Bad highlights can be a hair disaster. Whether they’re too brassy, chunky, or simply clash with your skin tone, they can leave you feeling less than confident. But don’t despair! There are several effective methods to camouflage those unfortunate streaks and restore your hair to a more desirable state. This article will guide you through various techniques, from temporary fixes to more permanent solutions, ensuring you can reclaim your hair’s beauty.
Understanding What Went Wrong: Analyzing Your Highlights
Before diving into solutions, it’s crucial to understand why your highlights went wrong in the first place. This will help you avoid similar issues in the future and choose the most appropriate corrective measures.
Identifying the Culprit: Common Highlighting Mishaps
Several factors can contribute to bad highlights. Over-processing is a common issue, leading to brassy or orange tones. This occurs when the bleach lifts too much pigment from the hair. Uneven application can result in chunky or zebra-striped highlights. Poor color choice, such as highlights that are too light or too dark for your base color and skin tone, can also be a major problem. The skill and experience of the stylist play a significant role. An inexperienced stylist might misjudge the processing time or application technique.
Assessing the Damage: Hair Health and Highlight Tone
Evaluate the overall health of your hair. Are your highlights dry, brittle, or prone to breakage? This indicates over-processing and requires immediate attention. Analyze the tone of your highlights. Are they too yellow, orange, red, or ashy? Identifying the unwanted tones will help you choose the correct color-correcting products. Understanding the level of contrast between your highlights and your base color is also important. Excessive contrast can create a harsh and unnatural look.
Temporary Fixes: Quick Solutions for Immediate Relief
Sometimes, you need a quick fix to tide you over until you can address the problem more permanently. These temporary solutions can help to tone down the bad highlights and improve your hair’s appearance in the short term.
Toning Shampoos and Conditioners: Neutralizing Unwanted Tones
Toning shampoos and conditioners are your first line of defense against brassiness. Purple shampoo is specifically designed to neutralize yellow tones, while blue shampoo combats orange tones. Use these products sparingly, as overuse can sometimes lead to a dull or ashy appearance. Always follow the instructions on the product label. Focus the shampoo on the highlighted areas and leave it on for the recommended time before rinsing thoroughly. Follow up with a moisturizing conditioner to prevent dryness.
Root Concealers and Hair Mascaras: Disguising Problem Areas
Root concealers and hair mascaras are excellent for temporarily covering up specific areas with bad highlights. These products come in various shades and can be applied directly to the hair. Choose a color that closely matches your base color for the most natural look. Apply the product sparingly and blend it well to avoid a noticeable line of demarcation. These products are easily washed out, making them ideal for special occasions or quick fixes.
Styling Tricks: Creating Illusions with Your Hair
Your styling techniques can also help to disguise bad highlights. Opt for hairstyles that break up the highlighted sections, such as loose waves or braids. Avoid sleek, straight styles that emphasize the contrast between the highlights and your base color. Experiment with different parting styles to see if you can minimize the visibility of the highlights. Using texturizing products can also add dimension and distract from the unwanted tones. Consider wearing your hair up in a bun or ponytail to conceal large sections of problematic highlights.
Semi-Permanent Solutions: Toning and Glazing for a Subtle Change
Semi-permanent hair color and glazes can offer a more lasting solution than temporary fixes, but without the commitment of permanent color. These options can help to blend the highlights with your base color and correct unwanted tones.
Hair Glazes: Adding Shine and Correcting Tone
Hair glazes are a fantastic way to add shine, refresh your color, and correct minor tonal issues. They deposit a sheer layer of color onto the hair, helping to tone down brassiness and blend the highlights more seamlessly. Choose a glaze that is close to your base color or slightly darker to tone down overly light highlights. Glazes are generally ammonia-free and less damaging than permanent hair color. The results typically last for several weeks, gradually fading with each wash.
Demi-Permanent Color: Blending and Lowlighting
Demi-permanent color is a step up from glazes, offering more coverage and longevity. It doesn’t lift the hair’s natural pigment, but it can deposit color to darken or tone down the highlights. Choose a demi-permanent color that is close to your base color to blend the highlights. Alternatively, you can use a darker shade to create lowlights, which will add dimension and help to camouflage the bad highlights. Demi-permanent color typically lasts for around 24-28 washes.
Professional Color Correction: When to Seek Expert Help
For severe cases of bad highlights, such as significant brassiness, uneven application, or damage, seeking professional color correction is the best course of action. A skilled colorist can assess the damage, determine the underlying cause, and develop a customized plan to restore your hair’s color and health. Attempting to correct major color issues at home can often lead to further damage and an even worse outcome.
Permanent Solutions: More Drastic Measures for Lasting Results
If temporary and semi-permanent solutions aren’t enough, you might need to consider more permanent options to correct your bad highlights. These methods involve altering your hair color more significantly and require careful consideration.
Lowlights: Adding Depth and Dimension
Adding lowlights is an effective way to break up bad highlights and create a more balanced and natural look. Lowlights are strands of hair that are darker than your base color, adding depth and dimension. Choose a lowlight shade that complements your base color and is a few shades darker than your lightest highlights. Strategically placed lowlights can help to blend the highlights and create a more harmonious overall color.
Color Melting: Seamless Blending for a Natural Look
Color melting is a technique that involves blending multiple shades of hair color together to create a seamless and natural transition. This technique can be used to blend bad highlights with your base color and add dimension and depth. A skilled colorist will carefully apply different shades of color, blending them together at the roots to create a gradient effect. The result is a soft and natural look with no harsh lines of demarcation.
Going Darker: A Bold Transformation
If your highlights are significantly lighter than your base color and difficult to correct, going darker might be the best option. This involves coloring your hair a shade that is closer to your natural color or even darker. This will effectively cover the highlights and create a more uniform color. This is a bold step but it can be a very effective solution for dealing with severe cases of bad highlights.
Cutting Your Losses: Trimming Damaged Ends
If your highlights have caused significant damage to your hair, trimming off the damaged ends is essential. Split ends and breakage can make your hair look dull and unhealthy, further emphasizing the bad highlights. A fresh haircut can remove the damaged sections and improve the overall appearance of your hair. Even a small trim can make a big difference in the health and vitality of your hair.
Hair Care and Maintenance: Keeping Your Hair Healthy After Correction
After correcting your bad highlights, proper hair care and maintenance are crucial to keep your hair healthy and prevent future color mishaps.
Hydration is Key: Moisturizing Shampoos and Conditioners
Color-treated hair tends to be drier, so using moisturizing shampoos and conditioners is essential. Look for products that are specifically designed for color-treated hair and contain ingredients like argan oil, shea butter, or coconut oil. These ingredients will help to hydrate your hair and prevent it from becoming dry and brittle. Avoid shampoos that contain sulfates, as these can strip your hair of its natural oils and cause the color to fade faster.
Deep Conditioning Treatments: Repairing and Strengthening
Regular deep conditioning treatments can help to repair and strengthen damaged hair. Use a deep conditioner at least once a week to replenish moisture and restore elasticity. Look for deep conditioners that contain protein or keratin, as these ingredients can help to rebuild the hair’s structure. Apply the deep conditioner to damp hair, focusing on the ends, and leave it on for the recommended time before rinsing thoroughly.
Heat Protection: Shielding Your Hair from Damage
Heat styling tools, such as hair dryers, curling irons, and straighteners, can cause significant damage to color-treated hair. Always use a heat protectant spray before using any heat styling tools. This will create a barrier between your hair and the heat, minimizing damage. Avoid using high heat settings and limit the amount of time you expose your hair to heat.
Sun Protection: Preventing Color Fading
Exposure to the sun can cause your hair color to fade and become brassy. Protect your hair from the sun by wearing a hat or using a hair product that contains UV protection. This will help to keep your color vibrant and prevent it from becoming damaged.
Regular Trims: Maintaining Healthy Ends
Regular trims are essential for maintaining healthy hair and preventing split ends. Aim to get a trim every 6-8 weeks to remove any damaged ends and keep your hair looking its best. This will also help to prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft, causing further damage.
Prevention is Better Than Cure: Avoiding Bad Highlights in the Future
The best way to deal with bad highlights is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Taking a few precautions can significantly reduce your risk of ending up with a hair disaster.
Consultation is Crucial: Discussing Your Desired Look
Before getting highlights, schedule a consultation with your stylist. Discuss your desired look in detail, including the shade, placement, and intensity of the highlights. Show your stylist pictures of the look you’re aiming for. A thorough consultation will help ensure that you and your stylist are on the same page.
Choosing a Skilled Stylist: Researching and Reading Reviews
Choosing a skilled and experienced stylist is essential for achieving beautiful and well-executed highlights. Research different stylists in your area and read reviews online. Look for stylists who specialize in highlighting and have a portfolio of their work. Don’t be afraid to ask your stylist about their experience and techniques.
Patch Test: Checking for Allergies and Color Compatibility
Before applying any hair color, it’s crucial to perform a patch test to check for allergies or sensitivities. Apply a small amount of the hair color to a discreet area of your skin, such as behind your ear, and wait 24-48 hours. If you experience any redness, itching, or swelling, do not use the product.
Communicating During the Process: Voicing Your Concerns
During the highlighting process, don’t hesitate to communicate with your stylist if you have any concerns or questions. If you feel like the color is processing too quickly or the placement isn’t what you expected, speak up. Your stylist can make adjustments as needed to ensure that you’re happy with the final result.
By understanding the potential pitfalls of highlighting, taking preventative measures, and choosing the right corrective techniques, you can overcome bad highlights and achieve the hair of your dreams. Remember to prioritize the health of your hair and seek professional help when needed.
FAQ 1: What are the most common reasons why highlights turn out badly?
Highlights can go wrong for several reasons. Over-processing is a frequent culprit, where the bleach is left on for too long or the hair is too fragile to withstand the chemicals. This can result in brassy, orange tones, uneven lightening, or even hair damage. Inexperienced colorists might not properly assess your hair type, natural color, or desired outcome, leading to results that don’t complement your features or match your expectations.
Another common issue is improper color selection. Choosing highlights that are too far from your base color can create a stark, unnatural contrast. Poor placement or application techniques can also lead to chunky, tiger-striped highlights instead of a seamlessly blended, natural look. Additionally, failing to consider the underlying pigments in your hair can result in unwanted tones emerging after the highlighting process.
FAQ 2: How can I tone down overly brassy highlights at home?
Toning brassy highlights at home requires the use of products designed to neutralize unwanted warm tones. Purple shampoos and conditioners are specifically formulated for this purpose, as the purple pigment counteracts yellow and orange hues. These products deposit a small amount of pigment onto the hair, effectively canceling out the brassiness and restoring a cooler, more neutral tone. Use them as directed on the product label, and avoid leaving them on for too long, as over-toning can lead to a purple tint.
Another option is to use a toner kit specifically formulated for brassy hair. These kits typically contain a developer and a toner, which you mix together and apply to your hair. It’s crucial to choose a toner that is close to your desired shade and to follow the instructions carefully. A strand test is highly recommended before applying the toner to your entire head to ensure you achieve the desired result and avoid any unwanted color changes.
FAQ 3: Will using a darker hair dye cover up bad highlights entirely?
While a darker hair dye can indeed cover up bad highlights, it’s not always the ideal solution, especially if you were hoping to maintain some lightness. A single-process darker dye will essentially fill in the highlighted strands with the chosen darker color, effectively eliminating the highlights. However, this approach may result in a flat, one-dimensional color if not done carefully. Consider the overall effect and whether you are truly willing to lose the highlighted dimension.
Before committing to a full darker dye job, explore other options, such as lowlights or a color glaze. Lowlights can blend the highlights into your natural color, creating a more harmonious look without completely darkening your hair. A color glaze can add richness and depth to your existing color while subtly toning down the highlights, providing a less drastic change than a permanent dye. These options allow you to keep some dimension and movement in your hair.
FAQ 4: What are lowlights, and how can they help fix bad highlights?
Lowlights are essentially the opposite of highlights; they involve adding strands of hair that are darker than your base color. When strategically placed, lowlights can effectively blend and diffuse harsh or uneven highlights. By introducing darker tones, lowlights create a more natural and balanced look, minimizing the contrast between the highlights and your base color. This technique is particularly useful for softening chunky or tiger-striped highlights.
Lowlights can also add depth and dimension to your hair, making it appear fuller and more voluminous. The darker strands create shadows and visual interest, preventing the color from looking flat or one-dimensional. The key is to choose a lowlight shade that complements your base color and existing highlights, creating a seamless and natural transition. Consulting a professional colorist is recommended to ensure proper color selection and placement.
FAQ 5: How can I use hair accessories to temporarily conceal bad highlights?
Hair accessories offer a quick and easy way to temporarily conceal bad highlights, providing a stylish distraction while you work on a more permanent solution. Headbands, scarves, and hats can effectively cover up large sections of your hair, concealing the most noticeable areas of concern. Choose accessories that complement your style and outfit, and experiment with different ways to position them to achieve the desired level of coverage. Braids and updos can also be used to strategically hide unwanted highlights.
For example, a wide headband can conceal highlights around your hairline, while a scarf can be tied around your head to cover highlights throughout the crown. Braiding techniques, such as French braids or fishtail braids, can incorporate the highlighted strands in a way that minimizes their visibility. Updos, like buns or chignons, can also be arranged to tuck away the worst of the bad highlights. These temporary fixes provide a stylish and convenient way to manage your hair while you decide on a more permanent solution.
FAQ 6: Can hair masks help improve the appearance and health of highlighted hair that has been damaged?
Hair masks are excellent for restoring moisture and repairing damage to highlighted hair, which is often prone to dryness and breakage. Highlights, especially when done poorly, can strip the hair of its natural oils, leaving it feeling brittle and looking dull. Deep conditioning hair masks can replenish lost moisture, improve elasticity, and smooth the hair cuticle, resulting in healthier-looking and more manageable hair. Look for masks specifically formulated for color-treated or damaged hair.
Ingredients like keratin, argan oil, shea butter, and coconut oil are particularly beneficial for repairing and nourishing highlighted hair. These ingredients help to strengthen the hair shaft, reduce frizz, and add shine. Regular use of hair masks can significantly improve the overall appearance of your highlights, making them look softer, smoother, and more vibrant. Aim to use a hair mask once or twice a week, leaving it on for the recommended time to allow the ingredients to penetrate deeply into the hair.
FAQ 7: When is it best to seek professional help to fix bad highlights?
Seeking professional help is often the best course of action when you’re dealing with severely damaged or unevenly toned highlights. If your hair is excessively dry, brittle, or breaking easily after highlighting, a professional colorist can assess the damage and recommend appropriate treatments to restore its health. They can also provide expert color correction services to address unevenness, brassiness, or other undesirable tones, using techniques and products that are not readily available for at-home use.
Furthermore, if you’ve attempted to fix your highlights at home without success, or if you’re unsure about the best approach to take, consulting a professional can prevent further damage and ensure a more satisfactory outcome. A skilled colorist can analyze your hair’s current condition, discuss your desired results, and develop a customized plan to restore your hair’s glory. They can also offer advice on maintaining your hair’s health and color in the long term.