Hair pre-lockdown had scattered blonde highlights, what to do??

[GertyTheGert]

My hair is 85% grey so have just had my 4" roots re-done lightest brown, but my highlights will need re-doing next time as it looks a bit like I have a pudding-basin line round my head! Do my future highlights have to be BLEACHED up to blonde (not platinum just fair-blonde) to get these highlights as my hair, having been cut now, is still frazzled from the original bleached lights. My pal always has 3 shades of blonde highlights thru her grey hair - she was fair anyway pre going grey) and she has no other colour dye at the roots/as a base colour). She told me the hairdresser shouldn't have been overlaying bleached highlights over the whole length of my hair and in fact shouldn't be using bleach anyway to do the highlights! I realise yes, that IS what she does - does the highlights right thru to ends each time). I am also confused as me, being older, always thought blonde highlights equals bleach! Am I an eejitt - cos my hair texture is bad from where the highlights start / down to the ends and I just assumed everyone's hair is a bit hmmmm if they have had highlights done for the past 3 years (with a base of light brown dye)!!! Do I say to the hairdresser please only put highlights down to meet where the previous highlights are??!! Its done via foils.....Am confused because if I was to say can you scatter the highlights elsewhere, I'll end up being blonde all over by the 3rd visit!!! Any advice girls? I don't suit the all-blonde look, I do suit lightest brown, scattered lighter bits but is she doing it wrong keep taking bleach to the ends and is my pal right she shouldn't use bleach anyway?! Sorry this is long was trying to be as descriptive as poss!

Your hairdresser should only be highlighting the regrowth and not the lengths, your hair will end up a block colour and wrecked.

When I used to have highlights I used to touch up my grey roots with a mid cool brown, literally paint the grey with dye, I used to do this a couple of days before my appointment, my stylist would then ‘catch’ all the highlights and tint the root only. She didn’t mind me dying my roots brown as it saved her doing 2 colours. She was very experienced and very skilled. Change hairdressers before your hair is ruined.

Thank you Llamazoom! Were your highlights via foils? When she caught the highlights to do the roots was it with something like a tailcomb so that she only painted the "grey or brown bits" at the root end of each highlight and therefore didn't overlap with the blonde and didn't pick up other hair that wasn't a previous highlight? Just trying to picture if it was a lot of work fishing out the blonder bits to re-do and that's why my one doesn't do that! Obviously hair would remain in good condition if only the roots to each highlight are done!! Final question, was it done with bleach to achieve that colour - my one seems to mix bleach with the the fair colour for the lights. My pal says no her colourist doesn't use bleach at all (is it cos unlike me, she is fair anyway but with lots of grey hair too?) Sorry yet another involved post from me!

Your welcome! Yes highlights were foils and she used a tail comb to catch the hair that needed dyeing, she may have caught a few strands that had already been coloured but not enough to notice. It’s a skill but it’s a skill a decent hairdresser should have, she either isn’t confident or is lazy.

Yes bleach was used but it didn’t damage my hair at all because it was on fresh hair and was only coloured twice, once by me and then by her. I’m too dark skinned and have too much grey to not have 2 colours, my hair would have been a Nordic blonde which is lovely but not lovely on me. To be honest I don’t know any alternatives to bleach that would lift to that level of lightness. Your friend may just have a tint if she’s fair and has lots of grey. Hopefully a hairdresser will come along and tell you more...
If I was you I would change hairdressers, it sounds like she’s not competent enough.

Thank you for your help! This does sound like its the way it SHOULD be done! I am like you, I need two colours because I don't suit blonde as my complexion is an odd cross between very pale raspberry and light tan!!! Fingers crossed a hairdresser may step in to explain highlights without bleach...!

@GertyTheGert 😂 at your description of your complexion, mine is great at the moment but in the winter I am sallow skinned and look jaundiced. Have you had a google, I’m sure there are hair forums out there, you might get some expert advice.