Which color highlights for hair - Garnier Which color highlights for hair - Garnier

Hair Highlight Ideas: Find the Best Types of Highlights for Your Look

Highlighting is a popular coloring technique that involves lightening strategic strands to create light, dimension, and contrast. Hair highlights are also the perfect solution if you’re looking to lift or transform your current color without committing to a new all-over shade. No matter what your base hair color is or whether your type is straight, curly or coily, check out our hair highlight ideas, and learn how to easily highlight your hair at home.

Types of Highlights: Ideas to Inspire Your Next Look

When it comes to choosing the best hair highlights for you, it can be a little confusing with so many options out there. Below are the different types of highlights you’ll want to be familiar with as you decide what look you want to achieve. We also included pro tips on the best low-maintenance routines, hair highlighting tips for beginners, and hair highlights ideas for creating natural, subtle contrast.

balayage kit</a>, making it the perfect option for the <a href=https://www.garnierusa.com/"/tips-how-tos/how-to-get-balayage-hair-at-home/">first time you balayage</a>.","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-1-612x500.jpg?rev=0e6dbff4a3484a429a1e34ee0abab37f","defaultimage":false,"product":null},{"title":"Sombré","number":"02","description":"Ideal for subtle enhancement, the sombré method is a fusion of hair highlighting techniques with results that sound like the name: “subtle or soft ombré.” If ombré highlights seem too drastic, opt for softer and more natural sombré hair highlights.","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-5-612x500.jpg?rev=fdbafd76f7a2420a8fc2a47478bc41e6","defaultimage":false,"product":null},{"title":"Babylights","number":"03","description":"Babylights, you ask? This technique involves highlighting much thinner sections of hair in foil. Babylights are one of the best natural-looking hair highlighting techniques to try if you want to go slightly lighter while keeping your original color. Creating a subtle brightening effect, babylights are particularly recommended for blondes and those with fine hair.","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-6-612x500.jpg?rev=99a1f4d85f734f0ba928067bd545643a","defaultimage":false,"product":null},{"title":"Face-framing Highlights","number":"04","description":"Of all the different types of highlights, face-framing highlights are a great place to start if you want to dip your toe into the hair highlights trend. Unlike money piece highlights, face-framing highlights offer a more blended option by framing the face with a subtly lighter color than your base color. To get an idea, imagine how your hair looks when naturally bleached by the sun &mdash; but even better!","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-14-612x500.jpg?rev=aa79d97f507947349a49fd2fc511c0a5","defaultimage":false,"product":null},{"title":"Lowlights","number":"05","description":"Lowlights give lighter locks noticeable depth and body by applying a darker shade to specific sections. This hair technique is especially effective at correcting overly highlighted or brassy hair to create a more natural effect.","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-7-612x500.jpg?rev=f9196a10d7e74da5aa6386293145aedb","defaultimage":false,"product":null},{"title":"Teasylights","number":"06","description":"Looking for a natural, low-maintenance look? Then teasylights are for you. Sections of hair nearest to the scalp are teased (or back-combed), and only the non-teased sections are lightened. This technique helps make the transition from dark to light strands less noticeable, creating a more natural look. Think beachy sun-kissed locks.","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-9-612x500.jpg?rev=3a688b7e07034e93878c31a844a22451","defaultimage":false,"product":null},{"title":"Summery Ribbon Highlights","number":"07","description":"Ribbons of blonde hair mingling among a darker base color give this style more of a romantic vibe than chunky highlights. Ribbon highlights are ideal for curly or wavy hair as they showcase its natural texture.","image":"/-/media/project/loreal/brand-sites/garnier/usa/us/articles/hair-color/which-color-and-type-of-highlights-is-right-for-your-hair/2025/garnier-color-and-highlights-for-hair-article-step1-12-612x500.jpg?rev=278bf7279fe5415eb33bddf5545ac5df","defaultimage":false,"product":null}]" title="Natural & Subtle Highlights" background-color="#F4F4F4" show-more="Show more" show-less="Show less" :navigation-label='{"carouselbuttonnext":"Carousel Button Navigation Next","carouselbuttonprev":"Carousel Button Navigation Prev"}' product-text="Go to product">

Best At-Home Highlighting Kits

When it comes to coloring techniques and at-home hair highlights, Garnier has everything you need to customize your looks from face-framing highlights to a stunning ombré effect. Take the Garnier Virtual Shade Selector quiz to help find your perfect color!

Shade Selector Quiz

Shade Selector Quiz

Take our quiz to discover the perfect Garnier hair shades for you!

FIND MY SHADE

Consider Your Base Color

Now that you’ve swoon-scrolled over honey, caramel, and champagne color highlights, let’s get down to the base. Have you considered that when it comes to a genuinely stunning head of highlighted hair, your base color should be as flattering as your highlights? In fact, the importance of the undertone or base color is key when it comes to choosing between warm and cool highlights. The colors should enhance one another, as well as complement your skin tone and cut.

Sound complicated? Choose the perfect base color with our Hair Color Virtual Try-On Tool. Simply upload a selfie or virtually try on any shade of hair color. That way, you’ll be certain of what base color will go best with whatever types of hair highlights you choose.

Hair Color Virtual Try-On

Hair Color Virtual Try-On

Virtually try on Garnier hair colors to discover your perfect shade.

TRY ON SHADES

Hair Highlights Ideas for Different Hair Lengths

Whether you’ve got short, medium, or long hair, read on for hair highlights ideas that will enhance and flatter your style.

Hair Highlights Ideas Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of highlights are in style right now?
If you’re wondering what kind of hair highlights are on trend, we have a few to recommend. Although hair highlights never go out of fashion, the prime choices right now from the catwalk to the sidewalk are chunky highlights, the money piece, and dimensional highlights. But there are so many choices, so go with whatever suits you best!

Should I wash my hair before getting highlights?
It’s better not to wash your locks before getting hair highlights, or any type of dye job for that matter. Hair that hasn’t been washed for two or three days contains more natural oils than hair that’s freshly washed. That sebum build-up acts as a protective barrier against potential irritation and helps absorb the hair color better.

How long do hair highlights last?
Hair highlights generally last 6-8 weeks, just like regular all-over hair dye. Depending on the highlighting technique you choose and the level of contrast it creates, you might need to touch up your highlights more often, especially on shorter cuts. But highlights like balayage, for example, can go for months without losing their look.

Are highlights damaging to hair?
Highlights are not as damaging to hair as all-over color because they are only applied to sections or narrow strands. In addition, modern hair color formulas like Garnier Olia with flower oils are more gentle and contain nourishing ingredients. Coupled with a deep-conditioning routine you can keep any damage from highlights to a minimum.

Can you highlight color-treated hair?
The simple answer is yes, you can highlight color-treated hair. Your best option is to wait 6-8 weeks after the base color dye job to avoid overtaxing your hair. In all cases, we highly recommend either consulting a stylist or doing a strand test at home to see how the highlight color reacts with the other dye.

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