I had my highlights done at my salon and now my blonde highlights are grey! Why is this?

Hello,

I have dark brown hair and I had my hairdresser put a bunch of blonde highlights in so it looks blonde, and she also did something called "breaking the base" where it lightens the little bit of brown I have so that there isn't so much contrast.

My hair has looked great the past few times I've gone, but I went yesterday and this time a majority of my blonde is now grey. My hair looks absolutely dull and grey and I need help because I'm at a wedding this weekend.

Can I dye my hair blonde myself without my brown parts turning a funny colour?

please help!!

Kelly, USA

Breaking the base is a great way to create a more overall blonde effect, but it has to be done carefully or else the hair goes drab. Unfortunately this seems to have happened here. Your lightened blonde pieces will have absorbed some of the base break colour.

Highlighted hair is often porous and can take on ash tones heavily – the hair then appears greyish or sometimes even silver. Can this be rectified by blonde hair dye? In a word NO! This may make the problem worse, or in some cases lead to hair breakage. I would take a trip back to your salon and get them to sort out the colour. They have access to the right sort of products to fix this sort of problem. I would expect this to be at no extra cost to you.

John Clark, Head of Colour at Brooks+Brooks, London