As spring approaches and we get the lighter nights and the brighter days we start to think about going lighter with our hair, highlights are a great way of getting the hair lighter. We have all heard the words… highlights, foliage, lowlights, slicing and balayage, but do we really know what they all are and what they mean? Here is the history of the highlights from cap highlight’s back in the 80’s, then chunky sliced black and blonde foils in the 90s. It’s amazing just how far highlighting has come over the years and why they are now so costly.
Highlights have always been very popular, dating back to ancient Greece when women would mix olive oil, lemon juice and pollen, apply it to their hair and lay in direct sunlight all day. We are far too busy for all of that so things had to change.
It wasn’t until the 60s that the highlighting process was created using a plastic skullcap technique which would be taped to your face. A small hook was then used to poke holes in the cap and pull fine strands of hair out, an innovative technique but a very uncomfortable experience for the client and this is the reason it is very rarely used today. Highlighting had evolved even further by the 80s and the “foiling method” had been developed by slices of hair being painted with bleach and folded into squares of aluminium foil.
Highlights today
Gone are the days of everyone having the same cap highlights, or the same basic technique with foiling. Highlights these days are bespoke, which is why the pricing now reflects the time, technique and products used, one cap does not fit all!
Each foil is carefully thought out to give maximum impact – it is art work for us and you are our canvas!
There are so many ways to highlight; face framing, halo, scattered to break up block colour, back to back fine weaves to blend in large roots, the list is endless!
Our techniques have changed massively over the years, meaning it takes longer to create such an effortless look which requires less maintenance than the traditional approach.
Highlights require LOTS of maintenance. After your first highlight appointment, your stylist will likely suggest that you come back every 6 weeks or so to get them redone. If you don’t get them done regularly, it’ll be really noticeable that you need a touch up!
You may pay more initially, but you will require fewer appointments to achieve the desired look as the grow out can be softer and more of a blend, but what about our products? It’s not just about weaving some pieces of hair and popping them in a foil until they are done.
What you need to know?
YOU NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF HIGHLIGHT YOU WANT
You heard that right—you’re actually rather spoilt for choice when it comes to highlighting techniques. Each one has drastically different results:
Traditional Highlights are strands of hair woven out of select sections and lightened from root to end. In between each highlight is some natural hair, which gives the hair dimension.
Babylights are strands of hair woven from different sections, they differ from traditional highlights in that they are painted in much finer sections. As a result, they make your hair look more sun-kissed as opposed to highlighted, and they offer a natural-looking blend of colours within the hair.
Lowlights – Let’s get this straight, lowlights are not highlights. We’ve included them in this list as they are an inevitable part of the highlighting process, but it’s important to note that they are a completely different thing.
Specifically, they are used to reintroduce depth into hair that has been highlighted over a long period of time (as time goes on, more and more strands end up lightened and you lose dimension). Like highlights, they are woven strands of hair that are coloured. However, they are not achieved through lift or lightening of any kind. They are only ever the colour of your natural hair or darker.
Best Highlights for Blonde Hair
If you’re already blonde but want to add that va-va-voom look to your hair color, you have several options. Balayage is an excellent choice for a golden, melty glow. Babylights will illuminate your natural color for a delicately enhanced lift. Ombré can get you some beachy, easy-to-manage sun-kissed tips.
Best Highlights for Brown Hair
Brown hair can usually be slightly more challenging to highlight than lighter hair colors, so hair stylists may leverage foil-based highlights for subtle and more dramatic results. This means a stylist may use full and partial highlights or foilyage for your desired results. More likely than not, your stylist will also introduce pigment with golden or chestnut tones for more natural color.
Ready for the hair day of your dreams? Check out all of the amazing stylists at The Hair Base Salon.
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