Ashlie Marmo @ashytonesof Posh Color Studio in Easton, PA,  hadn't seen her client since May...2019! "She originally had an appointment during the covid-19 lockdown, so that pushed her appointment out even longer," Ashlie explains. " I was really excited to get my hands on her hair mainly because of how long it is.

"We decided to bring up the blonde and add some depth in to her hair to break up her old color. When you continue to lighten the hair over and over,  it eventually starts looking more solid, so adding depth back in really helps keep dimension and make that blonde POP!"

STEPS

Step 1 - While some stylists start in the front, I always choose to start in the back, because once it’s done processing, I can rinse it easier in the sink. I like to do a bricklay pattern below the occipital bone. Each section I take, I will do a chunky weave, add a slight tease for optimal blending, use my Cooboard to hold my tease back and paint with Joico Blonde Life lightener, 20 volume and Brazilian Bond Builder. The part of the weave I originally left out, I painted with my Redken Shades EQ formula of 6n, 6na, 6nb and 7m.

Step 2 - Once I reached the occipital bone, I took horizontal sections, did a chunky weave, teased and applied the same formulas listed above with my board.

Step 3 - On the top of the head, I took a mohawk section based off of where she likes to part her hair. In this case, she parts a little off center. The first slice starting from the back, was a lowlight. I didn’t pull the lowlight all the way through so i could keep her ends bright. My next two back to back sections were teased slices and painted with my Joico formula. I continued doing this through the top and ended with blonde back to back slices for her money piece.

Step 4 - On the sides, I did diagonal back sections and alternated between her high and low light. The pieces in front were the highlight formula to keep it bright around her face.

Step 5 - Once everything was processed, I shampooed her hair and towel dried her. I brought her back to my chair to apply my root shadow formula, Redken Shades EQ 6n, 6na and 7m. With long hair especially, applying at the chair rather than the sink makes it a lot easier. I like to comb down the root shadow with my Wetbrush. It really helps give such a seamless blend.

Step 6 - While her root shadow professed, I applied her glaze with a mixture of Redken Shades EQ 10vv, 9m, 9v, 9gb and clear. I went through and blended more with my Wetbrush to melt the two colors together. Processed then shampooed and conditioned.

Step 7 - Towel  dried her hair, added Redken All Soft serum and blow dried her with my Dyson. Finished the look with my Mint Tools 1 1/2 inch iron and voila! This beautiful dimensional balayage!