Please can a good colourist help me

[amber_sia]

okay so i'm reaching the end of my tether here
I started a DIY hair journey three weeks ago.. it wasn't a blind mission. i researched and researched about the best products to use, application, etc. i'm still an amatuer though, so obviously mistakes were waiting to be made.. but i didn't think i'd end up in this situation.
i've bleached my hair maybe eight times (mostly with 20 vol and oil bleach).. it's still in my hair and although very porous, it's in relatively good nick. however.. i ran out of the bleach i was using at one point, and so went to sallys and bought blondor LIGHTENING SYSTEM. which is for HIGHLIGHTS.. obviously this was a mistake, but it's what I got handed by the girl and I was that eager to get my hair finished and i probably got to confident that i just went ahead with the application.. it lightened like mad in the first fifteen minutes and then proceeded to make my hair a neon orange/yellow. i know that your hair is supposed to go unnatural colours but this was something else. i'm naturally a level 6.. and although that's dark.. when i was using the oil bleach, my hair was lifting through relatively okay looking blonde shades.
I got more oil bleach, and have bleached my hair three more times with 20 vol.
After the second time, although not 'pale yellow' my hair was yellowy (and light lemony when dry) so i toned with colour touch 10/6.. it turned my hair a really really light 'blonde'.. but here's the problem, it doesn't look blonde! it's LIGHT enough, but it has a neon yellowy/lemony glow to it. it's so odd.
following the theory that if there's yellow in your hair, it's not lightened enough.. I applied bleach once more. same issue. it's lighter... (and even looks white in parts) it's still not blonde.... again.. REALLY LIGHT with a neon glow. i can't even explain it, and pictures don't even represent it accurately.
i feel sick to the stomach now.. i just want this over with.
if i bleach it anymore... i feel i risk serious damage, and it can only look more 'white'. i never wanted 'white' in the first place.. i wanted a light beigey blonde.


can someone please explain to me what's happened? where i've went wrong?
even with all the money and time i've put into this project.. I would now rather be a brunette with no lustre in her hair than this colour, that is how much I don't like it. :cry:

 

[liana kay]

get yourself to a hairdresser , if you cant afford it go to a training night , college or mobile hairdresser. I cant explain what happened , its what we would usually expect on dark hair , for it to go through red,orange,and yellow .i dont understand why the tones stayed in your hair even after rebleaching , i think the oilbleach has a longer development time and maybe thats why the tones are softer , but ive never used it .
There are thinks that can be done , but you will need a professional because any colour can go to dark /uneven if the hair is porous and dry .

 

[Roxi]

Step away from the bleach, tint or any other toner you may still have. Get yourself down to a salon or college pronto and let them sort it out. You would be seriously compromising the condition of your hair if you were to attempt any more DIY.
If your hair is very porous, which it would be by now, then it is very hard to bleach without a lot of uneven tones.

Can I just ask a q? If you spent a lot of time and money researching and buying various bleaches/colours, why didn't you just go straight to a salon or college in the first place? If you phone your local college they will tell you when their level 3 course takes place. They will all be qualified hairdressers anyway, and you'll get your hair done at a fraction of the price. And they will love you for it

 

[amber_sia]

thanks girls.

the reason i didn't was because of two horrible experiences at salons with bleach. also, i thought it would cost me less in the long run but I just had to keep spending more and more. and finally, no hairdressers around here do full head bleach (i do realise why)
yup, i'm not going to touch any more bleach or toner now, I will go to a professional.
I live a bit out in the country, so we don't have any colleges around here for a few miles, so I'll go a salon.

I just know that it's a light enough level, it's the tone that is completely off. I've sifted through the internet looking for people with a similar complaint but no luck.
It's just so unnatural looking. ugh.

BUT ANYWAY.. I'll ring a salon today. I knew that was inevitable.. I was wondering more than anything if someone had any incling as to why it's such an odd tone. :cry:

 

[amber_sia]

okay, i just rang a salon and got told to buy a brown box dye.
i told her i didn't want to do anything else with it and she told me she's too busy to see for the next few days, so i suppose it's a case of ringing around now.

is there any hairdressers in northern ireland in this forum who can help me?
not likely but it's worth a shot.
the stress of this is making me ill : (

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Right what i would do is go on to google and search hairdressers in your area. Even if u have to travel a bit it will be worth it phone them first and go to a reputable one thats got well qualified colourists. Buying a box dye and doing it brown will just put horrible tones into the bleached hair (eg gingery/reddy or even grey if its ashen) That is all you can do now. Good luck would love to know what your colourist says/does for you hope this helps good luck xxx

 

[jotommo]

what a load of help that phonecall made?? buy a box dye??? very proffesional!!! my my???? i would do the same though and go dark you could leave few highlights out and let them paint the colour round but let a hairdressers do it!!!!! or even a darker blonde??
god only knows how your poor hair isn't in a bag?
really hope you get this sorted and yes could you please keep us all informed of the outcome?? thanks alot and good luck again xx

 

[natsel]

when you phoned the hairdresser she advised you to use a box dye thats shocking!!

As suggested you really do need to see a professional they can first asses your hair , take the relative test pieces and advise you on what can be done, you may not get what you want in the first sitting but with plenty of good advice and the right products fingers crossed you will get what you want

goodluck

 

[lisa82]

Hey I'm from N.Ireland. Can't believe a salon told to to buy a box dye!!! If I was you I would ring her manager and complain, it's so unprofessional, you would end up doing even MORE damage, you'd problably end up green!
Where abouts are you? x

 

[amber_sia]

hi again everyone.. rang around and got an appointment at what looks like a really good salon. it's quite far away from me but i've got a consult and appointment at the same time on thursday morning.. feel a little more relaxed now that it's offically out of my unskilled hands, lol.

i don't like badmouthing hairdressers or labelling them unprofessional but it actually upset me quite a bit when she suggested that (also because i was an emotional wreck this morning haha). there was lots of sighing as i explained my predicament. but oh well.. hopefully it's for the best anyway, i've booked with someone experienced in colour correction.

lisa... i'm up on the very north coast.. are you belfast area? the salon i'm going to is belfast.

i'll let you know how it goes n thanks for the replies. fingers crossed. eep. x

 

[lisa82]

Glad to hear you got appointment sorted out. Yes I'm near belfast, live on the outskirts and work out of the town. Good luck for Thursday! Keep us posted x

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Thats great!! Glad that you have sorted it any chance of some before and after pics?? Pretty please!!xxxxx

 

[amber_sia]

i will take some photos if yous want
thing is though... my camera doesn't catch the yellow cast too well for whatever reason.
IRL i really do look like a lighter version of a yellow highlighter pen. (just can't wait to walk through belfast sporting the neon look haha)
looks *slightly* better for some reason now i've washed it a couple of times. i have no idea why.

i hope to go into hairdressing.. i'll just leave doing my own hair to professionals until then.

i'm so nervous

 

[minky]

Hi, amber sia ,
this sounds like it could be some sort of pollution or chemical reaction!
I know you say you are a natural level 6
but.... have you ever in the past put anything at all on your hair ?
any colour or any henna or any other type of colour mousses ect...?
do you swim or have you swam in chlorinated water lately ?
or any sea water ?
could the water you use to wash your hair in contain a lot of minerals in it or contain a water softner ect ...?

Acid rain and pollution can cause some strange colour reactions on lightened hair especially if it infiltrates into any well water ,

also what shampoo and conditioner have you been using ?

the other thing is that ....
I have looked for and I have never seen a wella colour touch in a 10/6 are you sure this was what it was !.... 10/6 colour touch ?...

if so...
how did you mix this ? and with what did you mix it with ?

Also as a hairdresser who loves to bleach hair , lol I have done loads of clean looking bleached up blonde highlights
but after a week or so....
you will find that anyone on here who has bleached highlights done will be able to tell you that they can seem to tone themselves right down
and start getting nasty brassy yellow tones to them ,
this is simply due to our lovely polluted fume filled atmosphere lol :green: ,

if washing has helped a bit then it sounds like you need a good clarifying shampoo treatment before you go to the salon ,
here is a link ..... http://www.salongeek.com/hair-geek/68921-sticky-coating-hair.html?highlight=baking+soda
(Ps, in the UK the soda used for clarifying shampoos is bicarbonative soda)
then rinse well with pure evian bottled water if possible

also the hairdressers that you have booked in with ,
you must make sure that you have some test pieces done first !...
so therefore I would turn up an hour early, they wont mind you waiting
but do get those test pieces done first,

insist nicely but firmly
on some bleached test pieces first and also some caramel ones and some toned blonde ones,
that is three or four pieces of hair all in different colours
one must be bleached up blonde!...
and one or two can be the toner shades for getting rid of any yellow tones
plus ask for them to test out a light choccy brown /caramel shade
in case your hair colour needs a different plan of action,

because it may be possible for them to go in and bleach up your hair a little more and then tone it with a decent toner ,
then you will see for yourself exactly what is achievable with the test pieces
and you will see also exactly what colours and shades you can choose from too!

also if they say it isnt possible to stay as light as you wanted !..
then they may be able to weave through some nice choccy / caramel lowlights throughout your hair for you instead
it may even be possible to keep a few of the lighter bits , but they will advise you some more ,
once thay have done the all important test pieces

Ps , please be realistic and understand that it may take the hair colourist
a few goes before your hair is the blonde colour that you want it to be ,
and as colour correction is a specialist job and needs time and patience
it may also be on the expensive side .... so do get a quote before hand ,

hope this made sense :hug: minky

 

[amber_sia]

hi minky. thank you soo much for your reply
i am almost certain that it's a chemical reaction... *something* has happened, it has to have, because the hair is lifted
but the tone is so off.
to be honest, being only 19 and already having had two bleach disasters (one of them being purely my own fault).. i am not so sure if i want anymore bleach touching my hair. the integrity has suffered so much that i don't think i can bare any more damage to it.
i'm prepared to go a darker blonde than i wanted... i know i have to be realistic.. and having neon hair, well, most anything sounds better than this.
i want to ask you if it's at all possible that the blondor for highlights that i bought by accident is resposible for this unnatural tone... when i was lifting my hair with the oil bleach, before i ran out of it and ordered more, my hair was lifting beautifully.
when i used the blondor.... lightened intensley in the first 15 minutes it was on my head and then it turned to neon orange (when dry it was neon yellow) since then the tone was awful. but... i've been told that all bleach puts hair through the same decolourisation process??
i just don't know.

okay to answer your Qs..
i DID have a colour in my hair.. about four inches down from the roots. BUT this colour had faded into a level six too.. only leaving a slight reddish tone behind.
also... that colour (done last summer).. was professional colour done at a salon, so there's no box dye or henna on my hair at all
nope, i don't swim. haven't done in years
i couldn't tell you about my shower water, i have no idea. i am assuming not because it's not done anything weird to my hair before.. or any of my families hair.
shampoo and conditioner.. an american shampoo made by malibu 2000, it's a clarifying one. i also use an olive shampoo made by the body shop, sometimes.
conditioner.. i've been using wella in-depth (it's actually really good.. i was using it for post-bleach treatment but it's
incredibly conditioning). Before i bleached i was using kerastase conditioner
the toner is from the international line i think... (hope this link works) Wella - Reds
it's "lightest violet blonde". i mixed one part colour to two parts 6 vol developer
in theory, the violet should have completely knocked the yellow out? i really don't get it.. it looked worse post toner
baby blonde sounds gorgeous
it sounds awful but i wish my hair was brassy! haha! there is no brassiness in my hair.. just light lemony yellow.. lovely.
i will take your advice and arrive early tomorrow morning : )
do you feel this is fixable, if there has been some sort of chemical reaction that's happened? i'm so scared.
i'll also make sure the test pieces are done like you suggested.
thanks a million. : ) X

 

[minky]

Hi amber sia , sorry I took a long time to reply
but I have been giving the matter some more thought ,

about the blondor system I dont think that swapping bleach did the neon yellow colour thing ,
but if it was the highlighting system in a tube with sachets ?
it is a lot more gooey to work with
therfore making it harder to get an even application,
and it may not have penetrated into the hair enough,
hairdressers have to coat the foil first the lay the hair on the foils
and brush it well in a couple of times just so it penetrates through properly.

It may not have lifted it up as much as it could have on parts of the hair due to what may have been the wrong peroxide strengths, application or timing ect
which would have left it more like a baby chicken yellow
(on natural hair that is ) ,
but not a neon yellow
as for the white bits it could have lifted too much because of bleach overlap or accidental re bleaching on parts that were already bleached


as I can't actually see your hair , it is really hard to judge it
but here are a few reasons
as to why you have some yellow left in your hair

1) it simply needs more lifting more where the yellow tones are , because at first the toner may have hidden this yellow
but now its exposed the yellow a lot more after shampooing, or applying some more bleach to it

2) The mid length and ends may have more yellow tones as there may not have been as much natural heat in this area whilst processing

3) It could be that some of the old salon colour has left behind some unwanted warm tones that are harder to shift

4) it could have something to do with water softeners or the salt, mineral, chlorine, content of your water ,
bleached blonde hair can have strange reactions with it ,

more QS lol
how long is your hair ?
where about does the yellow start ?
and are your roots lighter than the rest ?

but saying all of this and asking you all of these things
doesn't really matter too much, because yellow isnt such a bad sign it is usually a sign of under processing ,
so please dont worry too much

I am sure that the hairdresser will be able to help you loads
as yellow tones usually mean the hair is still in pretty decent condition
and you are very nearly there and on your way to a decent colour,
hope this made sense
:hug:

 

[amber_sia]

my hair + ash toner = grey/green

i'm devestated.
i don't even know what to write/say.. i'm at a total loss.

 

[minky]

my hair + ash toner = grey/green

i'm devestated.
i don't even know what to write/say.. i'm at a total loss.

What!!!!!.... I am totally shocked OMG how has this happend ?

 

[amber_sia]

I knew there was something weird up with my hair. i just knew it.

it is khaki when wet and grey with a green tinge when dry.
i took photos but they won't upload..... i feel like the unluckiest person in the world right now.

can i go brunette from this? advice? anybody
my hair feels like spagetti.
he put a level 9 ash toner on... i've shampooed five times but the colour remains.
oh my god.

 

[scottydolly]

did a proffesional do this or was it an attempt urself? you can go brunnette from this, this green tone should fade slightly in a wee while as toners tend to do, and if u go to another salon, or go to a salon or college in the first place they can re tone this, but dear sweet goodness, byt the sounds of it u are going to need some crafty cutting as well as colour correction love. . .my sympathies lie with ur hair xx