I have had my usual highlights done but they have turned an orange colour?

Hi,

I had my usual bleach highlights done by my usual hairdressers using 30vol bleach, my problem is that she started at the bottom back of my hair and worked her way up to the front (as usual), but the roots on the top of my head are orange! I know this is because the bleach wasn’t left on the top long enough because the underneath of my hair is a lovely white colour.

By the time she had finished putting the highlights in, the bottom ones had been in for an hour, I get my highlights very tightly together and I have a lot of hair. She then washed the back ones out but only left the top ones in for 15 minutes!

I’m very unhappy with the way it looks and am having a birthday party this weekend and wanted my hair to look nice. I have used purple shampoo but this has just made the white lighter and the orange only slightly brighter. Is there anything I can do to fix it myself as I can’t go back to this hairdresser and don’t have much money to go to a different one?

Thank you,
Anon, Ireland

I completely understand your problem but I do recommend that you re-visit your hairdresser to correct your hair. You may be right and the top highlights might have needed a little longer. Your hairdresser would welcome the feedback; we don’t like unhappy clients and he/she would want to correct their work. You are our walking advertisement after all!

Purple shampoo’s won’t really help correct things this time as all it would do is make your hair less yellow, as you have found out. The solution is for your hairdresser to go back over the highlights with a lightener to lift the top ones to the same level as the underneath ones. Trying to correct your hair at home may cause you more problems, so I would definitely advise you to speak with a professional.

Faye Turner, HOB Salons’ Creative Colour Director 

If I were you, I would talk to your hairdresser and politely express your disappointment with your colour. Either by popping into the salon or calling up and speaking to them. If the colour wasn't developed for long enough then it needs to be re-coloured until the desired shade is achieved.

I don't know what their salon policy is as regard to unsatisfied customers, but I would expect that they should be happy to re -highlight the top area where it is brassy for no extra charge.

Trying to colour this yourself could result in some serious damage and a possibility that you could make the colour look worse.

John Clark at Brooks+Brooks, London 

I would recommend you never try to rectify this yourself as you need a professional to deal with your problem. I would recommend returning to this salon and ask to speak to a manager or more senior member of staff. Explain your concerns, let them have a thorough consultation and give them the chance to solve your problem, ideally seeking advice from the designated colour specialist in the salon. Make sure you are fully confident in the solution they offer.

If you are not 100% satisfied with their advice then search for a colour specialist salon in your local area and book a consultation with them. Most reputable salons will give consultations free of charge. To keep costs down you could request a graduate stylist, with colour specialist step by step help throughout.

Laura Finch from Cutting Room Creative, Leeds