T-Section babylights on coloured hair

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kellymarie_85

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Hi all,

This is my first time posting so hopefully I'm getting this right and can hopefully get some help! :)

I have a new client with blonde highlighted hair, but she has recently had her roots coloured using a darker shade (base 7/8 ash, just as a tint - and not done by me). She doesn't like the darker roots, so would like some really fine, natural babylights just as a t-section to brighten it up a little. She doesn't want any lines or any kind of uniformity through the parting. I'll need to bleach the roots first, and am going to use Koleston 9/38 + Pastel developer as a toner. I ideally don't want to use this toner all over.

My thoughts are, rather than foiling, I could pull very fine highlights through a cap, just in the t-section area. Bleach the roots with either 6 or 9%, then brush through the lengths and ends for the last few minutes to brighten/even, rinse off, then the 9/38 all over the highlights for 10 mins to tone, then rinse and remove the cap. I figured this will give a natural, non-uniform result, and the new highlights would just blend in, rather than potentially altering her existing blonde colour all over. Is this a good way to achieve the result she wants, or is there a better way of doing it?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer! I've recently started out as a freelance hairdresser, and have been out of the salon for a while. This is the first client who is causing me a bit of anxiety though!

Thanks :)

K x
 
You shouldn’t pull long hair through a cap, it’s usually only used for very short hair, up to a couple of inches or so. Otherwise, it creates too much tension on the hair which isn’t a good idea particularly on potentially damaged hair.

I also think a cap offers a very uniform highlight so if you’re looking for less definition, you’d be better off foiling it. Depending on how she styles her hair, consider putting your foils in on a diagonal rather than in horizontal and vertical lines.

If she’s only had her roots tinted the once, it shouldn’t be too saturated with colour so you probably won’t need to go higher than 6% with bleach to lift it adequately.
 
Thank you for your reply :)

Her hair is above shoulder length, so I thought the cap would be ok (I've had my own hair highlighted in a salon before, where they've used a cap and my hair was much longer, so figured cap would be ok).

Ok, I'll give it a go with 6% and Blondor and see how that lifts. As far as toning goes, would I then be better off applying the toner to all of her hair, or just the highlighted area?

Most of my clients have been really lovely, but this one has said "let's start off with a few highlights and see how you do, then I'll see about you doing more next time" - it's made me think she's questioning my ability (despite me having a fairly decent portfolio online), so I'm a bit nervous now!
 
Please don’t be offended, but I tend to view terms such as cap highlights and T-section as a bit ‘old skool’ and usually see them offered at the local small village salon along with sets and old lady perms. (I do live in a coastal part of rural Ireland to paint the picture.)

If your client knows you’ve had a break from hairdressing maybe she’s just a bit worried that you haven’t kept up with new trends and training?
It’s not quite the same thing but imagine if you were having surgery and the surgeon told you they had taken a break from medicine for a few years and only just getting back into it, you’d probably start to worry.
Reasonably, a doctor might have had a break for maternity leave but they will have undertaken lots of additional training before being allowed back in the Operating Theatre. Fact is, they’d never tell the patient any of that.

It’s about creating positive expectations.

In your shoes maybe don’t mention the break in hairdressing until afterwards, and instead stick with talking about current trends like babylights and balayage and clients won’t even consider that you’re not going to give them a fabulous ‘do’. :)
 
Definitely do them on a diagonal, or work in a diamond shaped section to add depth and movement. I wouldn't concentrate on a toner so much, until you've lifted the hair. You can't pick a toner really until you know how it's lifted. I would also consider using colour touch to tone instead this way you have less chance of it interfering with the base colour and its kinder to the hair.
 

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