Highlighting the Hair Using the Right Tools

When it comes to highlighting the hair most of us women/men try to save a buck and do it ourselves at home, but this can be a problem if you don't have the right tools. For acquiring new highlights the most important tools are your coloring product such as bleach, technique such as balayage (hottest trend going) and your foils, but what happens if you ran out of the salon care foils you bought from a beauty salon store? What else can you use?

Aluminum Foil

By now you should all know this is one of the best alternatives to those salon foils. The most important part about the foils is they must be cut to the right length, and most importantly the right width. You need enough room to place the strip of hair into the foil, and then to roll the foil up and over.

Saran Wrap

That's right that thin, clingy plastic that most of us use to keep some food fresh. Although this process is a bit tedious, it actually works out wonderful. The Saran Wrap help lock the heat in, keeps the moisture in the hair and scalp, and also prevents the hair from getting dry. The only problem is, the hair can not be too short or else you'll have one heck of a mess when applying the bleach or color on. If you use the saran wrap, then you really don't have to sit under a dryer or apply a sort of heat on top such as a processing cap.

Color Foils

This tool is especially great if your using more than one highlight color. This way you can keep track on which color you applied first, and which ones have to be rinsed off first. Now I always shop at Sally Beauty, and can usually find the Vivid Color Foils for under $8.00. The colors that come in the package are purple, teal, and black. The strength of them is super, and with each sheet of foil I can usually get two wraps with them. I love using the black just for bleach, and then I go with the teal or purple for assorted colors.

Now that you have the right tools to use, how about the aftercare of the highlights? In order to keep your color fresh, shiny, and full of moisture you need to take action.

Shampoo, Vinegar, And Condition

Exactly in this order. Use a good shampoo that is for color treated hair. Rinse out with cold water and squeeze the excess water out. Then apply the vinegar. Allow the vinegar to remain on entire head for 5-7 minutes then rinse out with cold water and condition. The vinegar will give the new fresh highlights shine, body, and add extra shimmer to them. The vinegar rinse should be done like every 2 weeks to freshen the highlights up, but in the summer once a week.

Sources:

Professional Beautician