Weaning off hi-lights?

[Anonymous]

I have what I'll call dirty blond hair. I've been hi-lighting it for as long as I can remember -- with lo-lights mixed in a couple time a year as well. I get them done 4-5 times a year. Otherwise I'm really pale with blue eyes.

I'm starting to think about stopping the hi-lights, but am really nervous about it and don't know how someone would go about it. I've lived in the area about a year and still haven't found someone I really like for color and cut.

What do folks think about phasing out the hi-lights? And any recs on someone good? I'm in N. Arlington, very close to the McLean border.

[Anonymous]

I've done it before. I always go back.

[Anonymous]

A friend did it, and her hair looked horrible, and her face looked so much older. Talk to your colorist to make sure that you get a shade that flatters your skin tone.

[Anonymous]

I did it slowly by having my colorist use fewer hi-lights and more low lights over time.

I think it took about a year to truly get back to my natural color, but the whole thing was gradual and natural. Much better than doing a single, one-color treatment, IMHO. But you need to be patient.

If you're willing to go to the city for color, I highly recommend Camille at Bogart Salon in Georgetown (Wisconsin, south of M St.) She's very good -- listens well and is responsive to what you want. Also great with picking flattering shades and making it look natural.

P.S. After all that, I'm now adding back a few hi-lights. I can't resist. I missed the golden tones.

[Anonymous]

I did it and looked so much younger. The compliments rolled in.

I have medium-brown hair . My colorist would put a Demi-perm one color rinse in to ease the transition.

My hair is very shiny and healthy now that I don't highlight. We even deepened the color slightly.

I have blue eyes so they pop now.

The condition of my hair is so much better now.

[Anonymous]

Men like the blondes, look at porn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Men like the blondes, look at porn

Not my man. Blue-eyed brunette is his thing.
Blondes are a dime a dozen (or bottle). Team Brunette!

Even Beckham, Damon, Affleck, Clooney (my favs) all went with brunettes.

I'll take a Selma Hayek or a Penelope Cruz or an Elizabeth Taylor (still cited as most beautiful woman in her youth) or an Ava Gardner or Audrey Hepburn over a dumb blonde any day!

[Anonymous]

I did it. Cold turkey. Applied an all over semi-permanent color similar to my natural color. I've been highlight free for 6 months or so. I miss them when I see pictures of my old hair but I'm glad I have transitioned to lower-maintenance.

[Anonymous]

interesting thread. Guessing I may be older than some of the posters here. I had lighter hair as a child, then gradually darker in my twenties. I started highlights (not that intense) in my mid-30s. The highlights now mask the gray but sometimes I feel washed out as my hair is so light and my skin is fairly pale. If I weaned off the highlights, however, the gray would probably be in starker contrast. Other than masking the gray, I would probably gradually wean off the highlights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Men like the blondes, look at porn

Not my man. Blue-eyed brunette is his thing.
Blondes are a dime a dozen (or bottle). Team Brunette!

Even Beckham, Damon, Affleck, Clooney (my favs) all went with brunettes.

I'll take a Selma Hayek or a Penelope Cruz or an Elizabeth Taylor (still cited as most beautiful woman in her youth) or an Ava Gardner or Audrey Hepburn over a dumb blonde any day!

Your level of defense for brunettes tells us you found a stash of blonde porn and can't move on.