Going from black to blonde: stages and risks

Going from black to blonde is possible, but it's almost always a process in several stages with breaks in between, not a single appointment. How many sessions you'll need depends on whether your black is natural or dyed, what you've coloured with and for how long, and the condition of your lengths. A precise plan can only be made after a consultation, sometimes with a strand test.

Natural black and dyed black behave differently

Natural dark hair lightens predictably. Lightener oxidises the melanin, and the hair gradually moves through warm stages: red, orange, yellow. It takes a while, but it's even.

Dyed black is harder. The hair holds artificial pigment that has built up in layers, often over years. Where it was dyed more often, there's more of it. Oxidative dyes lift unevenly: one section is already getting lighter while another hangs on to a dark or red tone. That's why dyed black often shows bands and patches that then have to be evened out separately. Sometimes the black went on over another colour, and traces of earlier dye show up underneath.

Another complication is that natural regrowth and dyed lengths lighten at different speeds. Treat them the same and the roots will go light long before the lengths have shifted at all.

What's used to lift black

For dyed black, two tools are usually combined. Colour removers help take out some of the built-up dye without breaking down the natural pigment as much. Lightener then works on whatever is left.

Sessions need breaks between them, so the hair can recover and the colourist can see how it's behaving. Roughly that's a few weeks, but the interval is set by the condition of your hair, not the calendar. Trying to do it all at once on heavily dyed black usually ends in broken lengths and patchy colour.

Between sessions, what I need from you is gentle care at home, as little heat styling as possible, and no box dye to "cover the brassiness". Dark colour over an in-between stage sets the whole process back, because that artificial pigment then has to be lifted all over again.

Henna, indigo and metallic salts call for a strand test

If henna, indigo or box dyes are anywhere in your history, say so before the appointment, even if it was a long time ago. Plant dyes and dyes containing metallic salts can react unpredictably with peroxide: the hair heats up, breaks or turns a strange colour. Henna is also extremely stubborn, and lightener barely touches it.

In these cases a test is done first on a single strand, ideally from a hidden area. Only its result tells us whether lightening is worth attempting at all, and which route to take. Sometimes the honest answer is "grow it out and cut it off gradually".

I always do chelation before lightening. It removes metals and minerals from water, which interfere with lightening and dry hair out under the powder. On hair with years of dark colour behind it, that makes a noticeable difference.

In-between stages from red to caramel

On the way from black to blonde, hair inevitably passes through warm tones. That's the warm underlying pigment showing as the dark pigment breaks down, and it's a normal part of the process. Between sessions these stages are toned, so you're not walking around with orange patches.

The red and copper stage is usually toned to a deep brown or chestnut. Orange can be turned into a warm caramel or hazelnut. Once hair reaches a yellowish stage, beige and light blonde-brown shades become possible. When I tone after lightening, it always comes with reconstruction to even out porosity. There's more on that in toning after lightening.

A cool pale blonde from dyed black in one visit isn't realistic. If someone promises you that, it's worth asking what it will cost your lengths.

Airtouch as a gentler route to blonde

You don't have to lighten all your hair solidly. It's often wiser to reach blonde through Airtouch. The technique uses a stream of air to separate out the shorter layers and lightens the longer strands, giving a soft gradient from dark roots to light ends. Part of the hair stays unlightened, which means less risk to your lengths.

With each retouch, more light strands can be added until you reach the amount of blonde you want. From Airtouch you can also move safely to full blonde later on if you decide to. I cover that separately in Airtouch or full blonde. I wear long blonde hair myself and know how much it matters not to lose length along the way.

What going from black costs and where to start

The price of going from black depends on the number of sessions, and that can't be named without a proper assessment. So we start with a consultation on Telegram at @le2chris. Send photos of your hair in daylight, with the roots and ends shown separately, and tell me what you've coloured with over the last two or three years: salon colour, box dye, henna, toner.

As a guide: Airtouch with me starts from 3,200 UAH, relief from 2,500 UAH, contouring from 1,000 UAH, and toning with reconstruction from 700 UAH. Chelation, reconstruction and toning are included in each of these services. After the consultation I'll tell you roughly how many stages you'll need and what each of them involves.