If you’re not ready for a major hair color transformation just yet, adding highlights and lowlights is a great alternative. Instead of committing to a new hair color, you can always get lighter or darker accents to create a more dimensional look. So, without doing anything radical, you can refresh your natural hair shade with subtle undertones. Get your hair inspiration in our comprehensive guide to this popular hair colouring technique.
Highlights vs. Lowlights
Both highlights and lowlights are done with the same techniques, like balayage or foil highlight approach for a natural-looking mane. The difference between the two, however, is that in the case of lowlights, the locks get a darker shade, while for highlights, the shades are lighter than the base color. The techniques are low maintenance, but you must use the right hair products and tone your locks regularly to keep the new shade longer.
1. Honey Blonde Blend
Lowlights and highlights on blonde hair depend primarily on the skin tone and color of your eyes. A honey-blonde highlight suits a woman with a warmer skin tone, which creates a beautiful sun-kissed look.
via @sarabotsfordhair
2. Cream Caramel
Caramel tones are common color options for blonde hair with lowlights. It adds the overall richness to the base color, makign it glow from the inside. Remember to dye the roots to mid-shafts only for the best look.
via @maxgourgues
3. Ash Melt
Camouflaging gray hair with lowlights or highlights is a great trick. The best idea is to go in for cool tones as highlights, and for lowlights, use colors closer to the color of your natural hair.
via @seolahair
4. Salt and Pepper
Matching your salt and pepper hair pattern is a long but rewarding process that will help you embrace your naturally gray strands faster. After getting rid of the old hair dye, you’ll get a customised hair color that looks fabulous.
via @jackmartincolorist
5. Caramel Balayage
Women with a darker color mane, like dark brown, can use highlight or lowlight techniques to revamp their looks. Rich caramel accents blended nicely with the rest of the hair are perfect for the interplay of colors.
via @tatisantosbcg
6. Dusty Chocolate
Dark lowlights give a natural and beautiful glow to your hair. Go in for chocolate and ashy hues for a more natural look. They will add depth to your hair without making dramatic changes to the original hair tone.
via @ryleelovelace_
7. Hazelnut Coffee
Brown hair can be highlighted through the balayage technique to help your tresses light up in the sun. Adding lowlights will give it dimension and make it look thicker.
via @live_love_dohair
8. Mocha Brown
This combination of brown tones is great example of perfectly chosen lowlights and highlight. Darker shades create delicious lowlights that look natural on the original hair tone, while lighter brown strands highlight the hair beautifully.
via @hairbyceannearp
9. Silver Babylights
Blending lowlights and highlights is another technique to add both shade and light to your tresses. Your hairstylist can go in for four shades, blend through different strands, and sweep sections seamlessly for a multi-dimensional feel and look.
via @locksbylauryn
10. Metallic
This gorgeous hair tone is mostly achieved through picking up very thin strands and toning them down for a more subdued shade of silver. The color looks even and smooth, allowing for natural shine and silky finish.
via @skylacolors
11. Butter Blonde
Adding lowlights is a popular technique to break the monotony of a dull color that lacks shine after bleach. The monotone color of bleached tresses can be given a fresh look by dyeing a few strands in darker colors. Blonde hair with lowlights gives an impactful turnaround and makeover to your mane.
via @paintitblonde
12. Sandy Root Melt
If you want a more subtle transition between your natural hair color and your chosen shade of blonde highlights, root smudge is your best option. It will help lighter shades play out nicely on your hair, creating a soft brightening effect.
via @hairbychrissydanielle
13. Flaming Red
This red hair color is lit up from the inside with the lowlight technique using a coppery shade. Let your hairstylist blend the red shades with your natural color for a vibrant feel.
via @gerilynghaisarzadeh
14. Poppy Red Dip
To tone down your bright red hue, you don’t need to switch to a different hair color. Just dip your tips in black dye and brush the length with the same tone for more depth and dimension.
via @makeupbyfrances
15. Iced Espresso
Rich coffee or espresso brown also looks good on your dark black hair. Lowlights should be just a few shades darker, added for subtle changes to your black hair. The highlight shade should be close to the base color. For black hair and dark skin tone, cool tones work best.
via @deepcouture_
16. Golden Brown Swirls
If you have dark brown hair, you can use golden highlights to keep your tresses on the brighter side. They will give your tresses a warm feel. For lowlights, go in for shades darker.
via @slickback_buttahtoast
17. Smokey Blonde
Baby lowlights always come with a softer tone, complimenting your original hair tone and making it look more shiny and radiant. Only a small section of hair is highlighted with the foil or balayage technique. Whether you want a dark-to-blonde transition or get a more natural look, use this technique.
via @hairbylily408
18. Stone Blonde
For a more dimensional look with both lowlights and lowlights on your blonde mane, you’ll need to color micro-strands of your hair to create a subtle and more natural look. This method works great for thin hair, creating a thicker feel.
via @hairbylisamathews
19. Tiramisu
An excellent hair color idea for brunettes is to mix and match lowlights and highlights, using contrasting and complimenting shades. It results in a beautiful layering of colors, revealing a head-turning combination.
via @stephanie_stylist
20. Dark Chocolate
By adding chocolate lowlights to your dark strands, you make your natural hair tone deeper and more expensive. It gives your hair a unique warmth and shows off its thickness along with a silky texture.
via @marlisestyles
Discover the latest hair color ideas to choose your next makeover. Elevate your hair with depth and dimension for a stunning look.