Name: Iron And Ivy Hair Studio
Price range: $$

There’s nothing quite like a hair transformation story — the before and after, the journey, the moment a client sees their finished result for the first time. We love being part of these transformations at Iron + Ivy, and we want to give you an honest, realistic picture of what going from dark to light actually looks like.

The Beginning: Where It Starts

Meet our client — let’s call her Amber. She came to us with naturally dark brunette hair, previously coloured with a store-bought brunette box dye a few months prior. Her goal: a warm, golden blonde balayage. She wanted to look sun-kissed and radiant, with soft dimension — not dramatically light, but noticeably brighter.

At consultation, we did a strand test to assess how her hair would lift and discussed her history honestly. With box dye in her hair, we needed to take extra care — some box dyes contain metallic salts that can react with bleach.

Session One: The Foundation

In Amber’s first session, we applied a colour remover to help release some of the box dye pigment, then lifted through her mid-lengths and ends using a balayage technique. The result after session one was a warm, copper-to-blonde gradient — not her final destination, but a genuinely beautiful step along the way. We toned it to a rich, warm caramel and sent her home with a home care kit.

Session Two: Getting Closer

Six weeks later, Amber returned. Her hair had recovered beautifully — it was soft, healthy, and ready for the next lift. We lightened again, focusing on the sections that needed more work, and blended with a delicate balayage. The toner this time was a warm golden blonde — much closer to her goal.

Session Three: The Finish

By session three, Amber’s hair reached her goal: a gorgeous, warm golden blonde balayage with natural-looking dimension throughout. She loved it. More importantly, her hair was in excellent condition throughout the journey — no damage, no breakage.