To highlight, babylight, or lowlight? That is the question. Whether you’re looking to add depth, brighten your features, or simply seeking a new look, we’re here to help you decide on the best technique for you.
Hair artistry isn’t just about perfecting the colouring technique – it’s about guiding you through the myriads of options available, to find a style that really fits with your personality. That’s why understanding the difference between babylights and highlights can make all the difference.
So, if you’re ready to add some highlighting and contouring to your features - sans makeup - read on!
However, even the most modern method of creating highlights, such as the targeted lightening of hair strands, has been around for over 40 years. The original “highlight process” developed in the 60s’ used plastic caps through which locks of hair were pulled using a hooked needle, so they could be isolated for bleaching. Then came the 80s, and the introduction of the foiling method, where slices of hair were highlighted with lightening mixes and folded up into strips of foil.
Whilst the highlighting process has evolved over time, today it still remains one of the most popular services requested in salons.
Highlights Technique - Application on Model
Highlights are applied using the foil or balayage techniques:
Application: hair is sectioned into small strands then a lightening solution is applied to each section and wrapped in foil to retain the heat. After 10-30 minutes, depending on the desired effect, the hair is rinsed and toned.
Application: your colourist will use a brush to paint a lightening agent onto your hair using sweeping motions. The lightener is left to process in open air for a softer effect. After 10-30 minutes, hair is rinsed and toned.
Salon expert tips: Highlight your hair to match your skin tone for the most complementing effect. For warm skin tones, tone your highlights with a golden or honey toner such as the Dia Light 9.3 shade. If you have a cooler skin tone, use a purple shampoo like the Blondifier Cool to neutralise any unwanted warm tones.
But what types of hair highlights can you get? Here’s the most popular salon requests:
Lowlights Balayage - Application on Model
Application: strands are sectioned and either semi-permanent or permanent hair dye is applied, either using balayage brushstrokes for a more natural effect or hair sections for a bolder contrast. Hair is washed and styled.
Salon Expert Tips: keep your lowlights looking fresh and vibrant for longer by using a colour protect shampoo from our Vitamino Colour Spectrum range.
One of the main attractions of the babylights technique is that it can be applied to any hair colour and any length. They are also a great way to introduce colour if you fancy a change of hair style but don't want anything too drastic. Babylights are very natural, subtle and most importantly low maintenance.
Babylights Technique on Model for Sunkissed Blonde Hair
They offer you a different refreshed look while making hair appear luscious and healthy. Your hairdresser will be able to help you choose the appropriate shade to match your individual skin tone and achieve the best colour result.
Application: to create the look, your hairdresser should focus on three areas: your hairline, natural parting, and the ends of the hair. The highlights should be super fine around the hairline and natural parting, with a soft graduation of colour that is lighter at the ends. The overall appearance is more natural, as if your hair has been naturally lightened by the sun.
Salon expert tips: By using mixed tones, your hairdresser can help to accentuate the natural beauty of the babylights. Alternating foils with our Majirel Highlift will give a clean yet multidimensional colour. Oxidants can also be varied to give extra lightness on the ends for the sun-kissed effect. To give the overall look a bespoke touch, gloss the entire hair with DIA Light.
Opted for lowlights? Keep them looking vibrant and salon-fresh with our Vitamino Colour Spectrum range.
Hair artistry isn’t just about perfecting the colouring technique – it’s about guiding you through the myriads of options available, to find a style that really fits with your personality. That’s why understanding the difference between babylights and highlights can make all the difference.
So, if you’re ready to add some highlighting and contouring to your features - sans makeup - read on!
History of Hair Highlights
For centuries, women have used a variety of techniques to satisfy their desire to lighten their hair. From the days of using lemons and mixtures containing honey, technology has advanced to using hair colourants and lighteners.However, even the most modern method of creating highlights, such as the targeted lightening of hair strands, has been around for over 40 years. The original “highlight process” developed in the 60s’ used plastic caps through which locks of hair were pulled using a hooked needle, so they could be isolated for bleaching. Then came the 80s, and the introduction of the foiling method, where slices of hair were highlighted with lightening mixes and folded up into strips of foil.
Whilst the highlighting process has evolved over time, today it still remains one of the most popular services requested in salons.
What are Highlights?
Highlights involves taking strands of hair and making them lighter, creating a contrasting effect with the rest of your hair colour. Whether you’re a brunette or a blonde, you can get hair highlights in differing shades: from icy platinum and warm honey to rich toffee, or even pastel colours.Highlights Technique - Application on Model
Highlights are applied using the foil or balayage techniques:
Foil Highlights
Effect: bolder, more noticeable and contrasted highlights.Application: hair is sectioned into small strands then a lightening solution is applied to each section and wrapped in foil to retain the heat. After 10-30 minutes, depending on the desired effect, the hair is rinsed and toned.
Balayage Highlights
Effect: subtler, more natural highlights.Application: your colourist will use a brush to paint a lightening agent onto your hair using sweeping motions. The lightener is left to process in open air for a softer effect. After 10-30 minutes, hair is rinsed and toned.
Salon expert tips: Highlight your hair to match your skin tone for the most complementing effect. For warm skin tones, tone your highlights with a golden or honey toner such as the Dia Light 9.3 shade. If you have a cooler skin tone, use a purple shampoo like the Blondifier Cool to neutralise any unwanted warm tones.
But what types of hair highlights can you get? Here’s the most popular salon requests:
Full Head Highlights
Whether you’re opting for foil or balayage, a full head of highlights involves applying lightening agent throughout, blending it in with your existing hair colour.Half Head Highlights
With a half head of highlights, they are only applied to the top layer and sides of your hair, usually around your hairline to create a sculpted effect.Partial Highlights
What are partial highlights? The process is the same but involves the strategic application of highlights only to certain areas, most commonly at the front and throughout the parting to frame your face.What are Lowlights?
If hair highlights are all about adding layers of brightness to your visage, lowlights go for the opposite effect – adding depth and contrast by darkening sections of hair. Your hair colourist will be able to help you find the right darker shade for your features and personality.Lowlights Balayage - Application on Model
How are Lowlights Done?
Effect: more depth, appearance of more volume.Application: strands are sectioned and either semi-permanent or permanent hair dye is applied, either using balayage brushstrokes for a more natural effect or hair sections for a bolder contrast. Hair is washed and styled.
Salon Expert Tips: keep your lowlights looking fresh and vibrant for longer by using a colour protect shampoo from our Vitamino Colour Spectrum range.
What are Babylights?
Babylights are very delicate, blonde highlights created using a fine colour technique that mimics the effect of naturally sun-kissed hair.One of the main attractions of the babylights technique is that it can be applied to any hair colour and any length. They are also a great way to introduce colour if you fancy a change of hair style but don't want anything too drastic. Babylights are very natural, subtle and most importantly low maintenance.
Babylights Technique on Model for Sunkissed Blonde Hair
They offer you a different refreshed look while making hair appear luscious and healthy. Your hairdresser will be able to help you choose the appropriate shade to match your individual skin tone and achieve the best colour result.
How to Do Babylights
Effect: natural, sun-kissed, and subtle.Application: to create the look, your hairdresser should focus on three areas: your hairline, natural parting, and the ends of the hair. The highlights should be super fine around the hairline and natural parting, with a soft graduation of colour that is lighter at the ends. The overall appearance is more natural, as if your hair has been naturally lightened by the sun.
Salon expert tips: By using mixed tones, your hairdresser can help to accentuate the natural beauty of the babylights. Alternating foils with our Majirel Highlift will give a clean yet multidimensional colour. Oxidants can also be varied to give extra lightness on the ends for the sun-kissed effect. To give the overall look a bespoke touch, gloss the entire hair with DIA Light.
Babylights Vs Highlights Vs Lowlights
Still unsure whether to get highlights or lowlights? And what about babylights? Here’s our quick and easy chart to help you decide which style to choose:| Babylights | Highlights | Lowlights | |
|---|---|---|---|
| More Natural | ✓ | both | both |
| Sculpting | ✘ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Contrasting | ✘ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bolder Looking | ✘ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lower Maintenance | ✓ | ✘ | ✓ |
| Higher Maintenance | ✘ | ✓ | ✘ |
| Foil Application | both | both | ✘ |
| Uses Bleach | ✓ | ✓ | ✘ |
| Needs Toning | ✓ | ✓ | ✘ |
How Do I Care for Highlights, Lowlights, and Babylights?
To help maintain and enhance your new colour at home, we recommend using Blondifier Cool Shampoo from the Serie Expert Blondifier Range. This range works to brighten and enhance the appearance of multi-dimensional blonde and highlighted hair, giving your highlights high definition. Formulated to target the highlighted strands, it leaves them looking brilliantly accentuated with an added radiant shine.Opted for lowlights? Keep them looking vibrant and salon-fresh with our Vitamino Colour Spectrum range.
FAQs
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What is a half head of highlights?
Rather than highlighting and blending in strands all over your head, half head highlights are usually only applied throughout the parting, hairline and sides. -
What's the difference between highlights and lowlights?
The highlight technique lightens chosen hair strands, whereas the lowlight technique does the opposite – it uses hair dye in darker shades to create contrast and depth. -
Do highlights fade?
Yes – unfortunately as with all dyes, highlights too can fade over time. UV rays, washing your hair, heat, and hard water can all contribute. To help your highlights last longer protect your hair from the sun using hats or sun protector serums and use specially formulated shampoos to keep your colour vibrant.