BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Hair Highlights, roots, etc..

Background: My hair is naturally strawberry-ashy blonde. I dyed it black for years, but had the color stripped 8 months ago. Then had chunky vanilla colored highlights put it. Kept them until a couple months ago. Dyed over them with an medium ash color. Realized mistake; hair turned green in a few places. Was then toned to a nice golden-tea color. Faded into a lighter shade of golden brown since then. Recently had very thin cap highlights done in a lighter color (10-15% of hair), but to be honest, they hardly show up.

I have medium to thick hair that is medium-textured underneath, but the top layer (canopy) is a little dry, coarse and somewhat frizzy. Oh how I would love for the top layer to match the underneath! It's naturally wavy/curly depending. I used to blow dry and flat iron, but now only use a diffuser for wave enhancement. I currently have no split ends due to cutting several inches off. It now touches my shoulders.

I want my natural hair color back. Well, as a base, at least. I don't think I could ever just have one solid color. My hair grows incredibly fast and I don't have time to deal with my roots as much as I used to. Although the color of my hair now is much lighter than a year ago, my roots still grow even lighter. I need to do something to blend the roots with the existing hair though. Cutting shorter isn't an option- I will be starting a clinical nursing practicum in a few months and my hair will have to be slicked back and tidy when at college.

I am planning on getting more highlights to match the roots, and then as that grows out, throw in a few darker ones that match my artificial base to keep things blending well. Does this sound like a good idea?

Last time I got highlights, I felt that they burnt my hair some. Meaning little hairs have broke/melted off, resulting in a few flyaways. I know this is probably because we bleached over areas of my hair that were already bleached underneath the new base color, so I'm nervous about doing it again. Is there anything I can do to avoid or alleviate that either before hand or during the bleaching process? Also, how likely is it that the stylist will be able to match the new highlights to my roots? I feel like in the past, everytime it is "matched," it turns out very white, which my hair is definitely not.

With as much color as you have had on your hair, I'm surprised that you only have a few hairs broken or melted off. YOu must have strong hair.

To get the best results in your new highlight, use a protein condition several times before going to the hairdressser. That's a treatment, not just a conditioner. Make sure your hairdresser knows the whole history of your hair. It sounds like your tinted and stripped all over hair is only grown out about 4 inches. Maybe 5 or 6 if your hair grows really fast - so all the hair after the first 4 to 6 inches is going to be very fragile.

If you go to a hairdresser who is very experienced with haircolor, she or he should be able to match your new growth.

This is the best protein treatment I know of.