"Love the consistency of L'anza's Clay Decolorizer so much," Valsamis writes on Instagram. "And it lifts beautifully!"
"Love the consistency of L'anza's Clay Decolorizer so much," Valsamis writes on Instagram. "And it lifts beautifully!"
"I think my favorite part about winter is darkening and warming up my balayaged beauties," Valsamis says.
"I think my favorite part about winter is darkening and warming up my balayaged beauties," Valsamis says.
A back view of the look, created with L'anza's Clay Decolorizer.
A back view of the look, created with L'anza's Clay Decolorizer.
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"Love the consistency of L'anza's Clay Decolorizer so much," Valsamis writes on Instagram. "And it lifts beautifully!"
1/3
 
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"Love the consistency of L'anza's Clay Decolorizer so much," Valsamis writes on Instagram. "And it lifts beautifully!"
"I think my favorite part about winter is darkening and warming up my balayaged beauties," Valsamis says.
2/3
 
Slider
"I think my favorite part about winter is darkening and warming up my balayaged beauties," Valsamis says.
A back view of the look, created with L'anza's Clay Decolorizer.
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Slider
A back view of the look, created with L'anza's Clay Decolorizer.

The key to great balayage is control during application to ensure just the right placement and saturation! That’s why L’anza Healing Haircare launched its Clay Decolorizer, a clay lightener with consistency that warrants ultimate control and a formula that offers up to seven levels of lift. The clay is formulated with Kaolin, a natural clay that activates the decolorizer powder into a soft spreadable clay that stays moist and in place as it lightens. 

You probably know Alison Valsamis (@braidedandblonde) for her insane braiding and styling skills (hello, viral rose braided updo!), but we first found the artist due to her equally insane balayage and blonding skills that earned her a spot on our list of 2017 MODERN SALON 100. Because of those color skills, we enlisted her to test out L'anza's newest innovation.

"Clay Decolorizer has such an awesome consistency and is so blendable," Valsamis writes on Instagram. "Which is a must for that blur!"

Check out the artist's clean and controlled painting below.

The Clay Decolorizer is mixed with Cream Developer—either 10, 20, 30 or 40 volume—in a 1:2-1:2 ratio in a non-metallic bowl. It requires no heat, processed at room-temperature for up to 60 minutes, depending on the level of lift wished to achieve. For this look, Valsamis mixed it with 40 volume for the ultimate lift. Here, she shares with us how she achieved this gorgeous color finish. 

PRODUCTS USED: 
L'anza Clay Decolorizer and 40 volume
L'anza Trauma Treatment
L'anza Silver Brightening Shampoo
L'anza Color Care Conditioner

GET THE LOOK:
STEP 1: Section hair into 3 sections. 2 front Quadrants from behind the ear and a back section from just above the occipital down. Work to part or natural fall.
STEP 2: Starting in the front, take diagonal forward partings about 1” thick from above the ear working to top of section. Leave a 1/2” parting between each.
STEP 3: Paint each section starting in the middle to maintain control of the product while working up toward the root. Paint close to the root around hairline and about 1/2” off the root around part. TIP: Use palm of hand and to assist with blurring and blending the product and to avoid harsh lines.
STEP 4: In the back section, bricklay wide panel partings concentrating your product to the mid lengths and ends and lightly blending to about a 1/2” from the root area.
STEP 5: Process 45 minutes. Shampoo with Silver Brightening Shampoo.
STEP 6: Treat with Trauma Treatment for 15 minutes. Rinse. Condition with Color Care Conditioner.

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