My hair has never been my "thing." At best, it's been a nondescript cranial ornament, neither framing my large head nor taking on any sort of interesting, aesthetically pleasing form. Some say my blue eyes are my signature, or the strange set of beauty marks across my left cheek–I spin it as my one commonality with Cindy Crawford–but I've always longed to be one of those guys with a famously good head of hair. You know the ones: Brad Pitt (the Juliette Lewis years), Hugh Grant (Four Weddings and a Funeral), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Zac Efron (High School Musicals 1-3), Justin Bieber (any era, really). What these gentlemen have in common is not just their enviable hair, but an inherent power to positively influence people's opinion of them with a hereditary feature.
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It's for this reason that I panicked when I first noticed my hair thinning after moving to New York City two years ago. Always uncontrollably curly and thick growing up, it lost any texture and liveliness it once had. I did everything I could to hide the signs of loss: elaborate styling tricks, tons of hairspray, thickening conditioner that left behind a film of greasy wax for weeks. I went so far as to schedule a consultation with a hair regrowth specialist, which I cancelled out of crippling denial. I hoped maybe it was a temporary aging side effect and it would grow back, or that if I changed my diet and exercise routine I could eradicate any damages rendered. But even as I altered my lifestyle, the loss not only persisted, it accelerated.
THE INSPIRATIONRecently, I'd come to begrudgingly accept my fate to eventually sport a shiny bald head like my father and grandfather before me. I considered shaving my hair off completely when my boss and mentor, ELLE Fashion News Director Anne Slowey, suggested I make a statement with my look for New York Fashion Week. Someone who delights in the dramatic and unexpected–and having one of the keenest eyes for predicting trends–she suggested I bleach my hair platinum blonde.
Little did she know at the time that my current Insta-famous obsession was one Lucky Blue Smith, aka the current king of the white-blonde coif, and that I'd maintained a longstanding fascination with Marilyn Monroe since first watching How to Marry a Millionaire at the age of 14. But it's something I'd never considered for myself; before, I hadn't the confidence in my hair to experiment (though I'm not ashamed to admit I attempted to replicate Efron's luscious, very on-trend 17 Again mop for my senior prom by getting what can be best described as a male blowout). At this point, I was emotionally detached from any negative outcome such a drastic process would yield. Whether platinum would end up working for me or burning my hair to a crisp, I was ready.
When it comes to going blonde in New York City, there's only one name you need to know: Aura. Yes, the mega-colorist from Sally Hershberger's downtown Salon has reached mononym status. Her client list includes Elizabeth Olsen, Zoe Kazan (whose hair she imparted her magic touch to for this year's Emmys), singer Sky Ferreira, Into The Gloss/Glossier's Emily Weiss, and models Soo Joo Park and Aline Weber (if you have any further doubts, I direct you to her insane Instagram: @auracolorist).
I met Aura the week before NYFW with a flurry of questions: Is my hair strong enough? Will the bleach burn? What's the upkeep like? She explained to me that the process would actually cause my hair to gain some (much needed) texture and fullness, since the peroxide causes the hair follicle to expand. Though she added that if I want to sustain the look I'd need to take special care of it, which means applying purple hair masks to maintain the silver tone and serums to promote follicle strength in addition to regular shampooing and conditioning. Last, she told me to space my hair washes out by at least three days as the natural oils are good for the color.
After my consultation, I imagined all scenarios: My scalp would spontaneously start bleeding; I'd end up looking like Betty White circa Golden Girls (alright, that outcome would actually be welcome). But ultimately, I had to put my apprehensions aside and prepare for my Lucky Blue Smith moment.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAs Aura started the first of three steps to turn me blonde, she explained that she would apply a special formula called Olaplex, made to strengthen hair at the follicle so it doesn't break when the peroxide works its magic. I felt instantly at ease. She knew the density (or lack thereof) of my hair was a point of concern. She got me. For the next four hours I sat back and Snapchatted let Aura do what she does best. No, my scalp didn't burn–actually, it felt strangely soothed.
Once my hair was rinsed and dried, I couldn't help but stare deeply into every mirror I passed in the salon, examining every angle of my new visage. Aura gave me a few pro tips on prolonging my new color: avoid any hair product with a contrasting color profile (meaning anything that isn't white, clear, or purple, which are the colors that promote silver hair tones); if you know you're going to be in the sun for an extended period, apply the purple hair mask before and afterward; and avoid overexposure to salt water and chlorine (though Kylie made a strong case for the pastel green mane). She recommended Plarmia's Hair Serum shampoo and conditioner, Davines' Alchemic Conditioner Silver, to maintain the platinum color, and a small vial of the aforementioned Olaplex, all of which I bought (because who am I to go against the expert?). Finally, Aura warned me not to shower for at least two days and maintain that cycle to maximize the color, and that when I do shower, to wash with lu kewarm water.
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Source: I Found Out The Real Reason Why Blondes Have More Fun
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