So now we sit with highlights in the roots that are almost blonde, first section being bright yellow, mid lengths that are bright orange and ends that had almost no lifting at all.

I started by foiling the existing highlights: Blondor + 10Vol on the Roots and first Section, then 2nd and Third Sections (Mids & Ends) Blondor + 30Vol. I managed to achieve an even colour throughout, from the roots to the ends. Washed and Rinsed and Dried, then went ahead to tint over the highlights with Colour Touch 0/81. Left on for about 40mins until it seemed like everything was a nice voilet/grey colour. Rinsed and treated with another dose of Liquid Hair. She has extremely thick and frizzy hair and it is really long. I cut 10cm off the ends (bit of breakage).

The colour looks nice, although it is still way too warm. Its a paler yellow than before, and the one thing I am really grateful for is that I managed to even out the highlights, so that it isn't 3 shades of yellow and orange anymore. I am just so dissapointed that I did not manage to lift it a bit more, and that the tint used to tone did not really "take" as much as what I expected. I saw her this morning again, and I see quite a bit of breakage.
This makes me so sad!!!!!

I have ordered olaplex, haven't used it yet and hoping that it will restore a bit of the damage.

How would I get her to blonde eventually??? She wont be happy with the highlights for more than a month, that I can guarantee since the colour is way too warm and the more her grey/white hair grows out, the more "yellow" they will seem.

I have the following questions:

• How will I get her to the blonde/silver???
• What formula would you suggest I use in future, to get her to the level she wants to be as well as a blonde/silver (she's a funky lady of 40)
• Opinions on brand? I'm not entirely happy with Wella, would like to try out Goldwell on our next appointment. Any thoughts?
• Is Olaplex worth it in your opinion?

Sorry for the essay hahahaha! I'm a hairdresser, the typical stereotype that talks more than I breathe.

Love, Chris

 

[AcidPerm]

If it was my client, I'd have used a colour reducer to break up the box dye colour and remove as much as possible before bleaching. Much less damage that way and it won't affect her natural colour.

Have you used a colour reducer before?

 

[Chrismari Hill]

No never... which product would you recommend?

 

[tina_curling]

OLAPLEX definitely it's brilliant. Do stand alone treatments and in the colours

 

[AcidPerm]

No never... which product would you recommend?

Have a look at this old thread. It might help explain the basics.

I would advise when removing abuild up of black box dye, to allow up to 3 goes with a reducer as some molecules will remain and re-oxidise making you think you haven't progressed.

http://www.salongeek.com/threads/newbie-looking-into-colour-reducers.291451/

 

[Chrismari Hill]

OLAPLEX definitely it's brilliant. Do stand alone treatments and in the colours

Thank you so much!

Have you ever used ColorB4?

 

[Roziecrantzaintdead]

As far as formulation goes.......with Wella I would use 10/21 with ano inch of blue pigment (koleston using pastels developer). It should..ive you a nice silver color. if not that then you could try pravana silver.

 

[JenB]

I also agree with the above comment: a few Olaplex stand alone treatments will help keep her hair stronger through the multiple liftings you'll have to do to achieve the lightness you need. Use Olaplex #1 in all of your lightenings and #2 after every time followed by good conditioners/hair masks. Also when-and if-you do finally get her to a clean and even pale yellow, pre tone with a level 9 or 10V before you tone with silver or it will go muddy.