How to go from dark to blonde: managing the 'high-maintenance' hair transformation

Three UAE experts reveal the time, commitment and cost it takes to copy Kim Kardashian's Marilyn Monroe-style locks

Left: Kim Kardashian's blonde hair at the 2022 Met Gala on May 2. Right: Her jet-black hair seen two days earlier at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on April 30. AFP

Kim Kardashian dazzled on the Met Gala red carpet on Monday, wearing a vintage dress once owned by Marilyn Monroe. To complete her look, Kardashian dyed her hair platinum blonde in homage to the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes actress.

Kardashian, 41, told Vogue that she spent the day before the fashion fundraiser in the salon chair, saying: "I’m spending the whole day just dyeing my hair, 14 hours straight."

The reality star wore her newly dyed hair in a tight bun on the top of her head, a stark contrast to her long, raven locks, which she wore down to attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner two days previously, on April 30.

Kim Kardashian sported a long, blonde bob back in March 2015. Getty Images

This is not the first time she has stripped the colour back and gone blonde. The reality TV star had a long, blonde bob at Paris Fashion Week in March 2016 and dabbled with ash-blonde hair back in 2017.

We spoke to three leading UAE colourists about what it takes to make such a dramatic change and the care and commitment needed when going blonde.

Here are their top tips:

Catherine Hawkes, artistic director at Salon 971

Award-winning colourist Catherine Hawkes says it is a lengthy process to maintain the integrity of the hair. Courtesy Catherine Hawkes

Hair that has been dyed from light to dark multiple times “has been compromised and would have to go through many treatments and chemical processes to be able to lift and get a clean blonde,” says Dubai colourist Catherine Hawkes. “That is why it would take that long, to keep as much integrity as possible.”

When it comes to intense colouring, both thick and thin hair can make the process tricker.

“To get the hair from dark to blonde, it depends on the tones underneath and if you are lifting out previous colour,” Hawkes says. “But it involves using a lightener to open the cuticle and lighten the pigment. The thicker the hair, the harder it is to lift, as the hair is covered in layers of cuticles. However, finer hair, although easier to lift, can easily snap.”

Post-treatment care is of paramount importance to maintain the colour and health of hair, with Hawkes advising avoiding the pool and sea, and using sulphate-free shampoos. “Going blonde,” she warns, “is definitely high maintenance.”

salon971.com, 04 579 6222

Hicham Eid, creative director at Eideal and Davines Arabia

Hicham Eid warns that commitment to your new colour goes beyond the salon, and means being extra careful in the pool and sea. Courtesy Hicham Eid

“I like to educate my clients that it can take up to six stages and six separate sessions to go from black to blonde,” says creative director Eid. “It is not an instantaneous process, no matter how it may seem on celebrity Instagram feeds."

He defines the six stages as: black to medium brown; medium to light brown; light to dark brown; dark blonde to medium blonde; medium blonde to light blonde; and light blonde to very light blonde.

“If you have dark hair and want to go blonde, you should not expect your hair to transform into a beautiful blonde colour after one visit only," he says.

Commitment is a vital component to going blonde, especially if you have very dark hair to begin with.

“The time commitment isn’t the only factor to consider when you are switching up your hair colour,” says Eid, who recommends the newly launched Heart of Glass haircare line for blondes. “Avoid going to the pool without rinsing your hair with natural water after, and always apply a leave-in conditioner before going into the pool to avoid the minerals from the copper pipes ruining your colour.”

eideal.com

Karl Warner, artistic director at Pastels Salon The Ritz-Carlton JBR

Karl Warner says clients need to be realistic about the colour at each stage of the six-week process. Courtesy Karl Warner,

“You don’t want to walk out with your hair in a bag, so it is a procedure that requires a lot of stages in order to be as gentle to the hair as possible and keep it in the best possible condition,” says artistic director Warner.

“If you did it all in one go, your hair would fall out completely, so it’s recommended that the process be done over a six-to-eight week period, but it could take longer depending on client’s hair condition and texture.”

Revealing he would never perform the process on overly coloured and fragile hair, Warner advises that clients be “realistic” about the colour they will leave the salon with at each stage of the process.

“Clients need to be realistic about what their hair will look like at the end of each stage of the dark to blonde journey, and be prepared to have colour stages such as dark to warm, reddish brown then reddish brown to golden blonde and then golden blonde to a lighter blonde,” he says.

Along with Eid, Warner recommends using an Olaplex treatment at home (available from lookfantastic.ae), as well as protein and moisturising shampoos and conditioners.

www.pastels-salon.com, 04 399 5016

What does it cost?

All the stylists agree the cost from start to finish would be somewhere between Dh2,000-Dh3,000.

"The cost will always depend on the colourist and the amount of product that has been used to complete the process," says Eid. "Every stylist has a different cost, but on average every hour spent during the process would cost between Dh220-Dh370.

"Remember, the client will visit the salon during that process two to three times and every appointment would probably be four to six hours, followed by in-salon treatments to maintain the health of the hair. So, it is an expensive procedure to undertake.”