DIY hair highlights? Anyone?

[gretazmama]

My hair is incredibly drab and I want to add highlights -- I just don't want to pay someone in a salon to do it. :rolleyes:

Does anyone use an at-home kit they can recommend? My hair is currently dishwater blonde and I don't want anything too drastic, just a little perkier.

Permanent or temporary would be fine ... just looking for some ideas!

[espresso]

I use the herbal essance highlights...works great! I have light brown hair and use whatever the medium tone is...BUT, I only leave it in about 10-15 minutes as opposed to the 30 minutes it reccomends. This way the highlights are subtle and more natural. I would reccomend to anyone!

[maplekitty]

If your hair isnt too long I'd suggest using a cap instead of the "comb" tool they provide in the box of most highlighting kits. That comb tool will make you come ou with cheeta patches on your head. The cap is much easier and will allow you to have small "subtle" highlights all over your head.

[isign]

Don't try to foil with out a pro doing it. I watched a friend let another friend do hers last night - she re-did it 2 more times after that. Use the cap, it's much better.

[gretazmama]

This is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for. Thanks, everyone!

[greenbunny]

Don't use a Feria kit. I tried it and it took harder in some places than others, and I had fried-out bleached spots and darker spots in between. It really damaged my hair and I asked for a refund.

[Sare79]

I have always used Revlon Frost and Glow- it sounds bad, but it is a cap highlighting sytem and it works wonders on my hair. One thing to consider is the first time you do it, you'll want to stay pretty close to a mirror to monitor the intensity. Sometimes the time they tell you to leave it on is too long.

[KK812]

I have always used Revlon Frost and Glow- it sounds bad, but it is a cap highlighting sytem and it works wonders on my hair. One thing to consider is the first time you do it, you'll want to stay pretty close to a mirror to monitor the intensity. Sometimes the time they tell you to leave it on is too long.


Ditto. Keep in mind, they won't look professional, but frost and glow is the best kit I've used. DH does it for me ;) Also, don't get freaked out when the cream is still on your hair, b/c it looks a LOT lighter than it is when you rinse it out.

[Amuse Bouche]

I use L'oreal Couleur Experte, which doesn't have a cap, and it comes out well. If you've colored your hair at all before, I'd recommend using one of the two step systems, because highlights take differently on colored and uncolored hair.

[MidwesternGal]

I have used both the cap system and the comb system. And although the cap doesn't get as close to your roots, it is MUCH easier, IMHO. The cap shows you where to paint, and gives you suggestions based on the "look" you're going for. Those paint jobs don't take well on my hair, come out scraggly, my hair gets knotted (I have thick wavy hair), and it's hard to do anything but your very top layer of hair (so if you pull it up a lot, you'll have a light top and dark bottm!).

[karlatta]

I've always used Revlon Frost and Glow with good results. Not that I've done it in years, but I recently did my sister's hair again, and it was just as easy as I remembered.

[MLA]

If your hair isnt too long I'd suggest using a cap instead of the "comb" tool they provide in the box of most highlighting kits. That comb tool will make you come ou with cheeta patches on your head. The cap is much easier and will allow you to have small "subtle" highlights all over your head.

ITA with this, though I have long hair and still use the cap. I use the L'Oreal Creamlights kit. The trick for me, though, is that I highlight until the hair's almost bleach blonde and then I use temporary color over the highlights. I have pretty dark brown hair. It gives a more subtle, less brassy look for me, and since I need to use temproary color on all of my hair, anyway, it works well.

[maplekitty]

ITA with this, though I have long hair and still use the cap.

I've used the cap with long hair too...but if you're a cap newbie, having long hair will just result in major tangles and knots!

[shopaholic]

I also use the Herbal Essences highlight kit (comb). I have strawberry blonde hair and I use the lightest blonde they have. I actually have a box at home...plan on doing it this weekend.

[MelodySoul]

I have tried many kinds and I will tell you from my experience using a cap is best (at least on my hair type). I have even purchased the kinds that come with a comb and I'll just buy a cap and hook set along with it. My personal favorites are Revlon Frost and Glow and L'Oreal Blondissima Streaks (only in Canada I think). They gave me the least brassy results of everything I've tried.

[PalmBch2002]

I used the Revlon Front and Glow this afternoon and I am very pleased with the results! It was very easy to do though next time I think I'm going to get help with the back of my head!!

[tgr68]

Just bought one of the two step systems. I currently have dark brown hair, which naturally lightens with blonde/red streaks. I got the dark auburn w/ strawberry highlights. Will probably try it sometime this week!

[jnettie]

I use L'Oriel La Petite Frost, has the cap and stuff like the Frost and Glow, but costs half as much. Love it! Never had a problem.

Oh, and my hair is half way down my back and fairly dark brown.

[princesse]

bumping this post to see if anyone is playing with coloring thier hair lately. i am currently sitting here with part one of the l'oreal color/highlight kit on and will let you know how it turns out:-) i'm usually such a snot about getting my hair colored but am feeling tremendously adventurous tonite. AACK i hope it doesn't backfire on me!

[princesse]

Yeah:-) The highlights are a little more red around the top/face than I probably like, but all in all I'd say not bad considering I probably saved about $100. By the by, how funny was it (not really) I walked back into the bathroom and had gotten hair coloring onto the shower curtain! EEK! I smeared some of the bleach onto it so we'll see how it balances out!

[jenjunum]

I have not had good results recently with highlighting kits. Back in Sept I tried one (Herbal Essences I think- comb, no cap) trying to save money and it really turned out poorly. For one I don't know when to stop and end up highlighting too much. Then it turned out a horrible orange color. I had to go back to my stylist so she could fix it. And then look like an idiot for being too cheap to pay $100 for her to do it. I've since gone to doing all-over color on my own in a slightly darker shade and given up on having highlights for a while. :( Ah well, someday my hubby will be done with his PhD and we might actually have money.

[kedzieb]

I used to use the Colour Experte myself and got good results. The thing is, it works really well the first few times, but ends up looking a bit muddy after a few times since the highlights are then covering other highlights. I get it done professionally now and like the results much more even though it's $$$$ each time.