MAINTAINING SILVER TONED HAIR

I’m a real lover of ash toned, silvery blonde hair, and as a result I’m forever on the quest for the perfect routine for combating those brassy tones. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I live for the honey blonde, and leave my hair to go a little warmer… But then I’ll wake up one morning and realise I’ve got a Barbie style barnet that really needs toning down.

Even though my hair isn’t an all over silver, it does have a lot of those ashy tones in it, especially on the lengths. I get asked quite a bit how I get my hair this colour, and a lot of it has come through trialling and testing products for cancelling out any brassiness. These are the ones I’ve really come to love for maintaining that silvery blonde. 

Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Brightening Shampoo

I find on my hair this one has more subtle results – I can use this one every other day without ending up too ‘bluuuuedabadeee’. I reckon if you’re an all over, bleach blonde then this one would work just fine, but I don’t think it picks up quite so well on me, with my hair having lots of darker blonde in it too. Having said that, I do think it’s a good, cheaper option, one I can use inbetween the stronger products. If it’s a budget, day-to-day shampoo you’re after then this one is worth a try. 

Bleach London Silver Shampoo

I’ve had a couple of bottles of this one and I do really like it. To me, it’s not quite as strong as the Lee Stafford one, but still gives a noticeable result when left on for a while. If anything, I think this one is bluer toned (Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes feel more purple-y to me), leaving more of the grey/silver look to the lightest blonde bits. If you’re after a real grey-ish blonde then this one works a treat. 

Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Range

If I had to pick one silver blonde product, I know it’d be from the Lee Stafford range. Most likely, the Bleach Blondes Shampoo – one I’ve used on and off for years. I usually end up leaving it on for way longer than advised, but even after a quick wash I can see a difference. I think recently they’ve altered the formulation - originally it did leave your hands very purple & corpse like. Now it doesn’t stain quite so much and has a thicker consistency, meaning it doesn’t dribble everywhere. One of the biggest things is really covering all the hair with it – I try to apply it more like conditioner, so I can comb it through and make sure it’s evenly dispersed. This one is the strongest purple shampoo I’ve used, so occasionally I do end up with the odd violet toned streak, but it does wash out quickly. I think you’re best trying it a few times as you work out the best length of time to leave it on.

The Hot Shots I usually buy when there’s a 3 for 2 offer on, as with using the shampoo I don’t tend to need them that often, and the spray is nice to spritz through my lengths, brightening them up.

Bleach London Silver Shampoo

I’ve had a couple of bottles of this one and I do really like it. To me, it’s not quite as strong as the Lee Stafford one, but still gives a noticeable result when left on for a while. If anything, I think this one is bluer toned (Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes feel more purple-y to me), leaving more of the grey/silver look to the lightest blonde bits. If you’re after a real grey-ish blonde then this one works a treat. 

Aaaand that’s a whole load of purple shampoo! I just find it’s easiest to work with, especially for the daily maintenance. With any product like this, I can find that they’re slightly drying, so I would say it’s worth getting a good quality hair mask. My personal favourite is the Molton Brown Mer Rouge Mask, one you can slather on and leave for a while to be soaked up.

A last suggestion would be just asking your hairdresser for some help in the toning department. As good as all these products are, a hairdresser can apply everything way more evenly than I can manage in the shower. I am planning to go more over to the silver side on my next hairdressers trip, so I’ll keep you updated on that one!

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