How to Highlight Hair Different Colors

Highlights in your hair can make you look younger, hide grey hairs, brighten your facial features, or just give you a new look. When highlighting your hair, it's important to stay within three shades lighter than your natural hair color. Using two or three of the colors that are recommended for your hair color, rather than just one highlight color, may create the strongest look. Highlighting your own hair will save you money and help you brush up on your hair coloring skills.

Pick out two or three colors that you want to use to highlight your hair. Remember, staying within three shades of your natural hair color will make the highlights look more natural.

Get each dye mixture ready to be put in your hair. To mix the dye correctly, read the instructions that came with the package. Most highlighting kits instruct you to mix a package of color in with a liquid or gel and shake it to mix it up.

Streak the mix, alternating between each color, on small strands throughout your hair. Start 1/4 inch from the scalp and go all the way down to the end of the strand. Begin on one side of your head and alternate colors, highlighting small strips of hair close to each other, until you get to the other side of your head. Make sure to use all the colors in your bangs, as well. Apply the highlighting dye with the application comb that comes in the highlighting kit.

Allow the dye to soak into your hair. Read the instructions of the highlighting kit to see the exact time; most highlighting kits say to leave the dye in for 15 minutes.

Wash your hair with the shampoo and conditioner mix that came in the highlighting kit. Rinse the mix completely out of your hair and towel dry your hair. Do not wash your hair again for three days, to ensure that the dye has soaked into your hair.