Brass Be Gone

Maybe you are a natural blonde who just wants to look a little more sun-kissed or maybe you are naturally a dark brunette who was feeling inspired by a Selma Blair/Kim Kardashian type transformation. Either way being a blonde can definitely be a good way to shake up your look, and there is a perfect shade of blonde out there for everyone. 

What do I mean when I say "perfect shade"? It means that I truly believe everyone can live with a little blonde in your life. Shades (or tones) vary from Carmel and Golden to Ashy and Platinum.  

The one tone that no one wants is brass. And its pretty much a given that at sometime during a blonde's life, a little bit of brass will creep in. So, how do you keep brass at bay for as long as possible?

Here are some pretty easy steps to follow for keeping your hair at it's peak tone that you can do at home and in between salon visits to keep your hair at maximum, non-brassy blonde-ness. 

1. Invest in a shower filter.

Did anyone ever watch that show "Blowout" on Bravo with Jonathon Antin? Jonathan is a celebrity stylist who lived in West Hollywood and had a reality (I use that term loosely) show on Bravo and it was pretty great.

One day his water went out at home and he decided to have his housekeeper hand him bottles of Evian to shower with. Sounds pretty great, but probably isn't realistic for most of us. But the idea behind it is! Investing in a filter for your shower head will do the exact same thing showering with Evian will do - it filters the hard chemicals and minerals that build cup in your hair, many of which cause brass. 

2. Use a toning shampoo and conditioner. 

You've probably heard your stylist, or one near you in a salon, ask if you or their client are using a purple shampoo at home. It sounds a bit like a crazy question but when you are a blonde it can make a world of difference. 

These shampoos come out of the bottle with a super bright purple hue and can look terrifying but work extremely well when used to combat brassiness. The more frequently you use them, the more pigment they deposit and the more the purple fights the yellow in your hair.

Fair warning, it is possible to use it too frequently or leave the product on for too long. Don't worry if this happens, just use your regular shampoo one or two times and the purple should wash out. I recommend using it at least every second or third time when trying to keep a natural, but not brassy blonde look.

If you're platinum or prefer a much cooler look, every shape is totally safe. 

3. Set up an appointment for a toner in between your highlight visits.

This may be one of the most underused services in the salon world. A toner (or gloss) is a semi permanent hair color that is used to balance tones in the hair, won't affect the hair that is darker than the toner color, and shuts down the cuticle of the hair to help keep color in. That translates to glossy, healthier looking hair with a more desirable tone.

A toner can be added to a haircut service, which is perfect because lately the hair color trends have been leaning towards this "lived in" look that is considerably more low maintenance than the highlights of our high school days. It can also be booked on its own and be the driving force for that beautiful blow out you need for your cousins wedding.

A toner is also an excellent option for all hair colors, not just blondes. They work to make every tone shinier and brighter without the damage of permanent hair color. 

So go rock that perfect shade of bottle blonde (and maybe even trick everyone into thinking you were born with it)!