Hello,

I've been getting my hair highlighted for some time.

I use to dye my hair and just go in and get the roots touched up. Well I'm wondering if thats what I need to do again instead of the highlights.  The problem is that the highlights never seem to last-before I know it my roots are showing-and my natural hair color is not pretty, infact its a really dull dirty blond. Plus, I do have a few grey hair's (isn't 26 young to be getting grey hair?) 

I read that your highlights should last about 3-4months? I got my hair highlighted in Nov., and already it looks terrible.  Does anyone else have this problem or use to?  If I just got my hair dyed and went in to get the roots touched up-would this last longer-and be better on my hair?

You can do what's called tone on tone where you lighten the base color with a permanent dye and then bleach highlights on top of it (this is what I have done to my hair, see pic?), but whatever you do you will always have roots to deal with. 

It's possible that you need to get highlights every 6 weeks to keep your roots from showing. 

There is no way to keep the color lasting longer, because of fading.  Color depositing shampoo's and demi permanent dyes can keep the color looking fresher longer, but it's a struggle to keep the color looking freshly done without doing anything in between touch ups.  I currently use Igora Toning mousse to keep my color looking fresh in between touch ups.  

Hope this helps! 

Thanks Rebekah,

Your color does look pretty, so Tone on tone-Next time I go to the salon I'll ask for that (which is soon)!

Igora Toning mousse-where do you get this?

Do tell, Rebekah. I see plenty of places to order it online. Is that what you do? There seem to be so many shades in the 9-blonde range! I haven't been able to find a pic of all of them.....I'm assuming the differences are in the colors based on the color wheel? What shade do you use.......let us learn from your experience oh, wise one. I'm looking for a light/med neutral blonde.

Here's a link to what is available on Ebay...shades and such...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5585779521&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr8_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=55857 79521&ssPageName=MERC_VI_RSCC_Pr8_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT

Here's an explaination of the tones and how the numbers work:
"-0 has neutral underlying tones, balance of all primary colors
-1 ash muted blue violet direction
-2 smokey muted blue color direction
-3 matt muted green color direction
-4 beige muted gold direction
these first 5 series will also give you 100% grey coverage with out intermixing

-5 gold color direction
-57 gold with a secondary color direction
-6 auburn red brown color direction

-65 secondary gold direction and -68 has a secondary red direction

-7 copper color direction
-87 red with a secondary copper direction
-88 red with a secondary red direction
-89 red with a secondary violet direction
-99 violet with a secondary violet direction"

The above copied from a post on behind the chair.

I am currently using the shade, 9-5 Cashmere, which is a level 9 blonde shade with a gold color direction.  I chose this particular shade because my hair color is very gold. 

I buy mine here: http://www.evabeauty.com/products/schwarzkopf/ - http://www.evabeauty.com/products/schwarzkopf/   Yes, it is expensive, but I only use it once or twice a month, usually two weeks after I color my roots and then again at 4 weeks after I touch up my roots.  It works very well at toning and making my hair lighter and brighter.  However, I have noticed that the product doesn't give my hair enough conditioning when I use it.  So I usually apply my conditioner after rinsing the product out to make sure my hair gets enough conditioning. 

Kelly, I've not seen a 9-0 on any sites (neutral light blonde)  You might try the Cashmere (which is gold) or the Champaigne (which is a beige tone) which might work with your color.   

Hope this helps!   

I want to definitely try and find the 9-0 for once I get my neutral lowlights.

In the meantime, I bought Artec color depositing shampoo and conditioner last night in Sunflower. It did an awesome job! It really enhanced my current golden/strawberry lowlights and my hair is shiny and vibrant. Cool!