Can't afford salon blonde highlights and box colours are rubbish, ideas?

[LifeIsGoingToBeButtery]

Haven't had my hair done for 18 months, used to get full head of foils with 3 colours done every 3 months, cut backs mean no colouring. Have tried box colours, which were ok until my highlights grew out, and no sun this year means no natural highlights, so my hair is a boring boring darkish/hello/bleurgh blonde, natural colour is dark blonde and high lights well, but I can't go in the sun much anymore even if it was there.

Any box/home hair colours that come with high lighting? Or should I go back to a teenager and use sun in, or lemon juice, or try to put a box colour in section like highlights?

I think you are going to have to experiment and do it gradually. I suggest you get one of those highlighting caps but only do it around you face. Pick a shade that is two-three shades lighter and in the same tone as your hair. From your description it sounds as though you would suit ash toned to neutral highlights.

I suggest you get the following-

Plastic tint bowl and tint brush. If you buy the Jerome Russell highlighting set it has a suitable cap,tray and small brush.

Plastic gloves

A small bottle of Jerome Russell cream peroxide 30 vol to achieve enough lift. Do not go to 40vol as 30 should be enough.

Majirel in either 9.1 or 8.1. google shade swatches. If you want it less ashy look at 9.2,9.3 as they progressively get warmer.

75ml cream peroxide mixes with 50ml of Majirel. So that is the mix you are looking at if you just want to mix a small amount 1:1.5.

Do not use the blue powder bleach in the packets as well. You just need the cream peroxide and Majirel.

Just mix up a small amount and do a few the first time. Add more in bit by bit until you are happy and have achieved enough lightness.

It's a bit of a risk but do you have a hairdressing college nearby?

Ours run a cheap salon (go with the highest level student) which is a bit of a middle ground between home and proper salon which might work for you.

Colleges are great, and they are so heavily supervised there is little risk involved, for colouring particularly (cut can be a bit more hit and miss, I've found)

Wow thankyou milmingebag! Yes you are right ash tones will have a google of everything you've said :-)
Will have a look for local collegues

Try mobile too, considerably cheaper. I pay £40 for an a full head of foils, a colour in between and a cut and blow. Half of what a salon would. Charge.

If you haven't got a college nearby hair salons usually have training days so the apprentice can practice. My training day used to be a Wednesday. dreaded it as Tuesday was often student night back then so often did people's hair hungover

Try Gumtree for hairdresser trainee nights. Often need models. Lots of the big name salons have training schools in London (and prob other big cities I'd imagine.)

Ooh, mobile is a good call as well. My mate gets a full head for £40 and it usually looks good.

No to Sun-In. Just don't. Find a good facial sunscreen and let your hair get a bit of sun. It'll highlight itself . I had my hair professionally highlighted from age 16-32. I sat down once and added up the money I'd spent on all those foils over the years and started growing out the colour immediately. I realized that my natural colour was actually quite nice .

Have you looked at Groupon or Living Social, you can often get a cut and half head highlights or full colour for about £25. Have had several done and no disasters!

Try an Eastern European Hairdresser, they are so much better ( sorry to all you British Hairdressers) than your run of the mill salons; very creative and cheap.