I grew up doing shampoo commercials and had to maintain my long black straight hair until high school, so I was always amazed with cool colors and curls. Fast forward to college, I started coloring my own hair. I started with simple shades like brown and chestnut, but after a few tries, I knew I wanted something more unusual. I tried red and violet for a while but because my hair was black, it didn’t really do anything. The color only shows when there’s harsh light or when I’m under the sun.
Approximately 3 years ago, I had ombre done which required having part of my hair bleached. It took about 6 hours and I remember still being at the salon at 11pm. After  a year, I decided to get balayage next, which is a more defined version of Ombre. It required the art of brushing/sweeping to make light streaks blend in with your natural hair color.
Balayage: The 2015 Hairstyle Trend for your Summer Look
After that Balayage, I decided to totally change my look and have my hair bleached. Before doing that, I asked my friends with bleached hair how they did it and how to maintain them. One of my friends told me that I should do it gradually so my hair won’t get too damaged. One friend also told me that when your hair is thoroughly bleached, you can’t wash it everyday or with regular shampoo. At that point, I became hesitant because I wasn’t keen on the idea of not washing my hair daily especially after walking under the sun in the city.
I did a little bit more research and I knew what to do. I knew I’d love to have my hair bleached and I was ready. I could just chop it off if I ever ended up not liking them.
My hair bleaching was done at Kiyosa. I knew I didn’t want my hair to turn to platinum that fast so I thought of having my hair go from black to golden yellow. The process took two sessions; black to brown, and brown to golden yellow. Many people say that hair bleaching can be painful but the treatment I had didn’t hurt at all. I had to sit there for 3 or 4 hours and the most pain I experience during the bleaching session was like an itchy sensation. The bleaching solution was applied twice in my hair and there was a timer to track the progress. P.S. You should expect your hair to feel dry because the bleaching process takes all the color and vitamins from your hair, hence, it being light. But don’t worry because they will apply some after-care solution to help that out.
Kiyosa: The Single Step to Achieve Total Beauty
After having my hair in the golden yellow color, I needed to help it be healthy again. Though it looks shiny, soft, and vibrant, after-care still is really important. Usually, you will need a sulfate-free shampoo or organic shampoo. You hair had too much chemicals and it is important that you don’t add more to it. You have to condition every time you take a bath. You can also use dry shampoo (powder) to help get rid of the oils on your scalp. Many hairstylists say that you can’t wash your hair all the time; it’s because you are removing the essential vitamins and minerals that your hair needs. Just let your hair rest for a day then wash your hair the next. But if you can’t help yourself, just don’t forget to condition. I personally use the Pantene Total Damange Control Shampoo and Pantene 3 Minute Miracle. My hair is used to those products and I haven’t changed since.
My friend Buddy Congson, who is an incredible hair stylist asked me for a hair adventure. I gladly took on the challenge because I know it would be wonderful and no one else can do what he does. We were aiming for a “galaxy hair” and it turned out to be awesome. Buddy had to bleach my hair twice to platinum and he used Wella Professional’s Blondor. My hair was really close to white when he proceeded to coloring it Galaxy: purple, pink, and silver.
The color is beyond what I imagined, but it only lasted for a few weeks then it faded back to Platinum. It was alright because it was the platinum that I always wanted (note: like Draco Malfoy’s). It was actually perfect as a base if you want to color your hair crazy. Pinks, reds, greens, blues–any color you can imagine.
At this point, I wanted to stop treatments for my hair. I knew I will need to take care of it first before I put more chemicals into it. And besides, I can never really chop them all off. Aside from colors, I like styling my hair with braids and pony tails.
I wanted the Granny Hair next and it was actually easier for me to achieve now because my hair is already light enough. I didn’t need to bleach it again. The Granny Hair trend only came to life December of 2015 and I got it from Vivere. The shade of gray that I wanted was actually available but it was really surprising to see that the color constantly changes depending on the lighting.
The problem with fashion colors is that it can only last for a certain amount of time. The usual maximum for the colors to be visible is 4 weeks and that is when you don’t wash your hair everyday. If you want your hair color to last longer, you will need to use colored shampoo. Sometimes, when I’m in the mood to color my hair, I use Etude House’s Hair Bubble. It is a hair dye that you just use as a shampoo. It only take less than an hour for medium-length hair.
Caring for your colored hair
The most important thing when bleaching your hair is the post-care. Don’t let your hair be dry and brittle. Sulfate-free shampoos are available online and at Healthy Options. If you want to try regular shampoo, just make sure that it has a conditioning ingredient, and that’s on top of your conditioner that should concentrate on damage control. After every bath, you can also apply Argan or Morocco Oil to keep your hair tangle free and shiny.
I also recently found another product that helped my hair survive chemicals and heat–Dove’s Daily Hair Vitamin. You can apply it to your hair everyday. It contains vitamin E that nourishes dry hair, botanical extract that helps repair weak hair, and mineral oil that helps protect hair from damage.
I know this has been a long journey but in order to achieve this hair, it takes a bit of dedication and research. It is important that you know how to achieve and maintain because damaging your hair badly can cause breakage and severe hair fall.
