Stylist Shauna Jean

When you’re leaving for college, your hair should be one less thing to worry about. 🎓

We softened her blonde, added warmth, and created a lived-in finish that will age beautifully over the next few months.

A customized color is about more than today’s appointment! It’s about making sure your hair still looks amazing long after you leave the salon.

K18 Hair Color Wow Redken

Not every blonde transformation happens in one visit… and that’s a good thing.

After going from blonde to a level 5, we’re now working our way back. This is session 2, and every appointment is intentionally planned to keep her hair healthy while getting her lighter.

Blonde is a journey, not a race. Trust the process.

🫶

Color Wow K18 Hair Redken

The little details are what make the biggest difference.

A softer root, the right placement, and dimension in all the right spots. 🤍☺️

K18 Hair Color Wow Redken

She wanted to feel bright and blonde but not so blonde that it washed out her beautiful olive skin tone. 🤎

We also talked about why repeatedly doing partial highlights can eventually leave too much darkness underneath while adding more and more blonde through the top causing you to lose the dimension that makes the color look natural.

So instead of just adding more blonde, we focused on creating brightness in the right places, balancing the underneath, and keeping enough depth to complement her skin tone!

K18 Hair Color Wow Redken

The process may look a little suspicious at first… but trust it 😂

Same color. Two completely different finishes.

Waves separate the ribbons of blonde and make the dimension pop, while a smoother style creates a softer, more blended look.

Sometimes it isn’t the color that looks different—it’s all in how you style it.

K18 Hair Color Wow Redken

Not blonde. Not brunette. The perfect lived-in bronde. 🤎

We kept enough depth to make the lighter pieces pop, added softness through the blend, and created a tone that feels dimensional without looking overly bright.

The result is rich, seamless, and made for a softer grow-out.

She wanted to feel blonde, but she also wanted it to look natural… and the inspiration photo was definitely giving more blonde than natural 😂

That’s exactly why the consultation matters.

We talked through what she loved about the photo, what would actually feel wearable for her, and created a happy middle: bright, dimensional blonde that still feels soft and believable.

The goal isn’t to copy a picture exactly! It’s to create a version that works for you, your hair, and the maintenance you’re comfortable with. 🤍

Done, not overdone.

Redken Color Wow K18 Hair

This is what happens when the blend is the priority—not just the blonde.

We softened the grow-out, brought brightness back through the mids and ends, and created a finish that looks polished from every angle.

Bright, dimensional, and seamless 🤍

K18 Hair Color Wow Redken

Lived-in blonde may be trending—but trends aren’t the goal. Loving your hair is.

Some clients want a soft root and an effortless grow-out. Others want to feel as blonde as possible, right up to the root and that’s okay!

This look is brighter, bolder, and higher maintenance, but it’s exactly what she loves. Because your hair should fit you, not just what’s currently trending.

Redken Color Wow K18 Hair K18 PRO Stylist Community