Dramatic Makeover: From Gate Guard to Supermodel

Engaged to be married, this client was in need of a major makeover to prepare for her big day!

A gate guard at one of the plantations in Destin, Florida, she was consumed by her hair.

"She always felt like she needed to keep her hair long because of what her dad said: that a woman must have long hair or she wouldn't be pretty without it," says stylist Sara Pestella (@saramay_level10) of Destin, Florida.

"We disagreed."

Pestella's colleague Jeremy Hartfield (@jeremyhartfield) started off with the hair cut first, so when it was time for coloring, he wouldn't be cutting off any of the blonde.

Here, Pestella shares the details for the new shade using all Aveda color:

Step 1: Apply a full heavy highlight using Enlightener with 20 volume developer. At top switch to 30 volume developer. Whatever was long enough in-between, paint on additional highlights. ("Due to existing red It was not quite perfect but sooo close.") Dry the hair.

Step 2: Paint the ends for additional drama. Process to desired lift and rinse.

Step 3: Shadow the roots using 40g 6n 4g dark nn 40g liquid activator and tone the rest of the hair with 40g 10n 40g 0n 7g pastel Violet. Rinse and blow dry the hair.

Step 4: For more depth at the root (determined after the hair was dry), go back in and apply 5n.

"I started at 7 p.m. and finished at 2 a.m.," Pestella says. "No kidding this transformation was indeed overnight. Holly feels beautiful in her own skin. Thanks to our amazing owners Deke and Joseph she gets to maintain her look for a whole year, free of charge!"

Pestella teaches a blonding class called Level 10 Blondes showing students how to achieve this look.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE:

MODERN checked in with Pastela in April, 2019. Here she shares the update:

"After this change, she quit her job as a gate guard and ended up working with us as a receptionist at the salon! Another co-worker colored her hair purple over the blonde. She still has purple hair and ended up quitting the salon job and going back to her old job as a gate guard because of the money and more consistent hours. It's not the happiest of endings but she is happy and that is what matters."