Streak Hair

Hair with streaks
Photo: Marian Fil/Shutterstock
Q: I want to streak my hair. I have a semi color on it already. My hair is a dark brown with this hair color on it, but without color my hair is a "dirty dishwater" blonde. How do I streak my hair on my own? I will be doing it myself. I can use foil. Would this be right for me and what is the best hair color to use to lift it up so that I have some lighter shades of a copper or something close to that as my streaks?
 
If I use the foil to do my own hair then how do I get the proper amount of heat to activate the color at home? Also, what is that hair color that is used with the bleach already in it when you bye it? Then I can place a toner over the rest of my hair to make it toned down a bit. What do you think? Am I even close to what I want and if not can you please help me out? I really do thank you!
 
A: The easiest method I can think of to recommend to you, given what you describe as your goal is to suggest that you look at L'Oréal's Couleur Experte line of hair coloring systems. This is a two-stage system that allows you to apply a base color and highlighting and gives you the color needed for both processes.
 
You can apply the base color and then make the "highlights" as thick or fine as you want. So you can create the streak effect you desire and can feel safe in knowing that the colors will coordinate well. As with any product for color or chemical straightening, you want to do a patch test on your skin beforehand to avoid any potential sensitivity issues.
 
I would love to be able to give you more specific recommendations but that simply isn't practical, given that I cannot physically assess your hair's color to know precisely how much lightening would be involved. By using the pre-packaged kits for coloring and highlighting, you can see what their recommended starting color is to achieve the color results on the package.
 
You do want to keep in mind the current condition of your hair before you perform any involved color processing on it. If your hair shows any signs of damage, be sure to give yourself a good conditioning treatment and even allow time to correct the damage before you risk damaging the hair further. Be sure to read and follow all package directions to the letter.
 
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See also:
 
How to color hair
 
Signs of damaged hair