In celebration of Schwarzkopf’s National BLONDME Week, Oz Beauty Expert’s Beauty Writer, Jess, underwent her own transformation, going lighter and brighter just in time for Summer. Here’s what she learnt…

There’s something about the Summer sunshine that instantly signals us to transform nearly every aspect of our lives to live that little bit lighter. From our wardrobes to our makeup looks and even our hair, everything is better a bit brighter in Summer!

I’ve been brunette most of my life and haven’t successfully been blonde since I was a toddler with a crazy mop of blonde curls sitting atop my head. It’s safe to say I was nervous about undergoing a blonde transformation but there were a few things that made it easier and some tips I’ve picked up to help you out if you’re thinking about embracing a lighter shade!

• Book a consult first– I was lucky enough to be taken care of by the wonderful Sarah-Jay at PRéMA in Sydney. Her consult was incredible and I felt like she really understood the look I was trying to achieve. Not only that, I got a great sense of her knowledge so felt like I was quickly able to trust any advice she’d give me. Having that trust with your colourist is so important and a consult will help you decide whether you’re investing your time and money in the right person.

• Gather plenty of inspiration– There may be one picture of a hair colour you love, and by all means, show that to your stylist first, but having more than one picture is ideal. Depending on your hair colour and condition, your inspiration may not be realistic. That’s where your backups come in. Any great colourist will be able to take a look at your inspiration and talk you through what’s achievable ensuring there are no surprises at the end.

• Be open to advice – There’s a good chance your colourist has worked on hundreds of heads of hair and has a better insight into what you can expect from a colour service, what’s going to work best with your hair type and also the shade and positioning of the colour that will best suit your face shape and skin tone. Ask your colourist their opinion and be ready to take advantage of their expertise.

• Re-think your styling process– With lightness through my hair it looks more textured than ever meaning I don’t really need to reach for any texturizing styling products. A natural by-product of having lightened hair also means it can look a little dry, so shine inducing products are a must! That said, stick to water-based products such as styling creams rather than oil. Oil blocks your hair from taking in moisture which can cause it to suffer when it’s desperate to take on moisture in humid conditions.

• Assess your product line-up– One of the things that made me most nervous about going lighter is the upkeep and what I predicted would be a huge change to the products I use at-home. Thankfully, I was assured it’s much simpler than I was assuming. The most important changes you need to make are opting for colour-safe shampoo and conditioner. This doesn’t have to specifically be for blonde hair or have any kind of toning power, just a formula that’s created for coloured locks. The second is in adding a hydrating mask however stay away from products with too much protein. It’s also crucial you actually follow the guidelines on your product, so if it says to leave the mask on for 5-10mins, don’t wait half an hour before rinsing.

As for my result…

BEFORE                                                                                           AFTER