Hair highlights are a fantastic way to add depth, dimension, and personality to your hairstyle.
Whether you’re aiming for a sun-kissed look, bold contrast, or subtle elegance, highlights can transform your hair into a true work of art.
Let’s dive into everything you need to know about this versatile hair trend!
What Are Hair Highlights?
Hair highlights involve coloring specific strands of hair lighter than your natural or base color. The goal is to create contrast, brighten your look, and emphasize your haircut or facial features. Highlights can range from super subtle to dramatically bold, depending on your style preferences.
Types of Hair Highlights
- Babylights
Babylights are ultra-fine highlights that mimic the natural hair of children often lightened by the sun. They’re subtle and soft, perfect for those seeking a natural, low-maintenance look. - Balayage
Balayage is a freehand painting technique that creates a natural gradient of color from root to tip. It’s low-maintenance and works for any hair length or texture. - Ombre Highlights
Ombre features a gradual transition from darker roots to lighter ends. While it’s not a highlight in the traditional sense, this style uses a similar coloring process to create contrast. - Foil Highlights
Foil highlights use sections of hair wrapped in foil for a precise and uniform color application. This method allows for a mix of subtle and bold highlights. - Chunky Highlights
For a bold, retro-inspired look, chunky highlights are thick, defined streaks of color that stand out against your natural base.
Choosing the Right Highlight Color
When picking the perfect highlight color, consider your skin tone, natural hair color, and lifestyle.
- Warm Skin Tones: Shades like honey, caramel, and golden blonde complement warm undertones beautifully.
- Cool Skin Tones: Opt for ash blonde, platinum, or cool-toned browns to enhance your look.
- Neutral Skin Tones: Lucky you! You can pull off a mix of warm and cool highlight shades effortlessly.
Placement Matters
Highlights can be strategically placed to achieve different effects:
- Face-Framing Highlights: Add brightness around the face for a youthful, fresh appearance.
- Crown Highlights: Create a natural, sun-kissed effect by focusing on the top layer of hair.
- Peekaboo Highlights: Add pops of color underneath for a playful, hidden surprise.
Benefits of Hair Highlights
- Dimension and Volume: Highlights create the illusion of thicker, more voluminous hair.
- Youthful Glow: Lighter tones around the face can make you look refreshed and youthful.
- Low Commitment: Highlights grow out gracefully, so you don’t need constant touch-ups.
- Personal Expression: With so many options, highlights let you showcase your unique style.
Caring for Your Highlights
To keep your highlights looking vibrant, follow these tips:
- Use Color-Safe Products: Shampoo and conditioner designed for colored hair will help maintain the brightness of your highlights.
- Limit Heat Styling: Too much heat can cause your highlights to fade or become dry. Always use a heat protectant if you style your hair.
- Deep Condition: Keep your hair healthy with regular deep conditioning treatments to prevent dryness and breakage.
- Tone Up: Purple shampoos or toners can keep brassy tones at bay for blonde or light highlights.
Popular Highlight Trends
- Money Piece Highlights: A bold streak of color framing the face for an eye-catching statement.
- Reverse Balayage: Adding darker lowlights to blend with lighter hair, perfect for transitioning from summer to fall.
- Pastel Highlights: Lavender, pink, or blue highlights for a trendy, modern vibe.
- Natural Highlights: Subtle highlights that look like your hair was kissed by the sun.