Honey Blondes: 3 Things To Know When Lifting

Blonding Education: How to Lift for Warm Blondes

Warmth—aka THE hair color trend of 2023—is taking over client inspo pages, must-know celebrity trends and stylists’ appointment requests. We’ve been covering everything you need to know about this year’s hottest hue, from sharing our fave looks to must-know formulas. So, we tapped BTC Team Member Eric Coyle (@ericmichaelhair) to talk about the (most important part) LIFT. 

He’s sharing three tips to know when lifting for warm blondes and honestly, our minds are blown. Keep scrolling for saturation strategies, how to make blonde toners last longer and why you should embrace warmth in the transition area—yes we said it. 

Want to learn Eric’s signature lived-in technique? Become a BTC-U Member to get unlimited access to his class!

#1: Lift to the OUTSIDE of a banana

Lifting to a pale yellow (or inside a banana peel) is the tried-and-true hue for blondes, but honey blondes require a bit more warmth when toning. That’s why Eric turns his banana peel comparison inside out and looks for a lift similar to the outside of the peel.

“Your lift is everything with blondes,” explains Eric. “You don’t want to lift to a Level 10, because you want some pigment for the tone to adhere to. So leaving warmth is super important,” he adds. 

Related: Formulating Toners for Honey Blondes

#2: Spot Uneven Saturation With a Fine-Tooth Comb 

Clumped lightener or a messy application can lead to uneven lift—which results in tones that are spotty. That’s why Eric combs through the hair after his initial application with a fine-toothed comb. 

“This [extra step] gives me a good visual of saturation,” explains Eric. “After I comb through, I am able to see those darker pieces, and I know where I need to work my product in a little bit more to achieve a nice clean, even lift.” 

#3: Don’t Be Afraid of Warmth in the Transition Area

This is your sign to not panic if lightener gets on the teased area. ”Warmth in the transition isn’t a bad thing to me,” Eric explains. “This is where formulation comes into play, having warmth in the root area means there is pigment left in the hair. So when I apply my root melt, my color has better coverage.”

Scroll for the gorgeous before & after!

Tap the beaker for Eric’s full formula breakdown! 

• Formula A (highlights)

  Schwarzkopf Professional Blondme 9+ + 20-volume Blondme developer

• Formula B (tip out lightener)

  Schwarzkopf Professional Blondme 9+ + 30-volume Blondme developer 

• Formula C (gloss mids-ends)

  Redken Shades EQ Equal Parts 9Gro + 9NB + 1/4 9GI  + Shades EQ Processing Solution

• Formula D (root melt)

  Shades EQ Equal Parts 6N + 4NB Shades EQ Processing Solution