Highlights are a great addition to just about any color service. Highlights can add depth, intensity, softness, and lighten up a dark hair color. They can draw attention to your eyes, punch up a hair cut, or show off some cool, choppy hair texture. Do you think you should add highlights to your next color service? Then keep reading for ideas, tips, and tricks on getting great highlights.
Do tell your stylist what’s on your hair. If you have virgin hair, or hair that has never ever been colored before, then your hair can most likely be highlighted with hair color, which is the most gentle way of highlighting your hair. However, if you already have hair color on your hair, then your hair will need to be highlighted with lightener: a.k.a. hair bleach. Hair color cannot lighten up previously colored (non-virgin) hair. It just won’t work. If you have box color on your hair you may have to sign a waiver because box color can make the results difficult to predict.
Don’t wash your hair right before getting highlights. Hair that is very clean is slippery, which makes it harder for the foils to stay put. Foils are aluminum foil that the stylist uses to separate the hair that is getting highlighted from the hair that is not. Styling products do not affect the hair color, so don’t worry if you have gel or hairspray on your hair.
Don’t get highlights on permed hair or hair that is going to be permed. That is just asking for dried out, fried up, and possibly burned up hair. Some stylists are wiling to perform the service with a waiver. I’m not because I value your hair!
Do know what kind of look you are going for. There are so many different styles and types of highlights that it can be difficult to know what you want. Look through pictures, magazines, hair books, or even online to get ideas. Take along a picture of anything that appeals to you, and tell your stylist why you like it. He or she can help tailor the look for you or even help you pick out something better. Here’s a few highlighting ideas for you to think about. .
Accent highlights. Accent highlights are just a few, well-placed highlights that accentuate a hair cut, face shape, or face feature. A few highlights in a heavy bang, for instance, will really punch up the look. Or maybe a couple of red pieces here and there will add a great accent to a dark hair color or bring out beautiful green eyes.
Peekaboo highlights. These highlights are great because you can go a long time in between touch ups. They are usually placed on either side of the face, well below the part line, so that you cannot see the regrowth area. These are best in long, straight hair.
Partial highlights. A partial set of highlights is usually applied from the ears to the top of the head, or sometimes just along the part line from the bangs through the mohawk section. This is great if you have long hair and don’t wear it up often. Or if you have short hair, it can serve to add depth and interest. A partial set of highlights is a great option if you want to save time and money on your color service.
All over highlights. If you wear your hair up often, you may want to consider all over highlights. These are highlights that are placed throughout the entire head of hair. This is the most expensive – and beautiful way to get highlights.
Natural looking highlights. Natural looking highlights are a subtle looking variation of highlights. They are usually just a shade or two away from the base color, and are finely weaved. This gives an overall impression of lightness, without the highlights being extremely noticeable. The effect is soft, and a great way to break up a too-dark hair color. It’s a great way to break into hair color if you’re never tried it before.
Chunky highlights. These highlights are very noticeable, and are usually created with back to back, heavily weaved foils. If you really want them to show, get them four levels lighter than the base color for a look that yells, “Look at me!” The chunkiest highlights lead to a stripe effect in long hair, and a funky, textured look in hair that is short. For the best results, ask your stylist what would work best with your hair color, type, and texture, and your budget and lifestyle.
