20 Ideas of Lowlights and Highlights for Your New Hair Color

Are you looking for a hair transformation? Try highlights and lowlights instead of trying to dye your natural hair color entirely in one color. Adding highlights or lowlights to your hair adds dimension to your tresses.

Are you looking for a hair transformation? Try highlights and lowlights instead of trying to dye your natural hair color entirely in one color. Adding highlights or lowlights to your hair adds dimension to your tresses.

So, without doing anything radical, you can get an inspirational transformation by simply taking these hair treatments. Read on to learn more about these techniques.

Highlights vs. Lowlights

Both highlights and lowlights are done with the same techniques, like balayage or foil highlight approach for a natural-looking mane. The difference between the two, however, is that in the case of lowlights, the locks get a darker shade, while for highlights, the shades are lighter than the base color.

The techniques are low maintenance, but you must use the right hair products.

Highlights and Lowlights on Blonde Hair For Stunning Makeover

Lowlights and highlights on blonde hair depend primarily on the skin tone and color of your eyes. A honey-blonde highlight suits a woman with a warmer skin tone. For a cooler skin tone, pink or silver highlights help enhance the look of natural blondes.

Highlights and Lowlights on Medium Length Blonde Hair

via @sarabotsfordhair

Color options for blonde hair with lowlights include amber, honey, or caramel tones. Remember to dye the roots to mid-shafts only for the best look.

Highlights and Lowlights on Straight Blonde Hair

via @maxgourgues

Highlights and Lowlights on Gray Hair to Embrace Natural Beauty

Camouflage gray hair with lowlights or highlights. The best idea is to go in for cool tones as highlights, and for lowlights, use colors closer to the color of your natural hair.

Highlights and Lowlights on Messy Gray Hair

via @seolahair

For example, if you have dark brown hair, you can use golden highlights to keep your tresses on the brighter side. For lowlights, go in for shades darker. Similarly, use platinum dyes for blonde or red hair.

Highlights and Lowlights on Short Gray Bob Cut

via @jackmartincolorist

Highlights and Lowlights on Dark Hair For A Natural Look

Women with a darker color mane, like dark brown, can use highlight or lowlight techniques to redo their looks. Similarly, there are multiple burgundy lowlights and highlights for a significant transformation. Go in for face-framing flattering highlights, caramel balayage, copper, or layered highlights on long hair.

Highlights and Lowlights on Long Wavy Dark Hair

via @tatisantosbcg

Dark lowlights give a natural and beautiful glow to your hair. Go in for chocolate and caramel lowlights for a natural look.

Highlights and Lowlights on Medium Length Straight Dark Hair

via @ryleelovelace_

Highlights and Lowlights on Brown Hair for a Flattering Look

Highlighted hair on brown hair through the balayage technique helps your hair light up in the sun. Adding lowlights will give it dimension and make it look thicker.

Highlights and Lowlights on Long Wavy Brown Hair

via @live_love_dohair

Brunettes and people with dark brown hair benefit from having their hair color in the middle of the spectrum. Consider caramel, mocha, chocolate, and ash brown for long hair with brown lowlights and golden for highlights.

Highlights and Lowlights on Long Straight Brown Hair

via @hairbyceannearp

Blending Lowlights and Highlights

Blending lowlights and highlights is another technique to create shade and light for your tresses. Your hairstylist can go in for four shades, blend through different strands, and sweep sections seamlessly for a multi-dimensional feel and look.

Gray Highlights on Long Straight Dark Hair

via @locksbylauryn

Depending on the color of your hair, a professional will choose the tones of the lowlights and highlights. This technique works brilliantly for any hair type and any length.

Gray Blending of Lowlights and Highlights on Medium-Length Hair

via @skylacolors

Lowlights on Bleached Hair To Break The Monotony

Adding lowlights is a popular technique to break the monotony of a dull color that lacks shine after bleach. The monotone color of bleached tresses can be given a fresh look by dyeing a few strands in darker colors. For example, a zebra effect on a messy bob cut can give your hairstyle a modern, stylish appeal. Blonde hair with lowlights gives an impactful turnaround and makeover to your mane.

Lowlights on Bleached Long Hair

via @paintitblonde

Lowlights on Bleached Wavy Hair

via @hairbychrissydanielle

Red Hair with Lowlights To Accent Your Hair

Red hair color transforms with the lowlight techniques using colors like auburn, burgundy, and copper. Let your hairstylist blend the red shades with your natural color for a vibrant feel.

Red Hair with Lowlights on Short Bob Cut

via @gerilynghaisarzadeh

Highlights on red hair can be tried with copper or golden colors, as also rust, strawberry, or amber. Highlights or lowlights on short straight hair look equally incredible, especially when the highlighted or lowlighted strands are face-framing. The dyes can be sued at the ends too.

Dark Red Hair with Lowlights on Bob Cut with Bang

via @makeupbyfrances

Black Hair with Highlights For A Beautiful You

Add dimension to your hair with the best highlights and lowlights. The highlight shade should be close to the base color. For your black hair, it can be auburn or chocolate.

Black Color with Highlights on Long Dark Hair

via @deepcouture_

Blonde highlights look good, too, giving your tresses a warm feel. Rich coffee or espresso brown also looks good on your dark black hair. Lowlights should be just a few shades darker, added for subtle changes to your black hair. Dark mocha is a good choice.

Dark Curly Hair with Blonde Highlights

via @slickback_buttahtoast

Sun-kissed Looks With Baby Lowlights

Baby lowlights come with a softer tone. Only a small section of hair is highlighted with the foil or balayage technique. Whether you want a dark-to-blonde transition or get a more natural look, use this technique.

Baby Lowlights on Long Straight Hair

via @hairbylily408

Micro-strands of your hair are colored for a subtle and more natural look. This kind of lowlight work is done on women with thin hair to give a thicker feel.

Baby Lowlights on Lob Cut

via @hairbylisamathews

Extraordinary Coffee Brown Lowlights and Blonde Highlights

An excellent hair color idea for brunettes is to mix and match lowlights and highlights. Contrast highlights and lowlights like coffee brown lowlights and blonde highlights as it makes for a head-turning combination.

Coffee Brown Lowlights and Blonde Highlights on Long Wavy Hair

via @stephanie_stylist

The medium shades of browns – coffee brown and blonde gives your hair a unique warmth. By adding lowlights, you add many hues to your mane with a rich and bold visual look.

Coffee Brown Lowlights and Blonde Highlights on Short Thick Lob

via @marlisestyles

FAQ

How much do lowlights cost?

The exact pricing of getting lowlights on your hair depends mainly on the expertise of your colorist and the salon. The steady rate in New York for lowlights is between $100-$300.

How to maintain the lowlights and highlights?

Highlights need a touch-up by a professional colorist every 6-8 weeks, while lowlights need a touch-up once every 2-4 months.

Use sulfate-free and color-safe hair care products to prevent the lowlights from fading. Also, don’t shampoo and use hot tools often. To maintain highlights, avoid the sun and hot tools too. Ask the stylist for more tips.