Highlights, a question? The dreaded root line.

[HotCrossBunplease]

How often do you get your regrowth done? These pics are mine after only 6 weeks and I feel it’s looking terrible.

Is there a way it can be done that makes the regrowth less obvious? I am wondering if I need to change hairdresser. Or do I just accept that if I want my highlights to be this light, then of course the contrast with the natural hair is going to be stark?

It must be the weather because mine has grown like crazy over the last two months as well. People will suggest balayage. The only thing is those touch up pens really.

I stopped getting mine done, my hair grows so fast I had to have balyage to stop the root proble. But it cost £160 a pop.
So I've grown it all out and now just go natural grey and all. My hair is in lovely condition now and actually looks much nicer.
But if you don't want natural hair then subtle balyage is your friend. The roots aren't nearly as obvious.

I don’t really get how balayage is any better, isn’t it just another way of saying “fewer highlights”? I know they paint on the highlight with a brush but I can’t see how else it is different.

balyage is better because they don’t go up so high near the roots so
it looks more natural and you can go longer between appointments. I’ve had both and balayage is much easier to maintain

My friends who have done colour for years ask for a root melt, it makes the re growth less noticeable . Google it

There is something called “lived in blonde” basically highlights starting at different points from the scalp so you don’t get the line. It isn’t painted on like balayage but yes it does mean a bit less blonde overall. I’ve just started having this, hairdresser said it will take a couple of gos for the difference to kick in.

Yep
i understand. Am in the same boat.

I’ve just discovered the L’Oréal magic spray. Recommended to me yesterday so not tried it yet .

it might just extend my time between colour appointments by 2 weeks but better every 8 weeks than every 6 weeks !

I’m another one for balayage, the root is much more to your natural colour, then the blonde is sort of staggered more throughout your hair so it’s blends seamlessly.

It made a huge difference to my hair because there was no obvious regrowth line and I only had to go every 8 weeks. It looked 100 times better. My previous colour lasted 2 weeks before the dreaded obvious roots.

Mine grew out during the first lockdown. When I got it done next, the hairdresser only put the highlights in the under layers of hair, leaving my natural white/grey growing out in a thin layer all over my head. Now I only need the highlights done every 4/5 months, instead of running back for a root touch up every 4/5 weeks. It looks quite nice, and fairly natural. I use the blue shampoo every month to brighten it all up.

Mine start to show in about 6 weeks, but I have darker tones put in my hair to disguise the grey.

TBH I think the contrast between your own hair and the highlights is too much.

I'd suggest you go for a couple of shades (not just one single colour) in a lighter tone to your own hair but not such a light blonde.

Why do you want to go that blonde? You might look better with a darker blonde or even a more auburn shade.

Have literally just come to post the exact same question. As I’ve got older, and my grey hair has increased, it is a dark, dull grey, not glorious silver. My roots are dark & terrible.

I’ve managed in the past to touch up my roots in between highlights to keep the cost down, but I’m probably beyond that now.

Would love to know the solution.

Thanks to everyone who has replied. My hairdresser is a guy in his sixties and he doesn’t really follow trends any more. I think I need to find someone who is more up to date with recent techniques, including “root melting”- thanks for that! Though I must admit that if balayage involves starting the highlight even further away from the root, that sounds a bit counterintuitive. My hair is only chin length so not really right for an ombré type look.

I’m happy with my colour, thanks. I had naturally golden blonde hair when I was young, just started highlighting it as it got darker. I’ve tried going natural or more auburn over the years, and it doesn’t suit me at all. I’m 51, but no greys yet, amazingly.

Being really blunt that shade of white blonde is ageing and dated and at 51 you would probably look better with a warmer and softer shade of brown. The contrast between your own colour and the white blonde is too much.

Sorry but you did ask.

I go about 3 to 4 months between colour and use a brown powder touch up when my silver starts to show.

I get a root smudge which makes the root line less obvious as it grows out. I'm naturally blonde though so the difference between my highlights and my natural colour is not that great.

No, I didn’t actually ask for unsolicited ageist opinions, thanks. You can’t even see my face, how on earth can you have any idea how old I look? Or, indeed, whether I remotely care about looking “old”?

I’m calling Emily Maitlis, Cat Deeley, Gabby Logan and Kate Garraway right now to instruct them to adopt “a warmer, softer shade of brown” immediately.

I get lowlights in amongst the blonde in a sort of browny warm shade so it breaks up the look a bit. Yet Im still definitely blonde.

she does two rows foil blonde, one row warm browny and leaves one row out uncoloured.

Ive used blonde root touch up spray or blonde hair mascara or blonde hair chalk and they do make it a bit better but it’s not brilliant.

I always wondered if there was a better way too but ive not found it.

Your hair colour looks nice against your skin tone on the second picture.
I get alternative high and low lights which I find helps. I can usually go 8-10 weeks in-between appointments.
When the growth strip gets noticeable I play around with my parting line, I usually wear a sideish parting but moving it slightly makes the harsh line dissappear.

I don’t think she did ask to be honest, and you just come across as inexplicably unpleasant

I get balayage too. Highlights look great if you're willing to go every 6 to 8 weeks, or have naturally blonde hair. I have balayage done every 12 weeks but if my appointment is cancelled it looks fine for a long time after that.

I don’t think she’s being unpleasant at all. It’s good advice based on the OP’s natural colouring and skin tone.

This is an issue for me as I’ve got darker roots as well as a white patch like my Nana at one side (!) as I’ve got a bit older. So I get a lighter tint on the roots every 8 weeks to lift the colour which is then blended with my highlights. My highlights have lasted much longer since I started having that done.

I go every 12 weeks, but my natural colour is fairer than yours. I have three different colours put through (there darkest is more or less my natural colour). My roots are barely visible after 12 weeks, the mixture of colours blurs what's real and what isn't.

From the front, I don’t think the roots look bad at all.