Box dye over highlights?

[Thecat19342]

Hey mnetters

I have a hair issue and wondering if anyone here has any similar experience or knowledge in hair.

I have dark blonde highlights over my naturally dark brown hair, the hair dresser used oplex and I had my hair highlighted for two years every 6-8 weeks. Last highlighted in February this year, I'm trying to grow out the highlights but it's starting to look awful - I don't really have a spare £130+ to go to the hair dressers as money is really, really tight. Can I put box dye over the highlights or will I cause more issues? Or is there another cheaper treatment I can ask the hair dressers to make it look better? Thanks so much!

I've box dyed over highlights plenty times in the past with no adverse effects, I normally go for a medium chocolate brown colour and it lets a small hint of highlights still peep through.

Here's a photo for reference- my hair needs a wash & brush please excuse (up all night with the baby!)

You can definitely put a permanent box dye over. Concentrate on the lightest bits first before overall colour (what I do with my silver grey bits when they come through). If they can cover grey they can cover highlights 😃

Thank you that's really good to know I was concerned I would end up with orange or green hair!

Agree with @shivawn now seeing your pic, if you want to keep any of the lighter colour then don't go as dark as your roots. But if you do want to go fully dark pick a colour closest to your natural.

Use a semi permanent dye and leave it on roots for 5 mins then apply to the whole head for a further 10 mins.

If you have grey growing through you might have to do the roots more frequently but You don't get the difficulty with dye grab or build up from a semipermanent colour. It just fades out and looks natural.

I'd opt for a mid brown to start. Judge the finish from this and adjust colour accordingly.

I did it and my hair was very bleached blonde. It did turn patchy and shade of khaki! Then I put a semi permanent over it a few days later and it was fine.

Fab thank you for letting me know I'm going to nip out today to boots and see what dyes I can get to cover it. Just so fed up of spending a hundred pounds every time I go to the hair dressers. It'll be great to save some pennies!

If you go for a box dye, go for one with a red undertone rather than ash. Your ends are very blonde and you risk it looking a bit khaki after a few washes.

If you wanted to try something different you could try doing a root blend, using a professional product from Sally's. I like redken gloss gel (I think, some plastic bottles) missed with developer, focusing on the root area and brushing down to create a balayage effect,

If you aren't ready to fully commit to going back to dark a semi-permanent will be okay but the coverage and the covering up the lighter bits won't work so well and won't last. If you want the light colour gone get a permanent.
#home-dye expert, have done it so many times😂
Good luck

As others have said, it will be fine OP

I have done similar just now with my own hair. Has bleach (right down the bottom now I should think) and I had a golden brown shade. Fancied a Red again so bought dark red brown.

Only thing I will say is this
When I have decided I don't want bleach blonde hair anymore I will buy a brown usually. Some brown shades (not quite sure if the lighter or darker) will possibly turn the bleached areas a reddish colour. I didn't mind that when it happened to Me but my natural colour is chestnut brown with red tints in anyway.