Highlights. To ask how long does it take your stylist?

[Yellownotblue]

I recently moved to a new area and went to a new stylist to get highlights (in anticipation of the next lockdown). My hair isn’t long - over the shoulder. The highlights took over 3 hours, and I had to leave without getting a haircut because I was running late.

I think the stylist I got was really slow. I had the foils on for 30 minutes only, it just seemed to take her ages to get them done, and afterwards to apply the toner etc.

AIBU to think 3 hours for highlights is too long?

My previous stylist was much quicker - was he the exception?

I have shoulder length 'thick' hair and it normally takes around 4 hours for a full head of highlights, wash, cut, blow dry and style. I have two different shades put through though which I know can take slightly longer.

Wow, I think I need to adjust my expectations. Thank you, that’s useful

About three hours is right. Half a head is quicker but a full head seems to take forever.

Mine takes 1.5 to 2 hours

I have mid length dark hair and it can easily take 3-4 hours for me to have my hair cut and coloured. I used to have to make a whole Saturday afternoon of it! Now I just go for an all over colour because it’s so much quicker.

Yep that's about right , I always have half head it's a bit quicker but even so I'm usually a couple of hours minimum.
It can take 40-1hr depending on length of hair or if half head to full head to put colour on / 40 minutes + sat in foils then wash + cut . It's a timely and costly process I'm not sure why we do it to ourselves.

Last time I went it was 2.5hrs for highlights, colour all over, cut & blow. Hair just below the chin, but very fine.
If your stylist is wearing PPE it might slow her down a bit I guess.

I have full head plus toner, it easily takes 3-4 hours. I was surprised the first time - I had to go and move my car as it was in a 3 hr bay .

My old stylist was an absolute perfectionist and a half head of highlights on chin length fine hair, along with a cut used to take her 3 hours.

My new stylist does the same job in 2, though I now blow dry it myself, though that doesn't take long given my hair type.

The first stylist saw it very much as an "experience" she was providing though so would go the extra step (her head massages were amazing - I may have fallen asleep on her once!)

My hair usually varies from shoulder length to an inch or two past shoulder length. My hair is not thick, as in individual strands are not thick, but every hair dresser I have used has commented that I have a lot of hair.

But no it has never taken three hours! That would drive me mad. After lockdown finished in July, I had not been to the hairdressers for a very long time and I decided to keep it longer too. I had about there inches of regrowth plus grey to cover, all that plus a cut and blow dry took 2.5 hours which was longer than normal. Normally it takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

I have to have full colour now, because I'm so grey, but when I had highlights it use to take well over an hour to put all the colour and foils on because my hair is very thick. There's just so much of it.

My hairdresser used to book an extra half-hour over the normal appointment time for me, because it took so long.

Yup, thick dark hair past my shoulders, just above bra strap and highlights, base colour, toner and cut takes 4 hours.

My hair is long (below boobs/nearly hip length) and thick. I only go once a year to the hair dressers as takes 5 hours to do highlights and cut and blow dry. It’s always taken 3+ hours for high lights no matter the length though.

*i mean waist length not hip length!!

4 hours for me also. My hair is thick and just past shoulder length

I have thick, long hair and my hairdresser is very fast but it still takes 3.5 hours for half a head.

3-4 hours.

Yeah, 3 hours sounds right

My hair is just past my shoulders and normally takes 3-4 hours for full head of highlights,wash,cut and blow dry. It has on the odd occasion taken slightly longer,I've been using the same hairdresser for around 10 years now.

Last time I as there it took 5 hours but it was the junior and she had a bit of a panic when taking the fouls out as it had grabbed differently on the ends. Cue lots of rinsing and toners! All worked out well though. My born would be over 3 closer to 4.

Thanks everyone for sharing - it’s helpful to know others’ experiences. I just moved from another country where efficiency is high, because space is expensive - so people just work more quickly I think.

As I said, I need to adjust my expectations.

Can’t help but think - what a waste of collective time though 😄! I know it’s a choice, nobody is forced to get highlights - but somebody should work on a solution that would cut that time by at least half! Any inventors out there?

I normally book out 3hrs in my column for full head hi-lights, cut and finish. My boss can do it in far less though! Often it's how well the clients hair lifts that determines the time needed.

About 3 hours here also for a full head

Yes 3 hours plus here for highlights colour and cut. I also have an Olaplex treatment

Like any job, some people are more competent and efficient.

Isn't it damaging to have bleach on for over 3 hours? In theory the first few highlights are being left in foils for a long time.