Hot Ideas for Highlighted Hair

Subtle highlights, as seen on this mannequin, can appear natural.

Highlighted hair is a common type of hair coloring. It is often simpler than a change of hair color and requires less commitment. It creates dimension and adds a bit of "oomph" to any hairstyle. Depending on the highlighting color and size, one can achieve a look that is very subtle and moderate, or eye-catching and bold. Using highlights, there are lots of ways to achieve a hot hair style.

Multicolored

Using different shades of highlights can create a look that is very natural, depending on the shades and widths of the highlights used. If the highlights gradually become darker towards the tips of the hair, this will mimic the way hair is naturally highlighted by the sun. For a look that is more creative, reverse this: at the roots use the darker shade, with lighter hair at the ends.

A more daring take on multicolored styles is ombre hair color highlights. Ombre is when colors are blended into each other with one color near the hairline, another on the middle and a third on the ends.

Texturized

Texturized hair, in general, is a bold look when paired with even subtle highlights. Adding layers to any hairstyle is a way to create dimension and highlights do the same thing for a style. Most commonly, highlights are only placed on the top layer of the hair. When a hairstyle is highly textured, the lower layers may be very visible and color should be added on those layers as well.

The texture of "piecey" hair, whether curly, wavy or straight, is magnified by highlights. Curly hair has volume and texture---adding highlights to a curly style will emphasize these traits. As with straight hair, the color can be added directly onto specific curls, such as those on the temples or those on the middle layer of the hair.

Brunette

The art of brunette hair highlights is developing in many ways. Many new options are available for those seeking a stark contrast from their base hair color, or for those who desire only to add a little bit of extra shimmer. "Tipping" is when subtle amounts of any color, or multiple colors, are applied to only the bottom tips of the hair. The "skunk" is when an oversized stripe of color is added to the very top of the hair. Contrary to the name of this type of highlighting, the highlighting color used does not need to contrast the base hair color dramatically. For black hair, deep brown or blue could work. For brown or red, try a slightly lighter shade of the same color.

References

• Hair Color Diva: Hair Cut & Hair Style
• Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy: Hair Design Hair Color Trends & Ideas Funky Hot Ombre Highlights Fall Winter 2009 2010 | Fab Fashion Blog
• Beautiful Hairstyles: Pretty Teen with Cute Short Piecey Curly Hairdo and Highlights
• I Love India: Hair Highlighting Tip - Highlighting Hair Different Colors - Hair Finger Painting Technique - Highlight Hair At Home - Hair Coloring Streaking
• Brunette Hair Highlights 2010: Homepage