Last time I had highlights in my hair was in middle school, and I looked oh-so-awkward with them, but of course I thought I was one hot tamale! Since then my hair grew out several times over, and all I did was colored it with different reds and auburns, but never highlighted anymore. When I had the opportunity to try out new L’Oreal Glam Lights through SheSpeaks, I thought it’s about time I gave highlights another shot, and selected the shade GL70 Dark Blond to Light Brown to try, because it looked like it’d go well with my recently applied L’Oreal Mousse Absolue 700 Pure Dark Blonde [it shows up auburn on me, and not blonde].
L’Oreal recommends using this kit when your hair is dry and unwashed, and that’s what I did. I made sure to detangle it with my Wet Brush first, then following the directions on the insert, I saturated the special plastic brush in bleaching solution and applied it to my hair, holding the brush vertically for perfect mixture distribution.
In case you’re wondering about the smell – yes, it stank. I think it’s best to apply in a well-ventilated area, or at least turn on the bathroom fan and open the door so you don’t have to inhale those stinky fumes.
I let the highlights develop for about 30 minutes, but L’Oreal says the mixture can be left on for 45 to achieve maximum results. Getting super blonde streaks was not my intention, so I went for something in-between, and ended up liking the result.
L’Oreal Glam Lights kit was easy to use, and the instructions were very detailed; I had no problem following them at all. I do however have a few tips for those of you who might want to try it at home:
- Always hold the three pronged brush from the kit vertically and drag it down slowly to ensure even application.
- Don’t apply too much solution at the roots, or they will look unnaturally bleached out. I made that mistake in a couple spots, but luckily they can be easily buried under more hair.
- Keep switching sides as you apply the solution. Do one strand on the right side, then another one on the left side, and keep going like that. This will ensure that your highlights will develop at roughly the same rate and look nice and even.
- Load the brush with solution after each stroke, even if you need to go over the same strand twice.
- And finally, don’t leave the bleaching solution on your hair longer than recommended, it can seriously damage your hair.
Here is my end result. I didn’t add too many streaks, just a few here and there to make it look like my hair is shining in the sun. I’ve always liked that look on others, and now I’m rocking it myself!
At-home hair coloring is not for everyone, but I had good luck with it for the past 5 years, so I never feel the need to spend money for salon coloring anymore. Looks like I can do my own highlights now, too! As with any hair color, an allergy test is recommended, and the instruction sheet explains in detail how to do it. Better be safe than sorry, right?
PURCHASE: $11.99 for 1 kit. Available at Target, L’Oreal, local drugstores.
Have you tried coloring your hair at home? What about highlights? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features products received for editorial consideration and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
