Colourist consultation before going blonde

A colourist consultation before going blonde is there to work out what's realistic for your hair, in how many visits, and at what cost to your lengths. The colourist asks about your colour history, assesses your natural level, grey coverage, porosity and elasticity, looks at your reference photos and explains what the result will be. An online consultation works too, as long as the photos are taken properly.

Your hair history over the last two or three years

Hair remembers everything done to it until that length is cut off. So the first thing I ask is what you've coloured with over the last two or three years, and further back if your hair is long.

I need to know about salon and home colour, especially dark shades. About henna and indigo, even if it was long ago: plant dyes and dyes with metallic salts can react unpredictably with lightener. About keratin straightening and similar treatments. About previous lightening: where exactly the blonde was, when, and whether your hair broke afterwards.

It doesn't matter if you can't remember brand names or shade numbers. Something rough is enough: "dark chestnut box dye once a month for a year". That already helps a lot. If you have old photos showing your hair after previous colour, bring those too.

Assessing level, grey, porosity and elasticity

Next I look at the hair itself.

Your natural level, meaning how dark your natural roots are. It decides how far the lightener has to go and which warm tones the hair will pass through.

How much grey you have and where it sits. Grey affects the choice of technique: Airtouch, for instance, blends it well thanks to the soft gradient. I've written about that separately in Airtouch on grey hair.

The porosity and elasticity of your lengths. I check how the hair feels, how the ends behave, and whether there are stretchy or brittle sections. If the lengths are already badly damaged, we talk about a cut and care first, and blonde after that.

If there's irritation, flaking or any other scalp problem, lightening is postponed, and you should see a dermatologist or trichologist.

References and a realistic result

Bring a few photos of blonde you love and, if you can, one or two examples of what you definitely don't want. The second often says more about your taste than the first.

Bear in mind that photos on social media often involve filters, styling and flattering light. I help you tell the real colour apart from the editing, so your expectations are realistic and you're not disappointed in front of your own bathroom mirror.

Together we work out what exactly draws you to the photo: the tone, the amount of light, the contrast with the roots, how the blonde grows out. Then I tell you honestly which parts of it are realistic on your base. Sometimes the result in the reference can be reached in one visit; sometimes it takes several stages with breaks, especially if your hair is dark and dyed. You can see what that looks like in practice in the article on going from black to blonde.

At the consultation you'll also find out roughly how many sessions you'll need, the approximate cost and how often you'll need retouches. Contouring, for example, is best retouched every 2 months, while Airtouch needs a retouch every 4 months if up to half of the hair is blonde, or none at all, because it grows out softly.

Strand test and skin sensitivity

When your hair history is unclear, say there was henna, box dye or several layers of dark colour, a strand test shows how the hair will react to lightener before the whole head is done. A small section is taken from a hidden area. Sometimes the test is done in advance, so there's time to think the plan through calmly.

If you've reacted to hair colour before or tend to have allergies, mention it in advance too. A skin sensitivity test gives extra information, but whenever there's doubt about your skin, the decision belongs to a doctor.

Online colourist consultation and how to take photos in daylight

I consult on Telegram, and most questions can be answered from photos. To make them useful:

• shoot in daylight by a window, but not in direct sun;
• no filters, no portrait mode and no phone flash;
• the roots from above, the lengths and ends in close-up, and an overall view from behind, each as a separate photo;
• hair dry, not straightened;
• if you have them, add photos of how your hair looked six months or a year ago.

Along with the photos, write a short note on your colour history and what you'd like to achieve.

How to book a consultation with me

Message me on Telegram at @le2chris. I'm a colourist in Odesa working with blonde and light hair. I'll look at your photos, ask a few follow-up questions and tell you which technique suits you and where to start.

Prices as a guide: Airtouch from 3,200 UAH, relief from 2,500 UAH, contouring from 1,000 UAH, and toning with reconstruction from 700 UAH. Every service includes chelation, reconstruction and toning. I'll give you a more precise figure once I've seen your hair.