Tell me about going blonde

[buntinglicious]

Ok, I have mid brown shoulder length very straight hair (and brown eyes). I've experimented with various non-permanent dyes before, but always gone darker.

However in the past year I've been nursing a penchant for going blonde. Tell me about going blonde, is it a huge commitment? How often would I have to get it redone, and if I did go blone (at a salon, natch) could I do the roots myself at home? How much am I looking at for maintenance? If I get fed up with it can I get it dyed back to my natural colour? What about my eyebrows?

Am I mad to consider it?

I recently had "peekaboo lights" (highlights underneath) but they didn't really do much. I want something with a bit more impact. I'm not so much worried about the commitment to the look, more the financial commitment. But I do need something to liven up my hair, it's very blah.

get the hairdresser to get a chunk of hair from your parting and zig-zag the end of her comb in it (the metal handle one) to get a "natural" look to the highlights.

Going fully blonde will need roots doing at least every 4-6 WEEKS... that's a HUGE commitment and will look rubbish if you don't get round to it - highlights would be every 2 or 3 months as they're not quite so obvious

oh, and get her to use foils, not the cap!

Ooh, Lapin, that's exactly what I have - half a head of ash and copper highlights - gives my very dark brown (nearly black) and iron-straight hair a great lift. I have brown eyes and olivey skin and despite my initial misgivings, it looks great! In fact, I went heavier on the blonde for a play I was doing last year (hair grows fast plus I was playing a tarty landlady so felt blonder was the way to go) and it looked great!

Be warned, though, if your hair's as dark as mine, the copper will wash out over time to an orangey shade, but mingled with the ash blonde streaks it actually doesn't look too bad.

Beware again, get a GOOD colourist to do it, mine was on hols when I went to get the roots retouched and instead of retouching, the junior stylist I had redid the highlights from scratch, giving me an interesting pale ginger all over effect.... (which I actually like, now I've got used to!)

Oh, and mine with the GOOD colourist costs £44 for a half-head of highlights (chain salon in Greater London). £20 for the roots about 3 months after that, then full half-head again another 3 months later (but my hair grows RIDICULOUSLY fast!)

I agree -- do half-head or T-zone highlights (with foils) in either a couple of shades of blonde or blonde and copper, keeping fairly close to your natural shade. It will give you an idea of whether going blonder is for you, but if you don't like it it will grow out quite naturally. If you do like it then you can go blonder with more confidence that you'll be happy.

Thanks for the tips. I might consider highlights, I don't want to look too "Hollyoaks" though IYKWIM? I was hoping for Gwen Stefani

I have really thin highlights in a bright blonde, a not so bright blonde & a lighter brown. My hair was light brown to start off with & these colours blend in quite well when it grows out so I'm able to get away with going every 4-6 months