How to Retouch and Highlight Your Own Hair

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By InspyreD
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cant seem to find the time or money to get to the salon and get those roots taken care of? I have written detailed step by step instructions on how to get salon-similar results in your own bathroom!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

2 haircolor bowls and brushes
gloves
junky towels you can stain
foil sheets
a metal tail comb
3-4 Hair clips
2 tones of hair color
developer
PATIENCE

Step 1

You will need to find a beauty supply store in you area that will sell to the unlicensed public. There select a tone that matches the color you want your roots to be, as well as something lighter, I recommend using powder lightener. You will also need developer (I recommend using either 10 or 20 volume as these will be less damaging), two color bowles and brushes, foils sheets and a metal tail comb. This first venture may seem spendy, but the next few time you do your own hair, you will only need to buy the color.
Step 2

At home gather all materials and mix pigments in the bowels following manufacturers instructions, most hair colors mix equal parts. If you chose to use powder lightener, mix it to soft peaks, slowly adding powder and developer until it reaches the right thickness.
Step 3

Part your hair into 4 sections. Your first will be the top of your head. Starting at your hairline draw a straight line with a comb back to the round of your head in line with the outsides of your eyebrows, Then connect the lines across the back. Your second and third section will be either side of your head, wrapping around and meeting in the back, draw a part line straight down, then across equal to the top of your ear. Your fourth part will be the occipital area just above your neck.
Step 4

Starting in this last section carefully paint pigment on the root area you want retouched, without overlapping the already colored midshaft of your hair. I have found it to be easiest to start on the bottom in the nape of your neck and go up the sides before parting off and coloring the middle.
Step 5

Next move on to either side parting and repeat painting the regrowth. after this is finished, use your metal tail comb and separate a thin section (about 1/8 inch wide) on the top of this parting. weave the tail of the comb up and down, dropping about half the hair, creating gaps in this thin section. wrap about 1/4 inch of the end of a foil over the metal tail comb and place under parting, paint lightener onto hair and foil, coating thoroughly, then fold bottom of foil up ot top. repeat on opposite side.
Step 6

Repeat painting roots on the top of your head. This is where is gets tricky.
gently tease out a thin section of bangs and weave out about half again. Paint with lightener, be careful not to get any on the root area, it may leak out of the foil and cause an ugly "bleed" spot. fold foil and repeat three or four more times throughout top section. This can be difficult as it is hard to see what you are doing.
Step 7

Process color about thirty mins to forty five. while processing, clean up any spills, hair color will stain. do not clean out the color bowels yet.
when your timer goes off, rub a small amount of pigment on to any areas of your face it may have dripped onto. then follow with shampoo, try not to use water on these stains until you have scrubbed them with shampoo. it will be easier to wash them off that way.
Step 8

Remove foils from your hair and wash thoroughly. rinse and repeat, this time taking care to scrub your scalp. follow with a moisturizing conditioner. Style as normal, but be gentle when combing out tangles.
Step 9

If there are still stains on your face and neck, rubbing alcohol will help remove them. Also, you may find it necessary to follow up with a haircut soon after. Never try this at home! Color is fixable in a salon but if you cut too much, they cannot glue it back on!