highlighting hair myself?

Question

i bought a box of highlights, but i'm kinda scared that i'll mess it up and it'll look like crap!! is it easy to use, or should i give up on the idea? i have long, wavy-ish dark brown hair....

Answer 1

I do my own highlights if I can't get in to have them done. But I've found that the kind that is easiest to do myself, and that look the most natural, are the kind that come with a cap (or you can buy a cap at a beauty supply shop, and use the "brush-on" highlighting kit--they cost about a buck a piece), and use the hook that comes with it to pull your hair through. (Not really a fan of the brush-on highlighting kits, those tend to bleed, and the highlights don't always stay where you want them.) Then you just mix up the lightener, and apply it to your hair.

Don't get too close to your scalp, though (closer than a quarter inch, I'd say), or the highlighting gunk (for lack of a better term) can kind of pool around the root of your hair, and may seep through the hole in the cap and leave light patches where you may not want them...

Then you just wait.

One trick I've discovered to make it easier to get the cap off my long hair without unneccessary breakage is to rinse out the highlighting solution with the cap ON, and CONDITION the hair that's coming through the cap before trying to remove it. Leave the conditioner on for a few minutes, then remove the cap BEFORE you rinse out the conditioner. It acts as a lubricant, helping to make the hair (which is now more fragile from the highlighting) slide through the holes in the cap, without breaking.

Also, if the highlights are more dramatic than you want, get a semi-permanent dye that's about halfway between your base color and the color the highlights turn out, and it'll soften it. And it washes out over about a month.

Good luck!

Answer 2

if u're going for the all over highlighted effect, u should get someone to help ...since it's hard to do the back. the at home kits are really easy to use...if you have dark brown hair...it's a bit tricky. i have dark brown hair too...and the highlights sometimes look orange...especially if u have long hair. i would get a dark brown hair color as well...so just in case it messes up...or doesn't leave u with the desired effect that u're going for...u won't panic.

Answer 3

If it is the kind with a cap, then easy to use, but if its the paint on ones, I would get someone to do it for you, you could do the front and stuff, but if you wear your hair up sometimes, you are going to want some underneath in the back, so have a friend help. Good luck!!!

Answer 4

To achieve more natural looking highlights, just use any Light ASH blonde permanent hair colour product, it won't make u blonde, if u have drk brwn hair, it'll look like the sun kissed it.
Good luck! Have Fun!

Answer 5

It depends on what kind you are using..I do it to my own hair when it is needed..I also do my neighbors highlights for her..I think you should just get someone to help you if you are not comfortable with doing it yourself. Just follow the instructions..It is not that hard.

Answer 6

DONT DO IT!!! Im a 20 year old male and have had more women complain to me about how crappy their hair looks after having it highlighted, either by them or a friend, than anything else. GOOD LUCK if you try it!

Answer 7

staiten your hair and have a friend help with highlites. i got bad highlights once and i looked like crap.

Answer 8

Read some useful hair colouring tips on this site to help you do it right

Answer 9

yeah, definately get someone else to help you. its easy to dye your hair if you're dying all of it, but highlights are harder i think.

Answer 10

ya