The Big Mistake Blondes Make With Purple Shampoo, According to a Professional Colorist
While Lady Gaga has dabbled with various different hair colors over the course of her career, there's no denying that platinum blonde has always been her signature shade. She experimented with a temporary periwinkle-blue hue for the Golden Globes earlier this month, but at the SAG Awards this past Sunday, it was back to blonde for Mother Monster. And yet, thanks to her longtime colorist Patti Song, she's still managed to keep her hair healthy despite how often she subjects it to bleach and heat styling. In a recent interview with Refinery29, Song shared her secrets to maintaining Gaga's strands, as well as how she gets the perfect shade of platinum.
When Song met Gaga in 2009, the singer was dealing with a ton of breakage towards the front of her hair, so her first order of business was to get it healthy again. "[I told her] 'we're going to bleach your hair every three weeks, grow it out to a bob, and then you're going to start wearing wigs,'" she explained. "To fix her breakage, we attached about ten single extensions to the one-inch broken pieces, but the rest was all her hair," she added. Song noted that wearing wigs is an excellent option for people in the public eye who put their hair through a lot and could use a break.
Song also revealed how she gets Gaga's gorgeous, icy-white hair color. "I use what you call a 'virgin bleach' application method, [which means] instead of highlighting or painting small piece by small piece, you coat the hair in bleach," she explained. "This is basic coloring knowledge, but the best way to avoid banding or uneven color is starting the bleach at the ends and working your way up to the roots," she added. The reason for this, Song said, is because the closer you put the bleach to the scalp, the faster the process will go due to the heat that radiates from the scalp.
In regards to maintenance, Song explained that you never want to wait more than five weeks between touch-ups, as this can make it so that your hair can't lift the color properly, resulting in roots that develop at two different speeds and the aforementioned band-like appearance. In fact, this is precisely what happened to Allure contributor Elizabeth Denton, and she ended up having to start from scratch.
Another platinum tip from Song: Don't immediately lather up your purple shampoo, as this will only clean the hair rather than tone it. "The trick is to squeeze the purple [product] directly on to your hair and let it sit," she said. She also highly recommends going to a licensed professional who has a ton of experience taking people with different hair colors to platinum. "You can go platinum with or without a consultation, but if you're going to talk to a colorist beforehand, don't bother going through with it if you don't come equipped with the right questions," she said. She suggested always asking how many times the colorist has taken someone to platinum in one go, and if it was successful.
In terms of how you can tell if your platinum job was successful, Song said it all comes down to the tone, which should be borderline white. "You know your bleach has been done properly, even once the toner fades, if the shade doesn't grow warmer in between appointments," she explained. "The blonde should only grow lighter; once you learn what my blonde looks like, you can see it," she added. What it should never be is beige, murky, uneven, or stringy-looking. She also noted that it should also never take more than a couple hours — not four or five — at the salon. "You can lift brunette hair in one go. Period. That's it. It takes, max, 55 minutes."
Song's last snippet of advice is for those with sensitive scalps who might be more prone to burning during the bleaching process than most. "If you are preparing for a bleach appointment, make sure you don't wash or brush your hair a few days ahead of the appointment," she advised. "Zero stimulation helps natural oils build up on the scalp [to prevent discomfort]," she explained. That being said, she also points out that burning should depend on the work and care of the professional taking you platinum, so never be afraid to speak up if something feels off.
Eager for more tips on how to keep platinum blonde hair in tip-top shape? Check out former Allure editor Kristie Dash's guide to platinum maintenance, which includes several product options for optimal hair health and tone.
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