straight highlighted hair help

I have very straight hair to the middle of my back. I like to highlight. Otherwise I get that winter-blonde or dishwater blonde look. I used to highlight only once a year in the winter but I am starting to sprout a few gray hairs and I think my hair is getting darker. I think I will need to highlight more often. This is where I have a problem. I used to perm my hair about once a year. Recently I let it go straight because I do not want to mix the perm and highlights. I got a few long layers cut into my hair and have been styling with a blowdryer and hot curlers or curling iron. I feel I am still damaging my hair but my hair is so straight without body that I can't get it to look good with out heat styling . Which is the lesser of the two evils? (highlights with a perm or heatstyling everyday?)

Karen,I just noticed the announcement on the front page of Hair Boutique that you and Jeff are going to redo the site for 99 and add lots of new topics. However, I am worried that means the end of Hair Talk or the other great boards. Will Hair Talk remain? I hope so. I get so much info from here.Thanks.Cindy> Hi Karen,> While neither option is great....I would select the> blowdryer or hot curlers any day over a> perm/highlighting combination. You can neutralize the> hot styling damage with a really good leave in> conditioner like Aveda's Elixer or some of the great> products from KMS or ARTec.> However, highlighting and perming require chemical> applications that can alter or damage the actual hair> cuticle. While your hair may handle one without major> damage...it is unlikely that most hair can survive two> chemicals procedures done on the same hair.> Some professionals say you can do two chemical> procedures if you wait a few weeks in between. I have> seen and heard too many horror stories to believe this> and would never do it to my own hair.> Of course you ultimately have to decide what it best> for you but if you were asking my opinion....the> hairdryer/hot styling with a good leave in conditioner> to at least help coat and protect the hair shaft> sounds the least dangerous to me.> Good luck with your hair.> Best wishes,> Karen Shelton

Karen,Thank you for your response to my question. Because the information you have given me I will not perm. Do you have any suggestions for ways to heatstyle with the least amount of damage? I will try the products you recommendedI have tried Jhirmack heat Care styling protectant and have found that any curl I get with my hot rollers fall out even though I use a heat activated mousse. What about the large barrel irons which curl with air? I also have trouble keeping any curl from falling out. I'm not trying for really curly, just enough so my layers don't just blend and I have a little body.I would also like to get out the door sooner. Blowdrying takes forever and I must get it all the way dry for any curl to hold. I guess it takes a little trial and error for those of us who has relied on a perm before. Thanks again, love your site.Karenps. don't know why my previous posting didn't take. sorry about that.

Hi Karen,To get out of the door faster I have a few suggestions:1. Consider washing your hair the night before and blow dry and set your hair on big soft curlers for body or just a few rag curlers for less curl, more body. Next morning you can be out the door in a flash with a head of body.2. If you have to shower that morning....squeeze your hair really well to get all the extra moisture out with your fingers and then blot your hair with a really large thick towel. The more moisture you get out, the faster it dries.Use a good pick or wide toothed comb and this also removes excess moisture and speeds up drying time.3. You can layer products and get better hold. It is always best to use a leave-in conditioner for blow drying. For protection as well as hold, I would recommend Aveda's Elixer first and then a dollop of Confixer at the roots and a quick dab over the body of the hair. You will have to experiment to get the amount that works best on your hair type.The roots are key. If you focus the roots as the place to apply the majority of the setting gel or lotion, this helps hold the style for the entire hairdo. Well...at least in most cases.4. Try Aveda's Confixer or Aveda Flax Seed as a starter for good holding power. You can usually buy the little bottles to check them out. The Confixer works very well for me for holding. However, as I point out a lot....what works for one head of hair doesn't necessary work for another. The Flax Seed is a lot stiffer and almost too much sometimes. So you do need to experiment.5. Use a cold/cool blow dryer setting on your hair for part of the blowing time. I have found that it takes longer to blow dry on a cold/cool setting. So I mix cool/cold with hot. I start with hot on my bangs and then do cool/cold on my hair. If I run out of time I cheat with a little hot to finish up.Cold/cool air actually fluffs up the hair root and tends to make hair hold longer overall.6. Blow dry upside down with the air directed towards the roots. This will also make your hair fuller and should help a style last longer. Use your fingers to direct the airflow rather than a comb which removes fullness.7. If you use hot curlers...pop them in...let them cool..take them out and let the hair totally cool. Then wait as long as possible to use a brush or comb and style with your fingers instead.8. Yes...a large barrel curling iron could also work for you. Same thing applies. When done with the iron let the hair cool completely and then pick it out with your fingers.You might also want to switch to a shampoo that gives you more body like ARTec's Volume shampoo and conditioner or Aveda's color shampoos (Blue Malva, Black Malva). Cherry Almond Bark also helps pump up hair and in my case, holds style better.Try some of these ideas and let me know if you have more questions. Thanks for the compliments about the site. We try. :-)Best wishes,KarenPS. Glad to hear you are not going to perm. At least give these other options a shot first. :-)> Karen,> Thank you for your response to my question. Because> the information you have given me I will not perm. Do> you have any suggestions for ways to heatstyle with> the least amount of damage? I will try the products> you recommended> I have tried Jhirmack heat Care styling protectant and> have found that any curl I get with my hot rollers> fall out even though I use a heat activated mousse.> What about the large barrel irons which curl with air?> I also have trouble keeping any curl from falling out.> I'm not trying for really curly, just enough so my> layers don't just blend and I have a little body.> I would also like to get out the door sooner.> Blowdrying takes forever and I must get it all the way> dry for any curl to hold. I guess it takes a little> trial and error for those of us who has relied on a> perm before. Thanks again, love your site.> Karen> ps. don't know why my previous posting didn't take.> sorry about that.