Achieving Ash Blonde: Level 5 to 7 with Cool Tones - Bleach & Tone Guide

Question
Hi hairman

The age old question- how do I get my natural level 5 to a 7 ash with no warmth?
I know that's impossible with color, so I thought just bleach and tone.
But then I  want to be a 7 ash with blond highlights, so that would end up being a "double double" process.
Can hair handle that and still feel like hair? Then I thought what if I do it backwards, and do an on scalp bleach touch up, foil in (heavy) the 7, then use a violet toner over it all? My goal is a level 7 ash base with level 10 highlights. My problem is the base.My current formula is redken colorgels 7na 20 vol for base,, foil highlight with matrix colorgraphics 22 promoter with the green pigment, and then matrix spv( which I love) to tone the highlights. Of course, my base is brassy, and I tried a 6n with 30 vol but it was darker than I wanted and still brassy anyway. How would you do it? Sometimes I wish I had grey hair, then It would be so much easier lol!
I am a licensed hairstylist by the way. What would you do if I was your client?





( I am a licensed hairdresser by the way)  So if I was your client, what would you do?

Answer
Jennifer,
 In a natural level 5, a cool level 7 should be possible with a level 7 ash and 30 or 40 volume. Remember however, that you will still see some natural warmth in the hair under any light. If some of this natural gold or warmth is not there the hair will look green and brackish, not at all attractive. This can also be achieved with bleaching and toning, bleaching only to the level needed for level 7 colour and then applying the level 7. On top of this you would then highlight. Done properly it would not be as bad as all that since it would not be bleached to blonde, deepened and then bleached again. The ideal in this case would be to bleach to the level needed for the level 7, then foil in the highlights to continue lightening the highlights and while they are processing the level 7 would be applied around the foils. Either way, this is not a DIY project. You really want to have this done professionally.
Best of luck to you.
Stephe (hairman)