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Just about every single celebrity has hopped on the platinum blonde hair trend, from Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé to Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift. Much like its sister shades of white and ash blonde, this icy hue is well-loved for its glam vibes and versatility, as it transforms a person's look with something just as simple as a highlight or ombré effect. But as those who have taken the platinum plunge know, this hair color is not the easiest to maintain.
It's true—the process of going platinum can take time, with multiple visits to the salon and diligent upkeep. Plus, picking up additional products—think purple shampoos, keratin treatments, and hair oils—to prevent damage and care for your new color is a must. To help your platinum 'do last longer, we tapped expert colorists to give us their top eight maintenance tips, as well as product recommendations.
Keep reading for more crucial information on achieving and maintaining platinum blonde hair.
Meet the Expert
- Madison Garrett is a colorist at NYC’s Spoke & Weal salon.
- Richy Kandasamy is a colorist and member of the R+Co Collective.
- Christine Thompson is the color director at Spoke & Weal.
- Tabitha Dueñas is a celebrity colorist at Nine Zero One Salon which caters to blondes such as Julianne Hough and Emma Roberts.
Platinum Blonde
Choosing a Shade: You'll want to consult a colorist to help choose your shade. While skin tone might be a determining factor, hair health will be the most important driver of what shade you ultimately land on. That's because going platinum requires stripping the hair of color (go too light, too fast, and you could risk seriously damaging the health of your hair).
Maintenance Level: Platinum hair is high-maintenance and requires touch-ups every four to six weeks (with a professional, to ensure your hair stays healthy and doesn't get damaged from all the bleaching).
Goes Great With: Platinum hair goes great with more subdued, minimal makeup looks—or you can go bold with silvery and gold tones.
Similar Shades: Bright blonde highlights offer a less impactful (and, in most cases, less maintenance-heavy) alternative to platinum.
Price: The price of going platinum will depend largely on your natural hair color and how much effort is required to get your color stripped out. That means you can expect to spend as much as $600 to get your hair into white-blonde territory. Upkeep, of course, will be additional.
Consult Your Colorist Often
Once you’re platinum, you’ll need to go back to the salon every four to six weeks to touch up your roots, depending on how fast your hair grows. "A professional hairstylist can assess the situation and give you the best advice and treatment needed," says colorist Richy Kandasamy.
Watch for Signs of Banding
Frequent visits to the salon aren't just for aesthetic reasons—it’s also to help avoid banding. “Your scalp generally produces heat at half an inch (each person varies), and if you go past that, it causes the hair to lift unevenly, which creates a band,” explains colorist Madison Garrett. “To fix the banding, you have to overlap already lightened hair, which can lead to damage and breaking.”
Budget Accordingly
Your initial platinum appointment will often come with a hefty price tag since it’s so time-consuming. “If a client has previously colored their hair or had any type of chemical service, going platinum will take time and can add up in cost,” says Garrett. “This is all something that should be discussed with your colorist during the consultation.” But it’s not just the first appointment that can give you sticker shock—you’ll need to factor in your monthly root touch-ups, too, which can range from upwards of $100 each time, not including tip or any additional costs your salon might charge you for (like the post-touchup blowout). That can equate to thousands of dollars each year, so it’s definitely not a decision to take lightly.
Alternate Products
Christine Thompson, the color director at Spoke & Weal, explains that your hair needs moisture and protein, so it’s all about finding the right balance. Overdoing it on moisturizing products can make your hair feel stringy and heavy. If you overdo it on protein, your hair can actually harden and break off—this is especially possible when your hair is platinum. Thompson recommends alternating moisturizing products with protein treatments a couple of days a week to strike a perfect balance.
Don't Try This at Home
"Unlike hair dyes, hair bleaching is a more permanent process, so the person doing it should really have some professional knowledge about hair and product usage," says Kandasamy. "As a stylist or colorist, you have to go to school to train, because you have to learn what to do if something goes wrong. At home, there is definitely room for error."
Invest in Protective Products
Protecting your hair between color sessions is all about choosing the proper products. “Use the right products recommended by your colorist...and use products made for keeping moisture and protein in the hair,” Garrett says.
Celebrity colorist Tabitha Dueñas previously told Byrdie to ask your stylist to use Olaplex during the color process, with No. 1 and No. 2 done in-salon, as it helps rebuild and reverse damage and breakage as your hair sits. To maintain your results for even longer, use No. 3 Hair Perfector at home.
Style With Care
Garrett says that "tight ponytails" and "putting your hair up when it's wet," should be avoided as this can not only cause breakage around the hairline but can also weaken the section of the hair that is secured with the tie. If you do opt for an updo, be sure to use gentler hair ties made of soft fabrics like silk or satin.
Sleep With a Silk Pillowcase
Using silk pillowcases wins out over cotton cases as it lets hair slip and slide instead of stretching, pulling, and breaking. You'll notice significantly fewer split ends and breakage over time, which is very important when your hair is already fragile from color treatment.
