Going "Subtle" Ombre- What's Next for My Hair?

This is going to be a completely overly-analytical and borderline-OCD post about my hair...so bear with me.


I mentioned recently on my Facebook page that I haven't gotten my hair colored or cut since February (yikes!)  The truth is, I needed a break. I wanted to just let my hair grow out a bit and get some of my natural color flowing back through. 


I was also ready for a change. I realized that I tend to like my hair most as it grows out (with some darker roots showing) and that lately, I had always been unhappy with the placement of my highlights and only liked them again when they grew out and I added more lowlights.  In fact, the last three times I had my hair colored, I had to go back every time either to have more lowlights added or to have my color toned.


Some of you might remember what my hair looked like (before I had it fixed) the last time I had it colored (in February). Let's just be perfectly honest and say it was not good. I'm still not sure what happened, but the highlights just lifted really oddly on me and the placement was incorrect.

After this happened, I had some lowlights added in to give a more blended look and haven't touched my hair since. Honestly, I was scared. I went from having color that had always looked natural and blended, to this.  It looked better after it was fixed but as my hair grew out and the colors toned down, there were times I thought I should just stop coloring it alltogether because I finally liked how it looked again.


Then, I discovered Johnny Ramirez's blog by seeing his amazing hair colors all over Pinterest and I realized that I wanted someone to try a new technique on my hair to achieve the look I love---which is basically a "softened" version of ombre.  Because visuals are important, here are some hair looks I absolutely LOVE---I feel like these looks are blended, NOT high contrast and overall the look I'm going for (obviously my hair is not naturally as dark as some of these examples---but I am referring to overall color placement, tonal qualities and color contrast)

color/photo- Johnny Ramirez

Though I do like some of the next photos, these are examples of what I consider "too solid" or "too high contrast" for me, personally:

 

 

Those colors are by the amazing Johnny Ramirez---and it's not that I don't like them because they look great---it's just that level of contrast (high) and the lightness (very blonde) is not the look I'm craving.  I like the softer more blended blondes and caramels in the previous photos more for me---and Johnny is amazing at doing ombre on brunettes---but I didn't want to travel, so I found someone local who I think will be able to give me the look I'm striving for.

In terms of a cut, I always tell my stylist that I want "Victoria's Secret Model Hair"---lots of volume, bounce, long layers and a pretty shape that falls nicely when blown-out. 

I will show you ladies how it turns out tomorrow, wish me luck!