If you’re looking to elevate your hair game with some coloring techniques, highlights and lowlights are the way to go. These styles are guaranteed to give your locks a multidimensional look that enhances your natural hair color. Below, we’ve compiled some ideas to help you accentuate your hair with highlights and lowlights. So, read on!
To add some variety to your locks, highlights and lowlights can do wonders. Highlights are shades that are two tones lighter than your natural hair color or base color, while lowlights are two shades darker than your base color. When you want to add more depth and volume to your hair, lowlights are the way to go, whereas highlights can bring some movement and dimension to your tresses, as advised by the experts.
If you’ve been hesitant to dye your hair due to concerns about damage, fear not. There are coloring techniques available that cause minimal damage and require little upkeep to keep looking great. If you’re curious about how highlights or lowlights might look, scroll down for a glimpse at the latest trends in hair coloring.
For those interested in trying a DIY approach, we’ve also included helpful tutorials for creating your own highlights or lowlights at home. Don’t hesitate – keep reading for all the details!
How To Highlight Your Hair At Home
- Begin by thoroughly brushing your hair to eliminate any knots or tangles.
- Protect your clothing from stains by draping a towel around your shoulders, and then proceed to don gloves.
- Prepare your bleach by using a tint brush to mix it in a bowl, while adhering to the instructions provided on the box.
- Prior to beginning the process of bleaching your hair, it is advisable to visualize and strategically plan the locations where you desire the highlights to be placed.
- Gently lift each desired section of hair individually, ensuring they are no wider than one inch. Next, apply bleach using a tint brush, starting approximately half an inch below the root and extending to the tip.
- In case you’re experiencing difficulty getting even coverage of bleach on your hair with a tint brush, consider utilizing a small toothbrush as an alternative to achieve better results.
- To speed up the development of the bleach and create a clear demarcation between the bleached sections and the rest of your hair, utilize strips of aluminum foil to cover the lightened sections.
- Once 15 minutes have passed, proceed to take the bleach off a small section of your hair to assess the extent to which it has been lightened. Should the achieved shade match your desired outcome, rinse off the bleach from the remaining hair. However, in the event that the desired shade has not been attained, reapply bleach to that particular area and allow it to sit for an additional 15 minutes before checking once more. Be sure to never leave the bleach on for more than 45 minutes, as doing so could result in serious damage to your hair.
- After achieving your desired shade of lightening on your hair strands, rinse it off thoroughly with water.
- To achieve a seamlessly blended hairdo, simply refer to the instructions provided in the toning solution box and apply the toner accordingly. This process will eliminate the unwanted brassiness (orange tone) from the bleached sections of your hair and harmonize your highlights more effectively.
- Ensure that you cleanse the toner from your skin after the recommended duration, as stipulated on the packaging.
- Restore the moisture to your hair by using purple shampoo to cleanse it, followed by conditioning it.
6 Highlights Ideas For Light Brown Hair
1. Golden Blonde Balayage Highlights
The infusion of blonde highlights into light brown hair produces a soft and graceful appearance that exudes femininity. The interjection of golden streaks into the hairstyle amplifies its allure, creating a tantalizing peek-a-boo effect.
2. Honey Blonde Highlights
Achieve a stunning sunkissed effect on your sandy brown locks by incorporating honey blonde highlights. These delicate highlights introduce an element of radiant luminosity to your brown foundation, resulting in a captivating dual toned appearance. To enhance the bohemian vibe of your new hairstyle, consider styling it in relaxed, flowing curls.
3. Smokey Brown Balayage Highlights
Achieve the hair of your dreams with balayage highlights that beautifully blend warm and cool tones. These highlights combine warm caramel and cool blonde hues to create a stunning smokey effect on chocolate brown hair. Wear your hair straight to fully showcase the dynamic movement and dimension that these shades bring to your look.
4. Copper And Blonde Highlights
Having brown hair should not limit you to choosing blonde highlights. Instead, unleash your wild side and opt for striking copper highlights with a subtle touch of blonde at the ends. To enhance the dynamic beauty of these fiery highlights, consider styling your hair with tousled curls.
5. Dark Blonde Highlights
Envy is a natural reaction to possessing deep coffee brown hair, but adding a dark blonde hue highlights your locks with a sexy, mysterious allure. Not only does this shade add depth to your hair, but it also injects just the right amount of pizzazz without being excessive. Achieve the casually chic look by styling your hair in loose waves, and you’ll have mastered the perfect hair statement.
6. Maple Brown Highlights
Achieving a subtle yet stylish appearance is easily attainable with the incorporation of brown highlights on brown hair. To create a sophisticated and understated look, consider complementing your light chocolate brown hair with rich maple toned highlights, a shade or two lighter than your base. This combination results in a beautiful and effortless aesthetic.
HOW TO LOWLIGHT YOUR HAIR AT HOME
What You Need
- Hair brush
- Towel
- Vaseline
- Sectioning clips
- Bowl
- Tint brush
- Hair dye of your choice (since you have light brown hair, a dark brown dye should work well to lowlight your hair)
- Aluminum foil
- Color safe shampoo (specifically made for dyed hair)
- Conditioner (should be included in the hair dye box)
What To Do
- Untangle your hair by brushing it thoroughly to get rid of any knots.
- To prevent stains on your skin and clothes, wrap a towel around your neck and apply Vaseline generously on your hairline, the nape of your neck, and ears.
- To ensure the effective application of lowlights, it is recommended to roll up and section off the top portion of your hair, as these highlights are applied specifically to the undersection.
- To mix your hair dye in the bowl using your tint brush, it is imperative that you adhere to the instructions provided on the dye box.
- Choose individual sections of hair that you wish to lowlight, and use a tint brush to apply dye from half an inch below the roots all the way to the tips. Do this step by step until all sections are complete.
- Wrap all the dyed sections in aluminum foil.
- Ensure that the dye remains on for the duration specified in the instructions provided on the packaging.
- To effectively remove the dye, rinse it off with cool water until the water runs clear, refraining from using any shampoo.
- Nurture your hair using the conditioner that comes in the hair dye kit, thus promoting healthier and smoother hair.
- After a period of 48 hours, it is advisable to utilize shampoo and conditioner that are safe for color-treated hair to wash your hair.
6 Lowlights Ideas For Light Brown Hair
1. Dark Brown Lowlights
Tired of the mundane hue of your brown locks? Switch things up by indulging in some rich, dark lowlights. If you happen to have light brown tresses, consider adding deep brown lowlights at the crown for added texture, depth, and an alluring pop of contrast to your appearance.
2. Chocolate Brown Lowlights
If your hair color naturally falls somewhere between light brown and blonde, you have the perfect chance to experiment with lowlights. By adding some rich chocolate brown lowlights, you can infuse your light brown locks with some depth. To really show off your new look, try styling your hair in a half-up style. This will allow your lowlights to shine in all their glory.
3. Subtle Dark Brown Lowlights
For a lowlights style to be deemed satisfactory, it ought to integrate flawlessly with your hair’s inherent hue. Even though the dark brown lowlights are not distinctly visible in this style, the subtle peek that emanates from beneath her mahogany tresses is adequate in conferring a voluminous and deep effect to her hair.
4. Warm Brown Lowlights
If you’re feeling fed up with your monotonous brown locks, why not add a touch of stunning warmth? With deep brown lowlights, you can effortlessly achieve a multi-dimensional look that won’t overpower your natural beauty. Emphasize your newfound depth by curling your hair and watch as your locks come to life with effortless movement.
5. Auburn And Mahogany Lowlights
Get ready to shake things up with your hair color by playing with some captivating lowlights. Rich tones of auburn and mahogany brown can inject life into lackluster, mousey-brown hair. To take things up a notch, try soft, beachy waves for an alluring transformation that’s sure to turn heads.
6. Lowlights And Highlights Fusion
Indecisive about choosing between lowlights or highlights? The solution lies in opting for both! By artfully merging lowlights and highlights, you can achieve a striking, multidimensional hairstyle that surpasses all other color treatments. For example, you can combine ashy blonde highlights with mocha brown lowlights to create an enchanting, dreamy effect on your light brown locks.
Infographic: The Best Highlights And Lowlights To Try
If you are prepared to venture outside your comfort zone and alter your appearance, consider experimenting with crisp highlights and lowlights. Whether your objective is a modest or bold transformation, these techniques have the ability to elevate your hairstyle to new levels. For insight into current trends and transformative options, consult the accompanying infographic.
Hair highlights are typically two shades lighter than your natural hair color, while lowlights are two shades darker. Adding highlights can provide more movement and dimension to your hair, whereas lowlights can create depth and volume. Both techniques can transform and accentuate your hair without looking artificial and can also enhance your facial features and shape.
Using the right highlights or lowlights can also help focus or soften lines and features. For current trends and inspiration, consider consulting a professional at a salon. Explore the amazing styling ideas for highlights and lowlights to spark your creativity and transform your look.