If you know me, you know I get color happy every six months and cannot resist the urge. Sometimes I get even more color happy right after leaving my hair appointments but I know I’d go crazy if I color my hair again in a short amount of time and I lose my texture- that’s similar to losing my life (for real, though).

Many ask me how I manage to dye my hair and preserve my curl pattern. I do a lot of research, look for salons that specialize in curly hair and most importantly, maintain it so it stays healthy. While you are always taking a risk when chemically processing your hair; if done right, the reward will always be greater.

Every week, I deep condition at least once (twice if I have more time.)

I wash my hair, leave the deep conditioner in for a little over 30 minutes while I sit under the hair dryer, rinse, but still leave enough product in, and detangle once more using a paddle brush for full coverage.

I then apply product evenly using the raking and scrunching method. The secret is: I don’t dry my hair at all anymore. I apply the product while my hair is soaking wet so it absorbs the product more effectively, resulting in defined curls. While I wait for it to dry, I whip my hair side to side, front and back (without trying to look crazy, but still failing miserably.) I occasionally scrunch it throughout the day but I refrain from manipulating it too much.

The last time I colored my hair before going blonde was in January, five months later I saw how much my roots grew out and I wanted something “pop” for the summer and in general. I did my research and looked for stylists that specialized in curly hair and can lift my color by a lot in one session. After putting my FBI cap on and asking for recommendations, I found City Curl Studio in Staten Island. I saw the years of expertise and the work that Rachael has so I knew my curls were in good hands.

I booked my appointment a month in advance. A month later, I took the drive to SI and said goodbye to my grown-out roots.

She started off by parting my hair into sections, beginning with the bottom using the pintura method. Pintura is a freehand coloring style that allows highlights to look natural by working the color from the tips upward. She repeated the process throughout my hair which actually made me realize how much hair I actually have.

She used a fair and even amount of strands when doing the painting which is what I liked most. Once I saw my hair was drenched in dye, I knew I was in for a big change. She kept telling me, “Your hair is going to lift so much” and I couldn’t wait to see the final result.

Once Rachael was done applying the dye, she let it sit in for about 30 minutes. She saram wrapped my hair and placed a heating machine around my hair so the color can fully penetrate.

Afterwards, we washed my hair to get all of the dye out (using cold water.) A toner was then used to remove the brassy, yellow tones the dye causes. No matter how long you leave the chemicals in your hair, there is always a high chance the color will remain too bright if you don’t tone it. I had the toner in my hair for about 5-10 minutes and then rinsed it out.

I brought my Marc Anthony Coconut Oil styling cream with me to the salon so they can apply it to my hair afterwards. I don’t really like surprises when using new products, so why not stay on the safe side?!

Rachael used the raking and scrunching method as well with my product and then we went over to the drying room to diffuse for a few minutes (as per my request- I only allowed my hair to be diffused for no longer than five minutes.) I got my Willow Smith on and whipped my hair in every direction imaginable while attempting to dry my hair.

Of course it took a while to see final, dried results, but when I got back into the car and saw how light my hair was and how much of a Rubia I became, I had no other words than, “Wow, I’m really a blonde this time.”

I would like to thank Rachael for her great work and my hair for successfully keeping its pattern while I processed it again. I’ve gotten so many compliments ever since and I can’t wait to get more color added after a few months.

I will say this- while going to a specialized salon is not the cheapest option, it’s the safest for your hair and it’s a great investment. So if your curls are ready for a color transformation, save a couple hundred dollars aside and do your research. Good things don’t come easy which is why you have to prepare yourself in advance.

Check out my Instagram page to see my natural hair journey!

: @karleezysway