I met Amelia during one of my routine hair visits to Bumble and Bumble last year and have since been addicted to her ability to transform my color with every appointment.  But, finding the right colorist didn't come so easy.  The colorist-client relationship is all about a mutual respect and a symbiotic vision, and as a colorist, Amelia provides just that -- understanding my wants while knowing where to insert her recommendations.  She's given me more confidence to experiment, explore, and ultimately, have fun with the overall experience. I've had ombre for as long as I can remember, so naturally, I was itching for a change.  With pastels on my mind, I went in with my ideas and let Amelia do her thing.  The results?  Everything I had hoped for: pastels perfectly placed throughout, adding dimension with layers of color.  A subtle change with just the right dramatic effect.

So to kick off our newest series of Tuesday Tips, I sat down with Amelia to get her insider scoop for my most recent hair transformation.  Amelia warned, "pastels are tricky" and she wasn't wrong.  So what are her tips to maintenance and lasting color?

1. For starters, prepare your hair for the bleaching process with a deep condition.  Ask your colorist about a deep condition when you go in for a consultation, it's different for every hair type.
2. The less you wash, the longer it will last. I used to wash my hair every day, until I realized how bad it was.  It takes time to get your hair used to less washes, but a little dry shampoo goes a long way.
3. If you have to wash your hair, wash it with cold water.  Hot water can be damaging to colored hair -- opening follicles and stripping the color. 
4. Use sulfate-free color safe shampoo.  To maintain hair quality and moisture, ask your colorist to make a recommendation.  I love Hairdresser's Invisible Oil shampoo -- it really restores the moisture and keeps my pastels looking shiny.
5. Mix your favorite conditioner with the hair color.  Having a conditioner with the pastel color in it helps restore tone that was probably shampoo'd out.

Paired with short bob and (really) lived-in waves, this splash of color really adds a little something extra to the latter days of winter.

Photo taken by Justin Ryan Kim