- Hair highlights are a popular hair coloring technique that adds dimension and depth to your hair.
- They can be customized to complement your natural hair color or create a bold contrast for a dramatic effect.
- Hair highlights can enhance your facial features and provide a youthful, sun-kissed appearance.
- It’s essential to consult with a professional colorist to determine the best highlighting technique and shade for your hair type and desired look.
Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights often revolve around various aspects, including the best techniques for achieving a natural look, Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights for suitable colors for different hair types, and maintenance tips to keep highlights vibrant.
Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights People often inquire about the potential hair damage caused by highlighting and seek guidance on selecting the right stylist or doing it themselves at home.
Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights Additionally, concerns about the longevity of highlights and the frequency of touch-ups are common.
Overall, these questions about hair highlights reflect the desire for personalized advice to enhance the appearance of hair through highlights while ensuring its health and manageability.
Introducing the world of hair highlights—Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights an exciting realm where vibrant hues meet personal expression.
Many individuals seek to elevate their hairstyle with highlights, yet navigating the plethora of options and considerations can pose a daunting challenge.
The problem often lies in the overwhelming array of techniques, color choices, and maintenance requirements, leaving individuals unsure where to begin.
In response to this hair-highlight conundrum, taking decisive action becomes crucial. Understanding one’s style, consulting with a skilled colorist, and embracing the right maintenance routine are key steps towards achieving stunning highlights that seamlessly blend with one’s natural beauty.
The solution lies not just in the transformative power of highlights but in the thoughtful and informed choices made along the way, ensuring a head-turning result that mirrors individuality with flair.
Hair highlights are all the rage these days and are a great way to achieve a natural-looking change of color.
Whether you are a mature person looking to cover gray and create warmth around the face, or a brunette looking for a bit of sun-kissed softness, highlights are an excellent option.
However, this flattering and fashionable hair trend is often an expensive and time-consuming process that needs lots of care and attention to maintain.
In fact, there are many things to consider before you embark on your highlighting journey, and if you have hesitations and queries, you are not alone.
Luckily, we have compiled a list of the 12 questions about hair highlights so that you can swat up on your knowledge and find out all there is to know about going golden!
Before You Get Started With Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights
- Hair Type and Condition: Consider if your hair is strong enough to withstand the highlighting process.
- Professional Consultation: Schedule a consultation with a skilled colorist. Discuss your hair goals and get recommendations based on your hair type and preferences.
- Highlighting Technique: Choose a highlighting technique that suits your desired look. Foil highlights for precision, balayage for a natural effect, or ombre for a gradient look.
- Allergy Testing: If you’re using a new product or trying hair color for the first time, perform an allergy test to avoid adverse reactions.
- Quality of Products: Use high-quality hair color products to achieve the best results and protect the health of your hair.
Question 1 – Are Highlights Bad For Your Hair?
This is absolutely the most frequently asked question when it comes to hair highlights, and you might not like the answer.
Put simply, yes, having your hair highlighted can cause damage, but so will any heat or chemical hair treatments.
Because highlights contain a bleaching element, the process will dry out your hair fibers and can increase the risk of breakage and split ends.
People who have lots of highlights regularly over many years risk the condition of their hair becoming dry and brittle and the shine becoming dulled.
Overuse of highlights, and too frequent use, can even cause hair to fall out and become thin. However, it is not all doom and gloom.
If you allow your hair time to grow and recover between treatments, and if you look after your hair properly after treatments, then highlights do not need to be damaging to your hair.
To combat the drying out of fibers, you should apply intensive moisturizing hair masks once weekly. You should also avoid using too many heat treatments and appliances on highlighted hair, and put your hairdryer in a cool setting.
You should also avoid having highlights retouched too often, as applying bleach on top of bleach weakens the hair and causes it to snap and shrink.
Some excellent home treatments for highlighted hair include – olive oil, argan oil, coconut oil, egg whites, and avocado!
Question 2 – How Long Do Highlights Last?
As highlights contain bleach they are technically permanent, however, this does not mean that they do not need to be looked after.
The golden color of highlights can become brassy and dulled if not properly cared for, and this can happen as quickly as three weeks after your treatment. The best way to avoid this fading is to use a purple or violet shampoo at least once every three weeks.
Purple shampoos reinvigorate the color and shine of highlighted hair fibers and prevent them from becoming brassy.
You can further extend the lifespan of your highlights by not washing your hair too frequently. Over-washing will cause the color and luster of your locks to fade, so sticking to once weekly washes is best.
Using dry shampoo in between is a great tip for those whose hair becomes greasy.
Of course, highlights ultimately last as long as it takes for your hair to grow.
Most people find that their roots require retouching after 2-3 months, however, it is essential not to get your roots done too soon, or you will risk damaging the follicles and causing the hair to break at the root.
Question 3 – Can You Get Rid Of Highlights?
As highlights contain bleach it is not possible for your hair to return to its natural color once the treatment has been applied. This is because bleach strips hair fibers of their color.
However, just because highlights are not reversible, does not mean they are not changeable.
There are a few ways in which you can switch up your hair after highlights if you fancy a change or do not like the results.
The most obvious way is to wait for your natural hair to grow through. The new hair that grows at the root will not be highlighted and if left alone it will grow back in your original color and tone.
However, this can take a very long time and many people find the process too frustrating.
An alternative option is to color over your highlights with a different color hair dye. If you choose to do this it is important to choose a dye that is free from bleach and to do a patch test on a small area in order to see how the color reacts to the highlights.
It is wise to match the hair dye to your natural hair color if you want your roots to blend seamlessly in as they grow.
Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights Guide on Achieving Stunning Highlights
- Hair Texture: Different hair textures (straight, wavy, curly) can impact how highlights appear.
- Hair Porosity: High porosity may result in quicker color fading, so discuss with your colorist for appropriate solutions.
- Color Gradation: If opting for multiple colors or shades, discuss with your colorist to ensure a smooth and flattering color gradation.
- Color Correction Possibilities: Understand the possibilities and challenges of color correction if you decide to change or adjust your highlights later
Question 4 – Can You Go Swimming With Highlights?
We have all heard the horror stories of those whose highlights went green on holiday after she spent too long in the swimming pool. There are even some stories of people’s hair falling out after their highlights reacted badly with the chlorine.
Although these stories sound far-fetched, they are not entirely implausible. Swimming pool water does in fact contain chemicals that can react badly with the bleach used in highlights.
To prevent any hair disasters it is best not to go swimming for at least a week after having highlights put in, and to be sure to have washed your hair thoroughly at least once since your treatment.
The chemicals used in the treatment will become weakened and diluted with washing and time, so you will be able to swim in peace after this.
However, it is good practice to wear a swimming cap and to condition your hair well after exposing it to chlorine.
Question 5 – How Soon Should You Wash Your Hair After Highlights?
In the same way that you should wait for a week before you go swimming, it is advisable to wait a week before washing your hair after highlights too.
This is because the hairdresser will have used nourishing and moisturizing products to protect and soothe your hair after the chemical treatment. These products need time to work, and if you wash them off too soon you will leave your hair exposed to unnecessary damage and trauma.
Even if you are tempted to wash and restyle your hair after highlights, remember that it has been through a lot and needs time to recover.
Question 6 – What Is The Difference Between Caps and Foils?
Caps and foils are both techniques for applying highlights and different hairdressers and salons favor different methods. Neither method is better or worse than the other, however, they are generally used to achieve slightly different results.
Caps are the traditional way of applying highlights.
In this method, a plastic cap is used to cover the head and scalp and contain all the hair. Then the individual fibers are pulled through tiny holes in the cap so that they can have highlights applied to them without it touching the rest of their hair.
This technique is very time-consuming but is great for accuracy.
Hairdressers are able to isolate the exact hairs that they wish to highlight and place the little glints of golden warmth exactly where they would like them. This allows them to flatter the face and give the hair a rich and multi-toned look.
Foils are a more modern approach to highlights, and they tend to be quicker than caps (although they still take quite some time to complete).
With foils, the hair is split into small sections that are layered throughout the head. The highlight is applied to each section before it is encased in foil and left to develop.
Foils tend to work well for those with long hair, whereas caps are better for those with short hair.
Question 7 – What Is The Difference Between Highlights And Lowlights?
As obvious as it sounds, lowlights are the direct opposite of highlights. They involve darker shades being threaded through the hair in order to create the look of volume and depth.
Where highlights are used to make hair lighter and create softness, lowlights make hair darker and add definition and richness.
Lowlights and highlights are often used together to create a really natural look.
Natural hair is never all one block color, and using a combination of both highlights and lowlights can recreate this very successfully whilst enhancing the quality and vibrancy of those shifts in shade.
Lowlights are often placed on lower hairs that lie underneath the rest of your hair, and highlights are used on upper hairs that fall around the face and on top of the rest of your hair. This creates the illusion of volume and thickness underneath, whilst bringing femininity and softness to the surface.
Keep in Mind For Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights:
- Colorist’s Portfolio: Review your colorist’s portfolio to ensure they have experience with the specific highlighting technique you desire.
- Preventive Measures: Take preventive measures against potential damage, such as minimizing heat styling or using heat protectants.
- Seasonal Considerations: Think about the season and how it might impact your hair care routine. Sun, chlorine, and saltwater can affect color, so plan accordingly.
- Post-Color Treatment: Inquire about and plan for any recommended post-color treatments, such as toners or glosses, to enhance and maintain the color.
Question 8 – What Is The Difference Between Highlights and Hair Dye?
The key difference between applying hair dye and having highlights is that highlights result in a much more natural look.
This is due to the difference in application techniques between these two treatments. When you dye your hair, a block color is applied evenly to the whole head, resulting in a solid and uniform hair color once finished.
By contrast, highlights are applied to individual strands of hair in tiny sections. This means that the highlighted areas can be specifically chosen to flatter your face and lift your look.
As your natural hair is not all one flat color, highlighted hair mimics the nuanced appearance far more closely and results in a much more organic and life-like hairstyle.
However, highlights are much more tricky to achieve and hair dye is, therefore, more popular for those who like to do their own coloring at home.
Hair dyes also tend to be less damaging for your hair as most do not contain bleach and are less expensive to have done.
Question 9 – What Is The Difference Between Full And Half Head Highlights?
It is possible to have a full head of highlights whereby all the fibers of your hair are treated with bleach and color in order to achieve a full, blonde bombshell look.
Often, hairdressers will use a combination of a few different shades of blonde when doing a full head highlight, as this prevents the hair from looking blocky and one-dimensional.
Even when you are having a full head of highlights, hairdressers will leave a 1 cm gap at the very root of your hair. This is to avoid any bleach touching your delicate scalp and causing it to blister.
It is also because bleach expands as it develops and needs room to swell towards the root.
A half head of highlights is when a golden blonde color is applied to some of your hair, whilst the rest of your hair is left its original shade.
These highlights can be distributed evenly throughout the head or can be concentrated in certain areas like the front of the scalp and around the face.
You can choose to have as few or as many highlights as you like depending on the effect that you are hoping to achieve.
Fewer highlights can be subtle and add an extra dimension to your natural look, whereas more highlights can transform your look completely.
PRO TIP:
Ask your stylist for a technique like balayage or foiling that adds highlights strategically. Regular touch-ups can then be spaced out, minimizing the impact on your hair’s health while maintaining a gorgeous highlight look.
Question 10 – Are Highlights Bad If You Are Pregnant?
Lots of expectant mothers fear that having their hair highlighted might harm their unborn baby, however, this is not the case.
Although the body does absorb some of the chemicals used in highlights through the hair follicles in the scalp, it only absorbs very tiny amounts which are not harmful.
So don’t worry, if you are a mum-to-be, and you can see your roots desperately need retouching, you do not need to wait 9 months before heading to the salon. Treat yourself! You won’t adversely affect your baby.
Question 11- Is it better to use highlights or full color?
Full color is the technique of either darkening or lightening your entire natural hair, creates a one-dimensional effect, and is easily accomplished at home.
Dying is perfect for women with short hair, but remember that you will need to re-dye your hair every four to eight weeks.
Highlights, as previously stated, provide depth and volume to your hair. Highlights can last up to three months and come in a variety of methods, such as balayage and chunking.
Hair highlights are popular because they provide more styling options and a fuller look. Highlights are more expensive than full color, which may be done at home.
So, if you want a one-dimensional color, the full-color procedure is ideal, and if you wish for multi-toned colors, choose highlights.
Question 12- How Long Will the Highlights Procedure Take?
Depending on your hair type, length, and the style of highlights you want, the highlighting procedure might take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours.
The time it takes to receive highlights varies from salon to salon, so set aside a few hours for your highlight appointment.
Fun Fact
Did you know that using a dark-colored towel after getting your highlights can be a game-changer? The vibrant hues in your freshly highlighted hair can sometimes transfer onto light towels.
Final Thoughts
Hair highlights are a versatile way to add depth and dimension to your hair, enhancing your overall look.
While they can be stunning, it’s essential to choose a skilled colorist and invest in proper maintenance to keep your hair healthy and vibrant.
Commonly Asked Questions About Highlights Whether you opt for subtle sun-kissed strands or bold contrast, highlights creatively express your style and personality through your hair.
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