Hair dilemma - how can I explain this to my hairdresser? Any experts? HELP

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I know I should probably change my hairdresser but I'm a little nervous about that!

I have been getting blonde and light brown highlights for years. My hair is shoulder length and has a few greys around the front hairline. I would say my natural hair colour is between mousy and medium brown, it's not the most exciting colour.

I looked at my hair today, it's up in a bun and it just looks like streaky straw. I think it looks terrible and I feel very shabby with it. The only way to keep it looking ok is to go for more regular highlights than I have time for or can afford.

The PROBLEM: I once went a dark brown colour and I don't think it suited me. I loved how shiny and glossy my hair was but the colour was too draining as I am very pale.

What can I do? I feel I am in a catch 22. I don't want to grow out the highlights and leave my hair as I would look awful.

How do I get my hair back to its natural colour with just a little excitement of colour rather than extremely blonde/ dark?

I've tried to talk to my hairdresser about this but they just keep slapping in the highlights!

Try an ash blonde throughout. Can disguise/blend in greys so can go longer between highlights. (Just asked my hairdresser friend!)

Ok thanks for that, as in an ash blonde all over colour?

Change hairdresser?

www.loreal-paris.co.uk/hair-colour/casting-creme-gloss.aspx

DIY approximately once a month. It's not a permanent colour but long lasting, covers greys and gives you shiny, glossy hair. Easy to use and will save you money at the hairdressers.

Change hairdresser. You're being robbed!

Could try all over if want no more highlight hassle, but getting ash blonde "lowlights" and then your lighter highlights should make for a pretty blend but will also prevent you having to redo them as much.

I'm doing exactly that,hopefully, on Tuesday. I am fed up with the relentless trips to the hairdressers, having the highlights put in, looking good for a couple of weeks then getting the root growth and feeling drab. My hair is about the same length as yours and I felt like having it cut, the final straw was last week when DH said it was 'straw coloured'.

I phoned my hairdresser and asked her if there was anyway of going back to my natural colour, which is quite dark brown. She said she could do it, and asked if I wanted a very small amount of my highlights left in so it looks like it has been caught by the sun, or she can weave a lighter brown through to stop it looking flat. She has booked a slightly longer appointment so we can decide before she starts.

Can you go in and ask a for a consultation to choose a colour(s) before you make an appointment so she is very, very clear in her mind of what you want before she starts?

Okay careful of ash blonde if you have had bleach highlights - you could go a little green. Make sure you have a violet ash and gold mix or something with a little warmth. Would you suit a honey blonde? Or are you more cool toned?

But I agree with the previous posters, I think its time you did an all over colour, either at a different hairdresser or yourself. It would add shine, gloss, and a more uniform effect.

I would actually go to a hairdresser for your first time, just change hairdressers, and say you want a block colour or tint, because you don't want root glow or a reverse root glow effect where the roots don't lighten enough and go orange.

Failing all just go to another hairdresser or your hairdresser and say you want a darker blonde or beige blonde semi to give your hair a break from highlights and take it from there. It will have a nice camoflague type effect, in that your highlighted pieces will still be evident but with a lovely gloss and a bit more depth.

Thanks so much for the advice. So it's an all over colour I need with a few subtle highlights rather than putting darker highlights in? Any time I've asked my hairdresser about hits before she puts dark highlights in to break the colour up but I'm never happy with the result!

I wouldn't go ash, can be ageing, but agree with Casting Cream gloss, I used it when growing out highlights and inbetween permanent colour now and its great stuff. Try a casting honey blonde.

Just tell her it's too light and you would prefer a darker blonde all over with a few lighter blonde foils through. If you get straight to the point, no beating round the bush, she has no excuse and if you come out looking the same again I would look for a new stylist.