Dan's Papers - October 6, 2006 - Skin Deep with Samantha Altea

I've been a blonde my whole life and had to deal with all the jokes that go along with THAT color hair. So when asked if blondes have more fun, I couldn't honestly say, having never been on the other side.

About six years ago, when I turned thirty, my hair took on a slightly darker hue, so, just for fun, I tried highlights. For the first year or so I would highlight once a year, usually in the summertime, and I didn't even notice when the color grew out. However, over the last three or four years, my highlighting has been more necessary and far more frequent; in fact, I'm up to every two to three months and my roots are getting darker and more noticeable by the month. Talk about maintenance. What a pain!

Thinking of the recent trend of well-known blondes who went dark (think Reese, Gwyneth, and Nicole) and feeling like a change, not to mention being sick and tired of the maintenance involved in highlighting, I decided to follow suit. I wanted to see what it was like on the darker side of life.

If you're also thinking of radically changing your hair color there are many things you should know, so in telling my own story, I've included tips to bear in mind.

First, make sure that you're really ready for a big change before doing anything drastic. I found one of the premium hairdressers in NYC, Antonio Prieto, hailed by Vogue as one of THE salons for everything hair related. I needed a place I could trust, having waist-length blonde hair, and so, trembling, I walked in the door. Prieto's salon is very chic, but the staff is friendly and warm so I immediately felt at ease. It's important to make sure you not only pick a place that's highly regarded and recommended, but also a place where you feel comfortable with when taking such a big step.

I had a consultation with Whitney Lewis, Prieto's color director, and we came up with a plan. Always have a plan especially if you are coloring over the long term.

Because my hair IS so long and I didn't want to cut six inches, Lewis suggested that I go darker over a series of appointments and that patience, especially working with hair that's at least five years old, is the best policy. This ensures your hair keeps healthy.

I decided that because of the length of my hair, going all over dark, all at once, was a mistake. I still wanted a little highlighted tonality. If you're brave enough to go dark in one sitting, with a single process, your hair will take several layers of the dark color, and it will stick (stay) better, as opposed to highlighting with just one layer of a shade, which is what I ultimately chose to do. While my technique might not hold the color as well and while my first instinct was to go dark and fast, such a change, especially on thicker, or long hair, when the over all impression is much greater, is very radical. I opted to be patient and do it slowly.

It's imperative to get a great cut leaving healthy hair to work on. Check. Then Lewis' plan was to add four colors, dark blonde, caramel and one much darker lowlight, as well as the color that I normally get. This way I would go darker, slowly and more naturally.

While painting my colors, Lewis told me that I should wash hair as little as possible after color and use moisturized shampoo, salon quality, something like Kerastase, not Pantene, my favorite that smells so great. But apparently that smell is alcohol, so when I'm lathering like a fiend, the shampoo is stripping my hair and color. Blonde hair is more porous, meaning that while it takes color, that same color can also wash out and fade quickly and easily, giving an unattractive brassy look. So be aware of that.

It was the moment of truth. I waited with bated breath as I dried. What color would it turn out to be and would I ever get the answer to that question......Do blondes really do have more fun?

I couldn't believe how going just a shade or two darker made such a difference. My hair looked more natural and healthy, plus I felt more sophisticated. I still want to go a little darker, taking me almost to my now natural dark blonde tone. But I guess I'm going to have to be patient. Until then, I'll practice with my new look. I've changed subtle things like make up and nail color, which is great fun. I spoke with Joanna Czech, Owner of SAVA Spa, NYC, who says that, "Nail trends are really falling into blacks and whites. Other colors that are going to be very strong (this year) include deep reds and purples that look almost black. We will be painting these colors on short nails and toes. These colors are very pronounced and agree with all skin tones. They also work well for anyone changing their hair color to a darker shade for the upcoming season."