Jennifer Slim doesn’t just bleach hair—her impact blonding technique creates custom lightening for every client. This signature approach transforms even the darkest hair with minimal damage, proving that anyone can be a blonde if they want to be.

“I've been blonde for 10 years, so I say it very loud and proud—we can deliver beautiful blonde hair even if you have naturally dark hair, and it can still be healthy,” Tran says. “That's why I stand so firmly with using K18. You can express yourself exactly as you want to, there are no limitations.”

These days, she teaches her blonding technique to hairstylists across the nation and feels fulfilled by giving others the tools to achieve what took her almost eight years to perfect. 

This AANHPI Heritage Month, Tran shares how following her passion and thinking outside of the box led her to become a stylist, how she keeps her clients’ hair healthy through every transformation, and what mentality she wants to pass onto her daughter about beauty. 

an unexpected change of direction 

I've been a hairstylist for 10 years, but originally I wanted to be a fashion designer. I always loved fashion shows. I’d watch New York fashion shows, Paris fashion shows. I wanted to work the runways, to be backstage. My mom was hesitant to send me to New York for fashion school because she worried it would be too expensive. So, I went to beauty school instead.  

The decision to pursue hair was a big deal because everyone else in my family either were entrepreneurs or in more traditional careers. They all opened nail salons or were doctors, pharmacists, things like that. I got pregnant with my daughter when I was quite young, and that's what’s led me ever since. It was kind of a double whammy telling my family: I'm becoming a hairstylist and I'm pregnant. They definitely thought I might not make it in life, but it's crazy because maybe two years ago, they told me that I surprised them. They said, “We weren’t sure if you were gonna do well, and we're really proud of you.” That felt good. Throughout it all, my daughter has been what keeps me going and motivates me to keep working toward my goals. 

“I was briefly a beauty school dropout”

At school, I was one of the smallest minorities. I was there to learn how to do hair, but to them, I looked like I should do nails because I was Asian. They would always send nail clients to me, which was really frustrating because I would express that I wanted to focus on hair. There's a creative side to nails that I like, but I could not paint in the lines at all, and I knew deep down it was not meant for me. 

I ended up actually leaving school and then coming back—I was a beauty school dropout—but I returned, because I knew that this dream was something I couldn't let go of. I knew I needed to go back, but I wanted to make sure I ended up in a niche I loved. 

I knew I loved doing hair, so I went back with that focus and haven’t looked back. 

dimensional results with impact blonding  

What led me to my impact blonding technique is figuring out how to lift dark hair to pale blonde in a healthy way, while keeping the hair’s integrity. Whether you're Hispanic or Indian or Asian or anyone with black hair, people look at you and say that you shouldn't have blonde hair. I’ve always fought against that. 

I like working outside the box and pushing the envelope—anyone can be blonde if they want to be. There’s a way to achieve this perfect illusion of having beautiful blonde hair and still having natural dark hair. That’s where my technique comes in.

expert tips for going blonde at the salon

In addition to keeping your hair healthy with good ingredients, having a seasoned and experienced stylist doing the transformation is so important. Especially when it comes to natural dark hair. You can definitely be blonde, but from a hairstylist's perspective, you should take just a little bit longer so that you can preserve the integrity of someone's hair.

My appointments can run from five to eight hours, and the reason I do that is because I try not to take any shortcuts. I use K18 throughout every service, from the PEPTIDE PREP detox shampoo all the way through both steps of K18REPAIR™(PRO molecular repair mist + PRO molecular repair mask).

I also don't use artificial heat, we strictly stay away from that. We use the heat that is coming from your scalp. I truly believe this is the key formula to having natural, dark, healthy, blonde hair. 

molecular repair to the rescue 

Damage can happen to anyone, anytime. A year and a half ago, I had an experience where my hair was badly broken from bleach. It was coming out in bunches! That’s when I started incorporating the leave-in molecular repair hair mask into my at-home routine. Because I wasn’t going to leave the blonde side—I'm a blonde, through and through. 

After incorporating the mask, my hair was like night and day. I don't ever have to worry about my hair breaking. It's a game changer.

I used to be a very easy go lucky with minimal steps. After the breakage era, I’m a bit more high-maintenance with my routine: detox shampoo, purple shampoo, K18 mask, K18 oil. I don't style with heat, I air dry, and I let my hair just breathe a little bit until I want to style it again, maybe in a day or two. 

I truly value myself, love myself, and I've come a long way from someone that didn't have confidence. From the moment I wake up to when I go to bed, I do things throughout the day to make sure that I always feel my best. I try to get as much rest as I can, eat healthy, work out as much as I can. 

experimenting with fun temporary transformations

My daughter knows she can't color her hair yet, she’s only eleven, but she loves experimenting with the updos and styles that I'm creating behind the scenes at weddings and events. I think that's more intriguing to her right now, before color. I like that you can take it down at the end of the day, it's not permanent, but still fun.

“what are other things that can help make us feel good inside, versus just how we look?”

I like to remind my daughter that not one person is the same—there’s only one of her, and it’s beautiful. I also try to remind her every single day (the same way I remind myself) that if you do things that are going to help your mental health, overall health, and physical health, then you'll feel beautiful. 

On the practical side, I created a simple skincare and haircare routine for her. We stick with only good shampoos. She gets out of the shower, and we put in hair oil. I always remind her about SPF, every single day. 

I prompt her to ask what she can do to make herself feel good today.  What are other things that can help make us feel good inside, versus just how we look?