Hair Care

Master At-Home Highlights With These Tricks

Coloring hair at home can be inexpensive and time saving, but also tricky, so follow these tips to avoid disaster

by Kristen Oldham Giordani

16 of 18

Fix Highlights That Turn Out Badly If your highlights are lighter than you wanted them ... apply a toner or colored gloss on top of your highlights to tone them down. Choose a semi or demi-permanent color (try Wella Demi Permanent Hair Color, $6.79) and apply it directly to the highlighted areas. Follow the time guidelines provided on the box, but again, check the color as it processes to make sure it's what you want.

If your highlights aren't light enough... wait two days and then re-do them. To ensure you don't go too light, only re-highlight 1/2 of the sections you lightened previously.

If you're highlights look orange... it's likely the product you used isn't potent enough to lighten your hair (or you didn't leave the bleach on long enough). Instead of taking matters into your own hands, call your stylist (or a color company's help line) and tell them what you used and what the problem is. They will be able to help you with your specific issue.

Generally the easiest way to fix color you don't like is to find a semi or demi-permanent hair color, like Clairol Natural Instincts, $6.99, that matches your natural base color exactly, O'Connor says. Color all of your hair to help it all blend together. Then wait a month before you do any more color, or see a professional.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Get Creative If You're Experienced

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage

products mentioned

Revlon Color Effects Frost & Glow

8.4

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

9.0

BUY NOW

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask

8.4

BUY NOW

leave a comment

Older comments

You can give yourself highlights or a color weave using foil, just like the salon. It's easy to get professional results, especially if you have a friend to help. There is a great photo tutorial on line at Poppy's Money Tree House

by Poppy Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 02:02PM Report as inappropriate

i want to try this but am a little nerveous.

by lharrell80 Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 11:30AM Report as inappropriate

I think im going to try this out~

by gaej19 Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 02:40PM Report as inappropriate

The cap definitely works best on thin, short/medium hair. I've used it on my long, thick hair, but my hair gets super tangled. Finger painting is probably the easiest. Yeah, you'll get a little dye on the rest of your hair, but not enough for it to be a big deal if you're just doing subtle highlights.

by LipglossandSpandex Monday, April 18, 2011 at 08:30PM Report as inappropriate

where's garnier??

by Bon_Bon Sunday, February 20, 2011 at 06:05PM Report as inappropriate

whatever happened to sun-in?

by LittleBunny Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 07:27PM Report as inappropriate