Highlight styles have become increasingly popular among those seeking to enhance their hair color and add depth and dimension without committing to a drastic change. With a variety of techniques available, stylists can use highlight styles to create different looks that suit any individual’s personal style, while complementing their natural hair color. Check out the differences between these highlight styles so you can find one that expresses your individuality and personality.

• Balayage: For the Natural, Sun-Kissed Look

Balayage is a popular highlight style that involves hand-painting highlights onto the hair, creating a natural, sun-kissed appearance. This technique allows for a seamless blend of colors, as the highlights are applied in a way that mimics the effect of the sun’s natural lightening of the hair. Balayage is an excellent choice for those who desire a low-maintenance look, as the highlights grow out gracefully without leaving a noticeable line of demarcation.

Choosing the Right Balayage Shade

When opting for balayage highlights, it’s essential to choose a shade that complements your natural hair color. For those with darker hair, caramel or honey-colored highlights can add warmth and dimension, while those with lighter hair may prefer golden or champagne tones. Consulting with a professional colorist at Zona Felice can help you determine the best shade for your skin tone and desired look.

Maintaining Balayage Highlights

To keep your balayage highlights looking fresh and vibrant, it’s crucial to use color-safe shampoos and conditioners and to protect your hair from heat styling and environmental stressors. Regular touch-ups every 8-12 weeks can help maintain the seamless blend of colors and prevent the highlights from appearing grown out or brassy.

• Ombré and Sombré: Gradual Color Transitions

Ombré and sombré are two highlight styles that create a gradual transition from darker roots to lighter ends. The main difference between the two is the level of contrast – ombré has a more distinct, dramatic transition, while sombré features a softer, more subtle shift in color. Both styles can be customized to suit individual preferences, with the option to choose more natural or bold color combinations.

Ombré and sombré highlights are a great choice for those who want to experiment with lighter hair colors without committing to an all-over change. They can also be a good option for those with darker hair who want to add some lightness and dimension without the maintenance of traditional highlights.

Achieving the Perfect Ombré or Sombré

To achieve a seamless ombré or sombré look, it’s essential to work with a skilled colorist who can create a smooth transition between the darker roots and lighter ends. The colorist will typically use a combination of techniques, such as balayage or foiling, to apply the highlights and ensure a natural-looking blend.

Maintaining Ombré and Sombré Highlights

As with balayage, maintaining ombré and sombré highlights requires the use of color-safe hair care products and regular touch-ups to keep the color looking fresh. Depending on the level of contrast and the speed of hair growth, touch-ups may be needed every 8-16 weeks to maintain the desired look.

• Babylights: Subtle, Youthful Highlights

Babylights are a type of highlight that mimics the natural, sun-kissed look of a child’s hair. These ultra-fine, delicate highlights are applied throughout the hair to create a subtle, youthful appearance. One of the benefits of babylights is that they can be customized to suit any hair color and type. They can be applied in a variety of shades, from cool platinum to warm golden tones, depending on the desired look and the individual’s natural hair color.

Achieving Natural-Looking Babylights

For natural-looking babylights, a colorist will have to use a very fine weave technique to apply the highlights, ensuring that they blend seamlessly with the natural hair color. This technique involves separating small, thin sections of hair and applying the lightener using foils or a specialized comb.

Maintaining Babylights

Babylights are a low-maintenance highlight option, as they grow out naturally without leaving a noticeable line of demarcation, much like balayage. However, to keep the colors looking bright and fresh, schedule regular touch-ups every 8-12 weeks.

• Chunky Highlights: Bold and Edgy

Chunky highlights, also known as “streaks,” are a bold highlight style that involves applying thick, contrasting sections of color throughout the hair. This style creates a more dramatic, edgy look compared to the subtle, blended highlights achieved with techniques like balayage or babylights.

Chunky highlights can be a fun way to experiment with different colors and express individuality. They can be applied in a variety of shades, from natural-looking blonde or caramel to more daring colors like pink, blue, or purple.

Achieving the Perfect Chunky Highlights

Creating this look requires sectioning off larger portions of hair and applying the lightener using foils. The size and placement of the highlights can be customized to suit individual preferences and to complement the natural hair color and texture, but are in general, wider than the earlier highlight styles mentioned.

Maintaining Chunky Highlights

Chunky highlights require more maintenance than subtle highlight styles, as the contrasting colors may fade or grow out more noticeably. Besides using color-safe hair care products, it’s important to schedule regular touch-ups every 6-8 weeks to keep the highlights looking vibrant.

• Money Pieces: Face-Framing Highlights

Money pieces are a type of highlight that involves applying lighter, brighter shades around the face to create a face-framing effect. This style is designed to brighten and accentuate the features, drawing attention to the eyes and complexion.

Money pieces can be customized to suit various hair colors and skin tones, with options ranging from subtle, natural-looking shades to bold, contrasting colors. They can be combined with other highlight techniques, such as balayage or ombré, to create a multidimensional look.

Getting the Perfect Money Pieces

To create money piece highlights, a colorist will section off the hair framing the face and apply the lightener using foils or a freehand technique. The width and placement of the highlights can be adjusted to suit different face shapes, while complementing your natural hair color and skin tone.

Maintaining Money Piece Highlights

Money piece highlights generally require touch-ups every 6-8 weeks to maintain the bright, face-framing effect. Using color-safe hair care products and protecting the hair from heat styling and environmental stressors can also help prolong the life of the highlights and keep them looking fresh.

• Foil Highlighting: Classic and Polished

Foil highlighting is a classic technique that involves applying lightener to sections of hair that are then wrapped in foil. This method allows for greater control over the placement and saturation of the highlights, resulting in a more polished, uniform look.

Foil highlights can be customized to create a variety of looks, from subtle, natural-looking highlights to bold, dramatic streaks. They can be applied in a range of shades to complement any hair color and skin tone.

Achieving the Perfect Foil Highlights

To create foil highlights, a colorist will section off the hair and apply the lightener to the desired sections using foils. The size, placement, and number of highlights can be adjusted to suit individual preferences and to create the desired level of contrast and dimension.

Maintaining Foil Highlights

Foil highlights typically require touch-ups every 6-8 weeks to maintain the desired look and prevent the growth of noticeable roots. Using color-safe hair care products and protecting the hair from heat styling and environmental stressors can help keep the highlights looking bright and healthy.

Choosing the Right Highlight with Zona Felice 

Highlighting your hair offers a fun and customizable way to brighten up your look, adding depth and movement. Whether you love the subtle, natural effects of balayage or prefer the striking impact of chunky highlights, there’s a style for everyone.

At Zona Felice, our expert stylists are at the forefront of the latest hair trends and techniques, ready to help you pick the perfect highlight to match your personal style and hair type. They use their deep understanding of different highlighting methods to ensure that your new look enhances your natural beauty and aligns with your individuality. Plus, they’ll guide you on how to care for your highlights to keep your hair looking vibrant and polished, boosting your confidence with a style that leaves a lasting impression.