STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

Is it impossible to get natural-looking highlights?

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

To answer your question, no it is not impossible. However, it's possible that your area is not filled with modern notions of hair styling and they are using beauty school concepts. Looking at your pics, I don't think the level of the highlights are too light. I agree with your stylist that you didn't need a base color.

I think what went wrong was the application; too many highlights placed closely together in a geometric, symmetric pattern. The way to achieve the "natural" look should be less calculated and more random. My colorist would often apply the foils at a diagonal angle so when I parted my hair, there was no stripey look.

Rosie actually looks like she has "baillage" (sp?) where they literally paint highlights on freehand so the result is much more natural and beachy as opposed to using foils that scream "HI IM A HIGHLIGHT".

I think the only saving factor would be some well-placed low lights to tone down the symmetry and stripeyness but I think the colors themselves are good.

gossipgirl · Dooney & Bourke

Xtina is right - I think coloring is an artform and you have to find a colorist who is really talented at it. Best idea is to find someone's hair you like locally and ask where they get it done.

My observation is that hair stylists who are really good at cut aren't necessarily the best at color and vice versa

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

XtinaStyles wrote:
To answer your question, no it is not impossible. However, it's possible that your area is not filled with modern notions of hair styling and they are using beauty school concepts.

This is exactly the problem - I do live in Wisconsin, after all. You're right about the balayage - I think that's the look I was going for. There was a write-up in Allure last year about a salon in Chicago that does balayage, so I think in a few months I'm going to make an appt. there. I can take the train down. I'm seriously willing to travel to get pretty hair.

GG - I have found someone locally who has beautiful hair - she said she would bring me a card (we go to the same dog park), but I haven't seen her lately. That would be an alternative option.

I usually have a double-whammy of bad hair-ness because not only do the highlights not turn out right, but I have curly hair which I swear no one knows how to cut. Anyways, I'm going back to the salon today for a consult so they can see how to fix it. cry

Hopefully it turns out better.

-- Edited by wetbandit42 on Thursday 7th of October 2010 12:02:49 PM

Boots · Gucci

I was going to suggest you try here in Chicago but since I do my own dying, I didn't have a recommendation for you. It's not a bad trip by car (I've never taken the train up to Milwaukee.) You can do some shopping and get lunch. Make a day of it and it won't seem so bad.

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

Thanks Boots! I think I'll do that. By the time this grows out enough to show enough roots, it will probably be December and I'll be able to do Xmas shopping.

I went back to the salon today, and the girl was a total bitch. She said, "well you wanted blonde highlights, that's what you got - I don't understand what you don't like. You wanted your hair this light." Um, no, I did not! I felt like saying, Lady, blonde highlights don't just come in extra-light blonde! There are different shades of blonde. I tried to tell her that it was too stripey and I think she caught on. She's going to tone it on Monday to an 8 (which according to the swatches, still looked kind of light - like a light blonde). I think Aveda uses a different color system. I'll definitely be reviewing this place online!

BellinaJessica · Kenneth Cole

A lot of what you are seeing that you like in the photo's of Rosie is actually the lighting used in the photo shoot. Also, Rosie is very definitlely a warm golden blonde. You won't get that coloring in the cool tones.

That said, foil placement has everything to do with avoiding the stripy look. Most stylists do exactly what they were taught in beauty school and not very well. They use lightener and then tone if needed. But they often lighten waaaayyy too light and the result is a very fake look.

Rosie likey has 2 or 3 colors all with in a few levels of each other, chunkier highlights, lowlights and very well placed.

But like I said, a lot of what you are seeing in those first two pictures is actually the lighting in the photo shoot reflecting off of her hair creating a highlighted look.

At this point toning will only help if you want to darken the highlights or remove any brassy tones.

Hope that helps!!

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

Thanks bellinajessica! I thought Rosie's hair looked neutral to cool, but I guess I'm pretty bad at determing coloring - I always have a hard time telling. Her hair looks gorgeous though!

The hair stylist definitely did way too may foils, and made them too symmetrical. At my "consult" I asked her to tone it to a level 7, but she told me that would cover up the highlights. I kind of felt like saying, that's exactly what I want you to do! She was so rude though that I agreed to her suggestion of a level 8. Oh well - I can always retone it myself if it's not right - I've done it once before and it turned out well enough.

I'll definitely be staying away from foils in the future! It seems like there's too much risk involved with the process if you want natural looking highlights - which I'm assuming most people want! wink

ETA: Aghh! So many typos!

-- Edited by wetbandit42 on Saturday 9th of October 2010 11:57:23 AM

BellinaJessica · Kenneth Cole

Your stylst is probably correct to go with a level 8 because when you lighten hair it blows the hair cuticle wide open and as a result pulls more color into it, leaving it darker. A level 8 will likely turn out like a level 7. A level 7 would probably end up looking like a 6, or darker, depending on the state your hair is in.

Hope it turns out ok for you!

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

Oh man! It sounds like you are having quite the time with your hair. Citysearch has been my go to place lately for recommendations on different things here in Houston. Maybe you can start using it in Milwaukee - probably a trim would be the safest bet then if they seem "normal" you can try color? When I moved I lucked out and worked with a girl who had hair my color so it was easy to find a new place to go. I think checking the dog parks and malls for hair you like is a good idea.

Miss Mabel · Kenneth Cole

I don't have any advice, just sympathy. cry

Bad color is the worst! Good luck getting it fixed.

bex · Chanel

balayage is the key! that is what i have done (and i'm pretty sure i go to the stylist you mentioned got the write up in chicago in allure!) it looks super natural and the best part is that i only get my color done about 4 times a year (when i used to be in the salon every 6-8 weeks for color before with foils) b/c of the natural grow out!