3 Must-Knows Before Highlighting Your Hair

Do-it-yourself (DIY) highlights are a great way to save money while achieving the style you want for your hair. It may seem intimidating at first, but with enough practice and experience, highlighting your hair will become an easy task. So before you get started, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about the process and leave no room for mistakes. 

In this article, you’ll learn three must-knows before you start highlighting your hair. Read on and learn these essential hair care tips.

The Look You Want To Achieve

Highlights – which are locks lightened to contrast the dominant hair color – are a style all by themselves. Highlights provide endless options to those looking to do something new with their hair, from the color or gradient of the highlight, the intensity, the placements, etc. You’ll also need to consider the texture of your hair, its length, and the shape of your head to find the ideal highlight style.

There are six types of highlights to choose from, with some more difficult to achieve than the others. Before attempting the more complex techniques, you’ll want to keep it safe and try traditional highlights first. Aside from the traditional highlights, the other five are:

• Babylights
• Balayage
• Foil-ayage/Foil
• Ombré
• Sombré

The Materials To Use

DIY highlights aren’t exactly the same as salon highlights where everything you’ll need is already in the location. In order to achieve the salon highlights look, you’ll need to gather the proper materials, such as a box-dye kit, mixing solutions, bleach, peroxide, and mixing bowls.

According to “Allure,” it’s best to stick with a boxed dye or bleach kit when planning to highlight your hair on your own. You won’t need to do the guesswork of finding the right ratios since everything is already prepackaged. Most also have the basic apparatus you’ll need as well as brushes ideal for application. Whatever the case, be sure to research the brands you’re looking into beforehand so that you can ascertain the quality and trustworthiness of the company. 

The Highlighting Process

Highlighting your hair is very similar to coloring it. It’s the same thing, technically, but you’re only coloring select parts to achieve the desired effect. So if you’re already familiar with the latter process, then DIY highlights shouldn’t be a major challenge. Of course, there’s still the matter of technique. Some, like balayage and foil, are more difficult to do on your own. You might want the advice of your stylist or a friend to help you out.

An unavoidable truth is that highlights do cause damage to your hair, and the process will weaken your hair and result in dryness, especially with chemicals like bleach at play. So as part of the highlight process, you’ll want to pay attention to maintenance and use quality conditioners to keep your hair healthy after you’ve completed the process.  

The Bottom Line

Highlighting your hair at home is an involved process. So if you’re unsure whether or not you are at the skill level resorting to DIY highlights requires, try visiting your stylist first. But if you’re really determined and willing to give it a try or certain that you can do it all by yourself, then use this guide to get you started.