I'm sharing #MyOliaStory as part of a Garnier sponsored series for Socialstars™

Taking your hair color from dark to light is a not something that can be done in a day. Well, at least not when you are doing it on your own at home. You want to be really careful with dyeing your hair so as not to over-process it and cause any damage. When done correctly, you can end up with gorgeous hair at a fraction of the cost at the salon.

You just have to follow directions and need a little patience (enjoy the Guns and Roses earworm.) I have dark brown hair, but I've been wanting to go lighter. Not blonde, but a much lighter brown, because I want to stick with something natural looking that won't contrast with my skin tone in a negative way.

I've made that mistake before. I've dyed my hair red, I've dyed my hair so black that it had hues of blue/purple and I've "frosted" (OMG so 80s) my hair. Red brought out the ruddiness in my skin. Black made me look goth (not my style, but it may be yours) and frosted looked more like I just randomly threw bleach in my hair (i.e. it looked like straw) and made my skin look sallow.

Before You Begin:

Have Realistic Expectations:

If you have visions of going from brunette to a bombshell blonde in a matter of an hour, think again - at least if you want it to look as natural as possible. Not to mention, sometimes trying to immediately make a major change can sometimes result in less than optimal results. (Like brassiness, looking more orange than blonde, etc.)

Research Shades in Your Hair Color Range:

First know exactly which shade of brunette you are and the tones to your hair (blonde, golden or red?) While you can look on the side of the box to see a side by side comparison of your natural color and your Garnier Olia result in the store, I recommend going to their Shade Selector on their website instead. It is a better visual to understand where you are at and where you want your hair color to go.

Know it Will Take Time:

Come to terms from the start that this is a process. You want to step down your hair color so that it looks like it lightened naturally, which may take 1-3 applications (over time), 6 weeks apart each time. This will look even more believable when it is the Spring to Summer transition.

Follow Directions:

How many of us skip the instructions and just want to get down to it? Don't rush and don't do overall coloring each time. The first time you use a permanent hair dye, covering your entire head is fine. But each re-application in the weeks to follow should be done at the roots and/or roots for a period of time, then the rest of your hair.

How to Use Garnier Olia to Lighten Your Hair:

Get Set Up Before Starting:

You'll need something to time it, instruction pamphlet, gloves, applicator, developer, colorant, an old towel and a petroleum-like jelly. Wear old clothes. Even though Olia does not drip, there is still human error and you don't want to mess up your clothing. Apply the jelly along your hair line, and back of your neck, and tops of your ears so that color wipes off easily and doesn't stain.

Apply to Your Roots First:

My first application with Olia covered my whole head, but with this application, in order to step down my color some more, I had to apply to my roots first for 28 minutes. Make sure you are in good lighting so that you can see exactly where your roots end. Eat something chocolate while you wait. (Or is that just me?)

Apply Mid-Length to Ends:

Around 27 minutes I began to apply the rest of the Olia ammonia free hair color from mid-length to my ends while not washing out the dye on my roots. I let this sit until the 30 minute mark. I didn't want too huge of a dramatic difference between my roots and the rest of my hair. The top of your head will always be lighter when naturally lightened by the sun, but you don't want it to be all BOOM I colored my hair looking.

Rinse and Apply After Color Conditioner:

Make sure you use lukewarm water to rinse. I probably rinse for a good 3-5 minutes to make sure it is all out. Then apply the After Color Conditioner and leave it on for 2 minutes and rinse again.

Style As Usual:

I never wash my hair for the first 24-48 hours after coloring, so I go light on the hair treatments. Since hair dye plumps up your hair, I don't put in a root lifter for the first few days, just some anti-frizz serum and a little hairspray. I typically curl my hair though because it'll give my hair the look of fullness. I do have many grays and Garnier Olia has 100% gray coverage. Since it is powered by 60% oil, I also have shiny hair as a result. My first application was with Olia Light Brown 6.0 and this application was Olia Lightest Golden Brown 6 1/2.3 What do you think of the color? If you have any questions about coloring your hair, ask away in the comments!

I’m sharing #MyOliaStory as part of a Garnier® sponsored series for Socialstars™. All opinions and hair color are my own (well... the hair color is Garnier®.)

Looking to lighten, brighten or darken your natural hair color without the eye-burning smell of the chemicals involved? That's a common theme among at-home hair coloring kits that we all cringe about - literally. That toxic smell while coloring your hair. I haven't colored my hair in about 2 years due to pregnancies and I've been tired of looking at the strands of gray and dullness of my hair. (Sometimes I wear the tired mom look like a pro.)

With an 8 month old as my sidekick these days, getting out to the salon isn't easy. Using an DIY hair color is a good option, but my #1 MUST - I did not want that ammonia smell for Ethan and myself to take in. Enter Garnier Olia®. Olia has 60% oils, no ammonia, and natural flower oils, and there is ZERO eye-stinging smell - I mean there is literally none.

My goal was to cover the gray and brighten up my dark brown hair with the intention of eventually lightening it for Summer. Instead of simply trying to make a decision in the aisle of the drugstore, I chose to check out their website first to browse the different colors. In the brown hair section, I quickly identified my hair color as Olia 4.0 Dark Brown.  

Knowing that I'm going to begin the lightening process soon, I decided that it was better to still stay in the brown range so that lifting the color would be an easier process if I did it slowly (vs immediately going with a blonde color and possible coming out orange - yikes.) I chose Olia 6.0 Light Brown.

On the box, dark brown hair won't lighten much using light brown, but it will help to brighten the color with a healthy shine. Plus it helps make it easier when I'm ready to go a little lighter (my goal is to eventually have a golden brown hair color, somewhere in the Lightest Golden Brown - Dark Blonde range. (I haven't decided.)

The kit comes with developer, colorant, after color conditioner, applicator and gloves. It's super easy to use, did not drip at all, and despite my semi-long hair, only took one bottle to completely saturate it. My hair is actually pretty thin, there is just a lot of it giving the illusion that I have thick hair.

Once this ammonia-free hair color was on my head, it was only a 30 minute wait time until I needed to rinse, apply the after color conditioner for 2 minutes and then rinse again. Let me tell you that it was easier than I thought it would be with Ethan watching in his high chair with absolutely no bad smell to bother him (or me.)

The result? 100% gray coverage with shiny hair that looked healthy. I love it!  

As an avid hair coloring fiend, I was nervous upon hearing January Jones revelation that her hair is falling out in clumps. Since I literally just colored my hair over the weekend, I decided I needed some expert advice from my friend and celebrity Master Colorist, Jason Backe of Ted Gibson Salon. He's also the Celebrity Colorist for L’Oreal Professionnel, so he definitely knows color! Q: January Jones revealed that her hair is falling out in clumps from all of the hair coloring she has done in the past year. Is what is happening to her normal and something that others who color their hair should worry about? Jason: The question in whether or not the hair is falling out at the scalp OR breaking off in clumps. If the hair is falling out at the scalp I would seriously doubt it is product related. In my entire career I have never experienced hair color to cause bald spots at the scalp (and believe me, I have women who color their hair from brown to blond every 12 days). I have however seen bald spots appear because of diet or stress related issues and although I wouldn’t consider this common, it is not unusual. If the hair is breaking off in clumps then it is most likely a hair integrity issue. Excessive coloring can lead to damage and ultimately breakage – no matter how expertly talented the colorist. If you are a girl who loves to change your color frequently, look for the signs of extremely dry, brittle and breaking hair. This will let you know to pump your breaks and run to the salon for weekly treatments (I am obsessed with the Fiberceutic treatment by L'Oreal Professionnel – it REBUILDS the hair from the inside out – MAJOR) to restore health and integrity before your next color. Q: How often should women go between colorings?  Jason: As a general rule I suggest 3-4 weeks. That being said, there are exceptions to every rule. It's not terrible to color more frequently as long as you are not going overboard. Remember, hair is a fiber – the more you manipulate it, the more fragile it becomes. I love using as much AMMONIA FREE COLOR as possible. INOA and Dia Light from L’Oreal Professionnel have completely changed the way I think about hair color and how to avoid compromising the integrity of the hair. Q: What is the max amount of times per year someone can color their hair without it becoming overly damaged? Jason: That is a tough question to answer – it really depends on the individual, her hair texture and type, how frequently she shampoos and heat styles. There are too many variables to really say. Q: Does the damage occur more with dying your hair blonde and highlighting, than coloring your hair with darker colors? Jason: Generally, lightening the hair is more damaging than going darker. However, anytime you use hair color you are going to alter the hair shaft. The more it is altered them more damage is likely. Again – this is why I choose ammonia free colors and lighteners. They leave the hair softer to the touch, shinier and ultimately much stronger. Q: Are there products you can incorporate into your daily routine to help prevent your hair from falling out? Jason: Again, falling out may be more related to diet, stress and overall wellness more than a topical product. Breakage on the other hand has some products that you can use at home to help repair. The Fiberceutic by L'Oreal Professionnel has a shampoo and condition masque for at home maintenance. The Mythic Oil by L’Oreal Professionnel just had a line extension to address dryness and color treated hair – it's AMAZING stuff! Q: Any other tips for those of us who LOVE to color our hair? Jason: Always trust a professional. Stay away from box color. When your colorist says – if we do that today your hair will break – believe him! I hope this is helpful to everyone who colors their hair! If you are in New York and are in need for a color, definitely give Ted Gibson Salon a call to book an appointment with Jason! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

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