Mandi at Luminosity Salon

Lael brightens my day so much every time I see her 💕

Fun fact of the day— your hair color can change during pregnancy!

My client is 4 months postpartum; so now you can really see the band of darker hair that grew during her pregnancy in contrast.

Her last appointment was in March 2025, where we lightened her as usual; Then you can see the darker band of hair that grew during her pregnancy; then the newest growth is back to her pre-pregnancy color!

This is how you can actually see the change happened - because her natural color returned after delivery, leaving this visible timeline in her hair.

Typically I see about a half shade darker during pregnancy, but this is closer to 1-2 levels darker in some areas. It’s fascinating.

You can’t always see the change while you’re pregnant because it’s so gradual. But a few months postpartum when you have enough new growth is when the band of pregnancy hair becomes obvious compared to your returned natural color.

Here’s why this happens:

Elevated levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy stimulate increased melanin production in hair follicles, which can lead to darker or lighter hair. Once hormone levels return to normal postpartum, your natural color typically comes back.

Other pregnancy hair changes you might notice:

→ Texture shifts (straight to wavy, wavy to straight, etc.)
→ Different growth patterns
→ Postpartum shedding (totally normal)
→ Changes in how your hair responds to color or treatments

This doesn’t usually affect much in terms of services - we just work with whatever’s growing. But it’s one of those fascinating things about how your body changes during pregnancy that people don’t always talk about.

Your hair can literally document your pregnancy journey!! 💕

If you want me to talk you out of bangs, I’m not the one 😅

Because is this not the perfect look for her!?

Bright, low maintenance & lived in. Stoked to create hair that both suits and works WITH you! 💕

Chunky color has had a chokehold on me and I love it!!

We shifted the copper in Koral’s color to more red this time around and I’m obsessed.

Sectioning takes a solid 15-20min and then application takes about 1.5-2 hours. Even though color blocking is precise and can be time consuming, I LOVE doing it!

Would you try a bold look like this? 👀

“But won’t extensions damage my hair?” Not if they’re done right. Here’s the proof!

This client has been wearing extensions for a little over a year, and look at her natural hair growth!! (especially up front where it used to break off constantly.)

When she came to me, her hair was stuck at shoulder length and breaking. The front wouldn’t grow no matter what she tried. She was so frustrated.

Here’s what changed once she got extensions:
She stopped fussing with her hair constantly. The extensions gave her the length and volume she wanted, so she wasn’t obsessively styling and manipulating her natural hair trying to make it do something it couldn’t yet do.

Less heat styling. Less touching. Less damage over time. Her hair finally got to rest.

We also shifted her color maintenance - working more with her natural root instead of bleaching as often. Turns out, she felt blonde enough with the extensions in that working with her natural color didn’t bother her anymore. Less chemical processing = healthier hair.

We also switched to moisture-focused products that supported her hair health & maintained the integrity of her hair.

The result? Her natural hair grew. The front finally caught up. And she’s still wearing extensions (probably always will because she’s obsessed with the volume) - but now it’s enhancing already healthy hair.

Can extensions damage your hair? Absolutely. There are a lot of factors that can cause damage. But when they’re installed properly and you’re armed with the right home care knowledge? They’re more of a protective style than anything.

Extensions aren’t just about instant length… they’re about giving your natural hair a chance to rest and grow while you still feel confident and beautiful.

Want to talk about how extensions could help YOU reach your hair goals? Link in bio to book a consultation. Let’s create a plan that protects your hair while giving you the look you crave 💕

A year and a half ago I met one of my favorite people!! We had a huge challenge ahead of us and it’s so crazy to look back at where we started 🥹

At her first appointment we were working on healing a decent amount of breakage on her hairline and crown, and lifting out old dark color she had used to cover her grays.

The first after? I hated it. LOL I knew if I had made a few different decisions I could’ve pushed past that orangey stage a little bit more. So I made her come back to relighten, on me, two weeks later.

The following videos/photos were our progression over the last year!

The goal has always been to blend out her beautiful natural gray stripe & maintain healthy hair.

I have loved every stage of her hair color (except that first one, lifting out dark color will always haunt my dreams 🤣) and it’s so satisfying to see it all pay off in the end 🫶🏻

The most important thing that I tell every new client… patience is key. Whether we’re working on reaching a color goal or getting to healthier hair, we build off of every appointment and every step I take has intention behind it!

Patience ALWAYS pays off!

Platinum doesn’t happen by accident; it happens with consistency!

This client has been coming every 6-8 weeks for regular retouches, and that consistency is exactly why her hair looks like this - icy, healthy, and gorgeous.

Maintaining this tone isn’t complicated, but it does require commitment. Not just from me, but from you too.

Toner only lasts 2-4ish weeks on average depending on your home care and how often you wash. So if you’re pushing your retouch appointments out too far, that icy tone can turn warm. And when you finally do come back in, there’s a higher risk of overlapping previously lightened hair - which means more damage.

Regular appointments let me:
→ Carefully lighten new growth without overlapping
→ Keep your tone fresh and icy
→ Incorporate treatments like Olaplex and deep moisture to maintain health
→ Adjust based on how your hair is responding
At home, she uses toning conditioners instead of purple shampoo (which can be super drying). This helps remove warmth between appointments without stripping moisture. Some of my clients even prefer skipping the in-salon toner entirely because the toning conditioner keeps them exactly where they want to be!

This level of blonde isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. It takes time, investment, and a real partnership between us to keep it healthy and beautiful.

But if you’re willing to commit to the maintenance? This is what’s possible.

Want to talk about what maintaining this color would look like for YOUR hair? Every person’s maintenance schedule and routine is different depending on their hair. Link in bio to book a consultation and we’ll create a realistic plan together 💕

Rachael has talked about chopping her hair for YEARS! & I am so glad we finally did it because it looks SO. GOOD.

A hair chop can be so healing; I know because it’s my favorite way to make myself feel brand new! (Still considering it lately lol)

Seeing her so glowing and happy after her transformation was my favorite part of this day. What a beautiful person I’m thankful to have known & worked with for so many years 🥹💕

Are you the type to chop it all off the second the weather shifts? Or are you fiercely loyal to long hair, no matter how hot it gets?

This blunt blonde bob is giving main character energy, and honestly… I’ve been feeling the itch. The “should I just do it?” kind of itch. What do you think… should I go for the chop?

If you’ve been low-key fantasizing about a big cut or lightening things up for summer, maybe we’re both due for a reset. Because what if the fresh vibe you’ve been craving starts with your hair?

Short doesn’t mean boring. Light doesn’t mean high-maintenance. It just means you’re ready for something that actually fits how you feel right now.

Thinking it might be time? Head to the link in bio and book a consultation! We’ll come up with a plan that makes the change feel exciting, not scary.

The before photo was such a dream; so soft, blended, and beautifully grown out after six months. It’s always a good feeling when your hair still looks great months later, and that’s exactly the goal.

But with summer around the corner, it was time to refresh the blonde and bring some brightness back to the surface. The key to a grow out that looks this seamless is strategic placement that’s fully customized to your lifestyle, hair goals, and ideal maintenance schedule.

Whether you’re someone who wants to stretch your appointments or prefers to keep things consistently fresh, your hair color should be designed to work with you, not the other way around.

The goal isn’t just beautiful hair on day one. It’s hair that stays beautiful and makes your life easier between visits!

If you’re ready for color that fits your life, not the other way around, you can book a consultation online through the link in my bio. Let’s create a plan that actually works for you 💕