"Scalp Bleach vs. Highlights: Understanding the Difference and Choosing the Right Blonde Technique for You."

If you're considering going blonde but find the terminology confusing, don't worry, you're not alone. Terms like foils, highlights, and scalp bleach can be overwhelming, especially if you're not familiar with them. In this blog, we'll demystify these hairdressing techniques and help you understand the difference between scalp bleach and highlights. So, whether you're looking for a vibrant, fashion-forward look or a low-maintenance, natural blonde, we've got you covered.

Scalp Bleach: Going All-In for the Ultimate Blonde

Scalp bleach, also known as lightener or bleach, is a powder typically mixed with peroxide to lift the pigment from the hair. While some hairdressers prefer the term "lightener" to make it sound less intimidating, at Birdie, we call it what it is: bleach. Bleach is the only way to achieve significant lightening, surpassing four shades of your natural hair color.

Scalp Bleach

The bleach powder, usually blue or white, combined with peroxide, can lighten hair by 8-9 shades, depending on the brand and strength of peroxide used. For instance, if you have medium brown hair (level 4), bleach can lift it to a pale yellow tone at level 12-13. This lightness provides the perfect base for toning and creating a platinum blonde look.

Scalp bleach involves applying the bleach mixture to all of the client's hair, resulting in a block color effect. This technique produces a distinct regrowth line as the hair grows out, which some people embrace as a rockstar look. The results of a scalp bleach are vibrant, fashion-forward colors, making it the ideal choice for achieving very light blonde shades, such as platinum.

Highlights: Blending for a Natural Blonde Look

In contrast to scalp bleach, highlights offer a softer, more blended look. With this technique, selected strands of hair are either spliced or weaved, leaving some natural hair out of each foil. By strategically placing the highlights, a hairdresser can create a more natural, sun-kissed effect.

Highlights

Highlights take longer to achieve a very blonde result compared to scalp bleach. The blending of darker and lighter strands creates an overall more subdued color, giving a more natural appearance. Half head highlights are a popular choice for those dipping their toes into the world of blonde. Another option is stretch lights, where each piece of hair is individually foiled, resulting in a block blonde effect with softened regrowth.

Maintaining and Enhancing Your Blonde Look

Regardless of whether you choose scalp bleach or highlights, there are ways to soften the regrowth line and enhance your blonde color. One method is a root stretch toner, which can blend the roots and make the regrowth less noticeable. This technique is worth exploring and will be covered in a future blog post.

Conclusion

If you're contemplating going blonde, it's essential to understand the difference between scalp bleach and highlights. Scalp bleach offers a bold, vibrant result with a clear regrowth line, making it ideal for those seeking a fashion-forward, very light blonde look. On the other hand, highlights provide a softer, more blended effect, offering a low-maintenance, natural blonde appearance.

When discussing your desired outcome with your hairdresser, make sure to communicate your preferences and lifestyle. Whether you opt for scalp bleach or highlights, both techniques have their merits and can help you achieve the blonde look you've always wanted. Embrace your inner blonde, and enjoy the transformative power of hair color!

Stranger Things has shown us how to wear 80s hair and we are craving it

Stranger Things crept into our lives in 2016 with not only the most lovable new characters on TV but also showcasing the coolest 80s gear as well. This show has made fashion just as important as the nail biting storyline. But more importantly the hair has allowed some old favourites to return and get us all crushing on these latest looks.

Eleven

Every girl wants to be her and every boy wants to date her. We watched he grow out her shave from Season 1 and go through that awkward phase in Season 2, and we are now met with some very cool tussled curls in Season 3. Teamed with a new wardrobe and a scruchie she brings back ‘no fuss hair’.

Billie

Season 2 and 3’s hottie and also baddie. Who doesn’t love a hot bad boy. With aviator sunglasses, a mullet and a mo the shirtless hunk swoons all the ladies, even the married ones. But we can’t deny how cool and retro that blonde, curly mullet is. It has become the must have look for the local tradies.

Dustin

Sporting the white man’s afro, the cute kid with the lisp has owned his curls through 3 seasons. With or without a truckers cap we all want his locks. They are personality plus. And who can forget the very cool gelled back look for the dance.

Nancy

This girl gets to wear the coolest outfits with a hairstyle to match. Curls loosely pulled up and hair combs to create puffed out sides. She is the girly girl of the 80s.

Steve

The bully turned sweetheart has a great head of hair. A soft mullet with a Johnny Depp style fringe. High or floppy, we love his hair both ways.

Embrace the retro look. It's low maintenance and oh so hot right now!

Why Toner is so Important to your Blonde Hair

What does a toner do?

This question definitely comes in to our top 5 questions that clients ask. All you know is your hair is lightening in those pretty little foil packets, it then gets rinsed out and your hairdresser says, “I’m just going to mix up your toner.” You smile, nod and agree, all the while having no idea what she is talking about but every hairdresser does it so it must be a thing. So peeps, it’s now time to take control and finally know what happens when we place that weird, cold solution on your head at the basin.

Basically, any time we lighten hair it throws off warmth. That’s what hair does and that’s the way it was designed and has done so since the dawn of time. It lifts through red, orange, yellow and finally palest yellow, which is where you want to be if you are wanting platinum, ash blonde or silver. No we don’t lift to white, as this is the point when hair breaks so we like it to hang out at pale yellow and remain on your head. This is where the toner comes in.

Basically a toner is used in most cases to counteract any warmth in the hair and create a more neutral colour as this is a much nicer look on your skin tone. It can also enhance or be used to create fashion colors but in the case of this blog we will concentrate on the neutralizing part of the toning process.

Say you were wanting platinum blonde, we would have to lift you light enough to get to pale yellow. We then would ‘tone’ or neutralize the pale yellow colour with a violet based blonde toner. This is because violet is opposite to yellow on the colour wheel. Remember grade 2 colour wheel activities where you mixed purple with yellow to make brown, or as we call it in hairdressing, neutral. This colour doesn't show up as brown but a neutral, clean, vanilla blonde.

Now let's just say your hair could only lift to orange, due to tint build up or your hair being darker naturally to start with, then we would use a blue based toner creating an ash brown colour. If we used a blue based toner over yellow hair, this would create a green or murky colour as blue and yellow make green. Again see Grade 2 colour mixing. This seems to be a common problem when people get toners in their hair as a lot of hairdressers only see ash (blue) as a universal toning option. This leaves the dull blonde look where hair lacks brightness and lightness. Another common toning faux pas is called ‘breaking the base’ where the toner used has a high level of ammonia which ends up lightening the natural hair around the foils, creating a warm or orange tinge to the overall look of the hair.

Toners can also be altered to create different tones on blonde hair. There are many ways hairdressers can manipulate toners to intensify fashion looks like greys and pinks, produce depth at the roots using a darker toner called a ‘root stretch, blend out balayage by using 2 levels of toner and using toner to initiate levels of fade when the hair is washed.

Toners should be soft, never burn and never make the hair look dull. A toner should look like a cellophane on the hair, neutralizing the colour and complementing your skin tone. They are an important part of the colour process and if done correctly, can give you your perfect blonde.

Here at Birdie we will always tone our clients blonde at the chair in front of the mirror as apposed to the basin. Firstly this is an easier process for us and cleaner to apply but we also do this to educate our clients as to what their hair colour looks like when freshly lightened and then to visually see what the toner does to their hair colour after application.

Please remember that toners fade from the hair like all hair colour does, but being a lighter tone, they are designed to last about 4-6 weeks. You may find that you need to visit your hairdresser around this time to get the toner refreshed. A violet based shampoo or conditioner will also help the colour from looking brassy.

Blonde Hair Problems...things to know before you join the fair-haired crew.

So we have all heard that Blondes have more fun but it is definitely a commitment and takes hard work and patience. Heres a few things to consider before taking a walk on the light side.

1. Chlorine can turn your hair green.

Public pools and Balinese hotel pools are the biggest culprit. Due to blonde being so light and yellow based and the blue of the chlorine, the hair can turn green. Avoid cheap chlorinated pools and go with salt chlorinated instead. If you do happen to end up with locks of green, we suggest neutrilising the colour with either tomato sauce or a tin of tomato soup. Coat the hair with the product, glad wrap and leave in for 20 min. Ok it may stink and be messy but its the easiest and nicest on the hair. If that fails to work, then please consult your hairdresser.

2. Your blonde will always lose tone after 4 weeks

That's if you don't use a toning shampoo or conditioner. The toner that we use in your hair to neutralise the colour breaks down over time and fades with washing. The only way to stop your colour from going brassy is with a toning shampoo or conditioner you can use at home. Alternatively, you can pop back into the salon at the 4-6 week mark and have the blonde retoned. This is especially good for balayage clients who don't necessarily need their regrowth done but need a toner refresh. This service should only take about 30 min so its an quick and inexpensive way to keep your colour looking fresh for longer.

3. Regrowth is not always your best friend

Too fresh or too long between colours. That is the age old riddle for blondes. Between weeks 1 and 5 I personally think is the right amount of regrowth. Most blondes don't want to look too fresh but there are also drawbacks with too much regrowth. Namely extra oiliness, less body and the great big black stripe down the middle of your hair. Oh and don't forget the amount of people who comment on how dark your natural hair colour is. There are ways to soften the blow. Try getting a root depth toner, where the roots are toned slightly darker than the ends. This gives more of a natural look to the hair and softens out the regrowth line when your natural hair comes through

4. Being blonde takes work and $$$

No matter what Instagram may show you, you cannot go the perfect, clean blonde in one session. Blonde takes time and a fair amount of dollars. Blonde is a specialist job and with the right Stylist and aftercare, you can hit your blonde goals and stay there for a while. Colour build up, hair condition and heat damage can all be factors in preventing you from being Instagram worthy blonde in the first session. Going blonde is a journey, so listen to your Stylist, look after your hair with at home treatments and put away the hair irons. This doesn't mean you have to be Tiger Stripped in between, but it does mean patience and some really pretty smokey blonde tones on the road to blonde Mecca.

5. Dry hair is part of the process

Yes peeps, your blonde hair will not be as soft and shiny as your silky brunette locks but it doesn't mean scarecrow hair. Any colour process, especially going lighter will involve some damage to the hair. This doesn't have to be major but be aware that the texture of the hair will change. Modern technology in the form of Olaplex and Fibreplex has helped keep damage to the minimum so make sure your Stylist is adding one of these into your lightening service to keep the hair healthy and with maximum elasticity. You also need to make sure you are using the proper aftercare to avoid breakage and add nutrients into the hair that are lost during the lightening process.

6. Blonde is not a phase

Please commit to your blonde hair once you have made the decision. It is a long process to get you there and it takes the patience of a monk so dont decide to go back brunette at your next hair appointment. This will not only frustrate your Stylist but begins the whole frustrating, time consuming process if you decide to lighten up again. I'm not saying that blonde is for life but be aware it is not something you can chop and change from. If you feel the need for a change from your blonde, experiment with toners. There are 100 different tones and combinations you could explore, so brunette doesn't have to be your only option. We all envy the deep rich tones of Salma Hayek, but most blondes don't look good brunette. Just be the best blonde you can be.

7. Not all blondes have to be ash

There are multiple tones of blonde. Ash is not standard. Ash should not turn grey. If it does, your hair has been overtoned or the toner is too dark. If your hair goes green then the Stylist has not lifted your blonde enough and tried to rectify with a toner. No hope. Gold does not mean brassy orange. Gold should be soft and slightly warm. Platinum does not suit everyone. Ask your Stylist to choose the best shade for your skin tone