Strawberry Blonde Hair | My Epic Journey

Like Game of Thrones?  Well here’s another epic life adventure story for you.  Strawberry Blonde Hair:  My Epic Journey From Too Blonde to Too Red and Everywhere In Between.

Anyone who has tried to color their hair strawberry blonde probably knows what I’m talking about.  I’ve been too blonde, too red, way too red, too brassy.  Then there have been times where I’ve used the same exact color and gotten a totally different result.   Doing your color on your own can be frustrating, so I want to show what I’ve used and the results I’ve gotten, to hopefully help you skip some of that frustration.

Make sure you check out my latest Strawberry Blonde post, for my current (and all-time favorite) formula.

 

 

ABOUT MY HAIR

My hair is past my shoulder blades.  I usually require two boxes to saturate my hair.  Also, my hair is about 90% grey.  Yikes.  I know!  (Now you have ALL my secrets!)  I started to go grey at 20, so color generally comes out a bit lighter on me than if I had no greys.  If you have no or less grey in your hair, your color will probably come out darker or more red than mine.  My hair used to be a light reddish brown, before going grey.

 

 

TO START

If it’s your first time going strawberry blonde and you are either dark brown or platinum blonde, I highly recommend going to a professional colorist, who can color correct the dyed hair.  From there, you can touch up your own roots going forward, but you’ll have a good base.  For golden blondes, this post on transitioning from darker blonde to strawberry blonde hair might be helpful.

TO AVOID BRASSINESS

I used to set the timer for 40 minutes after I’d finished applying the color (30 minutes if you have no greys, 40 if you do), then for the last 10 minutes I’d pull the color through the ends.  It was coming out a bit brassy though.  So now, when I do my own color, I set the timer from the second I start putting the color on my hair and work fast to get the color applied.  Then as soon as the timer goes off at 40 minutes, I’m in the shower rinsing the dye out.

L’Oreal Excellence Reddish Blonde:

This has been my go-to color for years.  It does come out more blonde than red on me.  The red starts to really fade about 3 weeks in, depending on how much you wash your hair and what shampoo/conditioner you use.

L’Oreal Excellence Red Penny:

I decided that I wanted my hair to have a little more red in it, so I tried Red Penny.  This shade came out just too red for me.  It wasn’t as natural looking as the Reddish Blonde shade.

So…one day I decided to combine the two shades to see what result I would get.

L’Oreal Excellence Reddish Blonde mixed with Red Penny:

I loved it!  It was a really pretty shade of strawberry blonde with just the right amount of red to blonde ratio for me.  I combined the two boxes in a hair color mixing bowl ($1 from Sally’s Beauty) and a brush (I used one that came in an old kit, but I think they are only a couple dollars).  After really mixing the shades up, I used the brush to paint the color on my roots.  I ran it through the rest of my hair for the last ten minutes.

My favorite result from at home color so far!!

 

I have tried a lot of brands, but L’Oreal Excellence remains my favorite.  It’s affordable and the color range is my favorite.

*Update* Full post on how to get this color at home {HERE}.  Shop L’oreal color {HERE.}

OTHER FORMULAS I’VE TRIED

AGEbeautiful Color from Sally’s Beauty.  I tried the 7RC Dark Strawberry Blonde and was so disappointed with it.  The color came out so, so dark.  More like a light brown than a blonde.  And the color had a metallic sheen to it.  I wouldn’t have totally disliked the color if it had just been too dark, but the metallic finish was too much.  It’s hard to describe, in pictures it looks ok, but when my friends saw it in person they all said “woah, its SO red.”  I tried to lighten it by using the 9RC Light Strawberry Blonde Blonde a few weeks later, but you can’t lighten color with color (which I knew but tried anyway because the HEART WANTS WHAT THE HEART WANTS.)  It’s a shame their reds are so metallic, because the hair dye itself made the condition of my hair feel amazing.  It was really silky after coloring and didn’t feel dried out.

 

PROFESSIONAL COLOR

Wella Color:

I was a hair model for a stylist who used Wella color and I thought their line of color was really impressive.  I don’t know exactly which shades she used, but it was a pretty, soft strawberry blonde.

*Update* I currently use the Wella Color Charm line, full details on my formula in this post.

Aveda Copper:

I was also a hair model for Aveda for a few of their hair shows.  They colored my hair a medium copper.  It looked pretty, but I personally like my hair a little more strawberry blonde than red.

Strawberry Blonde with Highlights:

When I get my color professionally done, I see Jonathan James at Harlot Salon in Los Angeles, CA.  He uses L’Oreal Professional color, not sure what shades, and last time he added some highlights around my face, which I am in love with (they are baby fine highlights, the kid knows what he is doing, SWOON).  He is fantastic and so talented, I am very lucky to have found him.

*Update* I have been doing my hair at home full time with the Wella Color Charm formula from this post.  I do still see Jonathan for my haircuts though because he is truly the best!!

 

 

I hope this post helps, whether you are considering doing your color on your own or just need some color inspiration for the salon.  Let me know if you need any advice or have questions!!

Continue Reading: PART TWO POST!  Updated with more colors & brands that I’ve tried.

 

MAKEUP FOR STRAWBERRY BLONDES

Wondering which makeup shades look best with Strawberry Blonde Hair?  Check out this post for my go-to products and shades.

 

SHOP STRAWBERRY BLONDE COLOR

– L’Oreal Excellence Reddish Blonde and Red Penny

– Wella Color Charm 8RG Titian Blonde and 8G Light Golden Blonde

EXTENSIONS FOR STRAWBERRY BLONDES

Also, after years of not being able to find Strawberry Blonde hair extensions, I came out with my own line!

They are super silky, 100% human hair,  and last twice as long as most clip-in extensions.  Most extensions last about 3 months with normal wear and heat-styling.  Mine last 6 months or more.  The quality is amazing.  And most importantly, the strawberry blonde shades were matched right off my own hair color, so you can find red extensions that match right out of the box!!

The website for them is www.girlgetglamorousHAIR.com.

 

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More Strawberry Blonde Hair Formula Posts:

• Strawberry Blonde Hair – Part 2
• My Current (2018) Formula For Strawberry Blonde Hair
• Why I Created girlgetglamorousHAIR Clip-In Extensions
• Strawberry Blonde Hair For International Readers
• The Best Makeup Shades For Strawberry Blondes
• Step-By-Step Guide for Strawberry Blonde Hair At Home
• My Copper Hair Formula
• My Hair Came Out Too Red – What To Do
• How To Go From Dark Blonde to Strawberry Blonde

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Thank you so much for reading!

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