Choosing Between Highlights and Lowlights

Have you ever craved a hair color change, but a full head of dye seems a bit too much? Highlights and lowlights offer a fantastic way to add depth, dimension, and richness to your natural hair color without a complete overhaul. But what's the difference between these two techniques?

Shine On: The Power of Highlights

Highlights lighten sections of your hair, typically 2-3 shades brighter than your base color. This creates a sun-kissed effect, mimicking natural hair lightening from the sun.  Highlights can be used to:

• Brighten your overall look: Strategically placed highlights around the face can add a youthful glow.

• Add dimension: Highlights break up a single shade of hair color, creating a more interesting and textured look.

• Camouflage grays: Well-placed highlights can help blend out unwanted gray hair which a lot of people like to conceal.

Going Deeper: The Allure of Lowlights

Lowlights take the opposite approach, adding darker tones to your hair. These deeper shades, usually 2-3 shades darker than your base color, create a richer and more natural look. Lowlights can be used to:

• Add depth and dimension: Lowlights add contrast to your hair color, making it appear thicker and fuller.

• Warm up cool tones: For those with cool-toned hair who want to add some warmth, lowlights with auburn or caramel hues can achieve a stunning effect.

• Blend harsh highlights: Lowlights can help soften the appearance of overly blonde highlights, creating a more natural transition.

The Perfect Match: Highlights and Lowlights Together

While both techniques can be used independently, stylists often combine highlights and lowlights for a truly stunning result. This adds a beautiful multi-dimensional effect that mimics the natural variations in hair color.

Choosing Your Path: Highlights vs. Lowlights

Ultimately, the choice between highlights and lowlights depends on your desired outcome. Here's a quick guide:

• For a brighter, sun-kissed look: Go for highlights. This option is highly popular in the summer when people want to go lighter on their hair without fully committing to a new shade of blonde. 

• For more depth and dimension: Choose lowlights. Not only are lowlights great for adding depth and dimension, but they’re awesome for covering up gray hair too!  

• For a natural, multi-dimensional look: Combine highlights and lowlights. Strategic placement is key, of course!

No matter what you choose, consulting with a professional hairstylist is always recommended. They can assess your hair color and recommend the perfect technique to achieve your desired look.