So, I’d been staring at my plain black hair for ages, you know? It just felt a bit… blah. I wanted something different, but not like, a whole new color. Too much commitment, I thought. That’s when I landed on the idea of brown highlights. Seemed like a safe bet to add a bit of spice without going totally wild.
Getting Started: The Salon Decision
First off, I knew I wasn’t brave enough to try this at home. Bleach and my clumsy hands? Recipe for disaster. I’ve seen those horror stories online, no thank you. So, I decided to find a salon. I spent a bit of time looking around, reading reviews, trying to find a place that seemed like they knew what they were doing with dark hair. Finally picked one and booked an appointment. Felt a bit nervous, to be honest. What if they messed it up? What if it looked awful?
The Big Day: In the Chair
Alright, so I got to the salon. The stylist sat me down, and we had a chat. I showed her some pictures on my phone of what I was thinking. She seemed to get it, talking about “warm tones” and “natural looking.” I just nodded along, trusting she wouldn’t make me look like a tiger.
Then the whole process started. She sectioned off my hair, piece by piece. It felt like it took forever. Then came the foils. So. Many. Foils. My head started to feel heavy. She mixed up the lightener – that stuff definitely has a strong smell. As she was painting it on, I just kept my fingers crossed. I was trying to read a magazine, but mostly I was just thinking, “please let this turn out okay.”
- First, the sectioning – felt very precise.
- Then, applying the bleach mixture, strand by strand.
- Each strand got wrapped in foil.
Waiting for the bleach to do its thing was the hardest part. My scalp felt a tiny bit itchy, but nothing too bad. She kept checking on the foils, peeking inside. I tried not to look too anxious. I think she said something about lifting it to a certain level before putting the brown color on. It’s all a bit of a blur, all that chemical talk.
Rinse, Tone, and the Reveal
After what felt like an eternity, it was time to rinse out the bleach. My hair felt super weird and kind of rough at that stage. Then, she applied the actual brown toner or color. More waiting, but not as long this time. I was getting really antsy to see it.
Finally, the big wash, some conditioner, and then she started to dry it. I was trying to get a good look in the mirror, but it’s always hard when it’s wet, right? As it dried, I started to see the brown streaks. And you know what? It actually looked pretty good! The brown was noticeable but not too “in your face.” It blended in nicely with my black hair. A huge sigh of relief, let me tell you.
Living With It
Walking out of the salon, my hair definitely felt different. A bit drier than usual, which I guess is to be expected with bleach. The stylist recommended some special shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair, so I grabbed those. Hopefully, they help keep it from looking like straw.
Overall, I’m pretty happy I did it. It’s a nice change. It’s subtle but makes a difference. Now I just have to figure out the upkeep. I’m already thinking about how often I’ll need to get it touched up. But for now, I’m just enjoying the new look. It was a bit of a process, sitting there for hours, but yeah, worth it I think. At least I didn’t end up with orange patches, which was my biggest fear!
