Highlights - yay or nay?

[höpönasu]

I've been thinking to get few red or pink highlights. It would be a great way to keep track on my hair growth but also update a little bit myself.
Few highlights can't ruin my whole head can't they? Hair colors won't stick in my head very long anyways, it takes a month or two to have color completely faded away.

What do you think of getting highlights? Have you ever get yourself them? Would you consider having them?..
:confused:

Now when I'm growing my hair and finally actually learning to take care of it I don't want to ruin my whole journey for this.

[millyaulait]

I don't really see any problem with highlights, but I guess if you have to bleach/lift many levels first then your hair might feel a little unhappy for a while. Either way I have had balayage highlights (which are worse in terms of potential hair damage) and initially the highlighted areas felt terrible, but after a few weeks everything was back to normal, no problems or lasting issues at all. Enjoy your hair, just take care of it! :)

[LadyCelestina]

I used red highlighting dye on most of my head in 2009 I think and my hair survived ...until now.The ends feel awful :D ! And I can't wait until I cut the dye out.

But to be honest,I also dyed it 3 times after with different dyes,and they felt suspiciously good until I made a thread on LHC about it :D Then they started to split and suck in general :D

[slynr]

I'm going with nay...although i guess it just depends on if you plan to do it once or keep it up for a long period of time. I kept blonde highlights in my hair for years and slowly my hair was more and more highlights. My hair is fine and ultimately it really damaged my hair and it will take years to grow that damage out. I guess it partially depends on your hair type as well. Anyway..just sharing my experience:) Good luck with whatever you decide.

[schnibbles]

I'm going with nay...although i guess it just depends on if you plan to do it once or keep it up for a long period of time. I kept blonde highlights in my hair for years and slowly my hair was more and more highlights. My hair is fine and ultimately it really damaged my hair and it will take years to grow that damage out. I guess it partially depends on your hair type as well. Anyway..just sharing my experience:) Good luck with whatever you decide.

This happened to me also, years ago...and my hair is pretty dark naturally. Over time, my whole head turned into one giant highlight. (not good really)
OP, is there something more temporary you could try to see if you like the highlights before committing? Just putting that out there.

[LadyCelestina]

^^^ Isn't that just the case with very thin highlights that are hard to do roots only? I have a feeling that op means chunkier highlights...

Also,I just noticed something about the original post.If you bleach your hair,it is not going to fade,at worst it will get brassier or stained from the red.
What is going to fade,is the red/pink pigment.You'll have to redo it often.Make sure you are okay with the upkeep of the red/pink.
Since your hair is medium coarseness and you are just going for waist,I don't think damage is going to be a huge issue.

[niky45]

for me, bleach is the most damaging thing you can do to your hair....

and the more lightening you do, the more damaging it gets.

but that's up to you. if you baby it enough, and your hair is resilient... it will survive. (but PLEASE, don't come back telling us it destroyed your hair... mire stands almost-everything I try on it, but I'm not sure your's will. )

but, if you decide to do it, best advice i can give to you: proteins are your friend. (my own hair is SO HAPPY today.... and yep, it had been bleached... i think more than once)

side note: if you're talking about semi-perm dyes, the answer is: you first need a light hair color for them to show. so, here comes bleach again....

TL; DR: I have bleached my hair a few times. Mine can stand it, but still gets quite damaged. If you're going for long hair, I'll completely avoid bleach.

[DJgang]

Dec 2011, I got highlights from the same woman that had been doing highlights in my hair for years....

My entire front part of my hair, bangs area broke off.

Last time I went to anyone. Dec 2011 she cut my hair to above shoulder level, highlights that broke off and now I'm at BSL.

Guess I'm saying, even if you feel comfortable doing highlights and trust someone, something bad can happen. Be prepared.

No more highlights for me. Ive box colored this fall (not blonde or bleach, a warm golden light brown) and allow natural highlights from sun during the summer at the lake.

[höpönasu]

My plan is to highlight few strands of hair once and then let it fade and grow away. Also I will not bleach it before, just put the dye there and see how it goes. I've been thinking of getting a few clip-on fake hair clips but with that I can't really keep on track with growing.

/ Also, the plan was to get a box dye from a super market. I don't know which is worse, a dye in hairdresser or box dyeing. I bleached my hair man years ago and had it blond for a year or so. Back then, I really didn't know a thing about hair care and damaging it. But my hair didn't fall off or break.

Thank you all for your answers, now I'm confused. :D

[slynr]

My plan is to highlight few strands of hair once and then let it fade and grow away. Also I will not bleach it before, just put the dye there and see how it goes. I've been thniking of getting a few clip-on fake hair clips but with that I can't really keep on track with growing.you could just measure to keep track if growth and avoid chemicals which would be a lot easier. Just a thought:)

[höpönasu]

But I hate measuring! :justy:
I just can't get the numbers right. Now I keep track on my growth with pictures. I think I know too little about hair dyes damaging your hair because I'm actually considering this. I saw pretty bubblegum pink hair on YouTube the other day and I think it's just adorable. Can't I get a hint of that? *puppy-eyes* And then again, natural color nowadays is rare (there's many in LHC with virgin hair, but I'm talking about 'the real world' with all its' hair sins). I like my natural hair color but sometimes I just get so bored with it. I'm glad my hair made it through all times I've dyed it. I think I should sleep on this for a couple of nights. Then again I catch myself thinking "it's only hair!" and then "but it's my baby!"

Here's what I'm wanting. Only one single chunk colored, or 2-4. (https://www.google.fi/search?q=highlighted+hair&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=9K17UuSvKcqv4AS3_4DICQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=643#q=highlighted+hair+one+strand&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=QS51Ys7X3hYljM%3A%3B_WtOUN5zyYilwM%3Bhttp%25 3A%252F%252Fimg.wondercostumes.com%252Fimgzoom%252 Fprod2012n%252Fpink-highlight-hair-dye-stick-large.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.wondercostumes. com%252Fpink-highlight-hair-dye-stick-ptphhsi.html%3B613%3B900)

[DweamGoiL]

I had highlights once and NEVER again. The bleaching is horrible. It dried out my hair in the bleached parts and the rest looked healthy and vibrant; over time, those sections got worse and straw-like...never again!

[niky45]

oh. i see. let me explain some things to you. (I mean, I have had some experiences with boxed hair dyes, and same as you, my hair never actually broke...)

a) if you go lighter, no matter what you use, it's going to have some kind of peroxide and ammonium, with is exactly the same as bleach.

b) you could choose some colors in the range of the "natural" ones (including pinkish-red), and that would be less damaging, since you don't really need to go TOO light to achieve it. but be aware: the true reds need a somewhat light (as in light to medium brown) starting color to really show.

c) but, PINK, seriously?! . not that i have anything against pink, but, anything that is not in the "common colors" range, will have to be a semi-perm (i have NEVER seen a fancy color in the permanent-boxed-dyes anywhere). and for that to show, you'll need at least a dark blonde hair to begin. so, here comes bleach again.

so... yep. I'm experienced with boxed-dyes, and I can tell you, that except for red (especially dark reds), the damage is not worth it. you NEED some kind of developer (aka bleach) to achieve it, no matter how you buy it (.... yep, those beautiful blonde dyes have a TON of peroxide... ugh.) Also, red fades badly. Be prepared to have dirty orangeish highlights for the rest of your locks lives... unless you dye them back.

alternatives:
-natural lightening methods. I have been trying with cinnamon. I have read that you can reach up to two shades lighter than your current hair. the downside is that it is a POWERFUL skin irritant. my scalp is still itchy from yesterday's henna (yep, i put cinnamon in it). there are also many people who swear by honey. It is supposed to have some level of peroxide, not enough to damage your hair, but surely enough to lighten it. but please, keep in mind that these natural methods are VERY subtle, you'll need a few applications to see any effect.

-henna. you want RED?? henna is for you. :D but keep in mind that it won't fade no matter what you try....

I myself am combining those two approaches to obtain a vivid dark red hair. I'll try honey next time to see if it works better than cinnamon AND doesn't make my scalp SO itchy.

footnote: yep, nowadays I'm a bit against boxed dyes. but my hair can bear them. From your experience, seems yours can too. So, go for it. just... remeber to use coconut oil before (it has been proven to block the peroxide damage), do some protein treatments after, AND baby your hair A LOT and even more.

I myself have bleached - then hennaed - then dyed red - then hennaed again - hair, and, since I started caring for it, is as good as it was before I started putting all kind of dyes to it. For me, CO-wash, undiluted ACV as a leave-in conditioner, and henna, and some protein treatments, have done MIRACLES. my hair is as healthy as if I had never done anything ugly to it, or even better.

btw, I will NEVER go again to a hairdresser to get a color job. they can do good, but they can also mess everything BADLY. (although I'm quite sure going to the cheapest hairdresser doesn't help... :oops: )

PS: no, it's not "only hair", but if you baby it a lot, it can still grow healthy.

PPS: ooops. sorry for the LONG post. I just started writing and trying to tell you all the important things, and then I saw I had written WAY more than I was trying.

[florenonite]

I'd recommend a deposit-only dye like Manic Panic, so there's no bleaching involved, as a semi- or demi-permanent dye from the shop will still have some sort of lightening agent so you can get the colour shown on the box. I don't know if Manic Panic's available in Finland (though amazon.co.uk might be an option for you; I'm not sure about their shipping to continental Europe), but definitely look for one that deposits colour without containing any lightening agents.

[höpönasu]

With pink I mean this pink. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85I_GOTyJAI) So gorgeous! I don't know the whole head but... :cloud9:
IF I still will highlight my hair I won't bleach it, I'll just apply the dye and if it won't work then that's okay. I really don't know much about alternative dye methods but I don't think I'll ever henna my hair since it won't fade.

I'm a bit surprised - Manic Panic is available in Finland. O: it seems fairly good, I think it beats box dyes but I'm still concerned. Thank you all for your wise words that made me really think this even thought it will be just a chunk of hair maybe getting dyed.
:headache:

[niky45]

... look at the color she has BEFORE the dye. you will need at most one shade darker, as in medium blonde, for the color to show.

there's no way a light shade could work without a huge amount of lightening (damage).


as a semi- or demi-permanent dye from the shop will still have some sort of lightening agent
(...)
but definitely look for one that deposits colour without containing any lightening agents.
... wut?! I just got lost.

... the same: no lightening=no light colors. lightening=damage

... but hey, höpönasu, it's your hair. you know WAY better than any of us what can it take. Mine could take that. with damage, yes, but it will still be ok. with LOTS of babying after that, it could even look healthy. I don't know your hair, but you should. So, if you THINK that it can take it, and you want it, go for it!!!

but, PLEASE, strand test first. it's not a problem if a FEW (as in 20 or 30) hairs fall of when trying to dye them. but it IS a problem it that happens to some strands here and there. (as a matter of fact: i once tested a homemade bleaching mix: baking soda and peroxide. it was a SMALL strand, like a few hairs. when i was going to rinse it out, half of the hairs just broke off in my hand. luckily it were only a FEW hairs, and not my whole head.).

oh. and take note about the coconut oil before, and the caring routine after. those can be the difference between fried hair, and not-virgin-but-still-healthy hair.

PS: had I already said that you can't go lighter with some kind of bleach/developer?? My hair knows SO well... oh, my little poor hair. I promise I'll take care of you from now on. *hair smiles and becomes happy*

[Johannah]

I took blonde highlights and it ruined my hair. So many split ends, oh my god. If you need to bleach it, watch out!

[florenonite]

... look at the color she has BEFORE the dye. you will need at most one shade darker, as in medium blonde, for the color to show.

there's no way a light shade could work without a huge amount of lightening (damage).


... wut?! I just got lost.

... the same: no lightening=no light colors. lightening=damage



With a deposit-only dye and blonde hair, however, you don't necessarily need to lighten. Yes, you would have to get the cotton candy pink of the video höpönasu posted, but I made that comment before seeing exactly what colour she was after, and you can get reasonably bright pink on medium blonde hair. I suggested a deposit-only dye so as to remove the lightening element altogether.

[niky45]

My fault. I supposed she had darker hair (as in medium brown at least). Yes, with her starting color, she could use some deposit-only to achieve some colors...

... but since deposit-only dyes only go darker, I'm not sure I would call that "highlights". (btw, I'm not a native English speaker.... not sure how you would translate the word "highlights", but since I also have read the word "lowlights", I was supposing that highlights would be lighter. And lowlights, darker. Aside from that, I do know what you're talking about. )

[florenonite]

My fault. I supposed she had darker hair (as in medium brown at least). Yes, with her starting color, she could use some deposit-only to achieve some colors...

... but since deposit-only dyes only go darker, I'm not sure I would call that "highlights". (btw, I'm not a native English speaker.... not sure how you would translate the word "highlights", but since I also have read the word "lowlights", I was supposing that highlights would be lighter. And lowlights, darker. Aside from that, I do know what you're talking about. )

No worries, it is kind of ambiguous. In my experience, the term "lowlights" is pretty uncommon and, although "highlights" technically refers to lightening, it tends to be used pretty much universally for streaks.

[höpönasu]

My apologies too - I've never heard of "lowlights". I've always used highlights for when I've been talking about any kind of streaks. I'm also aware of hair bleached to absorb light colors. However, as said, I won't bleach my hair and as far as I know there is no bleacher in Manic Panic products.

Manic Mixer - used to mix pastel colors. Ingredients: Aqua (Water, Eau, Agua), Propylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Oleyl Alcohol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride.

Cotton Candy Pink - ingredients: Aqua (Water, Eau, Agua), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Centrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe Vera), Methylchloroirothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

Now I'm thinking why not, because isn't it pretty safe to use Manic Panic products if the color won't be what I'm after? I don't mind if the color doesn't come out as expected - then I know that I can't get the color I want without bleaching (which I won't). Then the case is finally closed and I probably won't try ever again.

[niky45]

:oops: ooohhh... now I see. thanks for the explanation. (btw, it makes sense, since almost everyone that gets streaks, gets them in a lighter color.... I think. hm. I'm used to dark hair, since there are no real blondes here. so not sure about places with a high blonde population, though. )

@höpönasu: alright. NOW I have seen your hair color. And I have to tell you: yes, they are going to show, but not in that light pink. but hey, it's only a deposit-only dye, so it will not damage your hair, and it seems you really want it, so... JUST TRY IT!! :D

BTW, those ingredients look like a shampoo (or conditioner? ... I still have to read a lot about ingredients... ). So, for sure, they are not going to damage your hair.

[höpönasu]

I stumbled on this text while googling about Manic Panic.. (http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2009/09/hair-dye-continued-the-truth-about-manic-panic/) I think the writer explains it well what MP has in it even there isn't every ingredient there explained. I'm not crazy for those not so safe ingredients but I'll order some MP when payday arrives!

Good old Wikipedia gives some info. Well, it makes not so much sense to me at least.. Chemistry! :doh:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylchloroisothiazolinone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylchloroisothiazolinone

There is also Manic Panic Amplified hair dyes that are said to preserve the color 30% longer with exact same ingredients.

[NuclearApple]

I have permanent highlights and i regret them so much...but if it is not permanent just do it! :) but be 100%convinced on that.

[BlazingHeart]

Using Manic Panic or other deposit only dyes to put in color streaks is a great way to have fun with your hair. Do be warned that some colors will stick around for longer than expected. I think the reds are most known for that. As long as you don't bleach first, deposit only dyes are basically harmless, and some people even find the ingredients good for conditioning.

If you want the color to really take strongly and last, be prepared to have the dye on for several hours, preferably under plastic wrap to keep it moist and a hat or hot pack to keep it warm. You'll get the most out of the dye that way.

[Sunny_side_up]

One of my buddies has very pretty natural blonde hair which she regularly has trimmed and shaved in the back,(loves to keep it pixie short) theres a part at the front she keeps 'long' and it is chin length, she got that longer section dyed a lovely pink in a salon, looked fab. Few weeks later she did a home shade of purple. Really cool. Her hair type is quite fine and silky, she washes everyday! But her hair seemed to be able to handle this, AND she does regularly go for trims!
I was considering highlights until I saw a girl with BSL hair that was dark brown with sections of bleached and dyed orange hair that were frazzled and split looking all the way along the length :eek:
The box dye I used months ago I partly blame for the horrid shedding ive been having, scalp balance was upset, plus there is the noticeable change in texture and a feeling of dry ends and I turn to oiling. Looking forward to my trim.
Some peoples hair and scalp just seem to cope better with certain products and chemicals :)

[vanillabones]

You could always get what you want and not change your hair by buying the clip in colored hair extensions, or buy your own wefts and dye them however you want and just clip a few in when you are bored or just to practice living with the streaks. If you do end up coloring it in any way I'm sure you know to streak test a little patch first :(

[woodswanderer]

I vote nay. I just recently tried to use Aveda Root Madder to bring out the red in my hair (washed out in 2 shampooings) and I hated it and just wound up appreciating my own hair color. At least it washed out fast. I know highlights are different, but I'm just saying maybe we are each born with our own best looking hair color.

[stachelbeere]

I say go for it. This is the look I am going for once my hair gets to the appropriate length so I understand :)
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/5d/ac/ac/5dacacacdfd9c54c21e618fb0919bf15.jpg

[jlb]

Go for it, about 18 months ago I was so bored with my hair that it was play with color or cut it off. I had highlights, lowlights & for awhile even magenta streaks (those were my favorites) & had a great time. After about a year I got tired of the upkeep & dyed it back to a lovely chestnut color. I think in a way it actually made my hair better because I paid more attention to it. Nothing complicated, I just added oil to my routine & it all seemed to balance out. Just take good care of your hair & you should be fine. If the streaks are bad for your hair then you'll only be damaging the 3 or 4 sections you're talking about doing anyway.

[höpönasu]

Once again, I appreciate all of your comments. :applause
I'm glad I found this site because in real world there are only little hair lovers (I know zero) I can actually talk about hair care in a proper, PROPER way. Because 'normal' people would give way different tips than people here.

I will buy baby oil and I already use coconut oil daily on my hair (and skin, it's miraculous!). So I've decided to use Manic Panic, I'm still not sure whether I use pink or blue one because red pigment may not fade away. My payday is week away, and I'm not sure if I can afford them then (I'm student and have part-time job so my earnings aren't very glorious).

I'll also update my experiences here with pictures. :eye:

Now I'm hoping Manic Panic users to report in this thread for their experiences with the stuff. :wacko: :razz:

[Flossy]

I went from highlighted blonde to copper this year, and then, for fun, used some bright red Manic Panic colours for a couple of months. They leave your hair feeling lovely and conditioned (it's basically conditioner with colour in it).

The downsides, the colour goes everywhere. And stains the bathroom. It stuck in the dyed bits of my hair way longer than the virgin roots and underside. Every time you shampoo more colour comes out. Every shower was like a scene from
Psycho, with red water swirling around my feet.

As someone who took a huge hair plunge this year (blonde to red with a heavy fringe) and has never been happier, I say go for it. You'll never know otherwise.

[r00ski]

I'd say nay.

[TimeForMe]

I'm going to be struggling with this decision eventually. I've always highlighted with shorter hair, and it looks great, but the ends always got cut off before they could get too damaged/bleached. Now that I'm growing it, I'll have to think long term, not just whether it damages today.

[ErinLeigh]

Unless you have really light white blond hair you will not achieve that pretty pink without bleach. Imagine hair like crayon coloring. Take you base color "crayon" and then color over it in the pink "crayon". That will be the effect you get.

The pink is pretty tho. But it fades quickly in my friends hair. Doesn't fade enough tho. There is a lingering color that either needs refreshed or really just fades to more brassy hue ( if peroxide is involved)

Maybe instead of the top highlights, how about a dip dye on the ends? That way it can be cut away when you are tired if it?
Messing with the canopy is the toughest to grow out. It ends up needing re dyed, or layers added or other more drastic type measures than a simple trim.

[höpönasu]

I was pondering this yesterday and I decided to dip die my ends instead of streaks. I am willing to sacrifice my ends because they aren't great and I would cut them anyway when I hit waist. I think it's the safest way if it somehow damages my hair or I suddenly decide to cut it. I decided to go with color "Pretty Flamingo", it was such a pretty color! I also ordered the pastel mixer as well. We'll see how my hair takes it. I know already few people who are willing to buy the rest of the dyes if I decide not to use them myself! :laugh:

[Angelicblaze]

I've been thinking to get few red or pink highlights. It would be a great way to keep track on my hair growth but also update a little bit myself.
Few highlights can't ruin my whole head can't they? Hair colors won't stick in my head very long anyways, it takes a month or two to have color completely faded away.

What do you think of getting highlights? Have you ever get yourself them? Would you consider having them?..
:confused:

Now when I'm growing my hair and finally actually learning to take care of it I don't want to ruin my whole journey for this.

There is a member on this forum, I just saw a quick picture on a thread so I can't remember which member it was. But she had a good idea, she has bangs and face framing layers, and only dyes the bangs and face framing pieces in random colors so the length itself stays healthy. Maybe something like that would be an option.

(Plus if you wanted to grow out the color or damage, it would be easier since the hair is shorter)