How to Darken Half of a Head's Highlights

Highlights and undertones work together to give hair color its structure.

Highlights and undertones are equally important for creating dynamic hair color. Sometimes a set of highlights are too bright; this can drown out the darker undertones. Hair color that is too light for your skin tone can also make under-eye circles, paleness and blemishes more apparent. Bright highlights may be particularly prominent on one side of the head if you part your hair to the side. In this case, you will want to darken only half of the head's highlights.

Things You'll Need

• Dark hair dye
• Highlight application brush
• Hair clips
• Hair pins
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Choose the highlights you want to darken on half of your head. Most highlights begin at the root of the hair on the top of the head. Blending these with dark on top and underneath, will give a natural gradation to the hair. Choose a color, or toner, to darken your highlights. A deposit-only toner in a color just a little darker than your highlights will tone down the brightness of the color without changing it completely.

2. Pin back the half of hair you don't want to dye. Use a large clip to hold back large sections of hair and hair pins to hold back small pieces on the half you want to dye.

3. Mix dark hair dye, or toner. Mix in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves when mixing hair dye chemicals.

4. Place a 4-inch square of aluminum foil under the highlight you want to darken.

5. Apply dye, or toner, with the application brush. The brush will make the application more precise and prevent the dye from spreading to other highlights.

6. Fold the aluminum over the dyed hair. Continue dying the each section of highlights until you've finished half of your head.

7. Let the dye, or toner, sit for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and rinse the hair. Blow dry and style your hair to see the color's full affect.

Tips & Warnings

• If your highlights are too light after a salon visit, then tell your stylist. Many stylists will gladly adjust your color if you are dissatisfied with the first set of highlights.

References

• Color: Correcting Too Light Color
• HairFinder.com: Highlights and Toner Shade;
• Sophisticate's Hairstyle Guide: Highlights

Resources

• HealthBoards: Highlights Are Too Light