It costs to be blonde; no, it does, not just in the upkeep but in how you treat your hair after the colour. So before investing, ensure the colour you choose is gentle and effective. Our style director, Louise Hilsz, gets the magic BLONDME wand from Schwarzkopf Professional's Artistic Team Member and Brand Ambassador for colour for Schwarzkopf Professional New Zealand, Jennifer Morgan, at her Takapuna salaon Morgan and Morgan in Auckland. Read on to see more.

As far as summer colour trends go, blonde rules. From icy to buttery, Hilsz is forever on an endless pursuit to achieve the perfect blonde, and for her, one hair company has delivered. Schwarzkopf Professional's BLONDME range specialises in lighting, toning and colour care for any shade of blonde. Traditionally, summer is a time to lighten your hair, and this season, there has been a surge of blonde wannabes, perhaps courtesy of Margot Robbie as Barbie. However today your blonde does not need to be all one colour. What better way to welcome warmer weather than with a great blonde base and a pastel toner? From peach to violet with lilac flashes, here’s our style director BLONDME journey.

Schwarzkopf professional BLONDME PRECISION LIGHTENER.

Ideal for full head (scalp) applications, highlights, balayage, and ombre, the new Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME Precision Lightener. is the next-generation powder lightener. Perfect for Hilsz's regrowth, says Morgan. “It offers up to seven levels of lightening, but most importantly, it doesn't swell or shift like other bleaches, so the integrity of the hair is not compromised during the colour service.” Morgan says, “Anyone who bleaches their hair will know it can be damaging. However, this powder lightener also contains ‘anti-metal bond protection technology’, which forms a protective layer to strengthen and safeguard those hair bonds, reducing the risk of breakage or damage.” Finally, the result is pure without that brassy look that can happen with some blonde colours. “The worst thing that can happen with a lightening colour service is if the lightener is taken off too soon; this is when the colour result is still yellow. However, this Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME Precision Lightener. is white and stays white while it processes, so I can see the natural hair colour lightening and know when it's ready to be washed off." Once processed for 30 minutes, the Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME Precision Lightener is rinsed off using cool water and dried before the next step, Schwarzkopf Professional BlondMe Pastel Toning.

Schwarzkopf professional BLONDME Pastel Toning Creme

Most blondes will be familiar with toners. These are generally the final steps (applied at the basin) in a blonde service to cool the yellow reflects or add warmth to the final colour result. Morgan likes to test her colour combinations on real hair swatches. “This way, the result is exact. It’s a visual reminder of the finished look and a great way to meet the client's expectations.” While our colourful style director gave Morgan free rein on her colour choice, the combination was a blend of three pretty pastels. This magical trio is inspired by the new season’s Schwarzkop Professional Essential Looks Collection. “Designed for blonde hair, nine creative mixes within the Schwarzkopf BLONDME Pastel Toning Creme range are best on blonde to platinum hair shades. Morgan creates a personalised colour service for every blonde she creates, whether it be cooling, brightening a blonde colour, or creating a forward fashion look. For Hilsz, Morgan chose a blend of Strawberry and Peach Sorbet with Brown Mahogany, a cool pastel combination that helps to complement Hilsz's skin tone. Then, the finishing touch adds texture and interest; Morgan applies flashes of subtle lilac through the top section. This step in the colour process is applied to dry hair, which takes 20 minutes. This range of toning cremes is low commitment and will wash out over time. So, how long do they last? Morgan says, "This depends on the condition, texture and how you treat your hair, including how often you wash it. It can last six shampoos or months. Once it's faded or you want a change, you can return to the salon instead of overwashing your hair, and we will apply vitamin C treatment to remove the faded toner from the hair gently."

The take home

Hilsz was thrilled with the result, “I love colour, and let Jennifer select the mix of toners to work best with my skin tone and personality. "I have to say, I loved the blonde from the Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME Precision Lightener. It was such a gorgeous platinum blonde, and I am sold on that. The Pastel Toning range is fun, and seeing the combination mixed to suit me is a great way to change up your blonde to suit my mood and fashion look,” says Hilsz.