How to Do Diagonal Highlights in the Hair
Highlights can add both color and dimension to your hair. Popular perception is that you cannot add highlights to your hair at home. While it's a tricky thing to do, it is possible to get natural-looking highlights using the right products and techniques. A modern and fresh technique is diagonal highlights. They are highlights that are parallel to the hairline and that visually slice through the hair. To do diagonal highlights in the hair takes some preparation and skill. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Home bleaching kit
- Latex gloves
- Plastic bowl
- Clips
- Hair foils
- Hair dye brush
- Timer
- Shampoo
- Deep conditioner
- Toner (optional)
Instructions
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1
Put on a pair of latex gloves. Mix the developer and bleach together in a medium-sized plastic bowl. Follow the instructions for mixing it. Use half bleach and half developer.
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2
Divide your hair into a front and back section. Use a clip to separate the front section from the back section.
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3
Pull out a 1/4-inch sections of hair from the back layer. Hold a piece of hair highlighting foil underneath that section of hair. Use the hair dye brush to paint the bleach mixture onto the strand of hair while holding it taut. Start the roots at 1/4 inch from the scalp and paint the strand of hair down to the tips. It's best to keep the bleach from touching your scalp.
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4
Bunch up the section of hair so that it is inside of the piece of foil. Fold the foil up so that it holds the hair in place. Pinch the edges with your fingers. Continue doing steps 3 and 4 while working your way toward the crown.
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5
Divide the top sections into four different horizontal sections. Each section should be parallel to your hairline. Use clips to hold each section in place.
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6
Take a 1/2-inch section of hair from the top-right side. Slather bleach onto the section of hair and roll it up into the foil. The next strand of hair must be diagonal from the first section. Repeat until finished with the top-right section and do the same on the top-left section.
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7
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Unroll one of the foils halfway and examine the color. If it is about the desired color, unroll the hair from the foils. If not, continue checking in five-minute intervals until it is the right color.
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8
Wash the bleach out. Apply a dime-sized amount of gentle shampoo to the hair and massage gently. Rinse it out thoroughly. Put a quarter-sized amount of deep conditioner on your hair. Let it sit for 10 minutes and rinse it out.
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Tips & Warnings
If your highlights look brassy and yellow, you may have to use a toner on them.
Don't wash your hair for 24 hours before bleaching it. The oils on the scalp help protect it from becoming irritated.
If your scalp burns, rinse out the bleach right away. It is possible that you are allergic to it or that your scalp is extremely sensitive.
