This isn't right is it? What did she actually do to my hair and how do I fix it?

[Hessianbag]

Name change as very outing. Can't believe I'm sharing pictures of me.

Went to hairdressers today. In fairness to the hairdresser she normally cuts my hair how I like it.

My hair was virgin. Like the first pic but with more grey.

I asked for something like the second pic.

I got the third but that doesn't show the contrast all that well. It looks like a dark red brown base with thick brassy highlights. She only used 2 colours but did tone the blonde as it was white. She was adament the difference from the pic is bcause of a difference in natural hair colour. She said the only way I'd get something like the picture was to have a full head of highlights and then tone them differently. I got a bit confused tbh. She said the pic was warm toned and she's given me cool tones to match my skin colouring but I don't think that is right. I think it's the other way round? She said this all afterwards obviously. When I first showed her the pic she was very confident about it.

I've agreed to give it a week to get used to before going back. I haven't a clue how she'll fix it though. I don't want to go too dark.

What should I be asking for?

Thanks everyone for the help and advice.

It looks rough and damaged but it isn't. I've just been messing about with it. :)

I'd ask for a refund. It's not what you asked for.
Your hair looks more brassy than it should do.

Ah the dark roots aren’t even blended nicely - just looks blocky! It looks like it’s fresh regrowth that hasn’t been coloured yet, she should have blended it in with the rest of your hair.

Honestly I think you need a different stylist.
This is why balayage can be so expensive because there are so many steps and colours involved, like if she used a darker brown at your very roots and blended that in with a lighter brown base it would already look miles better. To achieve a nice result like your photo, much more than two colours and toners would be used. You need a more experienced stylist which unfortunately does cost a bit more money. I follow some colour experts on Instagram and it takes them around 3-5 hours to get their end results from virgin hair!

Roughly where are you based? I can recommend a stylist for London, Birmingham and Manchester

Thanks Ihastingsmua. I queried only using two colours and that's when she started talking about bleaching and toning everything (after she'd already done it!).

Yes, the roots are pretty awful. :/

I wouldn't mind paying more but what would a ball park figure be?

Sadly no where near those places. :(

Ash toned hair is stunning, but it’s hard to achieve when you have warm hair. You need to strip your hair to a light blonde with no warmth, even though your desired result would be darker than pale blonde. You can’t remove the underlying warm pigment any other way, this bleaching process can ruin your hair. So it’s better to gradually go lighter over time and work with the warmer tones for now.

If you’re on Instagram, you can search #balayageYourArea (eg #balayagelondon) and see if you can find a decent stylist.

I have seen prices from £200+, but that’s probably on the higher end, and for longer hair, and in London so you could find someone cheaper.

So how does this text to the hairdresser sound? I'll send it tomorrow. I am not overly fussed about going back to her. I like her and I like how she cuts my hair but I'll find someone else.

"Hi x. Thank you for doing my hair yesterday. The cut feels much better! As you know the colour wasn't what I expected. I've had a play with it and although we agreed I'd leave it a week, I don't think it will make a difference. The brown is too dark, there seems to be a solid line between the blonde and the brown (I'll send the above pic) and the blonde is brassy and warm. I know you said afterwards that the results wouldn't be like the picture but you didn't discuss that with me beforehand. I would have chosen something different if you'd explained this would be the end result. As this colour wasn't what I asked for or what you said it would be I would like a refund please. Thank you. "

I've never asked a hairdresser for a refund before. Plenty of times I should have done!

And is my base colour definately warm then? It is hard to get an accurate picture. This is another one but it isn't this dark!

Thank you ihastingsmua. Sorry for being so needy!

I'd tweet it but she'll probably offer to re-colour it.

And the reason I want to go cool toned is because I've always had red toned. I had my colours done recently and apparently red tones are not good. I had grown all the colour out so wanted to try something completely different. My hairdresser said cool tones would be better for me but I'm nkt sure ai should listen to her anymore!

Mike - I don't want to make this public so I'm not going to tweet/facebook it. It's not fair on her to go public without giving her chance to fix it and I don't want her to try and fix it.

I think your text should be shorter and to the point.
Say on reflection you don't want to wait a week. It's not what you asked for at all, you're not happy with it. If she had said she couldn't do it like the photo you wouldn't have had had it done. You want a refund. Be polite but assertive.

I think your natural base is around a 6.2 and definitely cool.

She has really fucked up your hair. I would not have any more highlights as it looks really damaged.

I think I would get a refund and colour over it myself with Majirel and 20 vol cream peroxide and try to even it out a bit. Where you have highlights will lose colour quickly so it will still look a bit highlighted but not brassy after a few washes.

Have a look at level 7.2 and see if that is close to your base.

Here the lighter one is 7.2 and the darker 6.23.

They turn out darker hence suggesting a 7.2

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY A PROFESSIONAL COLOUR TONYOUR HAIR AT HOME OP.
For a start putting an ash base on top of hi lites that are white underneath a toner could throw up all sorts of issues. Also putting an ash,even on a 7 base will feel very dark and flat with no under tones at all.

Text the stylist and give her the opportunity to correct it and if she offers a refund go to a few salons that have been recommended for a consultation.
Any decent good salons will offer free consultations so you can get over exactly what you were aiming for and they can look at the condition.

Hair that's been hi lifted to white before toning means it's had every shred of natural colour stripped out of it and it will need some protein treatments for the other colour to grab.

Please don't go whacking colour on it till you've at least spoken to a couple more salons

Ok so...

"Hi x. Thank you for yesterday. I know you asked me to think about the colour for a few days but I am really not happy with it. When I sent you the picture asking if you could colour my hair like that, you said it was fine. If you had explained what my hair would actually look like, I would not have had it done. My hair colour is not what I asked so I would like a refund please."

OP you are nice. Good luck.

Castings in iced latte could help cool the tone and even it up a bit.

Whattheactual - I have no intention of trying to fix it myself, now THAT would be a disaster! :)

Now I've thought about, the fact that she can't see what the issue is and (as someone else said) that her technique was so wrong means I don't have any faith in her to fix it.

I disagree that this is not fixable at home having coloured over bleached hair numerous times. There is already red pigment in the hair and the Majirel dyes are formulated to cover over a white base if necessary.

If it doesn’t work you can chuck a warm golden brown over it in my experience.

Ps I think your natural hair looked lovely.

One option might be to go to a college where they train hairdressers. It might take a while but they are supervised and it won’t be mega expensive.

Go with the first text but take out the bit about the cut, you’re only talking about the colour.