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Ready to cheat on your natural hair color? We fully support it. 😏
Highlights are like the espresso shot your haircut didn’t know it needed. Just enough lift to wake things up without overdoing it.
From ash-toned ribbons to chunky caramel streaks, there's a highlight technique for every style (and level of commitment).
Scroll down for highlight inspiration that doesn’t involve a full-on hair crisis. Just solid color choices and expert styling to match.
1. Soft Ash Mocha Waves with Dimensional Highlights
This style features voluminous, mid-length waves enhanced by soft ash mocha coloring. Dimensional highlights throughout create a multi-tonal effect, offering both depth and radiance. Ideal for those seeking a balance between earthy and cool tones, this look works beautifully on layered, wavy textures.
2. Precision Straight Bob with Neutral Caramel Highlights
A sleek, chin-grazing bob meets finely placed neutral caramel highlights for a polished appearance. The precise cut emphasizes symmetry and structure, while the subtle contrast in the highlights enhances movement and adds shine to every strand. Perfect for a modern, office-ready finish.
3. High-Contrast Platinum Face Frame on Deep Brown Waves
Long, voluminous waves paired with a rich deep brown base get a high-impact upgrade with platinum blonde face-framing highlights. The placement brightens the complexion and accentuates facial features, while the length allows for dramatic styling flexibility. A bold yet wearable update to long hairstyles.
4. Midnight Blue Highlights on Sleek Jet Black Layers
Layers of jet black hair are infused with a deep blue tone, creating a luxurious and edgy finish. The color subtly catches the light without overwhelming the natural base, making it a standout choice for those wanting something vivid yet refined. Best suited for medium to long hair with soft movement.
5. Smoky Violet Highlights on Precision French Bob
A short French bob gains extra dimension with smoky violet highlights layered over a dark base. The color adds a modern twist without overpowering the cut, offering a sophisticated take on statement tones. Ideal for straight or slightly textured hair to showcase the gradient.
6. Ash Shadow Root Melt with Silver Balayage Ends
This mid-length hairstyle features a seamless shadow root melt transitioning into silver balayage ends. The soft gradient effect gives the illusion of fuller hair while maintaining a natural grow-out. It’s a low-maintenance style with high-impact contrast, perfect for those who appreciate elegance with an edge.
7. Cool Beige Highlights on Long Straight Layers
Long, straight layers are detailed with cool beige highlights that softly contrast with the natural brown base. The even distribution of highlights brings lightness without overprocessing, allowing for a clean and healthy shine. A subtle update that works well for classic haircuts.
8. Mushroom Brown Curls with Subtle Champagne Ribbons
Mushroom brown coloring gets a sophisticated lift with champagne-toned ribbons running through loosely defined curls. The tonal pairing keeps the look soft and dimensional, enhancing the wave pattern while maintaining a neutral warmth. A flattering option for those embracing natural movement.
9. Feathered Layers with Honey Beige Highlights
This style combines feathery, shoulder-length layers with honey beige highlights that blend into the natural base. The result is a dynamic and airy silhouette, making it especially flattering for finer hair types. The highlights add structure and brightness, working well in both casual and styled finishes.
10. Golden Sand Beach Waves with Multi-Tonal Streaks
Loose, beach-inspired waves are brought to life with golden sand coloring and strategically placed multi-tonal streaks. The high-shine finish gives the style a reflective quality, emphasizing the waves and adding fluidity. A flattering match for warmer complexions and sunlit seasons.
11. Bold Panel Highlights on Deep Copper Waves
Thick panels of golden blonde, copper, and espresso black create a dramatic striped effect on long, flowing waves. This high-contrast application delivers intensity and movement, perfect for layered cuts that showcase color placement with each curl and flick.
12. Muted Mushroom Brown with Ash Highlights
This softly layered lob features a mushroom brown base accentuated by ash-toned highlights. The subtle lift around the edges keeps the finish polished and luminous, ideal for a modern update that maintains a naturally cool profile.
13. Fine Ash Blonde Ribbons on Sleek Brunette Layers
Precision-cut brunette strands are lifted with delicate ash blonde ribbons that create a light-reflective surface without overwhelming the base. This look balances sleekness with dimension and works best on straight or ironed finishes.
14. Steel Blue Tones on Classic Bob Cut
A modern bob gets a cool-toned makeover with steel blue highlights blended throughout a dark charcoal base. The blunt shape emphasizes the contrast, while the overall tone delivers a stylish edge for those drawn to contemporary finishes.
15. Rose Gold and Magenta Highlights on Tousled Layers
Warm blonde, magenta, and rose tones run through mid-length layers to build contrast and texture. This color pairing adds richness to the hair's natural depth, perfect for creating a statement look with motion and vibrancy.
16. Bronze Caramel Highlights on Smooth Dark Bob
Subtle bronze caramel strands enhance this shoulder-length bob, offering depth and warmth without overt brightness. The application is fine and consistent, providing a natural lift and sheen under ambient lighting.
17. Silky Rose Beige with Soft Champagne Highlights
This long, voluminous wave style features a rose beige base interlaced with soft champagne-toned highlights. The seamless blend delivers a delicate finish, offering the illusion of fuller, more radiant strands.
18. Icy Silver Balayage on Soft Layered Volume
Thick, layered volume meets icy silver balayage concentrated at the front and mid-lengths. The color lightens the overall appearance without flattening the shape, especially effective on textured blowouts or rounded layer cuts.
19. Espresso and Chestnut Highlights on Tousled Medium Waves
Rich espresso roots flow into chestnut-toned highlights that bring contrast to this shoulder-length wavy cut. The highlights are applied with a soft gradient effect that builds movement and depth throughout each strand.
20. Golden Toffee Highlights on Classic Soft Waves
Golden toffee strands run through light brown waves in this timeless look. The highlights are feathered in for a soft, seamless transition, enhancing natural texture and bounce with a gentle light-catching effect.
21. Textured Waves with Ash Beige Highlights
Loose, mid-length waves are elevated with cool ash beige highlights layered over a natural dark brown base. The blend creates contrast while enhancing volume, making this style especially effective for adding movement to thicker textures.
22. Silver Ash Highlights on Feathered Layers
Medium-length feathered layers are brightened with silver ash highlights, giving the hair dimension and brilliance. The color placement follows the cut’s shape, highlighting the flipped-out ends and creating lift around the perimeter.
23. Cinnamon Caramel Highlights on Soft Barrel Layers
Smooth, structured layers are warmed up with cinnamon and caramel tones that give off a sunlit effect. These highlights run through a deep brunette base and emphasize the curled-under layers, adding richness to the overall shape.
24. Cool Champagne Blonde Highlights on Tousled Lob
A shoulder-grazing lob is brought to life with champagne blonde highlights applied over a sandy beige base. The highlights add shimmer and soft brightness to the tousled texture, giving the cut a fresh, luminous quality.
25. Golden Bronze Highlights on Long Loose Curls
This style features soft, flowing curls with golden bronze highlights placed throughout a medium brunette base. The hand-painted technique creates natural contrast, ideal for clients seeking warmth without an overprocessed finish.
