OK -- to try to make a long story short: I'm in my mid-40s and peri-menopausal. I've been noticing for the last year or so that my hair (which was always quite fine to begin with) seems to be thinning -- there seem to be fewer hairs around my part, for example. My hair is a little longer than shoulder length, cut in long layers. I've been coloring and highlighting for so long that I'd forgotten how dark my hair actually is! I generally color every 6 weeks or so (to cover grays at the root) and have highlights and lowlights that I've been getting touched up every 2nd or 3rd coloring appointment, depending on how fast my hair is growing.
Went to get my hair colored/highlighted and cut yesterday, expecting to leave with maybe a few extra highlights, as the summer is coming. Instead, the hair stylist (who I've been using for about 7 months and does a nice job) told me that she noticed a lot of breakage at the crown and that she was concerned about continuing to highlight those strands. She suggested giving my hair a break from highlights to avoid bleaching for a few months, to try to get the hair stronger where it was breaking.
So instead of coming home a sunny level 6.5 with blonde highlights, I'm back to my natural color, which is about a level 5.5. Because my hair pulls red, she used neutral versions of level 5 and 6 to get the color. So in addition to having blended in the highlights and made my hair (basically) all the same color, it's quite flat looking.
Sorry that wasn't so short, but wanted to get the back story so you might be able to help. There are two things I'd love some help with:
First, any suggestions for how I could at least make my hair look shinier. If it was at least reflecting a little light, maybe I wouldn't feel so strange.
Second, any suggestions for how to deal with thinning/breaking/"aging" hair? I've got a sample of the Nexxus Youth Renewal from BB last month that I've been using for the past four or five days, and I'm getting a full size in the Allure Beauty box. Any other products you can think of that would help? I wash with Pureology shampoo (alternate between the smoothing and hydrating).
Thanks in advance! I suppose I should be happy not to have orange hair, but I'm really missing my highlights!
Went to get my hair colored/highlighted and cut yesterday, expecting to leave with maybe a few extra highlights, as the summer is coming. Instead, the hair stylist (who I've been using for about 7 months and does a nice job) told me that she noticed a lot of breakage at the crown and that she was concerned about continuing to highlight those strands. She suggested giving my hair a break from highlights to avoid bleaching for a few months, to try to get the hair stronger where it was breaking.
So instead of coming home a sunny level 6.5 with blonde highlights, I'm back to my natural color, which is about a level 5.5. Because my hair pulls red, she used neutral versions of level 5 and 6 to get the color. So in addition to having blended in the highlights and made my hair (basically) all the same color, it's quite flat looking.
Sorry that wasn't so short, but wanted to get the back story so you might be able to help. There are two things I'd love some help with:
First, any suggestions for how I could at least make my hair look shinier. If it was at least reflecting a little light, maybe I wouldn't feel so strange.
Second, any suggestions for how to deal with thinning/breaking/"aging" hair? I've got a sample of the Nexxus Youth Renewal from BB last month that I've been using for the past four or five days, and I'm getting a full size in the Allure Beauty box. Any other products you can think of that would help? I wash with Pureology shampoo (alternate between the smoothing and hydrating).
Thanks in advance! I suppose I should be happy not to have orange hair, but I'm really missing my highlights!
