How to touch up hair highlights inbetween salon visits?

September 5, 2007 8:01 PM

Is there anyway to touch up my hair highlights inbetween salon visits?

I currently get highlights and lowlights at an Aveda salon every 8 weeks. I am wondering if there is any way I can touch up the roots inbetween visits so that I can maybe only have to go every 4-5 months, instead of every two.

Has anyone done this successfully?
How would I match the colour and how would I do it?

I am a bit worried I would end up looking all stripey or something.

posted by 20something to clothing, beauty, & fashion (5 answers total)

Your work sounds intricate, and honestly, you probably will end up looking stripey or even worse if you do it yourself, at least at first. There are a lot of things stylists take into account, like that bleach works harder and faster near the scalp because of your head's heat. Doing the back can be a big ol' challenge, too.

I do my own highlights, and for the most part, I skip the lowlights. I have myself on sort of a cycle. Round one, full color and highlights. Next time, touch up only the roots with just the base color. Time after that, roots and whole head, including the highlights, so while they're now a bit lighter than the rest of the head, they blend well. Then I start from the beginning, with full color and full highlights again. I have grey in my roots, tho, so I probably dye more than you'd find necessary.
posted by houseofdanie at 10:54 PM on September 5, 2007

Professional hair color and the kind you buy at the store have different ingredients, which can sometimes interact badly. (I had this happen and my hair became very hot and almost burned my head. Something about metallic salts.)

Also, if you're getting a weave, it's very difficult to duplicate that yourself. It's not a good idea regardless. Talk to your hairdresser about changing the highlights a bit so the roots come in less obvious.
posted by miss tea at 4:25 AM on September 6, 2007

How are you having the highlighting done? I've been looking into the baliage technique, which allegedly needs less frequent touch-ups because the colour isn't applied closely to the roots. I haven't actually had this done, though, and I doubt that you could stretch the period to 4-5 months, but it may give you a little more breathing space than your current technique if your stylist knows how to do it.
posted by maudlin at 6:19 AM on September 6, 2007

I wouldn't try it on your own. If you are determined to try it, I would ask your colorist exactly what brand and shade she uses, and what kind of developer as well as what strength, and in what proportions. You'll need to go to a Sally Beauty or something (beauty supply) and buy the stuff.

I would ask her if there's anything you could do to extend the life of them (yeah, I know, I don't think there is either - but the colorist that's doing my highlights/lowlights these days seems to be doing something better than the previous one, because it lasts an extra 2 weeks).

Do you get your full head done? Ask if every other visit you could get a partial - or better yet if you could just get like the top 2 layers done. That's less expensive.
posted by KAS at 11:20 AM on September 6, 2007

Thanks for the helpful comments.

I usually get a partial done, and I get lowlights to try and make it grow out better inbetween visits.

I agree, it would probably be a disaster if I tried it myself.

My best bet is to probably try and find a cheaper salon that will do highlights.
posted by 20something at 1:55 PM on September 7, 2007