Inside the Color Bar: How We Customize Every Blonding Service at The Gilded Lily Chicago

If you’re blonde—or dreaming of going blonde—you already know the journey is anything but one-size-fits-all. At The Gilded Lily Chicago, we don’t do cookie-cutter color. We’ve built our reputation on one bold belief: no two blondes should ever look the same. Whether you're craving icy platinum, warm honey, or that lived-in, sun-kissed glow, our Color Bar is where your custom color story begins.

This is your exclusive backstage pass to see how our stylists personalize every blonding service—from foil placement to toning—and why our curated lineup of Kevin.Murphy products are your blonde's new best friend. Let’s take a peek inside the Color Bar and discover how the magic happens.

At The Gilded Lily in Logan Square, the color bar—or "back bar"—is a beautifully curated station behind the stylist chairs where all color magic happens.

Welcome to the Color Bar

So, what exactly is the Color Bar? It’s not a literal bar, but it is the part of your service where your stylist becomes both an artist and a chemist. We analyze your hair’s current condition, desired shade, lifestyle, maintenance goals, and even your skin tone before we lift a single strand.

Every appointment starts with a one-on-one consultation. This isn’t just small talk—it’s the foundation of your custom blonding experience. Are you ready to maintain your color every 6 weeks, or are you more of a “see you every season” kind of guest? Do you swim often? Heat style daily? Prefer a low-maintenance grow-out? All of this helps us build your Blonde Blueprint.

Foil Placement: It’s All About Strategy

If you think blonding is just “putting in some highlights,” think again. Foil placement is a major key to your final look—and at The Gilded Lily, we treat it like a strategy game.

This isn’t just your average highlight. At The Gilded Lily, our stylists use expert foil placement techniques to create tailored brightness and movement—exactly where your hair needs it most.

Here’s how we tailor your placement:

• For face-framing brightness: We use a money-piece technique, adding brighter, bolder highlights around the face to instantly illuminate your features.

• For soft, natural dimension: We blend babylights and teasylights in a seamless, diffused pattern that grows out like a dream.

• For high-impact blonde: We load up the foils in a back-to-back pattern, lifting as much depth as possible while protecting hair health.

• For rooty, low-maintenance blonde: We might opt for balayage or root smudging, keeping your natural base visible and softening regrowth lines.

Each pattern is chosen based on your hair density, natural color, and how bold (or subtle) you want your transformation to be.

Tone Talks: Where Blonde Becomes Bombshell

Lifting hair to a blonde shade is only half the battle—toning & glossing is where the real artistry kicks in. Without a toner, your blonde would look raw, brassy, or just... unfinished. Toner is the topcoat, the filter, the thing that turns “meh” blonde into “OMG who did your hair?” blonde.

At The Gilded Lily, we custom-blend every toner based on:

• Your skin undertones (cool, warm, or neutral)

• The level of your lift (how bright we got your hair)

• Your maintenance plan (how often you’ll return for touch-ups)

Whether you want pearly ash, golden warmth, or champagne shimmer, we’ve got you. And because toners fade gradually, we always send you home with a tone-preserving routine (more on that below!).

Your Blonde’s Best Friend: Kevin.Murphy Products

Blonde hair needs a little extra TLC—and that’s where Kevin.Murphy comes in. This Australian-born, performance-driven haircare line is a Gilded Lily staple for one big reason: it works with your blonde, not against it.

Here’s how Kevin.Murphy keeps your blonde brilliant:

1. BLONDE.ANGEL and BLONDE.ANGEL.WASH

These violet-based shampoo and conditioner heroes neutralize brassiness while hydrating thirsty strands. Unlike many purple shampoos that leave hair feeling dry or crunchy, Kevin.Murphy’s formulas are rich in nourishing ingredients like murumuru butter and shea butter.

2. RE.STORE and REPAIR-ME.WASH

For hair that’s been lightened multiple times, these reconstructing shampoos and treatments help strengthen compromised strands with plant-based proteins and amino acids. Think of them as the ultimate rehab for your hair.

3. SHIMMER.ME BLONDE

This lightweight finishing mist adds shine, reduces frizz, and deposits just a kiss of cool tone to keep your blonde luminous between salon visits. Your hair will feel silky soft!

4. EVER.SMOOTH and HEATED.DEFENSE

If you use heat tools (hello, blowouts), these heat-protectant products guard your blonde from breakage and dullness without weighing hair down.

Our stylists hand-pick the best Kevin.Murphy products for your hair type and lifestyle, and we always walk you through how to use them at home. Consider it your blonde maintenance starter pack.

Maintenance Plans: Your Blonde, Your Schedule

Being blonde is a commitment—but it doesn’t have to feel like a chore. At The Gilded Lily, we match your maintenance plan to your real life. Not everyone can (or wants to) come in every six weeks—and that’s okay.

Here are a few customizable options we offer:

• Blonding Sessions: Designed for full transformations, these include everything from full foils to root melts and toning.

• Maintenance Sessions: Perfect for touching up your money piece & refreshing your toner, or adding a few pops of brightness.

• Gloss + Blowout Appointments: Fast, fabulous, and perfect between big services.

• Seasonal Blonde Plans: For clients who only lighten seasonally, our stylists map out a yearly plan to ensure your color stays on point year-round.

We also keep digital notes and formulas for every guest, so your next appointment is always as personalized as your first.

Why Custom Blonding Matters

Blonde is personal. It’s a vibe, an identity, a glow-up—and it deserves more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Custom blonding means fewer color corrections, better hair health, and a result that makes you feel like you—but brighter.

We’ve seen firsthand how a tailored approach changes everything. Clients who once struggled with breakage, brassiness, or inconsistent tone now leave the salon confident and camera-ready. And when you know your stylist gets your blonde, the experience becomes more than a service—it becomes a ritual.

The Gilded Lily Difference

At The Gilded Lily Chicago, blonding isn’t just something we do—it’s what we specialize in. Our stylists undergo continuous education in advanced blonding techniques, foil artistry, and Kevin.Murphy product knowledge. We’re obsessed with getting your blonde just right and giving you the tools to keep it flawless between visits.

Whether you're going blonde for the first time or you're a seasoned highlight queen, our Color Bar experience is all about collaboration, creativity, and care.

Ready for Your Blonde Era?

If you’re ready to step inside the Color Bar and create a blonde that’s uniquely yours, we’re ready to make it happen. Book your custom blonding consultation at The Gilded Lily Chicago and let’s create some magic.

✨ Trust us—your blonde will thank you.