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Original poster

Highlights not nice - help please

17 replies

tiredmamma · 12/07/2017 05:07

Hi, i need a bit of advice if anyone can help please. My daughter wanted to get some highlights for her birthday (16). I am rubbish at hair but my dd and I did ask for some subtle highlights and not too many. Unfortunately she's not happy with the result- they are very stripey (two colours) and there's just more of them than we expected. She's a bit gutted as she'd been looking forward to it. Can anybody tell me if this can be corrected? Without doing damage to her hair or resulting in something that looks bad as it grows out or needs constant maintenance? We're both so sorry for having done done this to her hair - feeling like a crap mum tbh. Thanks in advance for any advice.

OP posts:
Catherine0317 · 12/07/2017 07:25

I've never had a highlight issue that couldn't be fixed and I've had them since I was about 17. So don't worry. I think best place is to speak to a good hairdresser- maybe an all over colour in her natural colour with a couple of more subtle highlights that will grow out and not be noticed.

humanfemale · 12/07/2017 07:39

Can definitely be fixed. Probably just needs some tint over the top to tone them down a bit. I had this earlier last year and it took twenty mins to put right at the hairdressers

Poshtottykins · 12/07/2017 13:48

Can you post a photo in good light ?

Floralnomad · 12/07/2017 13:50

Were they done by a colour specialist or a bog standard hairdresser , if the latter ask if the salon have a colourist , if they don't find a better salon that does.

StarHeartDiamond · 12/07/2017 16:49

She might need lowlights in her natural colour to break up the stripes, that's what I've had done before. It all depends on her actual hair though. A good salon can advise.

rosybell · 12/07/2017 20:01

If the colour is a bit brassy some purple shampoo can help tone it down a bit.

Original poster
tiredmamma · 12/07/2017 21:41

Thank you all for the helpful replies. Floralnomad- It was a bog standard hairdresser - lesson learned there. Poshtottykins - I will try to get dd to let me take a photo in a while, she's not very keen on that just now🙁
We called into a different salon today to ask for their advice. It's not a salon I'd usually go to but it has a good reputation as far as I can tell. Their proposal is to apply a toner which they say will tone the highlights down so they will appear less stripey and more subtle in colour. Does that sound right? I am scared of making things worse. Maybe I should call into another salon tomorrow to see if they have another solution.

OP posts:
boobyooby · 12/07/2017 21:50

The toner solution sounds right (many years of colouring hair here, by a hairdresser it'd be green if I did it)

Floralnomad · 12/07/2017 21:57

My dd has been having hers done for a couple of years but fortunately my sister already had a great colourist so we just went to him . Finding a decent hairdresser can be a minefield . Do you know anybody who has their hair coloured that you could get a recommendation from ?

LockedOutOfMN · 12/07/2017 22:08

Agree that toner at the other salon will help. Shouldn't be expensive. Then you can use purple shampoo (I like the Lee Stafford one; you can buy it from Boots).

Original poster
tiredmamma · 12/07/2017 22:21

Does anyone know how the toner works? I forgot to ask. It's not an overall tint that colours her whole hair.? She doesn't want that. And I expect it wouldn't be a great idea in case it needs keeping done as it grows out. I've never had highlights and very minimal experience of colouring at all so I am no good at this!
Thank you all btw.

OP posts:
StarHeartDiamond · 13/07/2017 00:10

I really would lowlight it to break it up, if she likes the highlight colour itself except there's too much and the stripes are too thick it will keep some of the highlighted colour but less of it.

I take it her hair is light brown or mouse and has been highlighted blonde?

A tint will mute the whole head of colour. It won't make thick stripes thinner just less obvious and less bright.

StarHeartDiamond · 13/07/2017 00:12

However you've seen a professional today and they said tint, so... I would follow a decent colourists advice!!

Maybe ask them about tinting versus lowlights just to get their opinion on low lighting and why not to do it? It would use permanent colour and tints are kinder, maybe that's why they have suggested tint, as a condition of hair issue. If it's to do with condition I would definitely take their advice.

LockedOutOfMN · 13/07/2017 00:23

The toner basically tones down the dyed hair and helps it blend with the not dyed hair. It doesn't change the colour of the not dyed hair. The effects of the toner are temporary but if when it wears off your daughter still finds the highlights too chunky then she could get a few lowlights added then, as other posters have suggested.

Poshtottykins · 13/07/2017 00:36

It effect of the toner depends on the actual colour of the toner they want to use. A purple/blue toner or shampoo could actually make the highlights even more distinct as it will make them ashy/silver against a possibly warmer base ? Without seeing her hair it's difficult to tell but a T section ie parting and front hairline of fine low lights could be enough to brake up the harsh lines

lorelairoryemily · 13/07/2017 00:57

I'm a hairdresser @tiredmamma, a timer depending on the shade will just stain the hilites slightly to dull them down a little(or as a pp said brighten them up depending on the shade used) personally I would be adding a lowlite close as possible to her natural shade to break up the stripes.

lorelairoryemily · 13/07/2017 00:58

Toner not timer!!

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