Last fall I got my hair colored for the first time since 9th grade (back story: in 9th grade I used the same box I had used for years to color my hair... and it turned black and I stopped coloring it from then on until last fall...)

 

I decided to try something low maintenance like Bayalage. Bayalage is a little different from Ombre because its not as harsh. Bayalage means "to sweep" in France and so the highlights are swept and more natural.

 

Anyway, I loved it. And I didn't have to redo it until this year. The highlights were the color my ends turn naturally so as my hair got lighter in the summer everything just blended really well. I knew once I got my hair cut this time I would need to freshen it up though. I've been going to the same girl forever so I just went back and asked for the same thing with "slightly lighter ends". I've been having a hard time really finding pictures that show what I got instead.

 

As you can see in the picture below it all just looks one color. Maybe some natural looking highlights here and there but not the soft ombre I was looking for.

 

And I think the bulbs in my bathroom are causing my hair to look reddish here, its not, but this picture does show just how striped my hair ended up being. It looks like the 90s!

 

This side doesn't even look like anything is different, just one hair color...

 

I had already gone back once for her to fix it and she charged me. Mind you, it was only $30 but what the heck?!? I couldn't go back a third time just to have her mess it up again so I started googling "DIY bayalage" and this is what I found: Jessie James Decker's DIY Bayalage. I mean, I love her anyway, she's so funny, but this video is actually amazing.

 

 

She uses the Revlon Frost and Glow (Medium) color box. Mine was $6.99 at the Target.

You will also need some hair clips.

There were some other videos that showed you how to do more color all over that I also looked at and can add later if I find them (Jessie just did some touch ups on the outside of her hair).

 

I tested a strand first to make sure it wasn't going to turn my hair orange (please view reviews before trying this at home, certain hair types will not work)

Once I was satisfied I wouldn't look like Vitamin C, I mixed the powder and liquid as directed

I found strands that needed some boost of color and also tried to blend the stripes a little better

I only let it sit on my hair for 10 minutes because I did already have some color in it

 

It was a very scary 10 minutes not knowing how bad of a job I did...

 

I touched up a couple areas after it was dry

The recommend not throwing away the bleach mixture until you're 100% done and I agree...

 

A little blow drying later and viola!

 

 

I still have some strands that are striped.

There's only so much you can do to fix 90s highlights, but for $6.99 I am very impressed.

My hair stylist might be out $150 for my next coloring!