Dull Highlights Help: How to Keep the Color Bright

Dull Highlights Help: How to Keep the Color Bright

Dull highlights got you down? A reader needs help in brightening her highlighted blonde hair, and Ask the Pro Stylist has a few suggestions in this Wednesday’s Q&A.

Whoop, whoop, it’s Hump Day and that time of week for another Q&A with Ask the Pro Stylist. This Wednesday Marlene wrote in with a question to brighten her dull highlights.

Hi D! I love your hair!  My highlighted blonde hair looks faded all the time. I pay good money, but it doesn’t last. If there is a soft light on my hair it looks pretty, but on a rainy day or no lighting it looks colorless. I have a medium brown base.  Any suggestions? Your hair is gorgeous!   Thanks, Mar

Thanks Marlene for the lovely compliments. The photo that you see of my hair is in bright daylight with the sun’s reflection bouncing off a window that was behind me, so my blonde highlights do look brighter and lighter than usual. However, I too suffer from dull highlights now and again, as do most that choose this same hair color. So, what can we do?

First, let me start by saying that soft lighting will cast a warm glow to the hair, whereas fluorescent light will cool it down. The best way to see the true color is in natural light or daylight.

I always suggest all blondes, from the subtlest of highlights to the platinum bombshells, use a blonde shampoo. I recommend Paul Mitchell Blonde Forever Blonde Shampoo, Conditioner, and Dramatic Repair that conditions and repairs the hair, as well as brightening the color.

I also recommend using a gloss or glaze over your highlights, along with a refresher between highlights. Your hairstylist/colorist can recommend a product. I use PM Shines to tone and condition my dull highlights; 9NG, Sandstone to add a hint of gold.

And finally, I cannot speak highly enough of Continuum, and additive to color/lightener that conditions and adds intense shine immediately following the service. Thanks for writing in. I hope this helped.

If you have a question for me similar to Marlene’s dull highlights help, please email me at DeirdreAHaggerty@gmail.com. Until then, happy styling!

©Deirdre Haggerty, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this article may be reproduced without prior written permission and consent from the author.