Grow burnt blond to long natural hair and return to coloring again. My long but very interesting path of a hair maniac – an experimenter with personal conclusions

Making the switch from bleached blonde to natural hair can seem unattainable to a lot of people. I made the decision to let my hair grow out and go back to its natural state after years of experimenting with treatments, heat, and dyes. It wasn’t always easy, and there were times when I regretted my choice.

But I learned more than just a new hair regimen along the road. I gained knowledge on how to take my time, be careful, and embrace the process instead of hurrying it. My hair started to get better gradually, and I grew to love its inherent beauty.

I felt the need to try new things again after I achieved my goal of having long, healthy hair. However, this time, I was more cautious because I knew how to strike a balance between care and creativity. I’ll discuss my failures, lessons learned, and advice for those who wish to take a similar route here.

What was before the beginning of the path

Prior to all of the experiments, my natural hair was fairly long. In the initial trial, colored threads were used, followed by blond and bob. Regretfully, the pictures were not saved. I was fortunate to have data reset and equipment malfunction; many interesting things, like altering my appearance, were lost. I’m not afraid to admit that I did a lot of experimenting with hair color and styles. I once had my hair cut really short, and we left.

A few of the studies conducted since 2008

My haircut ultimately spared me from all the experiments, as I discovered that visiting a hair salon frequently rejuvenated my hair.

Did I use gentle dyes? Not really, and even now, remembering those times, there weren"t enough such sites, there wasn"t such an abundance of useful information. The maximum that there were was hairdressing forums, but compared to how accessible everything is and how many brands of care there are now, it was a grain of sand. Because? My hair was dyed with what was freely available. Not the best bleaches, without intensive care. I often dried it with a hairdryer, naturally, without protection. I was more concerned about the overall style than the condition of my hair. There were no critical problems, they even grew well, I continued to experiment further.

However, this is what was constantly on the bathroom shelf: a mask or balm. Even back then, I knew that a thicker balm or mask could help keep hair at least moderately healthy. I had the fewest issues when I colored my hair because it was fully pigmented and in certain shades even had a nice sheen. It was a regular tonic, by the way, but this cheap dye never made me feel parched.

The situation is worse with blonde hair; I did not tone it at all, and the brittleness and empty look were present. However, taking into account that I was always dying the entire length, strong allies

Still, these were excellent experiments! The most important thing is that I enjoyed it and I don’t regret them, after all.

How did I come to the realization of the need for care for my hair

The free ride ended, as they say, and I discovered a bleach that was too strong for me. My hair turned tangled. I have not seen such a nightmare, even with inexpensive lighteners. Even with my perfectly straight hair, it was sticking out a lot—they even questioned if I had straightened it when I had long bangs.

Naturally, I went to the hairdresser as soon as possible, but things got trickier because I had a multi-level haircut and my hair was burned even at the shortest level. Naturally, we made as many cuts as we could. At the time, I was still wearing false hair, which helped to conceal the burned area. I also purchased a thick Plusonda (Belarusian) mask, which was somewhat helpful.

Turning point

But still, this was the worst condition of my hair and at one point I realized that I needed to change my approach and the previous tricks no longer work.
I decided that at least for a while, I needed to give up creativity and grow everything that was dyed together. The easiest and most comfortable thing was to paint everything approximately to my own color, so that there was no contrast. At first I tried to dye it with household paint, but the shade did not come out as intended. I decided not to beat around the bush, went to the hairdresser for help. They dyed my hair with Estel paint and still decided to cut it a little more.

The very beginning of a long journey

I had to explore an entirely new realm! At the time, all I knew about hair care was that I needed to use conditioner at the very least and that burdock oil strengthened the roots; I even used it a few times. You realize how much more there was to learn, but that’s all? Fortunately, the Internet was already reliable at the time, so I started searching it for hair care information. How much data I laboriously combed through!

Initially, I went back to that particular burdock oil and purchased various options from the pharmacy. I started to gather a collection of oils after reading about their advantages. Naturally, though, I saw no magical qualities on the seriously damaged length! I cut the ends almost every month because the brittleness persisted for a very long time.

However, after vigorously massaging it into the roots, I saw that hair loss had significantly decreased and they were growing fairly well. I was giddy with excitement as I discovered new masks for nourishing and regrowth; I wanted to quickly regrow all of my damaged hair. I even purchased a few hair care books—quite reasonable! There was fascinating information regarding the composition, hair issues, and available masks. Among the many things I tried were "refrigerator masks." Using eggs, cognac, different types of oils, and a gelatin sheet. I also purchased numerous industrial masks.

Sometimes I was unable to wash my hair all the way through because I wasn’t sure how to dose the oils. In addition, I attempted to retrain my hair to become oily instead of washing it every day. Therefore, I was also searching for masks for oily hair. It did not always improve the damaged length; fluff like this could show up:

I did not forget about the fuel from the inside. Began to drink vitamin complexes for hair, skin and nails. The nails, by the way, grew up so long! I think the hair got.
with the departure, there were upsets and falls, because everything was new and it was difficult to predict. But the hair grew, the tips were cut. At that time I came across a hair care group at that time, which also helped me learn a lot of interesting recipes. I even bought myself the first prof. mask – from Estel for badly damaged. Inexhaustible care appeared, serum from AVON (well, already a good start). Even the spray bought Belarusian, one for recovery, later bought the second with UV protection.

In June, the hair already looked like this

It had already made a little headway and succeeded! They lay quietly, no longer protruding like a horrible broom. I began experimenting with more than just purchases over the summer, and I even bought a set for lamination! The outcomes were not spectacular, but they were. And color was returning nicely already.

With such experiments, by September my hair already looked like this

But in November I got the idea to switch to completely natural. care, giving up store-bought balms\masks

The focus was on DIY oil masks. I used pepper tincture for hair growth, salted my scalp, rinsed my hair with apple cider vinegar, and occasionally tried out different herbs like chamomile and oak bark. Surprisingly, the masks went really well and even gave my hair nice softness and shine. My hair did not change right away. I continued to get haircuts and cut my hair on a regular basis to ensure that it was all the same length.

February and April 2025

Let"s compare the results for the year

How many approaches, how many masks have been tried? However, it’s not in vain at all! Despite haircuts, the length increased, and the unattractive burnt hairs that stick out no longer detract from the style. This encouraged me to continue taking care of my hair; I knew it would be worthwhile in the long run!

My hair was voluminous because I wasn’t using balms or masks, but I wanted to try a store-bought option later. I kept up my natural hair care regimen. I started to incorporate my hair more and more into my hair care routine as it grew more defined. I went with nearly organic brands.

I didn’t forget about oil masks as I experimented with a new strategy throughout the summer. Up until now, haircuts were common but not very dramatic. After a botched hair wash one day, they were hastily dried. However, the haircut was visible, as was the option to trim to the desired cut. I made the decision, even though it turned out that I needed to end it fairly.

This was a huge step forward for me! When compared to the start of the trip, the hair was already fairly a respectable length, so the care made more sense. In terms of visual impact, lamination (hair company, perhaps someone is interested) already produced more opulent results; however, "on the way out," you can obtain an opulent result.

The owner found the hair to be much more pleasing at the start of autumn, so the work was worthwhile! image immediately following the lamination described above.

I continued to experiment with semi-organic cosmetics that I purchased from stores. The Natura Siberica sea buckthorn series captured my heart. I was so happy with it that my hair stopped sticking out, my insane fragility vanished, and my hair got much neater. I did not overlook oils once more.

Beginning of 2025

I started attempting to write my first reviews during this time. and made the decision to snap a picture of my enormous oil collection.

They continued to be a big part of my hair care routine. Since I was already aware of the differences between shampoos at the time, I felt that choosing one should be done carefully and through trial and error. Prior to that, I still relied more on oil masks, but as the length started to increase, I gradually started to think that store-bought masks might be just as helpful and started to purchase more options.

Planet Organics, tried Avon masks (oh, these promotions), and even tried a keratin-infused Belarusian mask. There was creamy leave-in Coppola with keratin, antistatic spray from Oriflame, and leave-in care. The only issue with my hair that concerned me was sporadic dryness near the ends. My hair grew well and I was not bothered by my hair loss issue because of oil masks applied to the roots of my hair. The ends continued to flutter throughout the winter, that’s the only thing.

Spring-summer, opening of new brands for hair

(Part of the stock)
I was still interested in organic care and I began to delve into this topic. I dug up an online store for myself, where I bought a mask made of colorless henna Aasha, care from Kleona, dry shampoos (from herbs, had to be diluted with water), herbal powders of amla, talli podi. I tried masks with clay on the roots, the effect was in the form of cleansing the scalp, which is also important for normal hair growth. I also had a haircut during this period. I found a way to combat dry ends – Sea Buckthorn Siberica leave-in oil really helped me. As soon as I started applying it to damp hair, not dry hair, the result was not long in coming.

Preparing for moving, summer care

Summer helped me out a lot on vacation, did lamination from time to time, started showing interest in the professor, and purchased a summer set of Estel.

I kept using oils, but my hair started to react erratically to them, so not all kinds were suitable. My hair grew well by autumn, but the ends started to thin. Everything appeared to be going well, but all of a sudden I wanted to make this soft cut straight because that was my goal. However, because of my thin structure, it is harder to achieve because the front strands are thinning out a lot.

I kept deciding, deciding. And in the end

Late fall-winter

As for hair care, I continued to use oils, but I replaced the solo options with ready-made complexes from DNC. Since I cut off a lot of length, I also started using growth masks – bay oil, masks with pepper, cajeput oil. There were also unsuccessful experiments with the Shiseido company, although it suited many well. It weighed down my hair so much that I bought a deep cleansing shampoo from Belita. And I had a negative experience with the winter series of Estel, although the summer line became my favorite. Of shampoos and conditioners, I still used cosmetics from the companies Natura Siberica and other affordable semi-organic. There was also a small trim of the ends.

February 2025

I believe they recovered rather quickly, so my use of growth accelerators wasn’t in vain. To better preserve the ends, I considered switching to a more silicone leave-in conditioner. I tested the Golden Elseve oil. Its economy and lightness were what drew me in, but eventually I noticed that the ends were drying out.

In April, I wanted to try a haircut with hot scissors for the first time

They chopped off roughly 5 centimeters (I wanted the split ends removed).

I read about the Angel company at the same time and decided to try a little set for dry, neutral hair. After the haircut, the ends were thick and elastic, and everything was fairly stable.

I was so impressed with their condition that I made the initial decision to post my findings online. After creating a comparative collage, I saw that all the effort had been worthwhile and that, should one so choose, hair restoration is possible.

(2012-2015)
Closer to the beginning of autumn, I collected this set of cosmetics. Photography for the marathon in VK

I started using oils a little less frequently, and the industrial cosmetics have already given me brighter results. Everything changes and flows.

However, things don’t always go as planned. My hair dried out after a hot day in the field, even with the leave-in products. I decided to give ampoule care a try after reading about it at the time. I tested the Selective Mineralizer ampoule after first trying the blue Kaaral ampoule. The ampoules’ speed and potency were then palpable to me! Thanks in large part to the hair vital lotion, as autumn drew near, my hair grew. It held up nicely in terms of condition; I appreciate the ampoules.

The second collage is right after the ampoules of selective. Oh, what a gorgeous result they gave and how voluminous my thin hair looked!
Time passed, my hair grew perfectly and I reached a beautiful length but … the front strands turned into threads

In October, she cut off 15-17 cm

Everything comes with experience!

By the way, I really liked the cosmetics with the photo, only the Kapous mask and the Maxima spray remained incomprehensible to me

I chose to expand my collection by acquiring the Angel brand.

Prof provided a more consistent result, so I carried on with my experiments. When I reached the Kaaral Mares ampoules, I experienced incredibly amazing outcomes!

New experiments

(November 2015)
I grew out my color, the quality was completely restored. Now I can think about my desires. I quite liked my color, it is quite wearable, but I am not 100% comfortable in it. Since I started to assemble a working team from care, I decided that it was time to look for a more comfortable style for me. Through friends I learned about a new beauty salon that is recruiting models for coloring and photo shoots. I decided that it was worth going, at least to find out about all this. As a result, I sat in a chair for a conversation, and went out with a lightened length (half or a little more) and blue tips.

I now had a place to conduct experiments. After a week or so, the blue faded quickly, so I bought multiple colors of Tonika and started experimenting on myself. Amethyst (something pink-pearl), Bordeaux (which turned out pink), and wild plum (blue)

At that time I had already come to the site, a little later I started participating in marathons, so for those interested in this period of my care this fact will be a plus, because you can read my old posts

What about care during this period. Part of the reserves

Industrial products already provide the majority of the care, with natural products serving as an extra source of nutrition, strengthening the roots, and promoting better growth.

Unsuccessful experience with polishing the length

Before the New Year, I decided to slightly improve the quality by going for polishing. My worst decision, honestly Because before that, visually, the hair was quite thick, the split was visible only with a very careful examination and you could sit with scissors and clean the length with your own hands, as I always did. But, I decided to try a new miracle of technology
As a result, what? The hair immediately after the procedure was like nothing. But then … stuck out a hedgehog, visually became thinner and the tips, including the sections, became larger, so the laughter or the machine / blade disappeared, or the master.

This is how 2025 began

Having already had a very good experience, I made the decision to sign up for hot scissors without further delay.

I started my marathons on the site with this length. This is how the photos were taken care of, thankfully:

For those who are interested, I also made my first timid video with my hair. Don’t be too harsh on it; it does a good job of showcasing the quality of the hair:

Spring crept up unnoticed

My hair’s appearance and quality pleased me; the care paid off.

when should I experiment, if not now?

Spring experiments with henna

I first tried one packet, and after that I dyed my entire head. This henna was the winner. (Just in case—I’m aware of colorants; don’t keep reminding me of them.)

It was decided to try it on my bangs, and I wasn’t at all sorry about it or afraid of the colored strands in case the outcome wasn’t what I had anticipated.

That’s such an odd color; I’ve broken that habit! Well, I’ve never experienced anything like this. Strange, but I thought it was great! Complete coloring was the next target.

I was ecstatic to see a triumphant return to roughly colored coloring on this one!

Unexpectedly, everyone backed the color, even those I didn’t know well! With this color, I felt more confident and even happier inside, and my face looked completely different. The initial henna stains were removed remarkably quickly so that I could start painting. However, I made a mistake when tinting my brightened area and used a different shade, which resulted in a very dark finish.

As summer arrived, I began experimenting with a new henna that combined aroma-zone and marna, giving it a slightly redder hue. In fact, because it made the color a little darker, I eventually gave it up.

I was certainly pleased to see that the professional care experimentation continued. Not much remained of the organic matter.

Fall 2025

I apologize, but I can only call it that—my hair got a little "spoiled" at the beginning of fall. I still had some pretty workhorses in my arsenal, so I decided I needed to use a lighter option for the time being since the care wasn’t working as well as it had previously. What was in the "light" care and what we have in terms of quality

By the way, this was a huge help; my hair looked gorgeous again.

When winter arrived, I continued to take my hair at this pace for a little while longer before realizing that it needed more attention. My arsenal makes it clear that I never lost sight of developing and fortifying.

A new era of hair has begun – "Chasing Color"

What took place? The henna began to turn black. I alone will find satisfaction in the deep shade:

Thus, with time, the color becomes more saturated and leans more toward brown, or the redness fades. I want things to be brighter when I look in the mirror! I used paint to try to change the color.

Refreshing!

Yes, it seemed to have some effect—at least the color turned redder! However, it quickly faded, returning the color to brown without the redness.

Conclusions

When it comes to henna, paints are not very helpful. But I did end up deciding what I wanted. I browsed through other people’s hair pictures and selected what caught my attention. I desired a dazzling sun-kissed hair! That thought got crazy because I needed it.

I am not a hairdresser, not a colorist. But I always achieved the color I needed! Perseverance and a little hair durability, well, you remember the experiments at the beginning of the post

2025 is the beginning of something new

Without second thought, I started my experiments. As a dye, I went with anthocyanin and used kapous powder to make it lighter.

If you would like a more thorough explanation of the henna transition process, click the link to the post.

It turned out better than I expected

Following lightning:

Additionally, paint has already been applied:

But, let"s not forget about care, bleached hair, it needs it. Stocks from that period:

I was pleased with the vibrant color, so when spring arrived, I started new experiments. All in all, 2017 was a very colorful year for dyes. Initially, I naturally wore tight masks and even had a 5-7 cm haircut to feel brand-new. And my work got absorbed by my hair!

Refusal of oil masks

Nevertheless, care was progressively becoming more professional, and oils were abandoned. This is typical; you must be able to adjust to your hair’s new requirements! After I placated my hair, things became more peaceful and nothing major occurred. I tried fresh shampoo and fresh makeup. Most of them are covered in my posts.

Successful experience working with the company Compliment.

I discovered direct pigments that gave a beautiful, but unstable color

Ollin

Estel

Their pairing.

I attempted to use correctors as well. Not very successfully; the hair feels more comfortable with pigments.

I even discovered Laminating Gel Lebel, which is an analogue of anthocyanin.

There will be an abundance of screenshots, because it turned out to be quite convenient

Introduction to series for colored hair

I came upon some new products—color-treated hair products.These turned out to be very reasonable things, even though I had not previously given them much hope! They hold the pigment and offer some level of care, but I was concerned that this wouldn’t be sufficient. I first got to know businesses like Farmavita and Kin.

A new method of washing your hair, Co-washing

Overall, 2017 has been a good year for intriguing discoveries! Before balms, I had never attempted to wash my hair with detergents. Such an approach was feasible for lighter lengths because cautious handling is required! Surprisingly, everything washed out and my oily scalp responded well. I tried Ko-Wash from the Unwash system, which was delightful, and I tried Joyco and Bonacure for curls already in the fall (oh, I was also happy).

My haircuts were in early fall and early winter

I experimented with a ton of new professional products in 2017, one of which was a set of sachets from Kaaral.

I became familiar with Osmo merchandise.

Concept’s Tinted Balm is another addition to the piggybank of color games.

I remembered the good old TONIKA Since the summer and it saves me to this day, by the way.

Kerafix is another analogue of anthocyanin. Nevertheless, because Kerafix is not as dense in my shade, the best results are only obtained when combined with it.

Osmo color In terms of density and durability, I had higher expectations.

Venita trendy

One of the most important purchases is a new lightening powder from Bouticle and much more

Because of my infatuation with color, I concluded the year as follows:

Phase	Description
Burnt Blond	Started with severely damaged, over-bleached hair. It was brittle and prone to breakage.
Transition to Natural	Stopped bleaching, trimmed the ends regularly, and focused on repairing the damage using nourishing treatments.
Growing it Out	Patience was key here. I let the natural hair grow out while maintaining healthy hair care habits.
Returning to Coloring	After achieving healthy, long natural hair, I cautiously returned to coloring but opted for less harsh, more gentle dyes.
Personal Conclusions	Regular care, patience, and less aggressive coloring techniques can help maintain both length and hair health.

In retrospect, the process of going from burnt blond to natural hair color was difficult but worthwhile. I gained knowledge about the value of patience, good hair care practices, and allowing your hair the time it requires to heal from harsh treatments. I now see the health and beauty of my hair from a different angle after embracing the natural color.

While playing around with different colors was fun, I’ve come to realize that maintaining healthy hair is more crucial than experimenting with different shades all the time. I eventually discovered the ideal balance between loving my current hairstyle and occasionally switching it up through trial and error.

Ultimately, the secret is to pay attention to your hair. Whether you’re trying new looks or growing out damaged hair, it’s critical to determine what suits you best. I’ve learned to love the changes along the road, to take good care of my hair, and to appreciate the process.

Learning many lessons along the way is the journey from burnt blonde hair to long, natural locks and back to coloring. It’s about learning how to repair damaged hair, developing patience, and trying out different styles and treatments. I’ve learned what genuinely works for hair health from this experience, and I’ve welcomed both the obstacles and the victories I’ve faced. I’m back coloring now, but this time I’m more prepared, careful, and self-assured in my hair journey.

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