How to Apply Highlights to Short Hair

Highligh even short hair using a highlighting cap.

Highlights add a hint of color and dimension to your hair. With medium-to-long hair, highlights are created using foils. The colorist places foils under small sections of hair that she brushes with color. She then folds the hair and warms the entire head until the hair reaches its desired color. You can't do this process on short hair, because the hair isn't long enough to wrap up in the foils. But there is another easy way to highlight short hair, and you can do it right at home.

Things You'll Need

• Brush
• Highlighting cap
• Hair hook
• Hair dye kit
• Hair dye brush

Instructions

1. Brush your hair thoroughly to remove any snags or knots.

2. Place a highlighting cap over your head. These caps have a dotted pattern on them that you use as a guide for creating your highlights.

3. Poke the highlighting hook through the cap, using the dots as a guide. Thread the hook, gently, over a small chunk of hair. Pull the hook out through the same hole that it pierced. Pull the hook and the hair strand up and out of the cap.

4. Continue to repeat Step 3 until you've pulled all the chunks of hair through the cap that you wish to highlight.

5. Open the hair dye kit. Mix the color with the hair developer. Shake the bottle so the chemicals properly mix together.

6. Apply the hair dye to the hair that has been pulled out from the highlighting cap. Fully saturate each chunk of hair.

7. Leave the color on your hair for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the hair achieves the proper color.

8. Rinse your hair gently while still wearing the cap. Once the water runs clear, remove the cap and continue to rinse your hair.

9. Style your hair as you normally would.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase highlighting caps, hooks and kits at your local beauty supply store.

References

• Hair Finder: Highlighting Hair with a Highlighting Cap