Here's a snap of my not-so-hot "brande" stage. I know I'm smiling, but on the inside, I'm totally panicked. One of the first things Beth said to me upon seeing and feeling my strands — which are in a lot better condition now — was, "You can't make a steak medium rare once it's well done." In other words, once you fry your hair, you won't be able to get back that silky texture you once had.
Of course, if you approach the dye process in a smart way, which starts by making an appointment with a well-trained specialist, you won't experience the same problems I did. By allowing someone to apply a single process on my dark mane, I damaged my hair, and the photo above is the result.
Avoid this by sitting down with your colorist and discussing the lightening process before your appointment. Going blond takes work and a lot of time. If you're not careful, it can result in permanent change to the texture of your hair.