What are highlights and lowlights? Highlights and lowlights are spot hair color processes. They can be used separately or together depending on the look you wish to achieve. Both can be used with a solid hair color. Here's what they can do for your hair color:
Highlights consist of selecting thin or thick strands of hair that are then lightened at least 2 shades lighter than the rest of your hair. Highlights should compliment your natural or artificial hair color. One misconception of highlighting is that highlights are only blonde in color. This is not true.
Lowlights, for the most part, are not as popular in hair coloring as highlighting. This seems to be due to the lack of knowledge on the Stylists part to inform their clients of this service. Lowlights can do wonders for a hair color. If you love the look of highlighting, but don't want a dramatic look, lowlights are the way to go. Low lighting consists of taking thin to thick strands of hair and darkening them at least 2 shades darker than the rest of your hair. I recommend adding lowlights every third time you get your hair highlighted. This will help blend your highlights with your natural hair color, and you won't have to run to the salon with dark roots every six weeks.
Adding both highlights and lowlights is sometimes referred to as a tri-color service. To me, this is the best of all hair color services. It seems to give the most natural effect to your hair color. When both are done, it's best to highlight the top a little more heavily than the lowlights. Also, adding more lowlights underneath will give your hair dimension. This is a service that you should talk to your Stylist about. I don't recommend trying both together at home. Low lighting can be tricky because you often run into "funky" looking hair colors while going darker and a corrector is often needed to fix this problem. Check out Hair color tips to read more on fixing a bad hair color.
Cost effective highlighting, lowlighting and color tinting: If you're looking for the more cost effective way to highlight, lowlight, or tone your hair color, try a color tinted shampoo. These shampoos can be used on natural or colored hair.
Benefits
- Cost effective
- These shampoos are not permanent. You simply shampoo like you normally would. And stop using them if you choose a new hair color. Mix and match, try some new shades.
- They help extend your hair color
- Beige or purple tint shampoo tones will neutralize brassy hair and brighten white or grey hair.
- Red tinted shampoos are not recommended for blonde, salt & pepper or white hair unless you are going for a pink color.
- Red tinted shampoos will dramatically lengthen your hair color and prevent fading.
- Golden tinted shampoos will add warmth to your hair color shade.
Highlights & Lowlights...
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If your hair color is a level 3 (dark black/brown) you can add highlights that are a level 6 (medium brown). You should never go more than 3 shades lighter then the rest of your hair color. The object of highlighting is to give you a sun-kissed look and to bring depth and light to your overall hair color. If you color and highlight, it is not necessary to highlight every time you hair color. Opt for highlight every other hair color appointment.
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Highlights can be any tone or any shade of light or dark. As long as they are lighter than your overall hair color, these are considered highlights. For example: If your hair color is black, and you get dark brown tones put in, those are highlights. If your hair is brown, and you have lighter, caramel tones added, those would be also considered highlights.
Of course you can place highlights where ever you would like. You hair is a canvass. With highlights, you can go as funky or as natural as you please. The general placement of highlights is along the top of your head and around the face.
Placement of Highlights
Highlighting is a great way to experiment with going lighter. Start off by adding a few. Then each time you go back, add more highlights.
Thickness of Highlights
The thicker you go with highlights, the less natural they will look. The thinner, the more natural. Make sure when you are consulting with your hair stylist, you state that you want to be able to see them. Use words like contrast. If you state you want to see contrast, but not chunks, then you will get and even, thin highlight. If you say chunks, then the strands will be much thicker.
subtle highlights
chunky highlights
blended highlights & lowlights
chunky highlights & lowlights
- They tone unwanted colors in the hair. Example, if you have blonde hair and it tends to get brassy a few weeks after you color, use a beige, platinum or champagne colored shampoo to help neutralize these unwanted tones.
- Depending on the color of you hair, these shampoos can give a very subtle effect or a more dramatic effect depending on which shade shampoo you use.
- Great shine thus giving the illusion of natural highlights.
Tri-colors with red and blonde highlights
If you are trying to neutralize a hair tone you don't like here's a few tips:
For more hair coloring tips see below:
More in Hair Color 101
