• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

How to Lighten Your Hair a Few Shades

January 25, 2011 by ds_11604 Leave a Comment

Lightening your hair a few shades can have big benefits, especially as you get older, says celebrity hair colorist Rita Hazan in “O” magazine. You may think you need a dramatic change to make a big impression, but going just a few shades lighter can brighten your face and make you look younger. A subtle difference is also one you can pull off with a home color job, since dramatic changes require professional assistance to get right, says Hazan.

Step 1

Choose a permanent hair color that contains peroxide and ammonia — semi-permanent colors won’t lighten your hair. Choose a color that’s a few shades lighter than your regular color in a shade that’s described as neutral, ash or natural to prevent brassiness, recommends Hazan.

Step 2

Give your hair a deep conditioning treatment one week before you plan to color, advises Nicolas Cornuot, spa director of Phyto Universe in New York City, in “Women’s Health” magazine. Conditioning your hair repairs surface damage that could cause your hair color to be streaky and uneven.

Step 3

Skip shampooing your hair for at least two days before you color to get the best results and reduce risk for scalp irritation, recommends Nathaniel Hawkins, a hair stylist for Tresemme, in “Women’s Health.” Your hair’s natural oils will protect your scalp from the chemicals in your hair color.

Step 4

Do a strand test by preparing a small amount of your hair color according to package directions and applying it to a patch of hair about an inch wide just above your ear, recommends Sharon Dorram of Sharon Dorram Color in “O” magazine. Check the color development regularly so that you know how long to leave the lightener on your hair.

Step 5

Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly all the way around your hairline to protect your skin from being stained by your hair color.

Step 6

Use a comb to part your hair into sections. Twist and clip each section as you go so that you can be sure you color all your hair evenly.

Step 7

Prepare your hair color according to the package instructions. Start at the back of your head, where your hair is darkest, and apply the color to your hair from root to tip, one section at a time, working your way toward the hair around your face. Let the color sit on your hair for the length of time you determined in your strand test.

Step 8

Rinse the color from your hair completely with cool water until the water runs clear. Follow with a moisturizing conditioner. Many hair color kits contain one, but if yours doesn’t, you can use your favorite conditioner.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Beauty & Style

About ds_11604

Holly Roberts is an award-winning health and fitness writer whose work has appeared in health, lifestyle and fitness magazines. Roberts has also worked as an editor for health association publications and medical journals. She has been a professional writer for more than 10 years and holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in literature.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Nursing Mothers Granted Tax Break

Great news! Nursing moms are getting a new tax break from … [Read More...] about Nursing Mothers Granted Tax Break

Must Have

ToniBox

Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

If you are looking for something to occupy your children … [Read More...] about Meet Toniebox – A Loveable Storytime Friend For Your Kids

Did you know?

Child Seat Belt Laws for a Pickup Truck

Child Seat Belt Laws for a Pickup Truck

tricks to get pen stains out of light clothes

Tricks to Get Pen Stains Out of Light Clothes

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Natural Remedies to Increase Sperm Count

Natural Remedies to Increase Sperm Count

How to Fix a Broken Slab of Marble

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Pregnancy and Sinus Pain

Pregnancy and Sinus Pain

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2021 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.