New to coloring hair..

Knottie1430965129

I am a natural blonde, but it's a darker blonde that can look brown in photos. I recently decided, in April, to take a risk and get some highlights to brighten my look. At first, I hated it!! It was too yellowy, and extremely dry. I cried because I was afraid it wouldn't grow out in the 1 year I had left before our wedding next May, and I would have to get my stylist to try to match my natural color. Fast forward to now, and the color has faded from the shocking yellowy color to a wonderful sun-kissed blonde, and I have figured out a nice combo of products such as coconut oil and moisture rich shampoos to keep it from looking straw-like. THIS is exactly what I was hoping I could have on my wedding day. My question is: how do I get it? Our wedding is next May, and I would prefer to avoid coloring too often because it is so damaging and I do not want to look over-processed for our wedding. Does anyone have any suggestions how to duplicate the results I have now? I have made an appointment to get my hair trimmed and already my stylist is asking about "touching up..." Any advice is very much appreciated!!

TrixieJess

Get a new colourist. One that specialises in blonde. There may even be salons that specialise in specific colours. Your hair should never come our dry from colouring. That means it was overprocessed. I have very dark brown hair that has gone to strawberry blonde and I've never had dry hair. I've also only ever seen colourists that specialise in reds.

Knottie1430965129

Thanks for the tip!! I really should have researched more before deciding to go ahead with coloring. I have a few friends who go blonde in the summer, dark in the winter, and during the blonde months they almost always look like Doc Brown from Back to the Future. I knew I definitely did not want to look like that! I researched balayage on a tip from one of my classmates whose hair I never would have guessed was colored in any way, and I thought YES that's what I'm looking for, it looks so natural, and so summery! I took this idea to by stylist, and she said that with never having colored my hair, and the blonde usually being mixed with bleach, she would suggest using only color and the dye would not be thick enough to "paint" on without running. I had no idea that she could possibly be leading me in the wrong direction, she is a stylist at a well-known higher end salon in my little hometown, what could go wrong? By the time she started putting foils in, I realized I was in for the long haul...and that what I was getting probably wasn't what we discussed...but what could I do at that point? Leave with 4 streaks of half-done foiling? I decided to just go with it, and if I really hated it, I could book with someone else and get it fixed. I do like how the color has grown out some and faded and with being on vacation for a week, the sun has really played on making very nice contrasts within the rest of my hair. 

I will research some other salons in my area, and I will look at finding someone who will be more willing to sit down and explain how and what goes into lightening my hair. 

lembaslover

It sounds like she didn't tone your hair. I have very dark brown hair and went to platinum blonde for ~3 years. When you first apply bleach it will look yellow so they use a toner to make it more natural looking. For me my hair would start turning yellowish or brassy after a couple of weeks so I used purple shampoo called shimmer lights and that kept it the natural looking blonde. It makes sense because purple and yellow are opposite on the color wheel. Also after ~3 years I chose to go back darker b/c i could feel my hair wasn't quite as thick as it was a few years before but it took 3 years to reach that point and it wasn't unhealthy or dry it just wasn't as healthy as it had been so I'm giving my hair a break.

I would find a new hairdresser who knows about toning and stuff and then i'd recommend using some purple shampoo like 1-2x a week depending on how often you shampoo to keep the brassy color away. Since you already have blonde hair you can probably go a lot less frequently in between touch-ups. I had to go once a month with the huge contrast between my natural and the blonde.

strangenurse

Where are you? In a lot of major cities (like mine, NYC), hairdressers in upscale salons specialize in either cutting/styling or color. If you can get to one of those salons and have a consultation with someone who specializes in color and has an affinity for blonde hair, you'll have a much better shot at getting the results you'd like. Foiling has its place... sort of... but is really falling by the wayside in favor of hand-painting.

[Deleted User]

Find a new colorist, maybe one that uses more natural products. A friend of mine goes dark blond in the winter and in the summer goes with super blond in the summer and her hair always looks healthy and beautiful.

My hair stylist uses a more natural organic hair color product and all the highlights I've seen her do on blond look beautiful and healthy.

TrixieJess

Erikan73 said:

Find a new colorist, maybe one that uses more natural products. A friend of mine goes dark blond in the winter and in the summer goes with super blond in the summer and her hair always looks healthy and beautiful.

My hair stylist uses a more natural organic hair color product and all the highlights I've seen her do on blond look beautiful and healthy.

You need peroxide to lift colour. The reason that the more natural products work on your friend is because she's not going up more than 2 levels in colour and is staying in her own tones. If you are going from very or even a medium brown that has any hint or ash or red in it, the natural colour products won't do anything except make your hair brassy.

OP you have received some good advice. Seek out a new colourist, get a consultation and good luck.

Knottie1430965129

StrangeNurse- I am in Delaware, so as you can imagine top stylists are few and far between here...
I really do appreciate all of the wonderful advice! I have not been back to get touch ups, bc as mentioned by engagedhamstermom, I do already have naturally blonde hair in a darker hue. Over the summer I have been fortunate enough to be able to get outside and soak up some sunshine to give my hair its normal naturally highlighted sunkissed glow, my roots are almost nonexistant! I have made sure to take many pictures over the past few months, and will take these to the new stylist I find to give her/him the best idea of exactly what I am looking for on my wedding day!
I do like the color that my hair has become, and I think with my dress and tan skin, I will love the look next May! Thanks again everyone!!