Amie Miller (@amarieshairstudio) owner of Amarie's Hair Studio, Chicago, nailed this color correction and we had to know more. "A new client initially contacted me saying she wanted to be a cool blonde tone," says Miller. "I had her send me pictures of her current hair which appeared to be a light warm golden brown. Her inspiration photo was a level 10 cool blonde. I told her we would get her as blonde as possible for our first appointment and it could take a few sessions to achieve and perfect the level 10 hair she desired. She agreed and we booked her appointment. She walked in with bands and spots of orange, darker color on the bottom and dark level 4 roots. I told her it looked more problematic than I initially thought from her picture and she was definitely a color correction and our main focus was to even out her hair while lightening. I got her color history and we started in on our makeover journey."

Here Miller shares the HOW TO:

Step 1: Begin at the back of the head working up using Redken Flashlift and 40 volume (blended with Olaplex, which always drops the formula by one level.) Saturate mid strand to ends and paint root with the same formula leaving a bit rooty "allowing me to stay off her scalp."

Step 2: Once applied to the entire head, weave baby lights in foil through the mohawk section and the front sides using Flashlift with 35 volume and Olaplex on the root. Use Flashlift with 40 volume and Olaplex at from mids to ends through the darker pieces. Process for one hour. Rinse at the bowl.  "Most of her hair had lifted to levels 8 and 9 light yellows but she still had darker orangey gold in some of her ends."

Step 3: Apply Olaplex #2 through the hair for about 10 minutes. Rinse.

Step 4: Apply Flashlift and 30 on just the orangey spots lifting to match the rest of her hair (processing around 30 minutes.) Rinse and apply UNITE Blonda purple shampoo.

Step 5: Tone with Redken Shades EQ equal parts 9V, 9N, 8V, 7NB throughout until the hair turns a silvery beige. Rinse.

Step 6: Shadow the roots with Shades EQ 6N and 6T for 20 minutes to help blend the root and help with re-growth. Finish with another round of Olaplex #2 and UNITE Blonda shampoo and conditioner.

"In the end we were both super happy with the cooler beige tones in her hair and how even and shiny everything had turned out."

 

 

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