3 Curly Blonding Mistakes That Can Cost You Curl Integrity
When blonding curly hair, texture plays a major role in how brightness, dimension and lift appear throughout the hair. That’s why many curl specialists adjust everything from developer strength to foil placement to create their desired result.
We took three of BTC’s most-viewed curly blonde transformations to identify the techniques and decision-making strategies behind their success. Here’s what these curly specialists did differently—and the common blonding mistakes their work helps avoid.
Mistake #1: Forgetting That Curls Can Hide Brightness
Because texture can visually compress color placement, blonding techniques that work on straight hair may not create the same level of visible brightness on curls. That’s why curly hair specialist and educator Savannah Hicks (@thesavvytouch) customized both her developer strength and foil placement for this soft blonde transformation.
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“With curls, heavier weaves are key,” Savannah shares. “You have to account for the texture. If the curls are tighter, they’ll ‘eat’ the brightness unless your placement is bolder.”
She used a combination of strategic placement and section-specific developer strengths to ensure the blonde remained visible throughout the curl pattern. Tap the beaker to see her formulas:
Mistake #2: Overlapping Previously Lightened Hair
Treating previously lightened curls the same as virgin regrowth can lead to unnecessary processing. For this Butter Cake Blonde transformation, Savannah used separate lightening formulas on the regrowth and previously lightened ends to achieve a bright blonde result while protecting more vulnerable areas of the hair.
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Tap the beaker to see her formulas:
Savannah emphasizes setting clients up with a maintenance plan that supports the hair after the lightening service. “I require my clients to use bonding products such as Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo and Conditioner paired with Biolage Bond Therapy Conditioning Foam for the first month to bring strength back,” Savannah shares. “Then, I bring in moisturizing products such as the All Soft haircare line from Redken.”
This is your reminder that educating clients about at-home care is essential: “I highly suggest making sure your client is ready at home with their products and knowledge. Being curly and blonde is a double whammy, so I like to make sure they can take care of this intense process,” Savannah explains.
Mistake #3: Chasing Lift Instead Of Monitoring It
Achieving a clean Level 10 isn’t always about reaching for a stronger developer. In many cases, careful processing and strategic application have a greater impact on the final result.
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Move the slider to see the transformation:
This pearl platinum look by Ulta Beauty Pro Team Member and celebrity stylist Sean Godard (@seangodard) showcases just how reflective a high-lift blonde can be without sacrificing curl integrity. Using Redken Blonde IQ Lightener 9+ and a zoned Redken Shades EQ™ gloss, Sean achieved clean lift, luminous reflect and a sheer pearl finish while keeping the curl pattern intact.
Using ultra-thin slices and a platinum card technique, Sean focused on precision throughout the service rather than simply pushing for more lift.
Pro Tip: Sean writes the time each section is completed directly onto the foil to track processing and maintain consistency throughout the head.
Tap the beaker to see his formulas:
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