hair highlights

[greenbunny]

I didn't want to muck up the hairstyle thread, since this isn't exactly the same thing...I'm going for my first hightlights ever next week. I'm a medium to dark brunette and I'm looking for something striking rather than subtle, but not too wild--I don't want to look like Kelly Clarkson. Any color suggestions? And pics would be great, too.

[LoveYouKisses]

I would suggest doing a blonde, but don't do it so chunky (as to avoid the Kelly Clarkson look). I would definitely suggest a lot of little highlights toward the front of your face and then fewer as you go back,k it brightens up your face. I'm a medium to light brown, and I highlight like that 2x a year. I have never been dissatisfied...

ETA:
This is a picture kind of what I am referring to - mostly based on the comment below...I don't mean BLONDE highlights, I mostly mean lightening it, which I think would be more golden then blonde per say...
http://hairstyles.free-beauty-tips.com/pics/blonde2.jpg
And even in this picture - I definitely would not do chunks that big...

[amorey]

My SIL has dark brown hair and had thicker, reddish brown highlights that were a few shades lighter than her hair. It was a hip, sophisticated look. I’ll see if I can find a pic of her when I get home. I think caramel highlights also look good with dark hair, especially if you have a warmer complexion.

I'm personally not a fan of blonde highlights in dark hair, because I think the contrast is too much and it ends up looking too harsh and obvious.

[dollface]

I have med.-dark brown hair and started highligting it last year in an effort to gradually go more blonde. I get greys within 2 weeks of coloring so having dark hair is just too much to maintain - the more blonde I add the less I have to cover the grey :) I started in May of last year just having a few subtle highlights added.

Here is how my hair started....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/makeupwhore/StacyAva.jpg

Here it is a few months after I started highlighting....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/makeupwhore/stuff/P1010053.jpg

a few more months...(i am in the middle)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/makeupwhore/Secret%20Santa%202004/SecretSanta2004003.jpg

and now...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/makeupwhore/Vegas%202005/a68bc27b.jpg

Definitely take into account your skin tone. I never thought I could go any shade of blonde but a gold tone works perfectly for me.

[Vishenka69]

I would definitely suggest going with caramel/honey colored highlights, they'll blend into your natural color a lot more. Also if you have curly hair and wear it curly, you can go for thicker highlights, wheras if you hair is straight or you blow it out, I'd go for thinner strands. My natural color is chestnut, and I thought reddish highlights stood out a lot more then caramel ones (I've tried both over the years). Also since I wear my hair curly about 99% of the time, I also only highlight half a head (front and top). It saves money and time and nobody can tell that I don't have all the hair highlighted.

[kalogrias]

I have very dark brown hair, and I've had both caramel and reddish highlights, and the red was much better. The caramel made me look...well, slightly like a zebra. The red blended nicely, and my hair just looked coppery under light, which looked nice with my skin (I'm super fair). Just make sure that whoever does your color: a. watches the time, and b. is really good at what they do. I know those sound like no-brainers, but I can't tell you how many times I've ended up looking...interesting...because the person doing my color hasn't been paying attention (and this is at a decent salon, too).

[greenbunny]

dollface, your pictures give me hope that I might actually be able to wear blonde one day! My hair color and coloring seem very similar to yours.

Do you mind if I ask how your hair is cut in that last picture, where you're blonde? That is what I'm looking for--long and simple, but with it sideswept in the front. (I desperately need to get away from the '70s middle part!) Do you have long layers or bangs in the front, or is your hair all one length and just pulled to the side?


I did forget to mention that I have long, straight hair, currently with a little layering at the bottom, but I think I'm going to get that cut off into a blunt style (with the sideswept front I mentioned above).

Also I forgot to mention that about the lower half of my hair is growing out dye, a dark reddish brown. My natural color is the top half of my head. Honestly, they are so close to each other that I tend to forget it's there, it really faded despite being permanent color.

[dollface]

Do you mind if I ask how your hair is cut in that last picture, where you're blonde? That is what I'm looking for--long and simple, but with it sideswept in the front. (I desperately need to get away from the '70s middle part!) Do you have long layers or bangs in the front, or is your hair all one length and just pulled to the side?

In that pic I actually had long bangs that hit just about my high cheekbone area, the rest of my hair has layers in the bottom 2-3 inches of my hair. The best way to get that part is to part it before you blow dry it (or style) so ut will stay. I am a little unconventional in the way I style my hair - I only wash it twice a week. I wash it at night, throw it into a high ponytail and sleep in it (it's usually somewhat dry by the time I go to bed), then when I get up in the morning I part it how I want and then flat iron it. It actually takes less time then blow drying it and it produces a much more sleeker style.

[ginastorm]

dollface, your hair looks great! I used followed your journal on WC (I was stormey on WC). Hope you are doing well!

I highlighted my dark brown hair when I got married over two years ago. I ended up dyeing it back to my natural color because my roots grew back quickly. Now I'm thinking of doing it again! BTW, I had reddish highlights. When I tried to do the highlights myself, the red turned very brassy. I recommend having a profession do your highlights in order to prevent this!