Lowlights and highlights are partial dying techniques which can be used to add some depth and dimension to your hair colour when you don’t want to commit to a drastic change, but want a new look.
But, what is the difference between highlights and lowlights? Highlights lighten your hair and lowlights darken your hair. In short, lowlights are the exact opposite of highlights. So, now that you have made the decision to add some pizzazz to your look, which one would be right for you?
What highlights do is they brighten your hair by bleaching selected strands (Or chunks as is the fashion) of hair 2-3 shades lighter than your natural hair colour. Your highlighting shades will basically be gold, amber, red and honey.
Lowlights add contrast and colour to your hair by adding darker colours to blend with your hair’s natural tone. Typically 2-3 colours will be used and these are basically deep red, copper and plum shades.
Highlights and lowlights can be beautifully combined for a natural effect. Lowlights will make your highlights look more natural if you are a brunette belle. Red, copper and tortoise lowlights will add depth and dimension to darker hair. Brunettes should also remember to never go more than 3 shades lighter when highlighting. Red lowlights can make highlights look more natural, since brown hair goes through shades of red when it lightens naturally in the sun.
Gold and copper lowlights look fabulous on the fairer skinned blonde bombshells. Lowlights are also great for toning down that overly frosted, highlighted look that went out with leg warmers and headbands.
All hair-types react well to highlighting and lowlighting. Curly hair gains more depth with highlighting and lowlighting, and if you want more volume on your stok-straight hair, highlighting and lowlighting will create the illusion of pumped up hair!
This technique is also fab for disguising those pesky greys too!
Some things to avoid if you want to choose this technique:
• Don’t have it done if your hair is too short, it won’t have the proper effect, so you will only be wasting your money.
• Don’t go too light.
• Don’t have it done more than a maximum of 3 times a year to avoid damaging your crowning glory. Do use special products designed to protect coloured hair and make sure you treat your hair to hydrating products and masks to keep it soft and shiny.
• In winter, rather go a bit darker and keep the lighter highlights for summer to go with your golden tan.
Always consult a professional stylist to get the best advice on which shades of highlights and lowlights will suit your natural hair colour and complexion.
Article by: Maryanne Young http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/maryanne-young