How to Transition From Brunette to Blonde Hair

Natural blondes definitely have it easier when it comes to switching up their hair colour. But for brunettes, it can be a little tricky. 

For darker-haired girls to change their look, they need to get some bleach involved – and with bleach comes way more risk of damage. 

We’ve all seen those terrifying ‘fail’ videos of girls with their hair falling off after attempting a jet black-to-platinum transformation. It’s the stuff of nightmares. 

But don’t give up your dreams of going blonde just yet. It’s possible to avoid disaster with the right planning and products. 

Here, the hair experts at Milk & Blush offer their top tips for navigating the switch from brunette to blonde...

Make Multiple Appointments

Going blonde – especially if your natural hair is quite dark – is a process you need to prepare for. 

You’ll want to make sure you’ve got time to go for regular appointments and that you can afford to keep up with the costs. 

A dramatic hair change is expensive, so if you’ve only budgeted for one appointment, it’s not going to be enough.

Start with Healthy Hair

If your hair is in bad condition, you’ll need to hold off on your transformation until you’ve given it time to repair. 

If it’s really bad, your colourist might suggest growing it out and getting regular trims for a few months first. 

Damaged hair won’t withstand the bleaching process, so unless you’re happy to lose some length, it’s not worth it.

Be Prepared for the Maintenance Routine

Going blonde, as a natural brunette, might not be the best idea for those who prefer a low-maintenance, low-effort hair routine. 

Bleach can change the health and texture of your hair – and if you’re not willing to keep up with the maintenance, you’ll be wasting all that effort. 

Your new blonde hair will need regular masks, less heat and a lot more maintenance when your roots start showing through. These are all things to consider before taking the plunge.

Tell Your Colourist Everything

If you’ve coloured your hair before – at home or otherwise – you need to be completely honest about it with your hairstylist. 

Even if it was a while ago, having dye on the ends of your hair will affect how the colour processes and it could make it look stripy and uneven. 

Not only that but processed hair is more fragile and putting bleach over the top could cause your hair to break.

Complete a Patch Test

Don’t let your stylist near your hair until they’ve completed a patch and strand test. 

A patch test needs to be carried out 48 hours before any colour treatment to check for an allergic reaction. Hair dye contains chemicals that can cause an itchy scalp or worse for those that are allergic, so test the product out on a small patch of skin before committing to a full head of colour.

Alongside this, the strand test will check the integrity of your hair so that your stylist knows whether it’s healthy enough to process.

Take the Transition Slowly

To maintain the integrity of your hair, it’s best to slowly transition from brunette to blonde – rather than fully bleaching your hair at the first appointment. 

A gradual transition is the safest option, and we’d recommend going for highlights or balayage first, before slowly working towards the shade you want to achieve. 

It is possible to go from brunette to blonde in a day with the right stylist and healthy hair. We just think it’s worth taking it slow so that you can keep your locks in the best condition possible

Avoid Shampoo

This might not sound like the advice you were expecting, but sebum is your scalp’s natural moisturiser – so, it will help to protect it from the bleach and ease any irritation. 

Stripping your hair of moisture with shampoo will only make it more prone to damage, so we wouldn’t recommend using it for at least 24 hours before your appointment.

Change Your Hair Products

Blonde hair has different needs to brunette, so you’re going to have to switch up your products after making the transition. 

We’d recommend going for a gentler sulphate-free shampoo as your hair is likely to be drier than normal. 

Alternatively, switch to ‘co-washing’ – using a cleansing conditioner rather than a shampoo and conditioner separately. The R+Co Analog Cleansing Foam Conditioner is formulated to nourish colour-treated or under-hydrated hair. 

Deep conditioning hair masks are also helpful in keeping your strands as moisturised as possible. On top of this, you might need to incorporate a purple shampoo into your weekly routine which will help to beat any brassiness.

Extensions for Every Hair Colour

Looking to add length and volume to your newly blonde locks? Shop our clip-in extensions to find the perfect product to give you that glamorous finish whenever you need it.

And if you’ve recently transitioned from brunette to blonde, don’t forget to try our free Shade Match first. It’s an effortless way to make sure you match your hair extensions perfectly to your hair colour.

Simply send us a photo of your current hair and our experts will recommend the perfect extensions for a seamless match!