hair
BLONDE HAIR + ROOTS
“You look so good with blonde hair and black roots, it’s like not even funny.” Favorite line from Romy + Michelle, but the compliment doesn’t quite translate to real life.
Why is it that overnight your hair goes from looking cool with a little bit of root to looking insane and borderline trashy?? Unfortunately, you can’t typically get a color appointment the next day. So I want to throw out some things you can do to conceal or use the root to your advantage!
BRAIDING. Braids look 10x more edgy on blonde hair with roots, in my opinion. Visit your local braid bar or salon and find a great braider! Get those tiny side braids (seen below) or that french fishtail you’ve always wanted to try if you’re sporting roots and have to go to an event! Don’t be afraid to ask for something a little edgy. Take some pinterest photos with you! If you don’t think you can pull off edgy, do something pretty. Pretty still looks amazing with a bit of root.
COLORED DRY SHAMPOO. If I go to a shoot or do a client headed to a red carpet, I always have some of THESE LITTLE SPRAYS by Bumble in my kit (I usually get the travel size because I only use them for root touch ups). They make them for blondes, brunettes and redheads, too! To conceal roots on blonde hair, I use the blonde and white sprays, layering one on top of the other if necessary depending on the lightness. I layer more white on top if the hair is platinum and a little less if it’s a vanilla or golden blonde shade.
BLOWDRYING. Add a touch of mousse or volumizing spray to the root and flip your head upside down while drying for a minute or two. Getting the hair up and off your scalp will help conceal the root just a little more. The flatter the hair lays on top, the more obvious the root becomes. HAIR FLIPS are KEY here!
GO NATURALLY CURLY. If you have blonde hair and curls, you know that wearing it curly will help conceal the length of the root. Think SJP naturally curly hair. You could never tell if her roots were an inch or three inches. The solid line at the root gets diffused by the curly texture of the hair and actually looks amazing with some depth. If you’re a curly blonde girl, you’re lucky! The shrinkage will also create the illusion that the root is shorter than it is when it’s stretched out.
EVERYDAY WAVES. Get familiar with a simple curl technique like THIS ONE! Wearing your hair super straight will only enhance the look of the dark roots. Throw a little wave in and give it some texture.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Best way to avoid a last minute “please I’m begging you to squeeze me in because my roots are insane and I have to go to a thing” emergency is to pre-book when you’re leaving the salon. Talk to your hairstylist and see what he/she thinks about how often you should get touched up. I usually recommend 4-5 weeks for bleach and tone, 6-12 weeks for anyone lighter, depending on the contrast from their natural color to the new color. Make that next appointment before you walk out! Especially if blonde hair with black roots just creeps up on you!
