Any hairdressers on here?

[FloralTeacup]

I went in for a consultation this morning. I currently have a full head of blonde highlights, but I’m sick of the blandness of the blonde and want to go a bit darker, slightly warmer tones but still keep some of the blonde.

I was told that my hair needed to be coloured all over first, then a balayage/root extend thing would be done. Then toned, etc. When I got the price quote for it all, it was really out of my budget (£180!).

I know that what she described requires a lot of time and work, but I’m wondering if all that is necessary in the first place. I was thinking that some lowlights and warmer blonde tones put through might have been enough.

I’ll attach photos.

It should be obvious which is my hair lol (the non-Pinterest photo!).

Any help would be appreciated!

Shameless bump

I was thinking that some lowlights and warmer blonde tones put through might have been enough.

Ask for that then. It might be enough to give you what you want or it might not but you may aswell give it a shot anyway before you spend almost £200.

Actually, I’ve just read it again. Why on earth would they need to colour all over before adding in a few highlights?!

@Floofboopsnootandbork

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

I’ve had lowlights put in my hair before. I feel like a base colour wouldn’t be necessary! I don’t want to go extremely dark, just toned down, at the very most have the roots darkened into a root-extend type of thing.

I have a full head of highlights and a root painted in and I pay £140. Having your hair done is one of those things that's just expensive now I think. Annoyingly.

@OnTheFrow

Yeah, some places do charge more than others though.

I had a full head of foils, olaplex, and cut & style at my old hairdresser for £55. She does it well, too. I’ve since moved though, and have already travelled to her once! But it’s not feasible to go that far every few months.

That is a really good price! I'm currently googling hairdressers near me.

You've kicked me up the bum to get booked in.

Hahaha! Hope you find somewhere reasonable.

I’ve been asking around other local hairdressers, and not had much help so far. They all want me to come in for a consultation, which is fair enough... I just dread to think if they quote me an equally shocking price... I can’t afford to pay more than £100, which I don’t think is unreasonable for what I want doing.

When I've gone darker (from a light blonde to a natural blonde to match my winter roots), they dyed all over. Then the next time I saw them, they put some highlights in. Think it cost around £75 each time. But it meant that I didnt need my roots doing every 6 weeks I saved money by only going once every 3 months.

If these are the pics you showed your stylist are the first three they look like full colour with grown out highlights...they would have to prepigment then colour over this is maybe the confusion came.... It sounds like you would like to break up your colour with lowlights and warm tones with keeping some of your own cool tones you have..... This would be classed as a full head of foils allowing some of the previous colours untouched and your natural to be left out plus this softens the regrowth ..... But it you are 90%white you may want a base colour also... Best bet go in for another consultation with different stylist bring some of your past picture saying this is the technique then different pic with the tones as a reference as ur hair will come out differently use as a guide..... Hope that help ps its the time and brand of product and place you go to that determine the price... Rember its your crown and glory

... Rember its your crown and glory

OP, it's really hard to tell from your picture if your hair is over processed or not or if it's just fine. If it is over-processed, then that may be why they want to do an all over base colour to take you back to your natural colour, if not then they may simply want to 'start from scratch' in order to obtain the best possible outcome for you.

I'd go to a different reputable salon and see what they say. Ask about the possibility of having three different tones put through it, such as light (but warm), medium and dark. Don't whatever you do choose someone based on the fact that they're cheap and are willing to do as you ask. I've had the process you've been quoted for and it seems very reasonable to me and I'm in the Midlands.

Maybe try groupon they seem to have a lot of hair stuff?

Try your local college, there is a hairdressing salon at ours that offers hairstyling/ colouring etc at reduced rates so they can use people for experience for their students (there’s a teacher present!)

@ForOldLandsEye

Thank you for your advice :)

My hair is very fine. My last hairdresser told me my hair wasn't damaged much at all. It feels healthier than it has done in the past! She also used Olaplex in my hair - in the colour and also part 2 afterwards. This only cost me an extra £5. Whereas the stylist I had to consultation said it's an extra £15 for the Olaplex...

Think I may have to live with my hair colour for now and travel to my old stylist again. At least I know it's in good condition. I'll know what to expect with her, too.

That’s cheap where I’m based - I paid almost £300!

@NCjustforthisthread

£300! I pay just over that for my share of rent + bills a month!

I just can’t justify spending so much when I’ve had another hairstylist do it lovely for so much cheaper. For all I know, a different stylist could spoil it and I’d still be paying hundreds!

@justthecat this is a good idea actually. I guess the tutor would always supervise/rectify should the worst case happen. What do you have done when you go?
I'm a full head of highlights and a trim?

@NCjustforthisthread this must be with extensions. Surely 😬 that or you go central London?

No idea why I'm such a cheapskate when it comes to my hair. Don't think twice about spending money on beauty treatments.

If you've gone in and shown them these pictures, then all of the work they quoted you for is required. Maybe just tell them what you've put here; you want some low-lights to break up the blonde a bit.

Btw, PP have suggested going to a college, I just wouldn't trust them. It's cheap and cheerful, but colour is the one thing you don't want messed up, especially when it comes to adding warmth to your hair. It could go terribly wrong in the hands of someone that only knows a small amount of information.

My hairdresser charges £60 for foils, cut & b.dry.

If your hair is the one on the right, it looks lovely as it is.

Spend the cash on something else, I would LOVE your hair!

Hello, as a hairdresser myself I would not suggest what has been suggested to you. That just seems like a waste of time.

I would just add foils of the darker/warmer tones to the blonde you already have, to add that depth that you want.

Hope this makes sense to you :)

I’m a hairstylist...if you came to me I’d do a root stretch then some lowlights in foils scattered throughout and put a warmer toner over the rest of the hair left out of the foils. This would all be done in one sitting and I’d charge you around £85 inc cut and blow dry I’m in the North West for area price reference

I have balayage done at my local salon (costs £90 including olaplex). They paint the darker colour onto my roots and then paint in the blonde bits at the same time.
Have you thought about looking for some local mobile hair dressers? They're often cheaper. I found my old one on Facebook.

Thank you everyone for your advice :)

I have booked in with the same hairdresser to have lowlights/blending done... still going to cost me £100 (without a root stretch, which I'd like tbh) which I think is unreasonable when some of you are saying you'd do it for £85. But hey-ho. I'll make sure not to leave that salon unless I'm 100% happy for that price!