Highlights-Too Much Of A Good Thing

Hello.
Hopefully someone out there can help. I have short brown hair (trying to grow longer) with some natural golden-red highlights. Since it's winter, my hair is darker, so I thought I'd brighten it up with some highlights. Yesterday, I went to Master Cuts for a foil treatment. Told the guy to give me some soft highlights and also that my hair usually really takes the color fast. I don't do this alot (only 2-3 times before) so was at the mercy of the stylist's knowledge.
I don't think I was under the dryer too long, but I guess so. It's just so different, so much lighter all over. The tips of my hair and other places all over is almost a gray color. There is a long chunk in my bangs and in back that is very blond to almost white or gray.
Maybe this is ok looking & I am just not used to it, or I could wear a cap for the next 6 months, but if I could darken up what I have, I'd like to.
I have read some of your posts and wondered if using a clarifying shampoo would help? Or someone has mentioned Tide without bleach? What would help darken my hair back up somewhat?
Thanks so much.

go over all the highlighted areas with a darker color...maybe a light brown or dark blonde, when depositing color, it doesnt matter if some hair is lighter then the other..It will all turn out relatively the same. Some of your highlights processed quicker then others which is why some are lighter.Light patches can be prevented, but it sounds like your colorists was a bit careless.

Beyond what II said, you should go back, complain, and have them fix it for free. You told them what you want, you explained how your hair takes color. They told you they would do it. Now it's up to them to make good.

I'd go back and complain, but don't let him do your hair again. Get your money back and find a good colorist that knows how to give you what you want. No offense, but I don't think you're going to find a master colorist at Master Cuts. The people who work there are usually right out of cosmetology school. Being a good colorist takes time and education beyond beauty school.

[QUOTE=KB] I'd go back and complain, but don't let him do your hair again. Get your money back and find a good colorist that knows how to give you what you want. No offense, but I don't think you're going to find a master colorist at Master Cuts. The people who work there are usually right out of cosmetology school. Being a good colorist takes time and education beyond beauty school.
[/QUOTE]

huh? i believe in continuing education being very important for stylists, but im "right out of cosmetology school" as you said and can say that I havnt quite done what this girl has described. .Yes-you are right in saying that you shouldnt expect a fivestar color job going to MasterCuts.But the rest was a bit biased. The things that happened to her hair is not something that takes 5 years experience to understand. Her ends are more porous, which would explain the color it turned out(so it took the color quicker) and he didnt section the right way which explains why she has bigger blonde chunks vs. smaller ones.
Anyway, You can try to go get your money back, but you shouldve said something off the bat..It may be too late now.For all they know- you could have went home and tried to alter it, and messed it up...But then again-some salons are really good about it, so give it a try. And yes, the point of getting highlights is to give you a totally different effect without completely changing your haircolor(in your case, a much lighter effect) So they cant really be held responsible for that. Also-in your post you explain that he COLORED your hair, but it sounds to me like he may have bleached it? If it WAS color--he used wayy too high of a volume developer. And why were you under the dryer in the first place?! theres really no need for that at all, especially if you told him you process quickly.

Thanks to all who tried to help out/explain what I should do. I do understand that MasterCuts probably isn't the best place to go for that perfect look, but I have been there twice before (the only other times I've highlighted my hair) & it came out pretty nice. My usual stylist for this was no longer working there, but I had no idea how badly it could turn out. Live and learn, I guess.
But, still, please remember I am a novice at this and didn't want to try it at home, so there's where I ended up.
For the above poster, as to what this guy did-color vs. bleach, why I was under a dryer in the first place, why didn't I complain off the bat, etc. Geez, give ME a break, too. I am a newbie at this, and trusted him to do right. He was an older guy, was there training a new manager, so I assumed he'd been around awhile. Maybe using "color" was the wrong choice of words; but he said he understood when I mentioned my hair would "take" to it quickly. Now I know to say it's very porous.
You mention they cannot be held responsible for what my hair does. I don't know what they can be held responsible for or not. I am just looking for a fix now.
As for being under the dryer, that's what they did the other 2 times, also. They picked out strands of hair, brushed them with a paste, & folded them up in foil, then put me under a dryer. Is that wrong?
Ah well, thanks to all anyhow.

woah...dont misinterprate my words, i wasnt getting on your case...I was just asking out of curiosity.

Sorry, heh, guess I'm sensitive about my hair. Ha, ha.
I've really examined my hair today, and there is a method to his madness. The "stripes" are evenly placed all around the head. Unfortunately, they are just so blond to white that they are like skunk stripes. Sigh. No chance that they will darken? Wonder how long to grow them out? Gosh, a year or so?

i really think you should go ahead and put color over the highlighted area...maybe a caramel color...It wont be so drastic and will probably look really good. Actually- I had this problem also a couple weeks ago...I dyed my hair almost black(too dark!) and went to bleach in some highlights, they turned out entirely too light so we had to go over them with a level 6 color. I can email you a pic of what it looks like if youd like. let me know.

Never having colored my hair before, much less myelf doing it, I am clueless. Is one brand better than another? What would that be?
I am so afraid of just making things worse. Will adding this color damage my hair since it's already been processed to a white/ultra blond color? I'd hate to just end up with "strawy" feeling/looking hair.
Thanks.

Coloring should not damage your hair...I suggest Redken shades EQ...your going to want to use a semi or demi permanant color versus a permanant...I would also choose a level 6...That way your highlights wont be so drastic, but definantly still noticable. The reason your choosing a semi or demi is so that if you dont like it, it will wash out with time. I would go to a pro to have this done-but if you insist on doing it yourself, email me and ill tell u how to go about it.

Beth, Id give it about a week and see what you think. After every highlight job I always feel like a snowbunny for about a week. I highlight about every 2.5 months but if I go longer and feel like Im getting really dark the new highlights always seem more "extreme". But yeah as the other posters have recommended you can put a color over it and it should work out fine. Ive always had better luck with semi or demi permanents on porous hair.

Hey all,
Thanks for all the advice. It''s been awhile now, & I still don't care much for the too light hair strands, but my hair is so dry right now that I'm not gonna do anything else to it.
I will keep in mind the types of coloring to use.
Thanks again.

Hey, I'm new to this board, but I was reading this post and this just happened to me today. I went to a salon today and asked to get some highlights in a subtle, soft, brownish-gold. They ended up coming out okay in the back, lower down in the hair...but on the top of my head, it looks like huge blonde chunks all over. I don't think that's normal, but this is the second time I've gone to a salon to highlight my hair. When I complained about it after she blowdried my hair, she simply told me that if I wanted to tone down the blonde, I should go get a semi-permanent color and apply it all over. Advice please? =/

What you need to do is get yourself a stylist who will give you what you ask for, and fix their mistakes.

Yes, a semi- or demi-permanent hair color will tone down the highlights. I suggest only painting it on the highlights as much as possible, so as not to overdye the hair that's not causing problems.