Blonde on a Budget

Did you know that only 2% of the world’s population is naturally blonde?  This is why blonde hair is considered a hair color minority.  For me, I love my blonde hair.  I was born blonde and I couldn’t imagine myself any other way.  Being blonde is a part of who I am.

When it comes to keeping up that light blonde look, it’s not always cheap.  I try to keep my hair as natural as possible, but I also like to lighten up the color with some highlights every so often.

I recently found a salon in Nevada and decided to finally spend the money and lighten up my hair for summer.  As I was paying, the stylist asked if I wanted to schedule my next appointment.  I told her no thank you,  I usually go a long time in between highlights.  She then said, “not a problem, we can put you down for 8 or 10 weeks out”.  That’s when I had to confess to her that when I say a long time, I mean 6 months, or whenever I can’t stand my hair anymore, whatever comes first.  The truth is a trip to the salon cost me around $140, and even though I know a lot of people spend more than that, it’s still a lot for me to fork out.  When you’re trying to save and be conservative with your money, a trip to the salon every other month can’t always be a top priority.  Even if I do feel that it’s well worth the money.  When it comes to my hair, it’s best to leave it up to a professional. 

So how do I keep up my blonde look without making frequent visits to the salon?  Here are a few tricks I’ve discovered over the years.  

I love living in the 5th sunniest city in the United States.  It has definitely helped me keep my hair lighter.  Back in Michigan, I would typically get my hair done in the spring and then I wouldn’t get my highlights done again until the late fall.  The summer sun always helped keep my hair stay nice and bright.  

Lemon juice is a natural and easy way to help the blonde shine through.  I’m a big fan of spraying some lemon juice in my hair before a walk or sitting by the pool.  If you’re lacking sunlight, you can always use the heat from a blow dryer with the lemon juice to help naturally lighten up your hair. 

Curling your hair 

When my highlights are growing out a lot, this is when I start curling my hair every day.  For some reason, I feel like curls and waves help hide your roots, where straightening seems to showcase your roots.  I like to use my straightener to make some waves in my typically straight hair. 

Thankfully the ombre look is in right now.  People pay to make their roots show, so why not show off those roots for free and embrace that natural color?

Keep it natural 

When your lightening your hair, it’s best to not make any drastic changes. Use you natural color as a base and lighten up from there.

Make a highlighting schedule
Save your salon visits the right time. Since I go so long in between my highlights, I like to set up a schedule, so that my hair looks best at certain times of the year.  I like to lighted up my hair in the early summer, so I’m all ready for summer weddings and vacations, then I get it done again in the late fall, so I’m all ready for the holidays.