Coloring highlighted hair at home back to natural color...?

I have highlighted hair...blonde %26amp; red...over my natural color of dark brown. My roots are growing out %26amp; I want to stop highlighting for a while. I always colored my hair at home before I professionally got highlights, so that's not the problem. What I'm wondering is actually covering the highlights. Will the highilghts show through...in just different shades or will the color cover completely? I don't mind either one...but I would like to know others experiences. If you have done this %26amp; it turned out good...please let me know what brand/kind you used. Also, will permanent or semi be better. I know the right thing to do is go back to the salon...but I can't afford that right now. Thanks in advance!

Coloring highlighted hair at home back to natural color...?

I'm a hairdresser and about the only one not opposed to at home hair color. I recommend doing this is stages. if your hair is red you will need ash to cancel. However, if you put ash onto your blond your highlights will likely turn a greenish cast. I recommend using semi permanent color to return your hair to an all-over red. this may take two applications. Think of it like a primer. Then go over all that with an ash semi permanent color close to your natural tone. Your ends will be warmer then your natural color but this happens w/ natural hair and with a few applications over a few months you will be so close to your natural color you can stop dying all together. This is what we would do in the salon. Semi permanent hair color should adhere to your previously colored hair well b/c is it more porous due to the coloring. It should be 3-4 weeks before you need another application unless your hair is damaged. And be careful to chose your tones wisely! Remember yellow (highlights) and blue (ash hair color) make green!!!!!

ps- if your hair is extreemly damaged- i'd go to a good salon and invest in having it done with good products and conditioners. Damaged hair acts differently then healthy hair and you can pay for it now or pay more later to get it fixed! :)

Good luck!!!!

Coloring highlighted hair at home back to natural color...?

It is okay to do it at home!! And the highlights will not show right away buy when your color fades the highlights will start to show... I am a cosmotology student!! There are lots of good brands.. I recommend WELLA it can be bought at a beauty supply store... I think that you should use Semi permanent dye.. Also try and get a good shampoo for color treated hair and one the keeps color... There is one called Pureology and it works great but is soo expensive!!