Understanding 3 kinds of highlights to find out which suits you!

The difference between balayage and highlights

Highlights, unlike single-color dyeing, involve sectioning the hair and bleaching or coloring specific parts to create color contrast and add layers, resulting in a more dimensional hair color style.

There are various types of highlights, such as ear loop highlights and inner highlights, which have distinct color blocks and are the most common general highlighting techniques. Another type of highlighting, balayage, creates a mixed-race look with blurred boundaries between sections, and can be divided into different effects: balayage, stripe highlights, and light highlights. With spring 2023 arriving, Kelly suggests transitioning from the dull winter hair colors to warm tones like orange and coffee red to enhance your complexion.

What are stripe highlights, light highlights, and balayage?

Stripe highlights, light highlights, and balayage often confuse people, with most using the term "gradient" to describe them. However, from a hairstylist's perspective, the complexity of these techniques varies, and they can be chosen based on the client's acceptance of different hair colors. The commonality among these techniques is that they all recommend bleaching. Kelly explains that for people with coarse, thick hair or dark dyed base colors, without bleaching, the highlighted areas will blend with the base color. Bleaching is necessary to create distinct lines that contrast with the base color.

Balayage 

Balayage, also known as Ombre, typically features a gradient color transition from dark roots to lighter ends. It is the most classic type of gradient dyeing. Because the roots remain mostly dark, it is ideal for those who dislike visible root regrowth. Kelly notes that the technique requires precise control of proportions. The transition from dark roots to the mid-lengths and the lightened ends must be seamless; otherwise, a poorly designed balayage can detract from the overall effect.

Stripe highlights 

Stripe highlights, also known as Sombre, are an advanced version of balayage. Compared to balayage, Sombre requires softer transitions and emphasizes adding more definition at the roots. This technique results in a brighter look than balayage, with softer hairlines when tied up. Due to the finer details in the highlighted lines, Kelly considers it the most subtle of the three techniques. "To make the hair color look more sophisticated, you can pair it with cool-toned 'blue' highlights."

Light highlights

Light highlights emphasize the shadow between the lines. The most important goal is to achieve a natural interplay of light and dark hair colors, making it look as if light is shining through the strands when exposed to sunlight. If not done well, the entire head can look messy, which is why Kelly believes light highlights are more challenging.

How to choose the right balayage for yourself?

High-contrast balayage highlights

For those who are more open to trying noticeable colors, Kelly recommends "light highlights" or "balayage." Since these techniques involve a larger bleached area, there is more room for a wider range of highlight colors, resulting in more noticeable contrast. Using a mix of cool and warm tones can create a greater visual impact. Kelly suggests choosing violet-red for the lighter highlight areas, with a cool brown or blue-black base color. For those with even higher acceptance, a lighter coffee color for the base can be considered.

Subtle balayage highlights

If you prefer less noticeable colors, you can opt for "stripe highlights," which can achieve great results even without bleaching. For women bleaching their hair for the first time, Kelly advises choosing a more conservative cool-toned base color, such as cool brown or black-blue, with highlights in milk tea or cool gray. This color combination gives a sophisticated look.

Balayage suggestions for short hair

Due to the length limitations, short-haired women have fewer styling options compared to those with long hair. Light highlights and balayage are not very suitable for short-haired women because the effect of color placement in short hair does not look as good as in long hair. Kelly suggests that short-haired women opt for stripe highlights, ear loop highlights, or skirt highlights.

How to maintain balayage hair color?

No matter the type of bleaching or highlighting style, using the right hair products can extend the longevity of the hair color. Bleached hair typically starts to fade as soon as it comes into contact with water. After balayage, you can use color-protecting shampoo and toning shampoo during the first wash at home. Two weeks later, switch to using color-depositing shampoo, which can generally extend the color's longevity to a month.

How to choose the color of color-depositing shampoo for balayage?

Initially, you can choose the color of the color-depositing shampoo based on your base color. If you want to switch to a different color, Kelly suggests stopping the use of the current color-depositing shampoo and using regular cleansing shampoo to gradually wash out the previous color. After that, you can choose a cool or warm-toned color-depositing shampoo based on your preference. This helps to avoid pigment residue, which can cause color buildup and uneven washing.

Further reading: 【Recommended color-depositing shampoos: "MCG Color-Depositing Shampoo" with 7 built-in colors to choose from! How to evaluate the colors to use?】

After reading about balayage, light highlights, and stripe highlights, you should have a clearer idea of how to communicate your desired look with your hairstylist. Ready for a makeover? You can find more information about the hairstylist below and click on Kelly's contact details to see more of her work and schedule a makeover.

Recommended balayage hair stylist in Miaoli 

Beautiful Moment - Kelly

Kelly's instagram: @kelly__0212

Line (appointment hotline): @450aeplj

Address: No. 152, Fuchien Road, Miaoli City, Miaoli County 360, Taiwan