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Original poster

Highlights - time taken

37 replies

RoundandSad · 01/10/2025 21:56

Can anyone explain why highlights take so long at the hairdresser these days?

I'm thinking of trying a kit at home home.

When I had them done in the past, they did not take hours. I could be in and out within about 90 minutes if it was just a highlights

Now it takes ages. I stopped doing it because it took so long last appointment was four hours.

I have asked a hairdressers. I haven't been able to find a good hairdresser in recent years. They have all said that bleach was stronger in the past or something.

My hair is very very dark brown almost black

I have a good friend with similar hair who is using a Jeremy Russell kit to get her hair blonde

I don't want full blonde, but I think that some of the highlighting kits on Amazon might work on my hair?

Has anyone tried these? I understand that sectioning hair takes a long time, but I only used to have the minimum like a T section so I don't know why I was in the hairdresser four hours last time and in the past, I don't think they did all this fiddling around with bleach first and toner after

Everyone is obsessed with toner now why is that? I'm sure about 30 years ago. The hairdresser just painted on some colour. Let it take that was that!

The alternative, my grey hairs are very colour resistant so I'm using a strong bleach, or I think it's a strong bleach and mixing it with darkest brown

So I'm wondering how that would go if I mix the bleach with a lighter colour

Anyway, I just wondered what you clever ladies thought thanks

OP posts:
PixieandMe · 02/10/2025 11:48

CrispsPlease · 02/10/2025 11:19

I work in healthcare (although not directly front line anymore) but nursing for example has gotten all "process /tick box/assessment (arse covering)" same with medicine. You can't just say "look Margaret, I think this is what's wrong with you . Take this course of antibiotics and I'll see you in a week's time if you haven't improved" it's all this protocol, that process, this guidance, that flow chart. We're all like robots. No care, no personalisation, no individuality of either party. And I think this is what's happened with hairdressers. They all go to conferences and local business meet ups. Advertising and endorsing certain products and techniques. It's all robotic. There's this new movement of them being "hair care " experts. (There's even the start of entering BSc in hairdressing ) I don't want hair care. (I'll do that bit) I haven't come here for hair health advice. I've come here to look good !

I think the future of hairdressing will be the BSc route and then (as with my profession- the MSc route ) where it'll be all health science, hairdressers will be like scalp drs, assessing for signs of cancer of the surrounding skin etc and conditions like psoriasis. Prescribing treatments such as ketaconozole shampoos for dandruff and subherroic dermatitis. I wouldn't be surprised.

Can we bring back the 90s?

I trained in the late 80's/early 90's.

'health science, hairdressers will be like scalp drs, assessing for signs of cancer of the surrounding skin etc and conditions like psoriasis. Prescribing treatments such as ketaconozole shampoos for dandruff and subherroic dermatitis. I wouldn't be surprised.'

The above was all part of the training even back then.

CrispsPlease · 02/10/2025 11:52

PixieandMe · 02/10/2025 11:48

I trained in the late 80's/early 90's.

'health science, hairdressers will be like scalp drs, assessing for signs of cancer of the surrounding skin etc and conditions like psoriasis. Prescribing treatments such as ketaconozole shampoos for dandruff and subherroic dermatitis. I wouldn't be surprised.'

The above was all part of the training even back then.

Show quote history

Oh I don't doubt hairdressing is a skilled profession. I know it's science based and has a theoretical side. I think skilled non academic qualifications are looked down on (for some reason ) I really don't understand why. I'd take a skilled practical person over 20yr old Billy that's got a 2:1 in media studies any day of the week.

But I mean, I think there's potential for hairdressers to become more "hair health consultants" even do prescribing in order to prescribe treatments. It's ok. But, please bring back someone who can just do me bleach highlights, please 🥺!

PixieandMe · 02/10/2025 12:45

CrispsPlease · 02/10/2025 11:52

Oh I don't doubt hairdressing is a skilled profession. I know it's science based and has a theoretical side. I think skilled non academic qualifications are looked down on (for some reason ) I really don't understand why. I'd take a skilled practical person over 20yr old Billy that's got a 2:1 in media studies any day of the week.

But I mean, I think there's potential for hairdressers to become more "hair health consultants" even do prescribing in order to prescribe treatments. It's ok. But, please bring back someone who can just do me bleach highlights, please 🥺!

Edited
Show quote history

I am sure they do that in many posh salons!

People are ignorant sadly and have no idea of what is involved in training to be a hairdresser.

ozarina · 03/10/2025 10:19

Bring back the 90s and bleach highlights? Dear god 😂

CrispsPlease · 04/10/2025 00:37

ozarina · 03/10/2025 10:19

Bring back the 90s and bleach highlights? Dear god 😂

Well... Some of us just want.... Highlights, that actually looks.... Like blonde highlights. Not yellow hair that gets "toned" (and then washes off after 1 wash) leaving one with..... Yellow hair (and no, it's not the hairdresser. Tried and tested bloody hundreds) funnily enough, my hair was successfully highlighted a decade or so ago, and actually looked white blonde.

ButterPiesAreGreat · 04/10/2025 02:08

Some of you would love my hairdresser. She has a shed in her back garden, no apprentice, and rarely another person there unless they’re having a colour. I’ve actually got an appointment booked when our mutual friend is in for a colour and she’s cutting my hair in between. I’ve been twice when another person is in at the same time unless I take DD to get her ends trimmed.

ozarina · 04/10/2025 10:38

CrispsPlease · 04/10/2025 00:37

Well... Some of us just want.... Highlights, that actually looks.... Like blonde highlights. Not yellow hair that gets "toned" (and then washes off after 1 wash) leaving one with..... Yellow hair (and no, it's not the hairdresser. Tried and tested bloody hundreds) funnily enough, my hair was successfully highlighted a decade or so ago, and actually looked white blonde.

Show quote history

You've been to hundreds of hairdressers and none of them got your hair right? 😬

CrispsPlease · 04/10/2025 10:39

ozarina · 04/10/2025 10:38

You've been to hundreds of hairdressers and none of them got your hair right? 😬

Show quote history

100% correct ! (Funnily enough, when high peroxide was used and all this toner shit wasn't a 'thing' it did go perfectly !)

ozarina · 04/10/2025 11:05

You should have an article in one of those magazines 😳

fuckhimintheear · 04/10/2025 15:27

I have been having highlights and lowlights for nearly 30 years. It always took about three or four hours.

Now I have balayage and it take two hours and she’s amazing as a hairdresser. I don’t really care how long it takes but I admit that i do like the fast turn around and I’m delighted with the result.

fuckhimintheear · 04/10/2025 15:33

Oh, and just to say….during Covid lockdown I did dye my own hair. Biggest mistake I’ve ever made regarding my hair. Do it though, if you must. But please post the photos.

Original poster
RoundandSad · 11/10/2025 23:09

@fuckhimintheear I do my roots at home it's fine

I think I'm more looking for balayage, but some people have that all over their hair
I just want a bit of variation not much

Is it possible my old hairdresser from years ago only put in six foils - yeah years ago that was probably normal

I've been looking into it and it seems to be about the percentage of bleach or peroxide or whatever it's called.

Bit worried about using a highlighting cap maybe I'll try a comb. I don't think there's a kit that will do hair as dark as mine but around Christmas I should be seeing a friend who dyes her black hair blonde so she's gonna help me.

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