Why: "Hair color is a delicate area," says Tingley. She explains that highlights are more difficult to do yourself because the application is very precise and since most are done with bleach or high-lift color formulas, they can be damaging if they are over used or left on for too long.
Money-Saving Tip: Olsen suggests, "ask your colorist for a partial highlight with a few foils at the nape of your neck (for ponytail purposes)." This costs a fraction of the price, but gives the same overall effect. If you normally get a double process, ask for highlights every other visit and just do the single process (which is cheaper) every time. "This cuts the price down, as well as being a less-damaging alternative," she says.
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But ... brunettes can color their hair at home
Why: "At-home color has come a long way and the colors are rich with conditioners," says Tingley. So if you're a brunette or do single process color, experiment with box color. How-to: When it comes to hue selection, "always go for a color one shade lighter than you think," says Tingley. See more helpful at-home hair color tips from color experts.
Nothing has us running for the hills more than the idea of doing a skin care treatment like a bikini wax at home -- cue horror movie soundtrack. There are some things you can do safely and easily at home, but then there are certainly hair care and skin care treatments that should be left to trusted professionals. Case in point: Loving the trendy lob (aka long bob) is one thing, but deciding to do it yourself by plopping a fruit bowl on your head (visions of the Jack in the Box commercials are running through our minds) is definitely not recommended, and will most likely demand a trip to the hair salon afterwards anyway. So leave the scissors to the pros by going in for a haircut. On the other hand, something like a deep conditioning treatment you can do at home by simply using your fave conditioner and a shower cap. Doing this once a week will help maintain shiny, healthy hair.
You don't have to skip spa trips or settle for uneven highlights because we picked the brains of skin care experts, Olga Lorecin-Northup of Kinara Spa in West Hollywood, Calif. and Annet King, Director of Training and Development for The International Dermal Institute, as well as Whitney Olson, a hairstylist at the Warren-Tricomi salon in Los Angeles and celebrity hairstylist Jessica Tingley -- they revealed which hair and skin care treatments are worth splurging on, and which skin care and hair services you can do at home, yielding pretty much the same results.
