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Dark Brown Box Color to Pale Ash Blonde: The Journey

Lily Duong (@hairbylily408), a L'Oreal Certified balayage artist, is based at Hair By Lily at Salons by JC in San Jose, California. When client Elizabeth came to the salon with her level 4 dark brown box color, Duong knew this correction ...

Maggie Mulhern
Maggie MulhernBeauty and Fashion Director, MODERN SALON
Read Maggie's Posts
March 2, 2015
Dark Brown Box Color to Pale Ash Blonde: The Journey
Dark Brown Box Color to Pale Ash Blonde: The Journey
Dark Brown Box Color to Pale Ash Blonde: The Journey
Dark Brown Box Color to Pale Ash Blonde: The Journey
Dark Brown Box Color to Pale Ash Blonde: The Journey
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1 min to read


Lily Duong (@hairbylily408), a L'Oreal Certified balayage artist, is based at Hair By Lily at Salons by JC in San Jose, California. When client Elizabeth came to the salon with her level 4 dark brown box color, Duong knew this correction would be a journey. "She wanted to be an ash blond and I told her that it would require several sessions to get there, safely and with minimal damage," says Duong. "These photos represent the progression from the 3 sessions, each spaced about 8 - 12 weeks apart."

Here she offers the HOW TO:

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Session 1: Full highlight to break up dark color. Formula: Redken Flash Lift with 30 volume. Lift to Level 8 yellow and then tone with Kenra 8AA plus 10 volume.

Session 2: Eight weeks later. Foil and balayage combo ("American Tailoring"). Formula: Redken Flash Lift with 50 volume balayage. Apply lightener in V pattern outside the foils. Lift to level 9/10 yellow and then tone with Wella 9.1 plus 10 volume.

Session 3: Three and a half months later: Foil and balayage combo ("American Tailoring"). Foil formula: Redken Flash Lift plus 40 volume plus Olaplex. Balayage formula: Redken Flash Lift plus 50 volume plus Olaplex. Lift to 9/10 pale yellow. Tone with Schwarzkopf 9.5.22, 10.1, 0.22 plus 10 volume.

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