QuoteReplyTopic: Problem with strand test Posted: October 16 2008 at 8:55am
I am going to attempt highlights in my hair today so I tried doing a strand test last night. My hair color now is about an 8 and I want light blond highlights. I am using 20volume developer with Prism Lights Neutral. The problem is that the ends turned out a bit orangy. I left it on for 40 min. I checked it at 30 and it did not seem light enough. Do you think that I need a 30 volume developer? Or did I just not leave it on long enough? I am totally new to this and don't want to mess this up. Also, can anyone provide information regarding toner? Do I also need to use a toner? One more question. If I am to leave it on for 30 min and it takes 15 min to apply, should I start checking the back in 15 min? I know my stylist usually leaves it on the full 30 min, but she is quick at applying it. Thanks in advance.
You're saying your color now is an 8, that means its not your natural color... If you've just lifted it up to an 8 in the past, you'll be okay going lighter, but if you've ever used anything that darkened it to an 8 from a lighter shade, you'll have to remove the dye.
If you never went from lighter blonde darker to an 8 and you've only gone lighter, you probably just still have some orange tones in your hair (your hair isn't all "yellow" yet). Using 20 volume, which doesn't lift that much, and a neutral dye will make the natural oranges and yellows come out. If you want to do this with dye, not bleach, you will need at least 30 volume (if you don't want to go 40...if you want your highlights whitish, 40 will get you there faster), and I would choose a dye with a blue base, not a neutral. It will also help counter the orange that comes out. Once you get it to yellow blonde, if you want it whiter you will have to switch at that point to a dye with a violet base. By that time, it will probably be close to the level of lightness you want, and you can just use 20 volume with the violet based color to tone down the yellow if its too much for you.
I know this is complicated, its why some people just choose to use bleach to lift straight to pale yellow, then violet toner. Its faster. The advantage to taking the time to do it with dye though is that toner fades and you wind up very yellow blonde after awhile, dye doesn't fade that way and you can keep a more ashy tone. Its a toss up really, so its up to the individual.
I don't use toner myself, so someone else would be a better advisor for that. All in all, if you wind up with a tone you like (not too yellow), you definitely don't need it.
45 min. is the max you'd want to leave it on, its not going to do much after that, just add on extra damage for nothing. (I'm glad you did a test strand!)
If it takes you awhile to apply, do your length first and your roots last (the heat from your head will make your roots go a little faster). You will get very quick at it after awhile when you are used to it. Then you'd just start timing when you are done. If it really takes a long time, you may want to consider doing half your head at a time and timing and washing them separate, but that is a lot of trouble, its easier if you can just try to be fast. This is where forethought will help a lot, plan out how you want it to look before you start.
Edited by Susan W - October 17 2008 at 12:47pm
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Susan, thank you for your reply. I got your answer too late though. I applied highlights yesterday with Prism Lights Neutral bleach and 20volume developer. I had a 6N applied about a week prior and thought the color was too muddy which is why I am adding the highlights. It sounds like I should have removed that prior to adding the highlights? I am pretty happy with the highlights, but they are a bit brassy. I would have preferred a paler blond. ALSO, the bigger problem is that the highlight was not close enough to the root, so there is quite a large dark streak down the hairline in the front. This is very unattractive. I am more upset about that than the brassyness. Any suggestions how to fix this?
And when I do want to do a root touch up, how do I add a base color (say a 7 to 8) with the bleach highlights in place? Do they just blend? I get touch ups at the hair salon, but it never made sense how it blended when the colors are so different. Can I mix the colors for the base coat? Like 7 and 8? Thanks again everyone. I am determined to learn this and do it myself. I just have to work out the kinks.
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