It is one of the most common things we are asked, and the honest answer is rarely the one people want on the first visit.
Why box dye is difficult
Home colour is formulated to work on every hair type without a stylist, so it deposits more pigment than a salon colour would and it builds up with each application. The result is a band of dense colour that lifts unevenly, often several shades warmer than expected.
Lightener has to work through that build-up before it touches your natural colour. On previously boxed hair that means more processing, and more processing means more stress on the hair.
What a realistic plan looks like
At consultation we look at your natural level, how many applications of box colour are on the hair, and its condition. Your chosen colourist will assess your hair and explain how many appointments may be needed.
Why we stage it
Hair has a limit. Push past it in one sitting and you get breakage, and breakage does not grow back on your timetable. Staging the lift keeps the hair intact and gives us something to work with next time.
What we do in between
Every lightening service here includes a bond builder. Between appointments we will recommend a treatment routine, and we would rather you followed it than bought something expensive that does not suit your hair.
Arrange a consultation first
Arrange a consultation with your chosen professional. You leave with a plan, a price and a realistic idea of what is involved.