5 Highlighting Techniques That Will Give You the Best Hair Color of Your Life
Just in time for spring.
Highlights are evergreen, but as hints of spring, and even summer, begin to present themselves, our desire for ripples of glittering dimension tends to grow tenfold. And because great hair color can be a process (pun very much intended), it's never too early to start finessing it for the season to come. Here, we've looked to a slew of our favorite colorists to play show and tell with their go-to highlighting techniques.
1. Lived-In Color. Meant to mimic that perfect, sun-kissed color you had when you were summering as a kid, Johnny Ramirez, who is one half of L.A.'s Ramirez-Tran salon, was originally inspired by the tones in his daughter's natural blonde hair when he created his signature "lived-in color" method. Ramirez begins by analyzing a client's skin tone and eye color, then depending on the season, decides how light or dark they should go.Then, he meticulously highlights the entire head, creating a fake root in the process. Particularly if the client has virgin or darker hair, he will gradually take them blonder as opposed to doing it one sitting.
A post shared by JOHNNY RAMIREZ Colorist (@johnnyramirez)
A photo posted by on
"Nine out of 10 times, my client will call within a month and ask to go lighter," he tells us. "From there, I will bump up the baby blonde highlights around the face. The secret to my technique is all about blending and making my client look the most natural."
2. Surfer-Inspired Balayage. This beach-bum-inspired technique is more sporadic and free-flowing. Not to mention, a cool route to go if you've got virgin hair color and you want to break up the solid color palette.
A post shared by MATT REZ (@colorbymattrez)
A photo posted by on
"True surfer hair, to me, is how extreme the sun would lift the natural pigment over a long course of time," says Mèche Salon's Matt Rez, adding that darker virgin hair will pull more red, while lighter virgin hair will pull more golden. "It takes a few appointments and overlapping existing highlights to reach the lightest your hair can go with this technique."
3. Tipping. For megawatt brightness, Rez takes the "tipping" approach by adding glowing pops to the ends. "A combination of balayage and foiling is done on selected locks of hair to create graduated highlights going from darkest to lightest," he explains, adding that it works great for clients who want immediate results with max lightness. Rez also uses it for color correction, as well.
A post shared by Lauren Valenti (@lauren_valenti)
A photo posted by on
4. Hair Painting. Forget the foils—Hairstory's Roxie Darling likes to stipple with an actual paintbrush. "It's a freehanded technique and allows you to be really, really subtle with your approach or create something really contrasted," says Darling. Another way to acheive the lightened-by-the-sun-effect, it tends to be more pared back in the root area then bright at the ends and around the face. "There's not that much technicality about it, but it does take a lot of experience to know how much prodcut to use and when to use it." (Pick up a Hairstory promo code before you grab yours.)
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
A post shared by Laura Kate Roxie Darling (@roxiedarling)
A photo posted by on
5. Freestyle Painting and Foils. L'Oréal Paris Celebrity Colorist Kari Hill doesn't have a one-size-fits-all formula for her technique. First, she looks to her client to see if they have a preference between foils or balayage. Regardless, she often looks to isolate every section she's working with cotton balls to ensure there's no bleeding. "I like to do foil on very delicate and fine hair," she explains. "Balayage is a heavier application because you're not using the fine tooth end of the comb to section the hair, but rather the brush. Therefore, you do get more of a deliberate application."
If you're doing your color at home with a kit, like L'Oréal Paris Superior Preference Glam Lights, Hill recommends looking for one with a fine-toothed applicator, which allows for more control over the amount of color you're depositing. For a natural-looking balayage effect, color the hair in small sections and paint little babylights around the hairline.
A post shared by Kari Hill (@karihillhair)
A photo posted by on
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.
-
Why Did Prince William Remove Queen Camilla's Sister From His Payroll?
She was hired by King Charles in 2005.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Céline Dion Channels Her Inner Track Star at the Olympics
Logomania is back.
By Julia Gray Published
-
Zendaya and Team USA Gymnastics Both Endorse This Chic Nail Trend
It’s straight out of the Olympic rule book.
By Samantha Holender Published
-
This Valentino Perfume Is the Best Fragrance of 2024, According to Beauty Experts
It's a layerable, floral fragrance.
By Samantha Holender Published
-
Is Colostrum the New Collagen?
Doctors and wellness professionals have a lot to say about TikTok's supplement of the moment.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
TikTok Is Making "Unsexy" Beauty Products Seem Very Appealing
There's more to worthwhile products than pretty packaging.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Fendi's First Fragrances Are Designed for Fashion Obsessives
It's finally available to shop.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
Why Beauty Experts Are Calling Out Youthforia's New Foundation
This isn't the way to do inclusive shades.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
The 32 Best Hair Growth Shampoos of 2024, According to Experts
Rapunzel hair, coming right up.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
The 20 Best Hair Masks for Damaged Hair, According to Experts and Editors
Healthy strands, here we come!
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
How Often You Should Wash Your Hair, According To Experts
Keep it fresh, my friends.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published