Sometimes, it’s fun to do different styles to your hair, such as trying out new haircuts and as well as changing up hair color. If you are tired of your old and boring hair color, you can make your hair look more fresh and cool with highlights. There are many different styles of highlighting the hair. You can opt for simple highlights, or you can also choose trendier ones, like streaking your hair.
If you are planning to change up your hair color with highlights and thinking of doing it yourself at home, it can be challenging but possible. You can use vegan hair dye for this purpose. A lot can go wrong, and experts definitely don’t recommend that you highlight your hair yourself. But if you’ve already made up your mind, and you want to give it a try, it is better to do it as safely as possible. To help you out, here are some of the best tips we can give for highlighting your hair at home.
Try to consult with a colorist
Changing your hair color, especially with highlights, can be a lot more intimidating because you are responsible for the outcome. Therefore, it is great if you can seek out help from a professional from balayage London who can give you advice on what products to use and application techniques that you can try depending on your hair type and tastes. This way, highlighting your hair at home will be less scary.
Find a color kit that is made for highlights
After consulting with a pro colorist, you should have gathered information that will help you with the next step. You should know your current base color or level and a specific product recommendation. No matter what kind of DIY highlighting kit you buy, it will always include a lightener, which is not a standard hair dye.
When choosing what shade to go with, pick a kit that is labeled for your starting point and not your desired highlight color. It’s because when you choose a kit that says caramel highlights, it will look different for someone who has brown hair and someone with red hair. You can also look for highlight kits that are labeled “for brown hair,” for example.
Make sure to use the right tools for highlighting.
When highlighting your hair at home, you need to ensure that you are using the right tools. You can use aluminum foil to highlight your hair. It can help separate the hair being colored from the hair that is not. However, keep in mind that foils are heat conductors. It means that when you wrap your hair in a foil, it also lightens faster.
If you do not have the brushes similar to what salons use, you can use a toothbrush or a paint brush. The bristles of these brushes will pick up the right amount of dye and will spread it easily onto each section during application. If you are applying highlights to curly hair, wear gloves, and apply the color using your fingers to individual curls. This way, you have more control over the placement.
Prepare your hair and clothes before starting the highlighting process
Before starting the coloring process, ensure that everything you need is ready. You need to check if your hair is in an ideal condition for highlighting. You should start with dry, unwashed hair, ideally one day after your last shampoo. Also, try to wear an old button-down shirt or a zip-up hoodie, so you don’t need to pull anything up your head when it’s time to rinse your hair. Other things you need include at least two old towels and gloves.
Do a strand test first before applying a large amount of dye to your hair
A strand test will help you determine the exact amount of time needed to achieve the lightness that you want on your hair. Apply a small amount of dye or lightener to a small section of your hair. Wait for about ten minutes, then wipe the hair clean. See if it has reached your desired level of lightness. If not, you can continue applying the lightening cream and check on it every five minutes until you reach the color you want. After that, take note of the total processing time.
Streak your hair the right way
When applying the highlights, part your hair as you normally do to see which strands are face-framing. Paint the mixture on dry hair, onto one-inch sections in the front. Keep the cream about few centimeters from your scalp. Gradually thin out the sections of your hair to half an inch as you work your way to the middle of your head. When you reach the underlayers and back, apply the color to quarter-inch pieces.
You shouldn’t be too strict about placement when it comes to highlighting. Keep in mind that the most natural-looking highlights are not spaced out evenly or perfectly symmetrical. You should also not use too much pressure because the color will transfer to your hair underneath.
Add some back moisture
Leave the dye on your hair, depending on the amount of time determined in your strand test. After that, rinse each section well. Give yourself a good shampoo, and then use a deep conditioner to make your hair soft and moisturized. Leave the conditioner for at least five minutes. This is important because most of the lighteners you can purchase contain ammonia, which can open up your hair’s cuticle and let moisture escape.
Tone your hair after highlighting
It is also great if you can tone your hair after the highlighting process. This will help your hair counteract the color of your highlights. For example, if your highlight becomes a bit red, try to search for a green toner to make the color more neutral brown. If your blonde highlights become too icy, you can use a gold toner to make it warmer.
These are some of the best tips we can give for highlighting your hair at home. If you notice any trouble areas after highlighting your hair, you can contact your colorist and provide a good photo to let him or her see it clearly. But if you are cautious enough and vigilant in following the right steps, it’s likely that you can do it perfectly.