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Adding Lowlights to Blonde Advice
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maria View Drop Down
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    Posted: March 01 2006 at 9:47am

Hi All:  I would love your advice on adding a few lowlights to my blonde on blonde hair.  Here's the situation...

I'm going for a multi-dimensional look (carrying on what was created over the summer using L'Oreal Coleur Experte).  I have successfully transitioned to Miss Clairol at Sally's for my base color.  This weekend I put in highlights on my new couple of months growth.  I put in a bit too much in two areas and have lost the dimensional look.  So I want to put in a few lowlights into these areas.  Adding to this information, is in one of these areas the highlighted area is pretty whitish (on the length due to misunderstanding with the OTC product in the past). 

Here's my plan...Put on a highlight cap, pull the hairs through in the desired areas.  Put on lock-in blonde protein filler.  Then put on my base color.

Here are my questions...

  1. Should I only use the lock-in blonde filler on the whitish (platinum) highlights (the other highlights are more golden)? 
  2. What % of developer should I use?  10% or 20%? 
  3. Any ideas on how long to process?  For my base, I typically use 30% and process for 45 minutes.  However, since I'm adding color in this instance I think a lower % developer is used (right?) and perhaps less time?  Of course, I'll strand test first, but hope for some ballpark figure so that I'm not having to check it every two minutes!

Thanks in advance for your advice.  I've read all of Kelly H's posts on adding back lowlights to blend in as she returned to her natural ash blonde.  Those posts were very helpful.  Just confused on the % of developer and the need for protein filler on all highlights or just the really bleached out ones.  Thanks!  Maria

 
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Rebekah View Drop Down
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Points: 526 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rebekah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 04 2006 at 8:35pm

For whitish areas you'll need to do a tint back, meaning adding back the red, yellow etc that is naturally in your hair.  You might try a gold and then a bit of neutral mixed together, strand test first. 

If you are trying for lowlights in just a few areas, I've done this before, and I think it's best to just pull out the strands you want to lowlight, rather than using a cap as you cannot see with a cap what strands are being selected.  Pull the rest of the hair back in some fashion and then dye only the areas you are wanting to lowlight.  Wrap them in foil and process. 

I don't think I'd use your base color to do lowlights with--but try it and see how it looks--just that if your hair is gold then you've lost the orange and no longer need the blue, if the color you are lowlighting is gold then you might want to just do a violet color.  Truthfully, I think neutral does a nice job with lowlights. 

  1. Should I only use the lock-in blonde filler on the whitish (platinum) highlights (the other highlights are more golden)? 

Why are you using the lock-in blonde filler, because you think your hair is porous?  Yes, I'd say then try it.  The other highlights will be fine I imagine, experiment and see. 

  1. What % of developer should I use?  10% or 20%? 

Typically, lowlights use 10.  Try using a demi, less damaging and all.

  1. Any ideas on how long to process?  For my base, I typically use 30% and process for 45 minutes.  However, since I'm adding color in this instance I think a lower % developer is used (right?) and perhaps less time?  Of course, I'll strand test first, but hope for some ballpark figure so that I'm not having to check it every two minutes!

Hair that is already colored can process rather quickly.  I recently toned my ends and it only took about 10 mins to give it a nice fresh color again.  I think about 10 to 15 mins ought to do it, but strand test first. 

Good luck!  Have you done this already?

Rebekah

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maria View Drop Down
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Points: 32 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 05 2006 at 11:35am

Hi:  Nope I haven't done any lowlights yet.  I was waiting for a response from the board members and pondering the ways I could best add lowlights.  Thanks for your suggestions - particularly on using a neutral and gold mixture.  I'll have to look up some shades and see what might work best. 

A question:  I was thinking of using the lock-in blonde protein filler for two reasons.  The porosity of the whitish highlights and to replace some of the base colors missing from these areas.  I was under the impression that lock-in blonde put back some of the red and gold tones.  It sounds as if you believe using a neutral and gold mixture for the lowlights would accomplish this task.  Do I understand you correctly?  Thanks!!
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KellyH View Drop Down
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Points: 372 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KellyH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 05 2006 at 2:54pm

Awww.....I'm glad my experiences helped!

My lowlights were Demi's and I'm not sure what % I used since it was really developer, per say. They were 'color prompters' and 'processing solutions'.

As far as filler, Lock In Blonde is what I HAD to use to get it to begin to hold any color at all. I had ZERO pigment left in my hair when I began going darker. I don't even use filler anymore.....haven't for the last few phases of my process.
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Rebekah View Drop Down
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Points: 526 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rebekah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 05 2006 at 4:59pm

Seems like you better use the Lock In Blonde according to Kelly.  Good luck Maria and let us know how it turns out!

Rebekah
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maria View Drop Down
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Hi:  I'll probably try the lowlights this weekend.  I'll keep you posted.  Thanks for the advice! 
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KellyH View Drop Down
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Points: 372 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KellyH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 06 2006 at 9:43pm
If you use lock in blonde don't freak out when it looks all orange! I almost backed out when I first put it on!
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maria View Drop Down
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Points: 32 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 07 2006 at 9:57am
Hi Kelly:  Thanks for the warning.  I probably would have freaked!  Question:  Did you put on the lock-in blonde and then apply the lowlights?  When I spoke with the clerk at Sally's, she said to put the lock-in blonde drops into the color and mix the whole thing up and apply at once.  From what I recalled in your threads, it seemed like you did it in two steps: filler and then color.  Is my recollection correct?  Thanks, Maria
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Points: 372 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KellyH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 07 2006 at 7:07pm

Yes, I did use a two step process. You can do either.....I just chose 2 steps because I was doing a full head application.

Putting it in your color will definitely save a step. And believe me......after you've spent the time to pull your hair through a cap, you'll want to save as many steps as possible.

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maria View Drop Down
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Points: 32 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 11 2006 at 5:59pm

Hi:  Wanted to give you an update on my lowlights.  I followed the process Kelly H. recently used.  First... I did my test strands (I've learned my lesson about not doing them LOL!)  Then I pulled lots of small bunches of hairs through the highlighting cap.  Mixed in lock-in blonde with my chosen hair color (Clairol's Complements in a demi -- 8N) and applied.  Fifteen minutes later I was done.  The color change is subtle.  I wanted to color some of the highlights that had grown too white in color (due to uninformed repeated applications of L'Oreal Coloreur Experte color plus highlights kit).  So now I have the desired multi-dimensional look. 

Just have to figure out what to do with my roots soon.  I've decided the previous color is still a bit warm.  I'm going to review Claude's great post again on haircoloring basics.  I'll be back to ask for everyone's take on my "root plan"!  Thanks for the help on my lowlights!  Maria

          

Before Styling: Indirect Light         Before Styling: Sunlight

              

 Styled: Indirect Light                   Styled: Sunlight



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Rebekah View Drop Down
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Looks very pretty!  I like it.  Fantastic work!

Rebekah
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KellyH View Drop Down
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Points: 372 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KellyH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 11 2006 at 8:25pm
Wahoo! If you're worried about the gold......try the 8A mixed with 10A. I'm worried about the 8A being to dark and making your ends to grey/green.
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What color did you use on your roots last time?  I know it was a blue/violet based color, Clairol.  Have you tried to use a 20 vol. rather than a 30 vol.  Sometimes 30 vol. makes color a bit warmer, and it fades a bit faster.  Also, make sure you are using a good clarifying shampoo, especially if you have HARD water, as that can cause discoloring.  You can tell you have discoloring from hard water when you like your hair for a few weeks then all of the sudden it's too WARM! White Rain Extra Body Shampoo is a good clarifying one that removes buildup of products and can remove chlorine, and mineral buildup. 
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