
Highlights can be gorgeous. But getting the wrong shade of highlights or not taking proper care of them can turn into a hair disaster. It can be tricky to pick the perfect shade and once you do, you have to know the right maintenance tricks. Here are the most common mistakes people make when highlighting their hair and how to avoid this happening to you:
- Going too blonde right away. If you’re not already blonde, going a bright, light shade of blonde right away may not look great and can cause a lot of damage to your hair. Try ombre highlights or darker blonde highlights and ease into the color you really want.
- Not considering every type of highlights or asking your hair stylist what would work best for you. If you’ve never gotten highlights before, make sure to ask a lot of question about the different types and maintenance for each and what to do if you don’t like the finished result. There are foils, balayage, painted highlights, ombre and more.
- Not considering changing your base color. If you have red undertones, your blonde highlights could look orange. You may want to dye your hair a neutral base first and then get highlights to ensure you get exactly the look you want.
- Picking the wrong blonde shade. If you’re fair, stick to lighter shades of blonde and go for darker shades of blonde if you have any other skin tone. If you’re unsure, ask your hairstylist what color would look best with your skin tone.
- Afterwards, using the wrong shampoo and washing with hot water. Use a shampoo made for color-treated hair and use a purple shampoo once a month to help neutralize any brassiness. Also, hot water can turn your highlights yellow or orange, so only use cold water to rinse your hair.
- Not deep conditioning. Any type of chemical treatment or color will dry your hair out, so moisturize deeply at least once a week to keep your hair damage-free.
- Coloring way too often. Your hairstylist might love you, but your hair and your wallet won’t be too happy. Getting highlights done too often can be very damaging. Wait 8-12 weeks before heading back to the salon.
Do you get highlights? Have you ever made any of these mistakes? Share with us your stories!