I'm having a full head of highlights done but the back of my hair remains very dark, why is this?

Hi,

I have been getting highlights for years now and have been going to my present salon for two years to get highlights every six weeks.

The top half of my hair is really blonde (probably a bit too blonde), but underneath, especially at the back it is really dark even though I get a whole head every other time. I have asked my hairdresser to put more colour in at the back but I think I was misunderstood and the colour was left on for longer, hence the being too blonde! But at the back it is still too dark?!?

Do all hairdressers put more highlights in the top section than the rest of the head to save time and money or is this bad practice? I consider the salon a good salon and would expect better, that is why I went to them because I was fed up with all the dark in my hair.

I like the look of my highlights, I do not want to have an all over colour as I do not like that look on me and find it high maintenance - needing to get the roots done every four weeks instead of six.

I have had a whole head of highlights at every visit for the past four visits hoping to sort out the problem and am really fed up now and am considering going brunette, I am a natural light brown now but was a natural blonde up to the age of about 21, but I am really pale so am scared of looking washed out and think I may not like it and feel uglier plus I like being blonde - It is all I have ever known because as soon as my hair turned mousey I started getting highlights.

Please could you give me some advice? What should I say to my hairdresser without hurting their feelings?

Sorry for the really long message, feel free to edit if you post the question. I know a similar question was asked but I feel I could do with more help so I know what to ask for and if my hairdresser is not doing a professional job, should you see any dark when you have blonde highlights?

I am so desperate! I have an appointment for a whole head this Saturday morning and a Wedding in the afternoon; I am embarrassed to go with my hair like this as you can see dark at the back because my hair is quite fine so the underneath shows through as it lies flat.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Kind regards

Anna, London

If the underneath is still dark after having highlights put through it then maybe you should just have the underneath highlighted again to try and match it to the top and front parts? I have done this on clients who feel the underneath is not matching the top and it works great. Hairdressers are faced with questions every day and I would hope that you feel that you can tell yours that you are not keen on the colour and maybe there was a way that they can even the colour up. 

Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes are helpful at looking at hair to see if there is a problem, every colourist highlights in a different way. We are not all taught the same method when it comes to highlighting techniques so you could go have a consultation somewhere else to see what they think about your colour.

If you like being blonde, then stay blonde! It is a long hard slog to go back after going dark.

John Clark at Brooks+Brooks, London