Once a blonde, always a blonde. Blondes, whether platinum, ash, gold, highlighted, or enhanced with pastel tones, subject their tresses to a lot. High maintenance as it is, it is something that we choose to live with, and love! Colour processes every four to six weeks can take it’s toll, and powerful bleaches and lightening agents drain hair of its shine, elasticity, and at times, it’s structure. It’s about time that we got smart with this.
Let’s talk about bleach. Yep, that nasty word that makes our hair, our scalp, and our lungs cringe. Basically, its not great. Traditional synthetic bleach, when mixed with hydrogen peroxide reacts with the melanin in our hair, and thus lightens it. However, the chemicals are notoriously harmful to the hair, and can actually break down the structure, causing snapping, stretchy hair, and generally will leave it in a weakened condition. They can also be damaging to the scalp, and cause reactions. The hair is also toned with a synthetic colour, which is not so nice on an already sensitised scalp. But we do it, because we love being blonde. And there is no alternative, right?
Wrong! Thankfully for us, Aveda has a colourist’s secret weapon called “Enlightener Powder Lightener”. It works by using natural chemistry without the hair-scare factor. The active synthetic ingredients found in traditional bleach have been replaced by ingredients that have been derived from plants and minerals. Conditioning agents have been added using Jojoba, Sunflower seeds, and castor oil, which help to look after the hair and scalp during processing. For on-scalp applications we add Aveda’s “Enlightener Creme Booster”, which helps it process quicker, and will also sooth the scalp with menthol, and blue chamomile. Enlightener has a pleasant aroma, which is derived from plant ingredients, and includes peppermint and rose.
But does it work? YES! We can achieve super light, clean and soft blondes with Enlightener. And after toning with Aveda Full Spectrum Deposit Only or Permanent colour, it is shiny, smooth, and STILL feels like HAIR! An Aveda Botanical Therapy treatment later and you’re good to go. We also recommend Aveda’s Damage Remedy System and Blue Malva Colour Conditioner to care for you blonde at home.
Be it highlights, full head applications, or pre-lightening in preparation for this season’s pastel tones, Enlightener is a far more gentle alternative to traditional bleach. We can also use this in colour correction work, where it will replace a traditional “stripper” normally used to lighten off existing colour and tone in hair.
We don’t personally believe that there is a need for traditional bleach anymore. Better result + healthier hair = blonde’s best friend. If you have any questions regarding bleach, Aveda’s Enlightener, or blonding processes, contact us via www.cobaarzaveda.com.au.
Photo credits- Aveda Global Artistic Team, “Romantic Grandeur” Collection, 2014.
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