Summer-light, shining hair, that’s what we want now! With these simple professional tricks, your mane will also be a shine.
When was the last time you had a “Great Hair Day”? In case you need to brood, it’s been too long. A study by Yale University is currently spurring our ambition to go outside the door much more often and, above all, more consciously with a well-groomed head. Even more than meditation exercises, psychotherapy sessions or yoga sessions, a Great Hair Day makes us feel stronger, more balanced and more resilient in everyday life, so the researchers’ conclusion. Especially bleached hair gives you a boost in self-confidence. This is confirmed by another psychological study by Nottingham Trent University. The emotional worlds of 200 women were analyzed before and after bleaching. Conclusion: Not only did the mood brighten in proportion to the hair, the participants also stated that they felt more attractive and less inhibited after the treatment. Currently, only one in ten women worldwide says they take a benevolent look in the mirror every day. Time to change that! For those who are willing to dye, we have put together the best tips with the Hamburg hairdresser Jörg Oppermann. Have fun getting more beautiful!
The perfect blonde
Are you wondering what that looks like? Hairdresser and brand ambassador of La Biosthétique, Jörg Oppermann, explains: “A well-groomed blonde has established itself in look and styling and is very popular. You can see that in the colors. Blonde tones are extremely natural, sunny. But there is a wide variety of options choose from nuances – warm, cool, creamy, white. In any case, it is important that the tone matches your type, skin tone and eye color, “explains the professional. And for the hair, because not every hair can achieve every shade of blonde. “Personally, I generally recommend wearing an elegant blonde rather than an overly aggressive one.”
Properly bleach
Our most important tip for a radiant blonde: never lend a hand when bleaching. “It can quickly turn into a disaster at home,” says Jörg Oppermann. “The bleaching is never perfectly applied without the help of a hairdresser, it often does not work sufficiently – and the result is an orange-yellow-blonde.” There is an abundance of bleaching agents in the salon that can be used individually. “We hairdressers use bleaching powder, paste or cream,” says Oppermann. And how do you get bleached? “That is decided by the type of woman, the charisma and definitely also the age. I would not necessarily recommend the outgrown beach look to a more mature customer. This look is sometimes a tightrope walk and could tip over into ‘a bit neglected’. If you are used to it to have freshness in the contours around the face and to achieve more radiance with a lighter blonde, lighter strands to make the eyes shine and the complexion shine, then I would do without it. “
© Sevim Aslan
The yellowish trap
When the fresh hairdresser’s blonde turns a dull yellow after a few washes at home, you are disappointed. How come ? When bleaching, the hair is bleached and its natural color pigments are removed from it. During the exposure time to hydrogen peroxide, it takes on different shades – red, orange, yellow. The yellow tinge often arises because the bleaching is washed out too early in the year. Or because the natural hair has a lot of red pigments. You can fight this with pigments in complementary colors. La Biosthétique expert Oppermann explains: “The hairdresser works with the shades of irisé (violet), ash (blue) or matt (green).” At home, shampoos and cures with purple pigments will help. Extra tip: “Look where the hair is yellow and apply the anti-yellowish products selectively instead of over the whole area.”
Dyeing for home
Do-it-yourself projects have become an integral part of the bathroom – so let’s grab it! Bleached hair can be briefly transformed into a pastel spectacle with a color treatment (approx. 3 to 6 washes long). “Washable tints with a light oxidant accumulate in the cuticle and nuance the previously bleached, highlighted hair,” explains Jörg Oppermann. There are currently many color reflections: rose-blonde, copper-blonde and dulce de leche, i.e. milk caramel tones, are now in vogue. “Gray tinted hair is a thing of the past,” says Oppermann. After shampooing, apply the tinting cream to the hair with a special coloring brush (available in the drugstore or from a hairdresser’s supply) or your hands. This is how it works best: Separate strand by strand and literally massage the tinting cream into the hair from the roots to the tips. Let it take effect and rinse well.
The lighter the base tone, the easier it is to achieve a bright salon blonde. The darker the basic tone, the more sessions are necessary at the hairdresser.
© Sevim Aslan
Styling secrets
Do you know the secret of a perfectly coiffed model girl? It’s the “broken” structure of the hair shaft! A mane that is often styled or bleached is drier than a virgin one because the structure of the hair has been split up. This way it can be brought into shape much better. In contrast to natural blondes, salon blondes have to wash their hair less often because it takes longer to regrease it. “The hair becomes more voluminous and grippy, and styling is easier. It replaces teasing.” Of course, you should still care for your bleached hair.
Maintenance tricks
Frizz, brittleness, split ends: good grip in all honors, but the result of bleached hair shouldn’t be too dry either. “A straw-like effect is created by overstaining and overcolouring,” says Oppermann. “In the network in which the keratin, the most important building block of the hair, is embedded, breaks remain in some places. The cuticle is also no longer properly attached.” Good care products counteract this. Keratin-based care is a classic. And hyaluronic acid, panthenol or edelweiss provide the hair fiber with moisture. (You can find our favorites on page 76)
Off to the salon!
Bleaching is the same as bleaching? Not at all! New techniques ensure a wide range of color results in hairdressing salons. And what is now an option for you?
The modern: French balayage
Many would like a cool blonde tone without any warm reflections. The dream finally comes true in L’Oréal Professionnel salons. The two-step technique of the French balayage program immerses the hair in a particularly natural color gradient, which can be soft and bright to extremely cold and light as required. To do this, the hairdresser first applies the “Blond Studio” lightening in the classic balayage method and thus brings the basic tone of the hair to a lighter level. In the second step, “Dia Light”, a shine cream with an acidic pH value, can optionally be applied, which closes the hair surface and cares deeply. “French Balayage” by L’Oréal Professionnel, for example at Marlies Möller Salon Hamburg Pöseldorf, lorealprofessionnel.de marliesmoeller.de
The creative one: Ice-Cream-Swirl
The trend technology from Redken is inspired by the play of nuances in soft ice cream. You choose your “taste”: vanilla and nougat, cream and cherry, maple and walnut or champagne and peach and the colorist creates a delicate color spectacle from the color palettes of our favorite ice cream flavors. Perfect for contrast-loving and also brunette to dark-haired types who want to slowly approach a lighter look. No other treatment offers more fun for the head! “Summer Ice Cream Swirl” treatment from Redken, for example at Cut for Friends in Hamburg, redken.de, cutforfriends.com
© Sevim Aslan
The strong one: Lunex Ultra
Lighten the hair by up to nine tones in one application – a mammoth achievement! If you are in the mood for a real transformation, ultra-light strands or a tailor-made shade of blonde, you might like a detour to one of the 31 Kemon salons in Germany. Since June, the brand’s hairdressing teams have been working with the “Lunex Ultra Powder”, a bleaching powder that scores not only with a strong lightening but also a plant-based protective effect. Mullein and flax protect the hair and scalp during the process, while chamomile has an antioxidant effect at the same time. What an all-rounder! “Lunex Ultra” treatment by Kemon, salon finder at kemon.de
The sophisticated: Luxelights
If gray or white natural hair is to be dipped into a bright summer blonde, multitonal highlights are the key to the natural result. The new “Luxelights” treatment from Wella Professionals offers more than the classic approach color in the salon. The expert treats the hair in three steps: First, lengths and tips are highlighted with a film technique and dark and light nuances are set. Second step? Let’s get started. The “Koleston Perfect” tint, specially developed for mature hair, even turns stubborn white into a long-lasting, fresh color. A gloss service is used at the end and gives the hair a shiny finish. In order to keep the shine, you should definitely use a care line for colored hair at home. “Shimmering Luxelights” by Wella Professionals, salon finder at wella.com/professional.
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