Highlights and Lowlights Hair
Red light, yellow light, green light, high light, low light… GO!
Have you ever experienced this… you walk into your salon confident this is the day I am going to walk out with sun kissed blonde hair. You trustingly settle back into the salon chair to get foils for an hour, followed by another restless 30 minutes while the hair processes, then into the home stretch of an invigorating shampoo and conditioner treatment. The excitement is mounting.
Finally your colorist begins to dry your newly colored locks. Slowly, but just as surely as your hair begins to dry, butterflies build in the pit of your stomach. Now, if you have been down this road before then I have a sneaking suspicion you know what comes next. Strangely similar to a National Geographic documentary on African wildlife, your hair takes on the properties of a chameleon as it mysteriously changes color. It’s about now that you are saying to yourself, “At what part during my consultation with my colorist did I say I wanted to be a brunette.”
This is when SerafinoSays turns to its big gun Celebrity Colorist Paul Smith.
Paul suggests the purpose of highlights or lowlights in the hair is to add texture and dimension to a person’s hair color.
When you finally decide you are ready for highlights or low lights, here are a few suggestions that will make the process a little smoother when meeting with your colorist.
SerafinoSays Guide to Getting Highlights and Lowlights Hair:
1. Call and make an appointment with your colorist.
2. Be assured that your colorist and you are on the “same page” by bringing in a “page” (tear sheet) from a magazine showing the color you desire. Since it is literally impossible to describe a specific color, you want this form of guarantee that everyone involved in the process definitively knows what you want.
3. Your colorist has a few choices on the technique to highlight your hair. Most are acceptable, some are not. Acceptable techniques include; foils to apply the color, Bailage (a free hand painting technique), or frosting (a rubber cap is applied then small strands of hair are pulled through the cap to highlight). Run for your hair’s life if your colorist attempts to put a frosting cap on your head. Frosting is an antiquated technique that is a reflection on the salon capabilities.
4. Usually your colorist will move on to another client while your color is being processed. During this time enjoy reading a magazine, listen to music, zone out or just enjoy a cup of a favorite beverage. When the timer rings make sure your colorist is near to check your color, or immediately notify an assistant that your time has expired. Bleach is a potent chemical that will continue to lighten your hair until removed.
5. If your colorist suggests a deep conditioning treatment after your shampoo then spring for the few extra bucks and treat yourself to the treatment. Deep conditioning treatments not only feel good, most importantly, after highlights it adds back moisture and shine to the hair.
6. Blow drying after coloring is a MUST. When the hair is wet, or even slightly damp, it is very difficult to see what the finished color will look like. If your salon charges extra for a blow dry after color, and you already went beyond your budget with the deep conditioning, then there is another solution. Have your colorist thoroughly blow dry a small section of hair for both the colorist and you to see how the color will look when the hair is completely dry.
7. When leaving the salon, make sure to go home with the appropriate products for color treated hair.
Here are a few SerafinoSays favorite Products for color treated hair.
Kaaral Purify Colore Shampoo & Conditioner
Redken Blonde Glam Rich Vanilla
Shu Uemera Silk Bloom Restorative Treatment
