Hair related. To expect this to be fixed for free or not pay more to cover the error

[StayClassySally]

Attached is a picture of my hair. I had a balayage and wanted to go back to blonde. I understand this is a process and miracles are not to be expected. Highlights were used with a low volume bleach and strong toner. This is because my hair is snapped in places and not healthy.

This was my first visit to this highly recommended hairdresser. The hairdresser took a before picture. She said this was because the difference would be a great Instagram picture. She didn't take an after. I assume because she wasn't happy with it. She says because of the lighting due to it being dark once it was finished. When she started, it was dark. It wasn't going to get any lighter with it being night.

I have said I am not happy with the colour but can see the skill in the highlighting so didn't complain and booked another appointment. After, I got more unhappy with the colour. I messaged saying that if she cannot guarantee that she can get it to match the rest of the hair then I want a balayage again. She said balayage will be better. This is an extra £30 than the half head of highlights. £108 total. I paid £67 for the attached which was reduced as she felt so sorry for me and my past hair experience. She has said she is happy with how it turned out. If she expected it to turn out this colour surely she should have toned down the rest?

AIBU to expect either an attempt to correct it or the balayage at a reduced rate?

You have to open both pictures to see properly. It's not the same if you don't.

I feel like I'm over reacting based on your responses but if it helps, my friends and colleagues tell me it's not too bad with some saying it is ginger/brassy/warm. All of them are shocked I'm having to pay again.

Assuming this is the line you mean? It’s not too clear in the photo, but not sure what you can do, I wouldn’t recommended any more bleaching for a while, it might really damage it, and cause it to break

I can see why you’re unhappy with that, it’s difficult going from balayage to all blonde though. In order to get the top to match the ends I think you’d have to bleach the whole lot, and not have highlights as the top would always have darker strands of hair with highlights

I think you need to take a clearer picture a bit further away so we can tell what the hair looks like properly

So did she just put highlights all over, through the ends again? Can you just have the 'roots' ie the top section where it's warmer highlighted again without taking the bleach through the ends and then put a toner over the whole head? I understand that you want no more bleach through the ends but the top section doesn't look in bad condition? And I don't think you should have to pay for her to do that, it's obviously not what you wanted or asked for and she really should have known that it wasn't going to match up.

I’m a hairdresser

To get the top as blonde as the bottom would take more than one sitting as (sorry) the bottom looks very processed and more than one bleach.

I would have explained this so you would t have been surprised

If they didn’t - bad hairdresser
If they thought it would end up the same colour on the first go - bad hairdresser

That's the exact line I mean. Thank you so much. Yes, definitely going to balayage and lay off the bleach for 6 months to a year. Just wanted to see if I was unreasonable to query paying full price.

Ah can see what you mean now. The first few inches of your hair from the scalp are a yellowy brown colour and the bottom half is a very light blond. I think other posters may be focusing on the centimetre of dark roots.

Without knowing what your hair looked like when you went in and not being a hairdresser I have no idea whether what you requested is achievable but I personally wouldn't be happy with the result and would expect the hairdresser to redo the colour. If your hair breaks further not sure what you'd do though?

I'm also a hairdresser.

This is actually not a bad result considering your hair history. It will take months of slowly lightening the roots to match the colour on the ends, as they are over processed.

If you want to go back blonde , I would commit to it now you have started the procedure.

You should definitely be paying for any service you receive, if it's just because you've changed your mind. Maybe your expectations were too high? This should of been explained to you by your hairdresser. However you can't always be 100% sure what result you will get when doing a colour correction.

I agree it wouldn't match entirely and would take more than one sitting. However, she was very confident it would look good/match apart from the fact one is all over colour and one is highlighted until after it was dry. At that point, she started talking about how it's a process. This isn't what I expected and I think she either should have said it will take two/three sitting or whatever estimate and I would have asked for something to be done to darken the bottom to some degree.

She only put bleach through the root section.

Bottom half of your hair is nearly full block colour and then you've had highlights on the top.

High and low lights would have been better to break it up. I'm surprised the hairdresser didn't suggest this.

Block colour would have given you full blonde.

This isn't what I expected based on what she said. I did expect it to be warm based on too many years to count of bleaching and asked her specifically about it and she said no, I can definitely get it blonde and you'll be happy with it. I shouldn't have got dragged in by the confidence.

I think you should consider going back to being dark and let your hair grown out. That really is the result you would expect from highlights being put on top of, what I'm presuming was a pretty solid blonde on the bottom.

I feel your pain, I had a "balayage" which was just awful, she had actually bleached the roots at the front of my hair but the ends everywhere else, it was so bad and patchy. I went back and they couldn't have been less interested, they put lowlights in the front but it looked no different, so the next week I paid another hairdresser to just highlight the lot, but obviously it's still patchy and it's definitely going to be a long process
Hope you get yours sorted out and how you want it soon.

The top is darker because it's hilited, the ends are a more solid blonde from the balayage. Hilites will always leave some of your natural colour. That's why they're called hilites.
If you wanted it all to match perfectly then you would have to bleach the roots fully which would be really hard on your hair.

There is nothing wrong with what she did for you. It's really well done and a bargain price. Don't try to make her re do it free.
She didn't do anything wrong. Your expectations are completely unreasonable.

You've got banding at the top. This is because you have to bleach upwards gradually until you reach the roots.

It's going to take a while to match the solid blonde at the bottom, especially if your hair isn't in good condition.

The problem with putting on a strong bleach to damaged hair, as you know, is that it will stretch and snap.

The toner should have removed some of that brassy banding though? How long did she leave that on?

If you use lots of silver shampoo the banding will become more evident.

I think you'll need a few more sessions. Just focus on getting a lot of moisture back to your hair in between and ask for a stronger bleach as soon as you can.

It can't all be done at once. You'll go bald. In one or two more sets of highlights it will blend perfectly fine.

I understand you now op! It's tough because the ends if your hair are so light, it would be hard to achieve in one sitting. I hope you can get it sorted.

Also OP the highlights are blonde. It's just that your ends are bleached of any life left at all to almost a platinum. It takes times. And protein/moisture. And maybe some Olaplex!

This is why I stick to semi permanent darkest brown all over now with lots of argan oil - lots of shine, cheaper & much easier! never going near bleach or harsh dyes again (it's taken 2 years to sort mine out).

When it comes to bleach I don't think even hairdressers can know 100% what the outcome will be on someone. I think it's wrong of them to state as fact what the result will be.

I am naturally brunette but have had a full head of highlights twice, so the majority of my hair is blonde but it’s a bit darker near the roots (where newer growth has only been highlighted once).

This unfortunately means that some parts of my hair, which were left out of the foils & still toned, look a little bit gingery - it’s unavoidable with darker hair and highlights, you need a full bleach instead to avoid this.

Also I do think blonde full head of highlights on dark hair can be hit and miss - sometimes it looks nice but sometimes you’re left with a hybrid/in-between colour like OP’s warm blonde. It can be a bit if a wildcard.

Perhaps the hairdresser should have explained better what she could achieve, but I’m not sure whether what you asked for is actually possible. If the bottom is fairly solid blonde and the top is very dark, then you highlight the root which only gives partial coverage, the original line has to still be visible.
On the basis that she has done what you asked for I think you should have to pay if you want her to do more work.

Op, was your previous hairdresser able to take you very blonde in one sitting?

I don’t see any ginger or brassyness. The ends of your hair look very (over) bleached, the top new gently highlighted. I don’t see that getting it all as bleached looking as the ends would be desireable?