The Ultimate Blonde Hair Tips from Brad Johns

This post was originally published back in 2008, but the advice from Brad Johns is just as good today as it was back then. And yes, he is still the favorite colorist of many socialites in New York and Allure Magazine. I’m also sharing some of the best products (from drugstore to salon price points) to help you maintain your perfect blonde!

My ultimate blonde is Reese Witherspoon. Just looking at her blonde hair makes me regret changing my color from blonde to brown. But, unless you are naturally this blonde (and so few of us are as we get older), staying this blonde is a huge undertaking. I really do not recommend dramatically changing your hair color without the help of a professional. Really, the investment is well worth it!

Lucky for us, we got some great advice for maintaining your blonde hair from Brad Johns, one of the premier colorists in New York City! Brad works long hours maintaining those “Bergdorf Blondes”. Here are his ultimate blonde hair tips.

How should you change your hair care routine for the summer months?

In the summer months, there are always more environmental stresses on the hair, such as salt water, sun, chlorine and salt, which add dryness and cause extra color fading. To prevent all of this, I always suggest using shampoo and conditioning treatment that contain UV protectors. Similarly to how you would care for your face/skin, you should take the time to treat your hair the same. In the winter, you should use more moisturizing products. I suggest changing your hair care routine every season, as hair tends to get used to your products and they are not as effective.

What summer elements fade hair color and why?

Chlorine is the absolute worst. Chemicals will harm all colors. It turns blondes green and brunettes orange. Sun and salt water are known to fade color, but usually fade it in a natural way. It sometimes looks good and sunkissed, as long as you’re not in a corrective color mode or have had color problems over the winter.

What is the best way to prevent fading and/or preserve color?

The best way is to wear a hat or a headband. Avoid oil-based hair products, as they attract the sun and magnify the color fading. Hair gels, waxes and crèmes protect the hair like an umbrella.

Why does blond hair tend to turn green or orange? How can this be prevented?

Any time that there are chemicals around the color, the hair strand is going to change. If it turns green, it means that you’ve exposed your hair to harsh water, chemicals, etc. A good way to understand this is by comparing hair strands to metal, where if brass is exposed to chemicals it will turn green. This happens when the chemicals attack. Orange happens when the sun fades the color molecules and takes out the brownish color, leaving you with an unflattering bronzy/orange color.

How should you correct your hair color problems if it has turned orange or green? Is the only recourse to run to your colorist?

Anything UV can be preventative. Also, another thing you can do to prevent color from turning green is as soon as you get out of the pool, pour club soda all over the hair. This will help take out the chlorine chemical that causes discoloration. But, when your hair gets to the point of severe orange/green you have to go in to see a specialist.