My hair is quite naturally straight.  I don’t like to faff about with endless hair tools and styling sprays.  So, my usual request from the hairdresser is a half head of highlights, a few long layers, and a trim.  Over the years, there has been the odd variation of a bob, or more layers added – but, no major changes.

This is the powder bleach and developer that i used to lift my highlights.

My natural colour is mousy brown with some lighter shades, here and there.  The texture of my hair is quite fine – but I take after my mum in that I have a lot of it.  Over the years, I’ve made colour, rather than cut, my priority.  This is because I have a lot of red in my hair and it can be tricky to colour.  I have, on a few occasions, left the hairdressers with a strange hue, which I haven’t noticed until I’ve arrived home.  Why is it your hair always looks so different in the hairdresser’s chair?

My current hairdresser is very experienced and makes her job look easy.  I know a lot of training and expertise is needed and she demonstrates all of the qualities of a great hairdresser.

These are the two toners plus the developer I used to tone my highlights.

Last year, my hairdresser wasn’t available due to maternity leave – so, my hair routine altered slightly.  My choices were to either find another hairdresser, or do something myself, in the interim, until she returned to work. 

So, I decided to do the bare minimum with my hair to see where it would take me.  I thought, to get me over the next six months, I would learn how to put several highlights on the top layer of my hair to brighten it up, hence, extending my time to need a hairdresser.  I don’t have a lot of grey, so I decided I would see how I got on, with regard to touching up my roots.

To begin my research, I watched a lot of “YouTube” tutorials. I also read up on how to apply highlights using bleach and developers, and then how to tone my hair, if the result was too bright.  I only wanted three highlights on either side of my parting – which I thought would be enough. 

I didn’t touch my hair until November of that year (four months after my last visit)!  My hairdresser had given my hair a good trim in late July, so the length was fine.  I found a few helpful tutorials.  I had also picked up quite a lot, over the years, watching my various hairdressers at work.  I can’t say I wasn’t a little bit nervous, from the outset.

I sent away for the solutions needed, then set to work.  I tested with only a few strands of hair and it looked fine.  So, this spurred me on to do all six highlights.

I have used this product in the past on my temples to hide the grey. I found it to be very good.

Preparation was key.  So, I separated the few highlights, securing them with small clips.  Then, I applied the bleach, covering each one with tin foil.  When the highlights had lifted to the honey blonde I was after, I whipped the foil off and washed my hair – not applying conditioner, as per the instructions.  Then, I brushed my hair out and applied the toner to my new highlights, which left them a nice wheat shade.

As previously mentioned, I don’t tend to get too many greys.  So, in December, I did buy a Clairol root touch up (hair dye) – and, with a small paint brush, I applied it on a few greys around my temples.  But, I could have just left them as there weren’t too many and they honestly looked OK. 

It did cross my mind to stop fighting the natural ageing process in favour of letting my silver strands shine through. And, seeing as there’s not a lot of grey showing, I may just leave them, in the future.  The general reaction to going grey is very positive and natural.  I admire women who have decided to let their coloured hair grow out and go “au naturel”.  I’ve heard the growing out phase can be a little tricky.  But, once the natural highlights of silver are through, as I have seen on some women, it can look so stunning!!

Of course, we are almost into March 2019, and I have had my usual half head of highlights done, as well as a much-needed trim.

I still may do my own hair, now and again, as it means I can stall the return to the hairdressing salon by at least four weeks – saving myself a little money.  And, it feels quite liberating, too.

I hope you have enjoyed this post.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I can.  If you would like to check my hair out, you can take a look at some images on my Instagram page.  I started Instagram in August 2018 – so you will be able to see some “before and after” images.  Please follow the link for Instagram on my homepage.

Alison

xx