How I became a bottle blonde like Kim Kardashian

WHEN Kim Kardashian stole the headlines at Paris Fashion Week by going from brunette to platinum in one step it was akin to revealing the holy grail of hair colouring.

WHEN Kim Kardashian stole the headlines at Paris Fashion Week by going from brunette to platinum in one step, it was akin to revealing the holy grail of hair colouring.

The golden rule of hair lightening has always been to stay within a few shades of your natural colour to avoid damaging the hair. This is why brunettes like Kardashian have always had to transition through a redhead phase for a few weeks when they make the change to blonde.

Master colourist George Giavis of George Giavis Salon in Woollahra says everyone can now follow Kardashian’s lead using new “plex” technology.

Salon only products including Olaplex, Curaplex and Snaplex are now available in Australia and lighten hair without breakage so brunettes can now go blonde without the pain of multiple visits to the hairdresser.

Model Rebecca Gredley before starting her blonde transformation. Picture: Samuel Borich

Colourist George Giavis applies Olaplex to Rebecca’s hair. Picture: Samuel Borich

Giavis used Olaplex to turn our model Rebecca Gredley blonde in eight hours.

“Olaplex is a bond multiplier which allows the hair to be lightened or coloured to any level without damage or breakage,” he says.

“It is applied in two stages during the colour application process to protect and then repair the hair molecules from damage.”

Customers are then given a take home treatment to help further protect and repair the hair. Depending on the hair length and colour applications required to get the desired result, the process costs from $250-$450.

What happens next

There are a few things to consider before taking the plunge to blonde.

“Going from dark to platinum isn’t just a flirtation with colour, it’s a full blown affair and you need to consider the impact it will have on your beauty routine,” Giavis says.

“You will probably need to touch up your roots every three weeks, invest in specific shampoos and conditioners for blonde hair and weekly treatments to keep your hair in good condition.

Olaplex is applied in two stages during the colour application process. Picture: Samuel Borich

Rebecca transitions through the redhead stage. Picture: Samuel Borich

“You will need to revisit and overhaul your make-up as a platinum blonde. As you have less colour in your hair, it’s best to avoid strong dramatic colours and go for softer shades that will complement your look. Pastels, peaches or rosy tones tend to work well.

“It’s also worth noting that such a dramatic colour change will impact the fabric of your hair and how it takes to colour in the future. Someone who has not had as much colour work will have more success in lightening.”

Achieving your desired shade isn’t the end of the colouring process.

“After a couple of days the colour may oxidize and change, so you might need a toner,” Giavis says.

“You will need to retouch the roots for regrowth in approximately three to six weeks’ time, depending on how fast the hair grows and also look at applying a toner if needed. This will blend in the regrowth area to ensure a uniform tone.”

Rebecca transformed into a platinum blonde bombshell. Picture: Samuel Borich

The new “plex” technology means brunettes can lighten hair without breakage. Picture: Samuel Borich

Even if you have the time and money to maintain the platinum blonde look, Giavis doesn’t recommend it for everyone.

“Ideally your skin tone should never be darker than your hair. Platinum hair does not work as well for people with warm skin tones or those with redness. It tends to work best on cooler skin tones such as fairer to light olive skin complexions,” he says.

And if you decide blondes don’t really have more fun you can go back to the dark side (Kardashian went back to brunette within a few weeks).

“It is much easier to go back to brunette,” Giavis says. “This can be achieved in one sitting, though it may take two applications of colour, with an inbuilt filler, to get back to brown.”

Anne Hathaway as a brunette. Picture: Getty

Hathaway sporting short blonde locks. Picture: Getty

Whole new look

Before visiting George Giavis, Gredley had thought the prospect of her going blonde was impossible. On her first visit to the salon Giavis did a patch test and gave her a blonde wig to try on to get a sense of her new look.

“The first application of bleach was applied to my roots and the length of my hair. After half an hour, my strands were clearly fluorescent orange,” she says. “The second application of bleach didn’t go on my roots, only on the rest of my hair. The goal was to eliminate the orange tones and lighten it further. After roughly 40 minutes it was rinsed out, before the final, and very important application of toner.

“This eliminated yellow tones and added cool, ashy colour to the blonde.

“Yes, blonde. My completely and utterly, from root to tip, blonde hair.

“As they say, a change is as good as a holiday. Looks like I’ve booked myself a round the world ticket.”

Originally published as How I became a bottle blonde like Kim Kardashian