I was coloring my own hair but it was a solid color. When I finally went in to see a pro, my hair was several shades of brown from me touching up my own roots over a period of time. I think it's money well spent to have someone else do the color especially if I want highlights. I also find that the color from the salon lasts longer and my hair feels better conditioned. I now have highlights, too. I would not try to do highlights myself. What a mess that would be!

My daughter has blond hair and I have done some highlights in hers for with a Loreal kit that had a small brush to apply the bleach. She has a big mop of curly/wavy hair so it is very forgiving. Still, I had to very careful. I prefer foils for the precision of the application and those are best done by someone with professional skills in my opinion.

Barnmom: It sounds like you have found a good colorist.
I would love to have your daughter's thick wavy hair. I bet she doesn't want it. That is always the way it is. I think it is beautiful if you take care of it like you she does.

If you know of a great hair stylist in the Alexandria,VA area let me know. Big town but even the expensive shops have not done what I asked. Keep crossing them off. I do think tht the box stuff can be good to get the gray off of my temples. I wait for months to redo it. Thanks, barnmom.

I do touch-ups at my temples myself with the root kit you can buy at any drug store. (I forget the brand name.) It is the only place I have much gray and I hate it! I do it every 4 weeks or and stretch out the visits to the hairdresser a little. She is good and not too expensive at 65.00 for color and highlights. She grew up in the industry, her mom was a hairdresser, too. This gives her an edge. Bonus for me is that she can usually get me in quickly and is only a few blocks from home.

My daughter has embraced her curly hair. It is soft and fine not wiry. She really likes it now. She went through a phase at 13 or so of straightening the life out of it with a flat iron but got over it.

Barnmom: $ 69 is a very good price. I'm happy for you. We all have learned that it is not what you pay to the hairdresser, it is their god-given talent. There are people who should be able to do a good job here in the Washington, DC area but I have not found them at any cost now. When I had chemo and my hair was growing back I treated myself to a big time salon and wanted highlights on my very short hair.
They burnt the hair and it was almost white. They knew about the chemo but don't know how to take into consideration the chemicals that are still in my bocy. I actually shaved my head and started over. This is somethng to be shared with others. Now, I am older and it takes skill to make me look pretty. I'm just being myself although people I haven't seen in a while are shocked at what I look like. I do try.

The salon is out of my budget right now: $12 for the box vs $80 plus tip, no contest. Besides, my hairdresser confided to me her struggles with meth. Yikes!