Keeping dye out of highlights?

Thank you! I'll try that next time.

eKatherine, I've heard some folks say they have good results with that, but that it can be difficult if you're a beginner. Do you know of a good how-to or some sort of guide?

Thanks :)

I have naturally orange light-coppery hair, and I have a few chunks of highlights I'd like to maintain up in front, near my face. They're well-defined and fairly wide, so it's very easy to separate them from the rest of the hair.

The highlights aren't super-bleachy. They're a few shades lighter than my hair and sort of a light warm goldy blonde shade. I really like the contrast and the color they provide.

I also like semi- and demi-permanent colors, typically within the red family and not too far off from my natural shade. I like to try a semi-permanent color every two months or so, when the mood strikes. My hair is in good condition and doesn't break or frizz.

However, I'm concerned I'm going to "stain" the highlights with the semi/demi permanent dyes. Since the lightened hair is more porous,I'd like to keep the highlights completely away from the dye.

So. Next time I do a semi/demi-permanent color, is there some tried-and-proven way to "seal off" a highlighted area to keep dye from touching it? I've tried to tie up the streaks in little rubber bands and use little spritz bottle to rinse off the dye as soon as it touches, but somehow I make a mess every time.

Any ideas?