White/Platinum Blonde Hair

How i got from dark brown hair to Platinum Blonde/White:

Since i was around 9 i have had my hair dyed, i know 9 is young but my mum let me have some very subtle high lights. Ever since i have loved to change my hair colour, i get bored of having the same colour for too long. In 2012 i had to cut most of my hair off due to damage, the damage was not so much from the harsh dyes but the heat. I would straighten my hair everyday and wash it too often which resulted in stripping out all of my natural oils. 2 years later and my hair is back at the length it was before i cut it all off. (You could say i had the Miley Cyrus hair cut before it was cool, apart from i hated it). 


My dark brown hair that i started with...

From the dark brown i then went to a light brown with darker roots. I achieved the lightening effect with bleach, i used blue bleach powder and 40% volume peroxide. I do not recommend using a 40% volume at this stage though, as it will burn your hair. You will be able to get a dark colour to lift even with a 20% or 30% which will be a lot less harsh for your hair. I suggest using blue bleach powder instead of white powder as the blue counteracts the yellow/brassy tones.  

To get the dark brown to lift i applied the bleach mix to my ends and slowly worked it up my hair over time instead of applying it all over as you will just result in being a brassy yellow/ginger. I left the bleach on for around 40 minutes.

I did not apply the bleach thick and all over, i brushed it through with an ombre brush so it didnt catch every single hair strand to leave a more natural effect. The result will depend on the tone of your hair.

I then waited a week to apply more bleach to give my hair a rest from the last application. I mixed blue bleach powder and a 30% peroxide and applied thickly all over. Its good to check you have fully covered the back with a mirror or have a friend help you. I had to repeat this step twice to get the lightness i needed. I put the bleach on twice for 30 minutes either time. Sometime bleach dries on your hair quickly and starts to crumble off like sand. Its best to remove it and apply a fresh lot. 

Its important to remember you will not get a nice light white blonde just from bleach! 

To get the brassy yellow tones removed I used a toner by Wella called T18, lightest ash blonde. This toner works by removing the orange/yellow from your hair that the bleach caused, but you need to make sure you have bleach your hair as light as possible for the toner to work, if you hair is still very orange from the bleach it is best to apply the bleach again to ensure the toner works or you may not get the lightness you desire. 

The toner is available from most sally's, amazon and ebay and retails around £10-14 in the UK. You mix the toner with peroxide, the directions advice you to use Wella's, but i used the same 30% that i used to bleach my hair and it still worked. The toner turns lilac/purple while on your hair, this is a good sign that it is working! You leave it on for up to 30 minutes. doing a strand test every 10 minutes is good to check if you have reached your desired tone. Just remember hair always looks darker when its wet so do not judge the colour while its wet, wait til your hair is fully dry to decide if you like it or not!

This was my end result! 






How to take care of and maintain Platinum blonde & White hair:

I recommend using a lilac shampoo and conditioner to help keep the brassy colour away, the Pro:voke Touch Of Silver is a great brightening shampoo, i use the twice weekly. The are inexpensive (£1.99 a bottle) and they also do a daily lilac shampoo for (£1.79). I think Pro:Voke is the cheapest lilac combo for blonde hair which actually works. There are more expensive brands which do not even come close to the quality of Pro:Voke. When buying a lilac shampoo make sure the shampoo lathers up purple/lilac its a good sign it will work, if it just forms white bubbles its not going to give the lightening effect. 

My favorite reconstructor is Bed heads - Dumb Blonde. First of all it smells amazing, the scent is tropical guava. This large 750ml bottle cost me £9.99 which is bargain for Bed Head products. Its a thick creamy texture and leaves my hair feeling so smooth, i apply this after shampooing 1-2 times a week and some times i leave it on for up to an hour if i think my hair is feeling a bit dull and dry. Bed Head also do a purple shampoo which is slightly more pricey and comes in a 400ml bottle. I have ordered some to try and will let you know how i get on with it!

My every day shampoo/conditioner changes a lot but recently i have been using Schwarzkopf's Essence Ultime - Diamond Colour. I picked this up to try as it was on half price. I like this as an everyday shampoo/conditioner. I am not keen on the smell, its a bit like a guys shower gel and im not sure thats what i want my hair to smell of?! Overall its a great product leaves hair shiny but is not worth the price. 

My other shampoo/conditioner i also use is Aussie and The Body Shops - Banana shampoo/conditioner. Aussie is one of my favorites i like to switch between them, sometimes i will buy miracle moist, then other times colour mate etc. I think they are all great and i love the ones that smell of peaches. They all work wonders and i still couldn't pick my favorite one which is why i always buy a different one to try. The Body Shop do a great smelling combo which smell of banana's its made with fair trade honey and does a great job of making your hair smell gorgeous and look silky smooth.

My other all time favorite from Aussie is there leave in condition range, these also smell divine and work wonders! Using these before blow drying, straightening and curling helps a lot, the ingredients add extra moisture to your hair and there are many to choose from to suit your hairs needs, i apply these every time i wash my hair. They're also inexpensive and last a long time. 

The last thing you want to do after bleaching your hair is wash it too often, washing your hair everyday is bad for it, it removes all of the natural oils which moisturize your hair. Try to wash your hair every 2-3 days. The easiest way to do this is to use a dry shampoo, Batise is my favorite, it absorbs the grease from your hair and leaves it looking like you have just washed it. They do a large range of fragrances and even have a collection of tinted sprays. These are great for holidays and festivals.

My ultimate favorite savior hair care product has to be the Original Moroccan oil, this oil conditions and moisturizes hair better than any other product i have tried. The smell is gorgeous and reminds me of summer. Although it is not the cheapest oil (£35 for 100ml) it does last a long time, a little bit goes a long way. I always apply this to damp hair after every wash and sometimes before i go to bed if my hair is feeling dry. I rate it a 10/10 because it makes my hair feel so soft and silky. 



   

The hair bleach i used was Trulites Rapid Blue Powder Bleach and Truzones Liquid Peroxide 30%/40%. These are widely available online .. Ebay/Amazon for around £10-£18.

The toner is used was Wella - Color Charm T18.

Nail Care.

My nail care routine and my nail favorites.

I have enjoyed painting my nails and doing nail art since about the age of 13. I think the best way the get a really good manicure is to start with the basic care and health of your nails. Taking good care of your hands is important as you use them so often every day. In this post i will talk about what products i use, what my routine is and tips for nail/hand health.

Burt's Bees.

Burt's bees is one of my favorite brands, the tins are small and easily fit into a handbag or purse. The product goes a long way, you only need a tiny bit to moisturize all of your cuticles. The Lemon butter cuticle cream has a thick waxy texture and takes around 5-10 minutes to absorb, i find it is best to apply generously before you sleep. Or if you do not mind the the texture its good to apply throughout the day. I apply the cuticle butter up to 5 times a day.

The Burt's Bees Hand Salve is also good to apply to your cuticles, i like to apply it to any particularly dry areas on my hands after a long day, such as the knuckles.

My favorite thing about these products is the smell, they have a sweet lemon smell that reminds you of fresh baked lemon muffins.

Texture - 6/10

Scent - 10/10

Overall - 8/10

Gorgeous By Gok - Cuticle Oil

Gorgeous By Gok is a brand designed by Gok Wan for Boots (drug store). Each year he designs a Christmas gift range for the store. This is my favorite cuticle oil i have ever tried, the oil is not thick and it absorbs quickly. It has a very light texture and musky scent. It comes in a cute little glass bottle with a pipit to apply. I like to dab a small amount onto my cuticles and smooth on with my finger. The bottle contains a generous 10ml which has lasted me almost 2 years and i still have half a bottle left. The bad side to this product is that it is only available to buy at Christmas. Although it does come in a nice gift set with a little bag, a nail file and some orange wood sticks. The oil itself is very hydrating and is great to apply after a manicure. 

Texture - 8/10

Scent - 7/10

Overall - 7/10

The Body Shop

The Body Shop is one of my favorite beauty brands ever. They do not test on animals and the majority of their ingredients are Fair Trade. For Christmas 2013 received a gift set which included an Almond butter, hand cream, hand wash and cuticle oil. My favorite item was the hand wash, compared to others i would normally use, it did not dry out my skin or irritate. It left my hands feeling conditioned almost as if i had just applied a hand cream. All of the products in the gift set work great when used together, i always keep the Almond Hand and nail cream in my bag. Its fast absorbing and has a silky texture. With the butter i prefer to apply this in the evening or when i am not busy, it takes longer to absorb but leaves my hands feeling extra smooth and soft. The smell of the almond is very sweet, i like the smell but some compare it to playdough, i guess its to each individuals taste. 

Texture - 8/10

Smell - 5/10

Overall - 9/10

Other Body Shop products i like to use include there huge range of body butters. These are great to apply generously before you sleep. They come in a neat little tub and many different scents. The tubs come in two different sizes. 50ml/1.6 OZ and 200ml 6.75 OZ. The smaller tub is perfect size to keep in your hand bag. These are also great for any dry skin on the body, they're thick and creamy and moisture really well. They also work wonders as an after sun and help to maintain a tan! My favorite scent is the Vineyard Peach Range. 

Texture - 7/10
Scent - 10/10
Overall - 9/10

 

Sally Hansen 

I think its always important to apply a base coat and a top coat when doing a manicure. The base coat prevents staining and protects the nail, i will always wear a base coat even if i am not going to wear any colour. A top coat locks in to colour and adds extra shine, helping to make your mani last longer. I like to use Sally Hansen's Hard as nails, i have always have nails that peel, split and break easily and i find that it works wonders, its affordable and does what it says! It has a nice wide brush for easy application and a shiny finish. For a top coat i like to use Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri, although i do not feel that it dries as fast as it claims, i still think its a great top coat, it adds so much shine to my manis which is why i love it. 

Overall - 8/10

Other Sally Hansen products i like to use include the Moisturising Polish Remover. Although i do try to peel off my nail polish so i don't have to use harsh chemicals to remove it. When i do use polish remover i chose to use this as i like that it is for dry nails and has moisturising properties with Pro-vitamin B5 and Vitamin E. Nail varnish removers contain harsh chemicals which dry out the skin, always try to avoid getting any onto the skin around you nails and always wash your hands afterwards and apply a hand moisturiser!

General Nail Care 

To maintain healthy nails:

Moisturise then push back cuticles to stop them growing onto the nail.

When filing a nail, always file in one direction.

Buff the nail to keep it smooth, do not over buff though!

Wear gloves while doing cleaning/washing up. The harsh chemicals are not good for your hands.

Use a base coat to prevent staining, colours like red and yellow are hard to remove once stained. 

Keep hands a cuticles moisturised and apply a good cream/butter at least twice a day.

Always apply a cream after washing your hands, the soap will remove most of your skins oils and moisture. 

Don't use your nails as tools! they will peel, snap and break.

Do not bite your nails, for most people this is a hard habit to break, you can purchase nail varnish's with a bitter taste to prevent you from chewing on your nails.

Avoid acetone based polish removers, they are full of harsh chemicals.

Avoid using a rough emery board, the best are the glass ones.

Do not get acrylic nails done at your nail salon! They will ruin your natural nails, instead of hiding your nails, work to keep them healthy instead. 

There are many vitamin supplements you can take to benefit nail health.

Eating a healthy diet will help to maintain healthy nails too!

Do not leave chipped nail polish on for long, remove it straight away and re-do your mani.

Most of all love your hand and nails and they will love you back!