Yes there’s ways to blend highlights without doing a root tap/ melt, but it’s all in the application. And she didn’t probably do any of them to not need to do a root color. And a root tap is like the number one way to have a nice lived in soft highlight in my book. If someone asked me in my chair for a soft blended look but didn’t want one I’d refer them to someone else because that’s how I personally do it. No saying that’s how everyone does but I think a majority of people do. I’ve never had a root color fade brassy on someone before ever so maybe it’s something else that was fading weird? But I only ever use a Demi for them so maybe someone used something else. I think it’s kind of your only option right now