Hello! I would very much appreciate any of you hair geeks reading my long tale of hair and giving me an opinion....

I am hoping to have a bit of a hair makeover in the New Year, but think I am probably a nightmare client - I never know what I want, which is now complicated further because I don't know what's even possible as far as colour goes due to all the things I've done to my hair in the last couple of years.
My natural hair colour is a mousy blonde, I don't know the base but have been told it's a medium beige blonde, though to my mind it does have a fair bit of red in it. After having full head highlights for a while I decided to go whole head, which initially I had done at the salon but was a poor student at the time so ended up doing the upkeep myself using OTC powder/peroxide, lifting to very pale blonde, almost white, which I maintained with a silver shampoo and conditioner I bought from a salon. It was actually in really good condition for such processed hair and I liked the colour, but as my hair is long it was a lot of faffing for me to do my roots and I was worried about condition long term, so decided to sack the blonde. I went red, using various OTC permanent and semi-permanent colours, once I got a decent level of depth I stuck to semi-permanents or (I told you I was a nightmare client), once or twice, henna.
Now I am bored of red and would like to head back towards my natural colour with the eventual aim of having a few highlights, but don't want to grow it out with an auburn line round my head as I look like I'm going bald/grey! I put a light brown semi permanent on it a couple of weeks ago - it's currently light reddish-brown I would say.
What options might I have? I am willing to have a good few inches cut off, which would get rid of all the bleached hair, but in light of me putting henna on would I be able to have a mixture of highlights/lowlights?
Any advice you have would be brilliant, I am well aware it's going to be a long time before I'm blonde again! I'd like to get an idea of what might be possible before I consult a colourist (I still have to choose one never mind tell them what I want!) as I feel sorry enough for them having to do my hair, the least I can do is have an idea or two!
CC xo
ps if anyone has any links to a good resource for pictures of cuts I'd be very grateful too!

Hi you must go to a haidresser who specialises in colour correction

this can be at a salon which you would have to shell out a lot of money.

Or you can call your local College as lots of fully trained hairdressers who are taking their advanced level three ,
they can perform a full battery of tests on your hair to see what is achievable ,
this is done under strict supervision of the teachers and sometimes they may have visiting colour company's eg Wella Loreal ect .

The color that may be achievable will depend on the test results and may take quite a few treatments wherever you choose to go,

you must inform them of the henna treatments as this can react with certain products .

I am sure something really nice will be sorted out for you.

My advice would be to go to the College as it wont be so expensive.
Then you can keep up the good work and the students will appreciate it too,
also you would be in very good hands as the standards are excellent these days x

.

Thanks Minky, that's great advice - I will have a ring round the colleges in the new year.

lol you just beat me to it hun about the henna i was just gonna say the same thing

If I could just put my tuppence worth in here LOL. Your hair "career" sounds a bit like mine. I have coloured my hair at home for about the last 20 years. This year I decided to go to a salon and have it done. I had no idea what I was asking for - foils (are they not things that have something to do with a boat - you know hydrofoils LOL), low lights, high lights, straps (we wont go there LOL).

I had several recommendations to the same girl so I made an appointment and gave her my history, which also included henna.

She worked miracles and weaved in some bleached bits and some coppery bits and I have not looked back since - I go and have something done every 6-8 weeks and I have complete trust in her - I just let her do what she thinks best.

Basically this is what you need, to get a good trusting rapport going with your colourist.

I love my hair now - just had it done again today LOL.

if you dont wanna pay £150.00 plus do like minky advises and go 2 a collage the lecturers a fantastic and will keep a close eye on you, jusy be sure to tell em you have had a henna because certain types of colour may react.it is a good idea to phone first because they will need to do a patch test on you and prob a strand test

Thanks everybody! I think some lucky student is going to have a field day with my thatch
If anyone would like to recommend a college in Leeds/Bradform please pm me and do so!

You could go international.....I know a GREAT school in Idaho USA :wink:

I can't say I'm not tempted, I'd love to go to the US! Maybe if I win the lottery...