Need Help with Brassy Hair!

April 8, 2008 6:15 AM

Can anyone recommend a good colorist in the Milwaukee area; specifically for highlights? I just had the worst experience

I went to a somewhat high-end (expensive anyway) place, thinking I'd be safe. I got the worst brassy highlights ever. I could do better myself, seriously. I don't know if it was the lighting or what but it really didn't start to bother me till I got home. I've been blonde before so I know it can be done. Anyway I called to make an appointment for her to "fix" it but can't get in there for 2 weeks. I can't walk around like this for that long. I am looking for someone who is really great. Money is somewhat of a factor, I'm not wealthy, but I will pay for good hair. Can be the suburbs or anywhere in the Metro area.

posted by robinrs to clothing, beauty, & fashion (7 comments total)

Roundabout answer, Call and speak with the manager of that place and let them know that 2 weeks in unacceptable and maybe they will put you with someone who is better at highlights.
posted by stormygrey at 6:29 AM on April 8, 2008

Seconded. Call, make sure you speak to a manager, and insist on being seen ASAP by someone more senior (you don't want her again), for free. This is how we did it when I worked at a hair salon. Fixing poorly dyed hair is much more difficult than dying a "blank canvas" so you need to make sure you're in good hands, because there's a lot of skill involved and even more damaging bleach.
posted by prefpara at 7:24 AM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites]

My blonde highlights sometimes come out brassy - I have found Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo and conditioner to be a godsend. I leave it in for a bit (about a minute each for shampoo and conditioner) and it tones it way down. I buy it at the local beauty supply store, about the same price as that Amazon link. The conditioner is not the strongest as far as actual conditioner - if your hair is very dry you might use the Clairol and then swipe through a bit of a deeper conditioner right after.
posted by KAS at 8:54 AM on April 8, 2008

My girlfriend has pretty good luck with Aveda Institute on Water & St Paul. Of course, being that they are students you aren't always guaranteed perfect hair forever but the price is right and the results are more often than not excellent.
posted by JJ86 at 11:05 AM on April 8, 2008

If you have an Aveda institute or salon nearby, they can mix up some colored shampoo for you. I had copper highlights turn out so brassy that I cried while calling every salon in town to try to get it fixed, and a friend recommended the Aveda shampoo. They dumped in a bunch of blue/brown color to balance out the brassy tones, and I swear, it was like magic. One wash with the blue shampoo, and the color was exactly what I'd wanted in the first place. A friend who went platinum blonde used the blue shampoo on a regular basis to keep her hair from getting a brassy tone. The stuff is great.

Obviously, if you can get a senior stylist to correct it for free at the same salon, that should be your first move. But if they hold the line on the two-week wait for some reason, I'm telling you, get yourself some of that blue shampoo.
posted by adiabat at 11:15 AM on April 8, 2008

thanks everyone! I got some of the blue shampoo and it helped.
posted by robinrs at 4:51 PM on April 8, 2008

Glad to hear it!
posted by adiabat at 7:28 PM on April 8, 2008