Silver hair, don't care.....

So I often get asked about my hair & it's upkeep, I've had blonde hair since I was little (bar the teenage years of experimentation & being every colour I could possibly think of, thankfully my hair forgave me!) this year I didn't want to be the normal boring shade of blonde I had been for god knows how long so I decided to go for a far lighter shade, I wanted my hair to be filled with grey & silvery tones. It's harder than you might think & requires a hella lot of upkeep, but I like it. I've experimented with many products from high end, to high street & I think I've finally found a combination my hair is happy with. 

• Firstly before I colour my hair I always allow six to eight weeks between colouring, this is because I have to use bleach/peroxide & the longer you can get away without using it the better (in my experience). Also before I dye my hair I use a good shampoo something that has the least amount of rubbish in such as Redken's Extreme shampoo, it promotes anti breakage & helps to strengthen your hair with is perfect for using before something as harsh as bleach. I only use a small amount of conditioner after shampooing too (normally the one that comes with the hair dye). 

• After I've done the above step I towel dry my hair & let it breath for about half an hour just so it's damp, then I mix up my hair dye, the product I've used exclusively (after many trials & tribulations) is L'oreal Preference colour in Stockholm, I apply this all to my roots first working from the back to front in small sections. Then whatevers left after I've done all of my regrowth I apply to the ends & I leave that on for forty minutes, I then wash all the product off & again leave my hair to air dry for half an hour then I apply the Live colour XXL toner in Icy Platinum & leave this on for half an hour again working from root to tip front to back. After this my hair normally is the perfect icy grey shade but if I feel it's not I will also use La Riche Directions White Toner for a further twenty minutes (this is vegetable based & will not damage your hair). After this my hair is the perfectly silvery tone, sometimes I alternate between the La Riche Directions white toner & Fudge hair colour conditioner treatment in the shade Blonde, I find both of these products work really well & I don't really have a preference to either or. 

• Upkeep & Maintenance; I normally wash my hair every two to three days & each time I wash my hair I mix & match between products, for instance one day I'll use the Redken Extreme shampoo & conditioner, the next time I'll use Pro-Voke Touch of silver weekly brightening shampoo/conditioner which really does brighten & can leave you with a slight lavender tint so be wary of the length you leave it on! I do also use a hair mask by Herbal Essences which is from the Bee Strong range, which is excellent & smells great!  I do also ALWAYS use a heat protector, I'm enjoying one by Tresemme from the Care & Protect range. Also after blow drying I always make sure I smooth in some Moroccan Oil which leaves my hair silky soft, shinny & strong, the one from L'oreal is also an excellent choice too & isn't as expensive but I would say the Moroccan Oil does last a long time. & there you have it! This is my guide to how I dye & maintain my hair, I can't promise that everything mentioned will work as well for you as it does for me, but honestly don't be afraid to experiment & chop & change things, some products work brilliantly together & some not so much, but you will find ones that work for you!