Keen on venturing into the super chic white blonde arena? With Jessica Chastain’s Met Gala transformation proving a resounding success, it seems the platinum shade is a hot topic. And while we love a hair transformation as much as the next person, when it comes to this shade in particular there’s a lot to consider.
The last few years – during lockdown, in particular – has seen many people go nuclear on their hair. Dua Lipa dyed her strands “orangina quarantina”, after first rocking pink. Hilary Duff switched from blonde to ocean blue and over on TikTok, the “just did a bad thing” challenge has seen hundreds of people attempt a DIY dye job. Some worked out brilliantly. Some… did not.
Thankfully I’ve so far managed to resist the urge to brighten my dull roots at home, instead favouring a professional touch to get my hair back to its bleachiest best.
My own colour journey was sparked in 2018 by none other than Taylor Swift. One minute she was mousy, like me, the next she unveiled this outstanding white blonde bob, totally transforming herself in the act.
Several years – and one striking, metallic Met Gala appearance – later, Taylor’s own hair may have returned to its safe place, but my obsession with those show-stopping strands had not subsided since I first paid a visit to top London salon Larry King to meet Harriet Muldoon, Hair Colourist to the stars (including bleach-queen Pixie Lott) and all-round blonde expert, to take the plunge.
Now, several years later and still converted, here’s my 8-step guide to the things you should do and know before going white blonde…
CONSULT YOUR CALENDAR
This isn’t a decision that should be made impulsively. Having a bright white head of hair is a serious transformation and one that will take some getting used to. I spent the first 24 hours in a mad panic that I would never recognise myself in the mirror again, and it took at least a week to acknowledge how much I really loved it.