Balayage gone wrong

emilymemily

I had a Balayage done a couple of months ago but hated it, I told the hairdresser I just wanted something very subtle but she bleached the entire ends of my hair.
I then went somewhere else to try and fix the problem, I told the hairdresser what I wanted and even showed her a picture of what I was looking for. The picture shows a very subtle balayage concentrated at the ends of the hair.
The hair dresser gave me highlights throughout my whole hair but kept the roots dark brown, didnt fade the highlights out so theres strong definition between the roots and highlights. When I left the salon I was very happy with it, it looked very different from the picture, there was allot more blonde than I wanted and it clearly wasnt a balayage but it looked good and I was happy enough so payed the 130.
Since I washed it myself it looks dreadful, the highlights are so obvious throughout my hair and the toner must have washed out because they look like straw, theyre orange and yellow.
Is there anything I can do?

Lotus Flower

Sorry to hear this, I'd return to the salon and ask them to fix it

emilymemily

Lotus Flower wrote: »

Sorry to hear this, I'd return to the salon and ask them to fix it

Thanks im in two minds about this. The hairdresser that did it works everyday so will be there when I go in and will be there when I get it fixed and as I was genuinely pleased leaving the salon, it might look very bad coming back to get it fixed and offending the hairdresser that did it. It took her 3 hours.

But then, for the price I paid for it im annoyed, if she couldnt do it properly she should have just said that instead of trying to do it and getting it wrong.
I dont know what to do, also the extra cost of getting it redyed - All in all after two botched Balayages and getting it redyed again, it will have cost me nearly 300 euro.

Never again will I go to a hairdresser for anything other than a trim a wash and a blow dry. Lesson learned.

MinnieMinx

Would you expect to buy a cordon bleu meal in a McDonalds?

You’re wrongly assuming that all hairdressers have the same level of skills and experience. Most hairdressers complete basic training and then start work. Not many carry on their education and take additional classes to improve their knowledge.

Balayage is a highly skilled technique and very different to basic foiling. Few hairdressers learn how to do this properly and so tend to wing it. You need to find a good colourist and that might take time to research. Price point and Big name salons aren’t a guarantee to skill level so you need to shop around. If the salon has a tiered price for different staff, it generally reflects their abilities and experience.

emilymemily

MinnieMinx wrote: »

Would you expect to buy a cordon bleu meal in a McDonalds?

You’re wrongly assuming that all hairdressers have the same level of skills and experience. Most hairdressers complete basic training and then start work. Not many carry on their education and take additional classes to improve their knowledge.

Balayage is a highly skilled technique and very different to basic foiling. Few hairdressers learn how to do this properly and so tend to wing it. You need to find a good colourist and that might take time to research. Price point and Big name salons aren’t a guarantee to skill level so you need to shop around. If the salon has a tiered price for different staff, it generally reflects their abilities and experience.

Thank you, I did look up their facebook page before making the appointment and saw some photos of balayages done in the salon and they looked ok, maybe it depends on the stylist.
Lesson learned, ill be going back to my own colour at next hair appointment.

Dee5

How long has it been since you had it done? Toners generally last 8-10 washes, so need to be done 2-4 weeks.
There’s loads of home care products you can use to keep your toner fresh in between appointments.
I’d pop into the salon and see what they recommend. Talk to who did it, she’ll know exactly what she did and what you’ll need. HTH

emilymemily

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses, I went to another hairdresser on Friday, she has it on her facebook page that she does Balayages, I looked through some of her photos and liked what I saw so I made an appointment with her.
I asked her for a trim to get rid of some of the dead ends caused by the bleaching - she cut my shoulder length hair almost up to my chin, added more highlights but only on the ends, didnt fade them, theres strong definition between highlights and crown of my head. I nearly cried. I told her I wasnt happy with the results and it wasnt at all what I had asked for, she apologized and gave me 50% off, hair is bleached now and cut too short.
It doesnt look terrible but just not what I wanted at all. how could I be so consistently unlucky with hairdressers?

ILoveYourVibes

emilymemily wrote: »

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses, I went to another hairdresser on Friday, she has it on her facebook page that she does Balayages, I looked through some of her photos and liked what I saw so I made an appointment with her.
I asked her for a trim to get rid of some of the dead ends caused by the bleaching - she cut my shoulder length hair almost up to my chin, added more highlights but only on the ends, didnt fade them, theres strong definition between highlights and crown of my head. I nearly cried. I told her I wasnt happy with the results and it wasnt at all what I had asked for, she apologized and gave me 50% off, hair is bleached now and cut too short.
It doesnt look terrible but just not what I wanted at all. how could I be so consistently unlucky with hairdressers?

IMO You don't know what to ask a hairdresser to ensure they know what they are doing.

Do you research so you know the basics about bayalage.

How is she going to create the fade??? What is her blending agent? I.E conditioner is the basic blending agent. What level developer is she using?
She has to paint the lightest part with lightener +developer and then paint conditioner or some blending agent just above them lightener +developer on top of that. The conditioner or blending agent dilutes the developer giving the fade.

She also has to back comb then etc. Combing up baby hairs to stop any lightener getting on them at all.

Does she know how to do baby lights and where to do them?? Not highlights ...very very very fine highlighting usually just at the front.


Get to know what is going on and become familiar with some terms.

If you go in asking intelligent questions and you don't intelligent answers or unbelievable answers be polite and say you will think about it and then walk out.



Ask questions and get familiar with what the answers should be. I once told a guy the stylist before had used 5% developer to tone my hair. He answered back there is no such thing. I knew this was bad news as it showed he had NO IDEA how to dilute developer down which shows he has no idea how to mix color.

The MORE you know the more you know who knows what.Its your hair get to know it.


Hermans can do bayalage well...or foilayage too if you prefer from my experience. Also Sahaira.

Maybe leave your hair for a bit though. Just since its just been bleached. Less damage. Also you mentioned your hair looked ok the second time but after you washed it then it didn't. So basically the toner washed out....its a sign you hair is a bit porous right now after the bleach maybe. It you bleach twice in such short succession hair doesn't hold color or toner so well . Or they didn't use a developer to open up the cuticle and get the toner in some people just use a bit of toner and conditioner but zero (very low level)developer. But give your hair a break for month and then maybe check out somewhere else.


Also never trust pics totally ..for all you know a hairdresser could have taken them from somewhere online. Word of mouth is best. Or if you see someone whose hair you like ask them where they had it done.

ashes2014

emilymemily wrote: »

Hi everyone, thanks for the responses, I went to another hairdresser on Friday, she has it on her facebook page that she does Balayages, I looked through some of her photos and liked what I saw so I made an appointment with her.
I asked her for a trim to get rid of some of the dead ends caused by the bleaching - she cut my shoulder length hair almost up to my chin, added more highlights but only on the ends, didnt fade them, theres strong definition between highlights and crown of my head. I nearly cried. I told her I wasnt happy with the results and it wasnt at all what I had asked for, she apologized and gave me 50% off, hair is bleached now and cut too short.
It doesnt look terrible but just not what I wanted at all. how could I be so consistently unlucky with hairdressers?

Oh my god, you poor thing. You are definitely not having any luck when it comes to hairdressers. I think many of us can relate-the wrong colour, horrible cut etc. There are some very good hairdressers and some awful ones too.

I have a Balyage on my hair-dark at the top and light for about 1/4 of the bottom. It was a nightmare to get done though (took 3 attempts with 3 different hairdressers)-I now know to be very clear when I am talking to a hairdreser (show them pictuers-which you also did), and watch them like a hawk when they are doing it. Your still not guaranteed though that their technique will turn out well.

Some hairdressers dont listen-even when I am getting it cut, I tell them to cut only a tiny bit-like a teeny tiny bit, I normally end up with an inch or two off even at that.

MinnieMinx

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

IMO You don't know what to ask a hairdresser to ensure they know what they are doing.

Do you research so you know the basics about bayalage.

How is she going to create the fade??? What is her blending agent? I.E conditioner is the basic blending agent.

Ask questions and get familiar with what the answers should be. I once told a guy the stylist before had used 5% developer to tone my hair. He answered back there is no such thing. I knew this was bad news as it showed he had NO IDEA how to dilute developer down which shows he has no idea how to mix color.

Word of mouth is best. Or if you see someone whose hair you like ask them where they had it done.

I agree that word of mouth is an excellent source of information when researching your next hairdresser.

However, an experienced colourist doesn’t need to use conditioner to fade the bleach when doing balayage so whilst I accept that some choose to do so, the fact that some don’t might indicate that they’re actually rather good at balayage.

Also, I’d never use 5% with a toner as that’s far too strong as you’re only depositing colour not lifting.
5% is the equivalent to just over 16vol.
Are you sure they didn’t say 5vol?

Usually, you’d use a developer that’s less than 10vol if you’re just toning the hair.

In hairdressing training, you might be taught the maths to dilute Peroxide strengths but modern peroxide developers contain additional stabilising ingredients so adding water will make it a very runny consistency, potentially making it more alkaline and it might not mix very smoothly when added to bleach or tint.

I’d be wary of hairdressers that routinely dilute their developers to save buying the correct product as I’d be wondering what other short cuts they might take.

ILoveYourVibes

MinnieMinx wrote: »

Also, I’d never use 5% with a toner as that’s far too strong as you’re only depositing colour not lifting.
5% is the equivalent to just over 16vol.
Are you sure they didn’t say 5vol?

5 vol obviously :rolleyes:...he didn't know how to mix it. And he was apparently a 'color' wiz.


I worked in a salon for almost 2 yrs as an apprentice. It wasn't for me but i loved doing color. It was learning perming that made me wanna quite though.:o

I know how to mix bleach to the right consistency.

Usually, you’d use a developer that’s less than 10vol if you’re just toning the hair.

Yeah I know. Which is why its shocking that a fully qualified hairdresser who owned his own salon in Dublin doesn't know how to dilute developer.

But that is the hairdressing industry in Ireland. There is no real governing body. Its all in salon for the training ..some are good some are ****e.

I’d be wary of hairdressers that routinely dilute their developers to save buying the correct product as I’d be wondering what other short cuts they might take.

You're wrong. You have have every level developer on the market and it can still not be exactly what you want.

Every hairdresser HAS to dilute developer for some reasons. Or there are some color jobs you think will work work better. What if you want 25 vol etc or 27 ( and yes there is a lot of difference between those two) or you want less than 5 vol (yes i have used it for color removal with lightening powder)

Plus you are not diluting when you mix 20 vol with 40 vol 1:1 to get 30 vol.

Its called MIXING.

However, an experienced colourist doesn’t need to use conditioner to fade the bleach when doing balayage so whilst I accept that some choose to do so, the fact that some don’t might indicate that they’re actually rather good at balayage.

I dispute that based on the heads i see walking around dublin tbh.

Anyway the idea is ask your stylist questions don't assume they know what they are going there are too many in Ireland who really really don't.

I highlight my own hair now. I have never looked back.I am much better at it than any hairdresser I have been to. Even if a salon offered to do it for free I wouldn't let them. Honestly more women should try it themselves. Its not that hard.

And knowing what to look for in a salon etc...i see meche instead of foils i run...what questions to ask ..it would save people a lot of time and heartache.

If they really want to be good at what they do ..they will want a client who wants the best and is asking questions.

If they want a client that will accept any old hair ..they are any old hairdresser imo.

Actually also ask what products they use. What brand of develop what lightening powder etc. Avoid anyone who uses Loreal quick blue lightening powder ....and meche instead of foils. I JUDGE THESE PEOPLE AS INFERIOR HUGELY!:D