Oops, I did it again
Two MAJOR hair changes in two weeks? No biggie.
If you’ve known me for at least 10 years, you’ve been witness to my cropped platinum era as well as my short-lived brunette phase. In the time since, I let my hair grow and returned to the blonde I’ve basically had since my mom took me for highlights when I was 13.
I absolutely LOVED being platinum, but a combination of overprocessing, not taking the best care of it, and the trauma associated with losing my mom culminated in a lot of breakage, a lot of shedding and basically just a big hot mess all around. (Hence the “dark” phase to give my hair a much-needed break.)
Maybe it was foreshadowing, but last month I shared this post by
of , in which she shares all the gory details of stripping every last bit of pigment (natural or salon-deposited) out of your hair along with the platinum up-keep required. It’s a must-read for anyone who is platinum, considering going there or just plain curious about what it entails. (For the record, it took nowhere near 11 hours the first time I did it.)About two weeks after I shared this platinum post I went for a haircut. I didn’t even consider a major chop until that morning, but when I got to my appointment, I was ready to go. I’ve documented my hair struggles over the past few years, and my dedication to a litany of growth serums certainly worked. But as someone who has had short hair in the past (several times), I know this is the best look—for me. Any length below my chin looks thin and straggly, and taking tamoxifen for the past 2+ years makes it even worse. So, I chopped, and although it took a few days to get used to it, I loved it. My hair feels dense and thick, and looks so much healthier without the extra damaged two inches hanging around.
My son wasn’t so into my new look, which made me think, Let’s make this fun! I popped in to see my colorist who was more than excited to squeeze me in the next week to go back to platinum before my roots grew in too much. In three hours, we bleached my roots out and toned the rest since most of my hair was already super-light. Here’s the result:
After my first platinum experience (and literal fall-out), I vowed to follow my colorist’s maintenance recommendations to a tee this time around. Before I even went to my appointment, I ordered this silk pillowcase to minimize pulling, tugging and friction when I sleep. These are the other products she suggested, which I ordered while I was still sitting in her chair.
Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin Shampoo
There are actually three versions of this shampoo—and this one is formulated for fine, dry hair. (This is actually a godsend because ultra-hydrating shampoos generally make my hair greasy and leave it falling flat.)
Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Hair Mask
Although this is technically a mask, my colorist told me to use it as my conditioner every time I wash (which will now be only 2-3 times a week).
Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicaflash Conditioner
In case you haven’t noticed, my colorist is a huge fan of Kérastase, especially for platinum hair. She told me to use this purple conditioner once a week, on its own if my hair starts looking a bit yellow or mixed with the Kérastase hair mask if it’s not.
K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
Bond-building is key when you have any level of processed hair, and this relatively new kid on the block is giving Olaplex a run for its money. I actually ordered a K18 travel-size from Amazon a while back to give it a whirl, but my order never got here (and I let it go). Well now, I’ll be using a pump after washing my hair every single time (although the directions on the packaging say otherwise).
Post-cut and pre-color, I went to my son’s high school orientation and saw at least 20 friends/acquaintances, and NOT ONE person noticed (or said anything). I’ve seen a handful of people post-color and since it’s hard to miss, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. (But at the same time, I really don’t care what other people think.)
My first touch-up is scheduled in about three-and-a-half weeks. On the upside, my more frequent root appointments are faster and less expensive than my usual highlights—which will eventually offset the cost of the new products I bought to maintain my hair’s health and color.
We’ll see how long the platinum sticks around this time!