Q. In my former salon, when they highlighted my hair, they would put the “lightening agent” on, put me under the dryer, wash it out and I would be done. Now, in my new salon, they follow the same routine, but then also put what they call a “toning agent” on my hair before finishing the service. Is one better than the other? I like the color better now, but don’t understand the different “highlighting” services.

A. In all hair services, there are as many different “right ways” as there are stylists. Much depends upon the individual stylist. In your first salon, they could either have been lifting with a “bleach agent”, and been happy with the color, or could have been using a lifting agent with color-toner included, thus finishing the service with the one step. In the second salon, they were most likely lifting with a beaching agent, and then “toning” with a separate product. Depending on the stylist, many prefer the second practice. By “lifting” the color of your hair, you are actually removing the color molecules from the hair shaft. Some stylists believe that the hair feels better, acts better and that the color stays better when the toning agent is applied to “fill in” the empty spots in the hair created by the “lifting” agent. Also, many stylists prefer the second practice because it allows them to re-tone ALL the hair...not just the hair pulled through the cap or foiled. And too, most find the color fades less after having been toned. But it really is a “stylist preference”...as long as you, the customer, are happy.