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How to Choose the Right Highlights for You

You’re ready for a new, gorgeous summer hair color, and you’re thinking about highlights. Highlights are a great way to add interest and dimension to your color, but there’s one more decision to make – the type of highlights. Today, we’ll talk about the differences, as well as how highlights work to make any color look even better.

With a single color on your hair, it’s known as a “flat” color. Flat colors can look wonderful, but adding highlights makes the light reflect differently and really showcases the different layers – the dimension – of your color. There are a lot of different terms for highlights out there, and here’s a rundown on the most common options:

Contrast. This is a level of intensity rather than a highlight style. the contrast is the difference in color between your base color and its highlights. These can be gradual and natural looking with low contrast, or stark and bold with high contrast, which is a large difference between shades.

Accent highlights. This style uses only a few, strategically placed foils to add just enough highlight to accent your hair’s movement. It’s a great option for just getting started with highlights, so you can get a sense of the effects of highlights on your hair color.

Partial highlights. This style highlights the zone around your face – from the top of your crown down around the sides of your face, framing your gorgeous features and brightening up your color.

Dimensional partial highlights. Dimensional hair color gives your hair layers – dimensions – that add interest to your color. This is where contrast comes into play – the higher the contrast, the more obvious the dimensions. Partial dimensional highlights add depth to your hair around your face.

Full highlights. Full highlights are everywhere, not just framing your face, so highlights continue all the way around the back and top.

Dimensional full highlights. This adds depth throughout your hair, all the way around, which can be low or high contrast, depending on the depth you’re looking for.

Highlights are a fun way to change up your color by adding interest, reflecting more light, and adding depth to a flat color. As you can see, there are tons of options, so consult with your stylist about the best way to add highlights to your hair. If you have a color and style in mind, be sure to bring a photo of it to your appointment so you and your stylist will be on the same page.

Ready for a new color? Make an appointment for highlights today at The Full Spectrum Hair Salon. Our professional stylists will create gorgeous highlights for the perfect new color. Visit us at 305 E Farm to Market Rd 544, #911 in Murphy or call 972.509.1565 to book your appointment – or try our free mobile app on iTunes, Google Play, or Amazon to manage appointments right from your mobile device.