There’s something about having the right hair color that completely changes how you feel walking out the door. For me, it’s always been warmth. Not platinum blonde or anything overly dramatic, but those soft golden highlights woven through brunette hair that catch the light just enough to make everything feel brighter. When my hair has that dimension, I feel more polished. More confident. More like myself.
The funny part is, achieving that balance has been a bit of a journey.
For most of my life, my hair has been the same: naturally dark brown, medium in texture, worn long and typically one length. It’s always been healthy, strong hair, but if I’m being honest, I spent years wishing it had a little more brightness and movement.
I loved the idea of highlights, but figuring out how to lighten my hair without losing the richness of my natural brunette base — or committing to constant upkeep — took time. Over the years, I’ve experimented with different placements, different levels of brightness, and different products, whether they be at-home or in the salon. Some were great, some required more maintenance than my schedule could realistically handle, and others just didn’t quite give me the warm, natural glow I was looking for.
But every appointment helped me understand my hair a little better. And eventually, I realized what works best for me isn’t dramatic color: subtle dimension.
So when I had the opportunity to visit Paula Peralta, Artistic Director for John Paul Mitchell Systems, I knew exactly what I wanted to ask for. Warmth. Brightness around the face. Something fresh for the sunnier days ahead. But most importantly? Something that wouldn’t require me to not only sit in a salon chair every few weeks, but break my natural hair (and my bank account).
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My session with Paula was different than your average hair appointment. Instead of a bustling salon filled with stylists juggling multiple clients, I visited the pro hair colorist’s private salon inside her home in Los Angeles — and the difference in atmosphere was immediate.
The setting felt calm, intimate, and incredibly personal. There was no rushing, no loud salon floor buzzing in the background, and no feeling like the appointment had to move quickly because another client was waiting. It was simply the two of us sitting down and talking through my hair history, my goals, and what would realistically work with my lifestyle… with some occasional visits from her chickens in her yard.
Running Celeb Secrets means my schedule is constantly moving. Between covering events, interviewing artists, traveling for projects, and creating content, it’s rare for me to have hours to dedicate to a traditional highlight appointment. I shouldn’t have to sacrifice feeling my best due to my lack of availability, and thanks to Paula’s strategic approach, we were able to give me the best of both worlds.
If you’ve ever had highlights done before, you probably picture the same process I did: foil after foil layered throughout your entire head until you’re practically wrapped in aluminum.
Paula’s approach was the opposite. Rather than highlighting everything, she focused on intentional placement —adding brightness only where it would have the biggest visual impact.
“Express highlight services are perfect for the client on the go that is looking for maximum impact in a minimal amount of time!” Paula explains to me. “The key is to really choose a placement that works with how the client wears their hair.”
In my case, that meant concentrating on the face frame and crown, the areas where sunlight naturally lightens hair.
From a technical standpoint, Paula used Paul Mitchell Professional Dual Purpose Lightener with 20-volume developer to gently lift my color.
“Taking small sections is important for a quick, controlled and even lift,” she shares post-op. “It gives you up to seven levels of bright, beautiful blonde without over-processing the hair, and was the perfect choice for Juliet’s thick, medium texture hair.”
Watching the process unfold was fascinating. Instead of layering dozens of foils throughout my entire head, Paula worked thoughtfully and precisely, selecting sections that would bring life back into the color without overwhelming my natural base. It felt like a targeted refresh rather than a full overhaul, and honestly, that’s exactly what my hair needed.
If you’re like me, one of your biggest priorities is maintaining hair health. Going significantly lighter and pairing it with constant heat can sometimes leave hair feeling dry or fragile, resulting in bad breakage and piecing than can take years to rebuild.
Luckily, Paula shares the same philosophy. After achieving the perfect lift, she restored moisture with Tea Tree Lavender Mint Mineral Hair Mask, following a cleanse with Tea Tree Lavender Mint Shampoo.
“[The hair mask] helps bring moisture back and restore elasticity,” she explained as the treatment worked its magic. “It really helps keep the hair feeling healthy and soft.”
As time in the chair went by, I was amazed to watch results happen in real time. My hair was finally looking like something I actually loved, and I was beyond excited to see how it would look post-blowout.
For the final steps, Paula prepped my hair with Paul Mitchell Hot Off the Press, smoothed everything with Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, and created soft waves using the Paul Mitchell 3 in 1 Clipped Ceramic Interchangeable Curling Iron. A light mist of Paul Mitchell Extra Body Hairspray finished the look.
“The Super Skinny Serum cuts down drying time and gives you that glossy, just-left-the-salon finish, whether you’re in the salon or doing it yourself at home,” she says.
When the blowout was complete, I couldn’t help but notice the subtle yet powerful change that was in my hair. Golden highlights framed my face. The top layers caught the light beautifully. And the overall color looked brighter, richer, and more dimensional without losing the depth of my natural brunette base. It was everything I wanted and then some, and I couldn’t wait to rock my new look out on the town at my upcoming events.
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With the warmer months approaching, Paula says that more of her “it girl” clients are moving toward this kind of lived-in color, where they want to enhance their natural beauty rather than change it.
“My clients aren’t asking for anything too high-contrast. Instead, they are asking for just a ‘kiss of dimension’ —something that enhances their natural color rather than completely changing it,” she says. “I’m also seeing a big shift toward overall glosses to subtly warm up cooler tones.”
That approach also means significantly less maintenance. High-contrast highlights placed directly at the root can create noticeable grow-out lines, which means more frequent touch-ups. Softer, blended highlights — like the ones Paula created — grow out much more naturally.
In other words, they work with your life instead of constantly demanding your attention, and Paula says that “the low-commitment, high-impact change” is what “clients love right now.”
When I left Paula’s studio, I realized that sometimes the smallest beauty changes make the biggest difference in how you feel. My hair wasn’t drastically lighter. It wasn’t dramatically different. But the added warmth, dimension, and brightness instantly made me feel more confident and comfortable in my own skin. And most importantly, it gave me the exact look I had been trying to achieve for years without compromising the health of my hair.
If you’re looking to achieve a similar look that I have, here’s what you should tell your stylist the next time you hit the salon.
“Clients should ask for soft, face-framing highlights that are seamlessly blended into their natural root and kept within two to three levels lighter,” Paula reveals. “That way, you still get that bright, bold pop around the face, but it grows out much more naturally and doesn’t require constant upkeep.”
