Okay, so I decided to try highlighting my dark hair at home. Sounds easy, right? Well, buckle up, ’cause it was a JOURNEY.
First, I grabbed one of those box dye kits from the drugstore – you know, the ones that promise salon-quality results for like, ten bucks. I went for a shade that was a few levels lighter than my natural color, hoping for a subtle, sun-kissed look. Famous last words!
I started by sectioning off my hair – which, by the way, is way harder than it looks in those YouTube tutorials. I ended up looking like a crazy person with a bunch of claw clips sticking out of my head.
Next came the fun part: applying the bleach. I tried to be all careful and precise, but honestly, it was a messy affair. I ended up with bleach all over my gloves, my forehead, and probably even the dog (kidding… mostly). The smell was intense, too – like a swimming pool on steroids.
I left the bleach on for the recommended time, constantly checking to see if my hair was turning into straw. It started to get this weird orange-y hue, which I was definitely NOT thrilled about. Panic started setting in.
Finally, I rinsed it all out and applied the toner that came with the kit. This was supposed to neutralize the orange and give me a nice, ashy blonde. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. My hair was still pretty orange, maybe even a little more orange than before. Awesome.
After drying and styling, the damage was clear. The highlights were patchy, uneven, and way too brassy. I looked like I’d been attacked by a cheetah.
So, what did I learn? Highlighting dark hair at home is a risky game. Maybe I should have gone to a professional. Or maybe I should just embrace my natural color. Either way, I’m definitely investing in some good hair masks to repair the damage!
Here’s a quick recap of my mistakes:
- Didn’t do a strand test (huge mistake!).
- Didn’t section my hair properly.
- Probably left the bleach on for too long.
- Didn’t have realistic expectations.
Basically, I winged it, and my hair paid the price.
