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My hair is dark brown but I've lightened it or highligted it since I was a teenager. I went to one girl up until my early 20s when she started cutting my hair lopsided lol. Since then, in the past 8 years or so, I must have been to about 7 or so places. My cuts have never come out bad. Actually, I'm not picky about it. But my hair color, especially when I have highlights, have gotten ruined several times. I just seem to get sylistys that give me yellow brassy zebra looking highlights, so I stopped highlights completely. I now want to just lighten my entire base a few shades to like a cinnamon color. I requested this last time but my stylist gave me dark brown, which I DID N0T want, with a tint of red in it. I know that color can't lift color, and I've also encountered stylists who have told me the only way they can lighten my hair is to do highlights, which I know is bull.
I finally went to a different place, some mom and pop type shop, that my relative went to. I told the girl how the color that was in my hair was too dark and she said the only way to lighten my hair was to bleach it out then put a color over it. My hair was in very good condition and stayed in good condition afterwards. Well, the color came out nice but she charged me $400, which is highway robbery. After that, I continued to go back to my regular girl who continues to do awesome hair cuts but my color still never comes out right. She has to know my hair isn't going to take the colors I pick out, but doesn't say anything and I get the same too dark hair color. I guess I've kept going back to her bc I like her on a personal level, the salon is nice and prices are moderate. She's also bothched up the color on my roots 3 times where I had to go back a few days later and she corrected it free of charge.
So it's obvious that if I want my hair lighter then what I have it, it has to be bleached out or I need a colorist who can try a different technique to lighten it. Plus, I have so much color in my hair right now. Should I go back to my normal stylist and tell her to bleach it out? Maybe she just isn't good working with dark hair and is afraid to do this? Should I try a new random place and ask for someone who specializes in color? What happens if she won't do it? Also, I'm assuming this is a color correction so how much should this cost me? I did find one place close to home that charges $60 and up which don't sound too bad. Advice? I really like the salon I currently go to but feel akward going to a different stylist and having my old stylist see this.
Well from firsthand experience - both in cosmetology school and with my own hair, your dark hair will likely never come out the same way twice once you start adding highlights, particularly of the golden kind. And you will on occasion have to go back when you don't feel your color is right; it's the nature of the beast (particularly with dark hair because everything shows up to the nth degree). I had a former coworker whose hair color I followed meticulously and she got it done once in caramel and blond highlights and I was totally dazzled; however it happened that one time and that was it. The next time it was darker (even though she had the same gal do it the same way again). It's the nature of dark hair.
Your $400 process was a lift to white (blonde) it seems, then a new color started over the top which is like starting with a blank slate. Can look awesome but can also burn your hair to a crisp.
Can you give some info about the colors you are using? Spit out some brands and colors (and letters: N/neutral; A/ash; R/red; V/violet(but some other brands use another name, its grape purple); sometimes the coffee colors have a green base)....more info needed please.
Your $400 process was a lift to white (blonde) it seems, then a new color started over the top which is like starting with a blank slate. Can look awesome but can also burn your hair to a crisp.
A good example of this procedure is probably Lindsay Lohan and how she goes from that nice normal auburn red to that **** yellow brassy blonde.
I think when you do highlights and it starts looking wonky...you have to take a break from highlighting to let some natural grow in and go with a soft version of your desired darker color in demi-perm colors because its much more gentle. Then put in low lights in a deeper color to add dimension. Since you hair is already processed it should stick better and when fading out it will show where you hair is damaged and could need some repair like fillers, a trim or deep conditioning.
To get my "too darks" to fade out I would use head and shoulders or baking soda + clarifying shampoo. Then deep condition. For future reference this is most effective when you do it right after the dye job.
You will probably have to repeat it a couple times. Just make sure you pay attention to how dry your hair is becoming. Its VERY important to watch you don't dry it out and let your hair rest a week or two before using color on it. Sometimes the ends may need a filler before you recolor. Check with your stylist when you get it done again and let them know what you are trying to do. You should also tell them your hair takes color fast and you would rather be lighter than darker because its been a past issue.
My former spectacular stylist whom I miss very much used to take the sections that were highlighted and do the lowlighting over them and then reverse each time. My hair looked similar each time but not the same. Your hair will never look the same way twice.
Funny about Head & Shoulders - cosmetology school unofficially prescribed White Rain shampoo as the color scraper of choice when dark color 'goes bad.'
My hair isn't highlighted anymore. I want to stay away from the highlights and just do an all over lighter color..more like a cinnamon color. As far as the color being used, I have no clue. My stylist will give me the book, I'll pick out the color and that's it. I'm just trying to get any advice on wether I should stick to this stylist or go to another? Also, since there's color in my hair that's dark and I've been told color doesn't lift color, does my hair have to bleached out again? My hair stayed pretty healthy after I had it done the first time, so I'm not concerned with the damage. I just want my hair lighter then what it is now. I'm not sure why my current stylist wouldn't have told me that I need a color correction to go all over lighter. Should I request my hair be bleached out first?
To do an all over lighter color (depending on where you start) will mean an adjustment in peroxide volumes. 10 is the color over color, like when I do a richer brown over my brown. No lift/ barely any lift. 20 is used for color over color also, usually in the same family or if I want to add a red over my natural brown, I'll get a reddish brown and it will cover gray. Beyond that is where they'll take you to go much lighter...30 is high and 40 is white. 40 (super white) is how you go to shocking platinum and then back down again to a color that will almost give you the color on the box.
Your stylist may be afraid to take you to that higher level in case you don't like it. And it's punishing on your hair to lift to white and come back down. My mother has been using super white on her hair for decades (I cringe to write this) instead of coloring and now her hair is gray and also crystal clear. And straw-like. It's bizarre and irreparable.
You can go from brown to cinnamon-ISH depending on how dark brown you are now. She can use a higher level of peroxide to lift your hair while adding that cinnamon-y color to it. I add 'ish' and 'y' because it will not look like the sample in the book. The sample in the book is synthetic hair (think Barbie) dyed with color.
I didn't want to trash your usual stylist but if she's afraid to do what you ask, find a master colorist somewhere else. It may be that she's not comfortable going to that level of change on a customer and I don't blame her, I've seen more than one freak out in the color chair. You'll likely end up with someone using a level 30 peroxide, a lightener and your cinnamon color. That should probably do it depending on your original color. Good luck!
I would try highlights first and try to lay the cinnamon over the highlights to see as a test run how it turns out before doing your whole head. Which whatever stylist you choose. I agree though if she won't try it, try another stylist that has the experience level that they are comfortable getting you what you want.
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