Tips from an expert: Better blondes with Tāne Tomoana

Taking your hair to a brighter, blonder hue requires the most upkeep of all shades. This is because lifting your hair's base colour with bleach requires more processing and chemicals than dyeing it a darker shade. Doing so also leaves the hair more prone to breakage by opening the cuticle, which then allows for UV rays, pollution, and other elements to enter (and moisture to exit), thus making the colour appear duller and brassier – which was definitely not the look that you signed up for.
But even if you think you've hit the point of no return with your blonde's level of brassiness, know that there are some great purple shampoos and support products out there that are designed to help restore your once-flaxen vibrancy (or prevent yellow-tinged hair from happening in the first place). Why purple? Think of it as a colour-corrector: Shades placed opposite of each other on the colour wheel cancel each other out, so purple tones will cancel out yellow tones.

But enough from me: let’s get the low down on better blonde from one of the experts. For those working within the beauty industry, Tāne Tomoana (above) needs no introduction. He’s a super creative stylist and hugely respected member of the New Zealand beauty industry, was a mentor on TVNZ's reality show, ‘Glow Up’, and takes care of the hair of more famous faces than many of us have had blow waves. Oh and did I mention he also tends to the locks of many of the country’s most inspiring wāhine, like singer Hollie Smith and PM Jacinda Ardern (including styling her Time magazine cover)? I’ll let Tāne (Ngāti Kahungunu) take it away…

First up, what can blondes do in the lead up to summer to help keep their colour looking its best?
Treat your hair. Great healthy hair should start in the salon, and these days we have amazing science and technology in our arsenal to fight dry, damaged and dull hair. In-salon treatments like Olaplex and K18 are applied to hair pre-colour or added to colour or lightener to protect and rebuild the bonds, upholding the overall integrity of the hair shaft. Lightening can cause minimal to severe damage to hair that can be irreparable, and these treatments work and we love them.
Another treatment that is perfect for summer is the Cezanne Ultimate Blonde Treatment, which is a keratin smoothing treatment. This will seal dry damaged ends, has toning properties and makes hair smoother. It also means hair dries two times faster, is shinier and then times more manageable. Perfect for going from the beach to party hair in one simple wash and wear step.

Lots of brands recommend a purple shampoo for blondes, but can you overdo it?
You can most definitely overdo it. I always recommend to my clients to use a purple shampoo as an extension of their core hair routine. So use a shampoo that addresses the health needs of your hair first and foremost, then use a purple shampoo every second or third wash. Or, try a rich purple masque weekly instead.
And like our hair, all purple shampoos are different, so seek professional help when trying to find the best for your hair as tone, porosity, elasticity and damage are all factors in choosing the right one.

What would you suggest for repairing blonde hair once it has hit the pool and sea?
I absolutely love leave in conditioners and treatments. These are a must for summer and perfect to spray on before swimming to create a light protective barrier against the assault of sun, surf and chlorine. They are also great for wash and wear styles with movement for easy, heat-free summer styling.

What is your fave Desert Island product for blondes?
100 percent Shimmer.Me blonde by Kevin Murphy. This multipurpose, wearable treatment is lightweight and smells amazing. Enriched with lavender and Jojoba oil and created with optical brighteners (Yas, sparkles!), it counteracts unwanted yellow and brassy tones while strengthening, nourishing and moisturising. This product is so light, luminous and moisturising that I also use it on the body for shoots and on set.
And because we also need a night cream for our hair, I absolutely love Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicanuit Night Serum. With hyaluronic acid for moisture, and antioxidants to protect, it is formulated to counteract the damaging effects of bleaching and highlighting your hair while you sleep. That's the kind of low maintenance hair routine I am here for. Sleep tight.