Whether you’re planning a total hair make over before your wedding, or just want to make sure your locks are looking their best, there are a few things you need to consider before going blonde (or blonder) for your wedding.
We hear lots of brides saying they want the best hair of their life for their wedding, and for many that’s going a little bit lighter, for that sun-kissed princess vibe that you see on magazine covers and up and down catwalks all over the world – not to mention on Love Island, Arabella, we’re looking at you!
It’s not as simple as plonking yourself down in the stylist’s chair and being transformed into a golden haired goddess. We spoke to the experts at Live True London about everything you need to know about dying your hair for your wedding, from when to colour it to how to keep it looking fresh and flawless.
If someone is considering going blonder ahead of their wedding, what should they consider?
“Someone considering going blonder ahead of their wedding should consider how light they would like to go,” advise Live True London.
“If they have a naturally dark hair colour like a deep brown or black hair and would like to go light or platinum blonde, they may need multiple salon sessions to achieve this colour. In this case, we recommend for brides to start this process at least a few months before the big day to give their hair a chance to recover between bleaching sessions and look its best.”
“Going blonde can also be a more high maintenance look that requires brides to take extra care of their hair through using good at home haircare products, regular moisturising treatments and colour top ups every eight weeks or so. Brides to be need to be willing to invest the time needed to care for their new blonde look to ensure that their hair looks great for their wedding.”
How long before the wedding should someone change their hair colour?
“We recommend for clients to change their hair colour at least a few months before their wedding,” says Live True London.
“This will allow brides to ensure they have the desired shade of blonde for their wedding.”
We’re inclined to agree with Live True London – especially if you’re going for a big change, you want to get used to it before the big day, and you’ll need to check your wedding make up suits your new hair colour – if you’d planned for a neutral make up look, it will look totally different with blonde hair to brunette, so you might need to change the shade of eye shadows you’ve chosen.
How do you recommend brides look after blonde hair to keep it in the best condition?
“We recommend that all of our customers choose to include Olaplex in their colouring service to ensure their hair stays strong through the bleaching process” says Live True London.
“Investing in a good shampoo and conditioner is also a must, and we recommend that our clients use a nourishing hair mask one per week to lock in extra moisture. Keeping heat styling to a minimum will also help reduce damage and keep your hair looking healthy for longer.”
We’ve long been fans of Kerastase (Ciment Thermique kept our hair in tact after years of abuse at the hands of straighteners and daily blow drying), so we were thrilled when they released their Blond Absolu range.
The collection addresses blonde hair’s most essential care needs – fibre care and tone perfection for hair that feels softer and stronger, while looking absolutely beautiful.
It hydrates sensitised hair, protects hair from oxidation, instantly neutralises brassiness and boosts colour luminosity for bright shiny blonde hair.
If you’re looking for a mask to keep your locks luscious, you can’t go wrong with Living Proof’s Restore Treatment Mask. This deeply conditioning treatment repairs dry, damaged hair by nourishing each strand, leaving your hair visibly healthier, stronger and shinier, plus totally swish-worthy.
For brides who can’t bear to be parted with their straighteners, the Restore Protecting Spray from the same range by Living Proof is a dressing table essential; this featherweight conditioning detangler with UV and heat protection strengthens, smoothes and has time-released conditioning, which is great for damaged hair.
UV protection helps combat colour fade and heat protection protects against further damage from heat styling.
How can you stop blonde hair from going brassy?
One of the big concerns of going blonde is the undesirable brassy tone that can shine through, but with the right care, your brightest blonde will live on long after your salon appointment, as Live True London advise: “Using the right at home products will keep your colour looking great for longer. Make sure you use a colour safe shampoo to lock in your colour. Regular top up toning sessions, every six to eight weeks, will also help ensure your colour stays looking great!”
We love Pureology’s Hydrate range; it’s sulphate free so helps your colour last longer.
As we mentioned, blonde hair can be a lot more high maintenance than other hair shades, and you’ll need to take good care of it on your honeymoon too.
How to look after blonde hair in the sun
“If you are looking at going away to a sunny destination for your honeymoon, ensure that you are using a moisturising shampoo, conditioner and mask,” advise Live True London
“Pool and salt water may have an effect on your hair colour so we recommend either tying your hair up or rinsing your hair thoroughly after swimming.”
For extra protection, reach for Philip Kingsley’s SwimCap – just comb it through your hair before hitting your infinity pool to guard your locks against effects of sun and water whilst sunbathing and swimming.
Live True London Review
Confetti’s Deputy Content Editor, Melanie Macleod, went to Live True London in Vauxhall for a hair transformation.
“I’ve had my hair coloured several times before, every time asking to be a little bit blonder, and always leaving happy but never feeling quite as blonde as I wanted to be; as if my stylist had played it a little bit safe
My stylist at Live True London, Yeison, listened to my complaints about never being blonde enough, and took it as a challenge.
He showed me some of his work on Instagram and I was immediately sure he was the man to turn me into my best, blondest self. He explains that everyone’s hair lifts differently, so I wouldn’t seen the exact same results that I’d admired on influencer’s Instagram feeds, but that he’d find a shade perfect for me.
I put myself into his capable hands, and he worked his magic over the course of three hours, backcombing my hair to ensure the most natural, beautifully blended blonde, before hand painting on the bleach and toning to create a pearly gold that I’ve only ever dreamed about.
Scroll down to see the transformation, and don’t judge me on my pre-Yeison Hagrid hair…”
