White Blonde Hair: 8 Things I Wish I Knew Before Bleaching

Thankfully I wasn’t, and it was a totally normal part of the process. It’s not agony, but I would recommend leaving the turtleneck at home as it can get a little toasty. On the plus side, it does elevate the cool hair rinse and head massage to whole new heights of deliciousness.

5. It’s seriously high maintenance

And I don’t just mean in the salon. Before your appointment, it’s a good idea to pretreat your hair with heaps of protective oils as, unsurprisingly, bleach can take its toll.

Post-appointment, your hair will have been stripped of a lot of its goodness (pigment, protein, and oils) and might feel weak and damaged—especially if you have a very fine texture or light blonde tones. You can add moisture and nourishment with intense conditioning treatments like Redken Extreme MegaMask or Ultimate Remedy Reset by Shu Uemura Art of Hair.

And if you start to see any tinges of yellow [shudder], run out and find a bottle of silver shampoo such as Pro:voke’s Touch of Silver or Bleach London’s Silver Shampoo and Conditioner. If you have the color to the root, you’ll also likely need a touch-up every six to eight weeks.

6. You can’t quickly reverse it. 

You need to be patient. You could go cold turkey and grow it out, but if your natural hair is any darker than a regular blonde, the root line will likely be too dramatic. The best way would be to gradually dye it deeper shades and then let your natural root grow through. Either way, it will take time.

7. It can be expensive. 

Even without the upkeep and maintenance, the initial appointment is an investment. For example, at Larry King, the cost starts around $350. I seriously would advise, however, not doing it on the cheap. The only thing scarier than dyeing your hair bright white is doing it somewhere that doesn’t take appropriate care.

8. You won’t regret it.

Regardless of my initial panic post-bleach, I feel like this was the hair I was born to have. (I was, in fact, born with it, before it faded at age 11, [sob]). If you’ve thought about taking the plunge for longer than a fleeting moment, then there’s no better time than now to channel your inner Xtina.

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This story originally appeared on Glamour UK.