We all want what we don’t have. Hair envy is real but at the end of the day, we are all created different. Skin tones, hair types and hair texture should not be viewed as negative. You need to embrace what you have and know the limitations in what you can do.

Firstly to clear up the difference between a blonde and a brunette. In hairdressing terms, a level 6 and above is a blonde and level 5 and below is a brunette. A natural blonde colour will look mousey and dull. Slightly ashy and grey. In summer a natural blonde will turn a golden tone. This is your hair’s natural undertone. A brunette colour will look warm and rich. It is shiny and had a density to the colour. In summer a natural brunette will turn a red or orange tone. This is your hair’s natural undertone.

So you are a brunette and you envy those beautiful platinum blonde colours? So let me explain the reasons why a brunette can not get the same look as a blonde.

1. When lightening a brunette, the hair has to travel through many levels to get to a clean blonde.

If you are the lightest level a brunette can be, say a level 5, you need to lift the hair 5 levels to get to a level 10. A level 10 is the lightest we can get hair and allows the hair to be void of any warmth. This is a long process and may take a few sessions to get you there. You may only end up in the yellow section after the first session. See table to the right.

2. Brunettes will always throw off red or orange tones when lightened.

As you can see in the right table, this is the natural undertone of brunette hair. This can’t be changed or avoided as its nature. Bleach lightens hair and removes pigment to get hair lighter. If you have a stronger pigment or resistant hair, the hair won’t lighten as quickly. This means you won’t move up the table as quickly and may only lift to orange.

3. If you want hair to have no warmth, we need to lift your hair to a level 10 where it is void of any warmth.

This is the level of platinum blonde. Any level under this will have some warmth left in it. Even after a toner. This is not a bad thing but if you want a blonde with no warmth then we have to get your hair to platinum level.

4. But will platinum blonde suit your skin tone?

Your brunette hair comes with many extras such as brown eyes and a golden skin tone. If you put a cooler platinum tone on a golden skin tone, it’s like putting grey on yellow. It won’t suit and it will make the warmth in your skin look green. Blue and yellow make green remember.

5. Too light blonde will give your hair the appearance of having grey or white streaks on a brown base. If you choose highlights, they need to have some warmth in them to not look like white stripes. If you are naturally blonde, these white blonde highlights look blended but not so much on a darker brunette hair. Embrace the warmth as it blends better with your natural colour. Sandy, caramel and ash brown all blend well with brunette hair but also have a level of warmth to them

6. Look at celebrities with brunette hair and a golden skin tone for inspiration. Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Rebecca Judd are all brunettes who have embraced the warmth. Any of these celebrities look flat with a cooler hair colour. Go on. Google it. It flattens their skin tone and they lose their glow. And these ladies should know. They are fashion icons who know their style and colourings and how to make the most of them.

Learn to be proud of what your mumma gave you and stop envying others hair colors. Work those colours and wear them with pride. And remember there is a natural blonde who is envying your golden skin tone and shiny brunette hair.