Hair Highlighting Techniques

Hair highlighting refers to changing a person's hair color, using lighter (or darker) colors to color strands of the hair in different sizes. There are four types of highlights: basic foil highlights, hair painting, chunking and low-lighting. Highlights can be temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, or permanent.

Basic foil highlighting

Foil highlighting is the process of using foil to separate strands of hair that will be lightened from strands of hair that will remain their natural color. The process is done by applying lightener to the hair that has been woven and separated using an applicator brush. The foil is then folded as to protect the hair and surrounding area during the "processing" time. This is the amount of time required to achieve the desired results. In highlighting hair, a bleach and peroxide mixture can be used to decolorize the hair, or hair color dyes can be used to lighten and deposit color to the hair. This process is also used in applying "Low-lights" to the hair. In this process, hair dyes are used to create strands of hair that are darker than the natural color. Many times the foils are used to separate hair strands for high and low lights during the same process.

Actress Kristen Bell has foil highlights.  Getty Images.

Hair painting is a method of highlighting hair that may be done at home. Hair painting methods are often permanent and employ a simple, yet effective hair painting brush. Hair painting is also used with temporary and semi-permanent types of brushes. While brushes are commonly used in hair painting, one may also use combs to paint or highlight thin-sized strands of hair.

Chunking

Chunking highlights are a type of size in highlighting. These types of highlights come in lots of bolder and brighter colors.

Total crazyface Bai Ling has chunk highlights.  Getty Images.

Low-lighting

Low-lighting is the same as highlighting but comes in darker shades of color. People who have very bright and light hair colors, low-light their light hair color. It is an exact opposite of highlighting.

Paula Abdul's lowlights give her chestnut hair a deeper, more dramatic hue. Getty Images

From Wikipedia.org

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