Hair Coloring Question

I did this a few years ago - but didn't have highlights, my whole head was blonde and about shoulder length. took two colorings. I colored with one bottle and let it "settle" for a day or two, then used a softer brown the second time and it "took" I really liked it, but I also was in Grad school and didn't have to show up at work while it was "mellowing"
I would choose a lighter shade than you think, concentrate on putting it on the highlight area first. Let it sit there about 10 min longer, put it on the whole head for recommended time and then follow wash instructions, but be ready to possibly still see highlights and re-do in about a week.
Good luck - going dark to light is much easier than tring to pull color to go light.

The way I did it was to let my hair grow out about an inch and a half and get an Audrey Hepburn cut short and curly like in her early movies.
It took two haircuts and then I had my real color back.

Do the 'test strand' before you tackle your whole head. 24 hours before. I would also suggest a more 'ash' color brown as the brassiness of the bleached hair could make your strands way too much of a caramel color. It might look pretty fake. The ash might take it to a more natural tone. Once you've tested, you'll know how long your hair should take it.

I'm not a colorist. I've just been dying my own hair for about 15 years.

I am a hairstylist. Disregard ANY statements of going ash.. this will turn your hair green or a very muddy looking brown with greyish tips.

Your internal hair structure goes in many levels, from black to white. To remove the dark, the yellow, orange and red phases are removed. Thus, in a salon, we 'fill' lightened hair prior to darkening it. The orange needs to be put back in your hair. You need to color it a very very warm, light coppery red.

Color absorbs best on veyy slightly damp hair, it will also help the color application go on smoother, so get a water bottle and lightly dampen your hair and comb it through.

Leave the reddish filler color on only for about 10-15 minutes. Rinse it out very well, till the water runs dry then do not shampoo. Then, apply your dark color. Go up to the line of your roots and go no further. You will need to let the color sit for however long the box states. 10-15 minutes before the done time, comb the color all the way to your scalp, so in the root area you did not previously color. This will help the colors blend.

You will very likely need to get the end of your hair trimmed as well. I am assuming your hair is pretty dark and you went quite blonde. If the difference isn't so much, you can skip the filling with the red.

I like the idea about the test strand...But I give you credit...I find it hard to believe that if you live in Chicago you haven't found a decent colorist??????? Seriously LOL! I get sweaty palms thinking about coloring my hair on my own. I am sticking with my hair salon. :)

I've never mixed two colors like that.
My sister is a stylist though so i kinda know bout this stuff lol
You are right, your hair would suck up that color REALLY fast. I would try doing the lighter color 1st. let that settle for a few days then go over with the darker color.
Also, for the 1st couple days..do not wash your hair with Shampoo. Only use conditioner. The shampoo opens up the hair follicles, and causes the color to bleed. Also washing your hair in colder water will help the color stick longer.

It say's you are in Chicago. Im not sure how close to the actual city you are. But Just in case, In Villa Park there is an AMAZING hair salon.
It is called Hairborn Fashions. It is own by a family friend. I'm not trying to sell them here I promise. I just know it is hard to find a great stylist these days.
Dave is the owner. I would really recommend checking them out if you need some great color done. THey have a Facebook too if you are interested

I used to highlight my hair as well from my naturally brown hair. I had quite a bit of blond hair when I decided enough was enough and I couldn't afford to keep going to the salon if we were going to follow a newly tightened budget.

So, I got a Garnier product that most closely matched my natural haircolor at my roots. I did focus more on the hair that had been highlighted so that it got a good dosing (to make sure it was most evenly colored), but I did do up my roots enough so that the general coloring would match. The highlighted hair did take the color, but lightened much quicker over time--to the point that people are currently asking me if I just got my hair highlighted!! I haven't done anything to my hair for over a year!!

Jenny C is right. Definitely do the strand test. Also, the color goes on a lot darker than it looks on the box at first, so you might want to get a shade lighter than what you actually like. Medium brown comes out nearly whorehouse black, but it washes lighter after a bit. Get one that washes out after so many washes for the first few times until you find a color you really like. So that's a semi-permanent color.

That's all I got, hope it helps.

L.

Don't mix colors. If you have highlights, In reality if you just used the darker tone, the highlights should still show, darker than before, but lighter than the rest of your hair.. So really you only need one color.

If you want two toned hair, rather go to a salon and have it done professionally. That way, if you don't like it, you can go back and get it fixed.

Good luck.

Mommy cakes is right, but also keep in mind once you did the lighter color, then did the darker color, the lighter bits will turn dark with the rest of your hair. They might be a shade or two lighter, but it will be hard for you to re-create that look once you like it. Highlights grow out... and so does roots.

Whenever going from one extreme shade to another extreme shade, especially if bleach was involved at some point, I would go to a professional. Maybe ask the mama's on this board that live in Chicago for recommendations on a good colorist??