How to Separate and Foil Hair When Coloring

Foiling your hair is a great way to get highlights. It can be done on any length of hair, curly or straight. If you're hoping for lighter hair just around your face, you can even foil your own hair. Follow these steps to separate and foil hair when coloring.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Find the client's normal hair part. Comb the hair so it falls naturally.
2. Decide if you're doing thin, natural-looking highlights or chunky highlights. This will determine how much hair you foil. Run the pointy end of a fine-tooth comb across the hair, separating a small section.
3. Hold the hair in one hand while you weave the pointy end through the hair. This will separate the hair you want to foil. If the person wants natural looking foils, weave it tightly, choosing only a few hairs at a time. For chunky highlights, allow for greater distance as you weave the comb.
4. Fold the top inch of the foil paper underneath. Place the pointy end of your comb into that fold. Hold the foil tightly under the hair you are going to color.
5. Remove the comb and hold the foil tightly into place with one hand. It should be flat against the head. Dip the applicator brush into the color solution.
6. Brush the color onto the hair. Get as much of the root as possible. Once all the hair is saturated, fold the foil up until it covers all of the colored hair.
7. Continue the process, moving from one section to the next, until all the desired hair is wrapped in foil.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear plastic gloves so you don't get color on your hands.
• Don't put color on the ends of the hair if they're already light.
• Don't put much pressure on the top of the foil when you're folding it up. This can cause the color to leak out and make spots around the scalp.