Advice on getting rid of blond highlights after 15+ years?

[Shoobiedoo]

I am not exactly sure how light or dark my hair is naturally since I have been highlighting it since I was 16 - first of all on my own with dreaded Sun-In and later professionally. It certainly used to be a darkish but definite blond with natural lighter bits at the front (from the sun etc).

Now however, underneath it looks quite dark, almost brown, but mousier up top where the roots are.

At the moment it is a disaster - mousey roots getting gradually lighter and yellower to the crispy split ends, long hair, and very dark underneath. It looks so weird if I ponytail it or plait it - the colours are so at odds. I used to have a good colourist but have been trying different salons since a move out of that area.

What I am considering is a mid length cut to just on the shoulder/neck to lop off the worst of the yellow and poor condition and then I want to go a shade darker than my natural colour with some warm lights in it to break it up. Loath to go shorter as I don't want to have to grow it long again, plus am not high maintenance and cannot be bothered having to style in the morning.

Does this sound feasible? I just don't feel "blonde" anymore, it doesn't suit me now. However, I have heard that if your hair is artificially lightened you have to go red at first otherwise you will be khaki? Is this right? If so, when they say "red" do they just mean "warm" or what?

Yours in confusion and despair,

She with tortoiseshell hair

I was in a similar situation, though not quite as blonde as you and had it died back to my natural colour with a few highlights put in at the roots to lift it. This was a couple of years ago and since then I've gradually had it cut shorter as well as putting on semi-permanent die at home and I'm now back to my natural colour. I didn't have to have it died red at all by the way. Not sure why that would be.

Go to a decent hairdresser and get them to put some darker shades in your highlights. I've done this recently and my hair is in much better condition.

Had to reply as 'Sun-In' brought back such terrible memories. I also have mousy-brown hair that I highlighted for years - highlights on top of highlights, was like straw! Since turning 30 I have gone darker and darker brown, the condition has returned and it looks so much healthier. If you find a good colourist they should be able to advise, your eyebrow colour is a good place to start.

Would avoid going to down the red route - it looks lovely when coloured but goes brassy really quickly.