Getting sun-kissed locks doesn’t mean you need a salon visit. With the right tools and skills, you can do DIY highlights at home. Aaron and his wife have been doing this for nearly a decade. They learned from YouTube tutorials and by trying things out.
By choosing quality products and learning how to apply them, you can save money. Plus, you can get results that look like they came from a salon.
To do DIY highlights, you’ll need some supplies. These include foils, developer, bleach, toner, a mixing bowl, brush, highlighting comb, and hair clips. It’s important to follow the product instructions carefully. Mix the bleach and developer as directed.
Do a strand test to see how light you want your hair to be. This helps avoid damaging your hair by overprocessing it.
Key Takeaways
- Investing in quality products and tools is crucial for successful DIY highlights
- Learning proper application techniques can help you achieve even, natural-looking results
- Always perform a strand test to determine the desired level of lightness and avoid overprocessing
- Start with smaller sections of hair for better control and gradually build up highlights
- Follow product instructions carefully and avoid leaving the dye on longer than recommended to prevent damage
What Are DIY Highlights and Why Choose Them?
DIY highlights let you lighten your hair at home for a sun-kissed look. You don’t need to go to the salon. With the right highlight kits and techniques, you can get beautiful, natural-looking highlights at home.
Understanding Highlights
Highlights come in many types, like partial or full, thicker or thinner strands. You can choose from balayage and ribbon highlights. They can be any shade lighter than your base color, including brown, red, gray, peach, and rose gold. Knowing your options helps you pick the best style for your look.
Benefits of DIY Hair Coloring
DIY hair coloring has many advantages:
- Convenience: You can get your desired look without a salon appointment.
- Customization: You control the placement and intensity of your highlights.
- Cost savings: At-home kits are much cheaper than salon treatments.
Beauty experts say many people want to refresh their hair color at home. Almost like clockwork, individuals consider giving themselves at-home highlights every six weeks.
Cost Savings Compared to Salon Visits
DIY highlights save a lot of money compared to salon visits. Professional colorists say booking appointments is wise due to bleach’s complexity. But, with affordable options like L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach, L’Oréal Paris Frost & Design kit, and L’Oréal Paris Superior Preference Balayage At-Home Highlighting Kit, you can get stunning results without spending a lot.
“Highlighting your hair at home can save you hundreds of dollars compared to salon treatments, and with the right easy highlights kit, you can achieve professional-looking results.”
Choosing DIY highlights means saving money while enjoying the beauty and confidence of freshly colored hair.
Essential Tools and Products Needed
To get salon-quality highlights at home, you need the right tools and products. Professional-grade items are key for the best results.
Recommended Hair Dye Brands
Choose hair dye from trusted brands for your DIY highlights. Look for brands known for quality and effectiveness. Some top picks include:
- L’Oréal Paris Frost & Design
- Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme
- Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color
These brands offer various shades and formulas. They help you get the perfect highlights at home.
Tools for Application: Brushes and Foils
Right tools are key for even highlights. Make sure you have:
- Tinting brush or applicator brush
- Mixing bowl
- Sectioning clips
- Aluminum foils or plastic wrap
- Weaving comb or tail comb
These tools help in creating clean sections and applying dye accurately. They ensure your highlights look like they came from a salon.
Importance of a Good Conditioner
After lightening, use a hydrating conditioner to keep your hair healthy and soft. Choose conditioners for color-treated hair, like:
- Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
- Redken Color Extend Conditioner
- Matrix Biolage ColorLast Conditioner
These conditioners nourish and protect your hair. They reduce damage from lightening and keep your highlights shiny.
“Investing in quality tools and products is the key to achieving stunning, salon-quality highlights at home.”
With the right dye, tools, and conditioners, you can create stunning highlights. They will look natural and turn heads.
Step-by-Step Guide to Applying DIY Highlights
Getting stunning highlights at home is simpler than you think. With the right tools and techniques, you can achieve beautiful, natural-looking highlights. You can find affordable highlight kits at your local beauty supply store.
Preparing Your Hair
Before starting, prepare your hair well. Divide it into four sections: top, two sides, and back. Use clips to keep each section separate and easy to work on. This makes it easier to apply your highlight kit with precision.
Mixing and Testing the Dye
Now, mix your bleach and developer as the kit instructs. A good mix is 60mL of bleach with 60mL of developer. Do a strand test first to find the right processing time for your shade. This step prevents overprocessing and hair damage.
Application Techniques for Even Results
Apply the bleach in thin sections for a natural look. Start from mid-lengths to ends, using a spoolie or brush for blending. Wrap each section in foil to keep the bleach moist and speed up the process.
Check your highlights every 5-10 minutes. Aim for a pale yellow color to keep your hair healthy. Rinse the bleach out with warm water for 3-4 minutes, then shampoo and condition as usual.
For a subtle, face-framing effect, focus on highlighting the pieces around your face. Add a soft side part to enhance your DIY highlights’ natural look.
Tips for Achieving Natural-Looking Highlights
Getting natural highlights at home is easy with the right tools and techniques. To get a sun-kissed look, pick a highlight shade that’s just a bit lighter than your hair color. Think about your skin tone and undertones to find the best color for you.
Lighting is key when highlighting your hair. Work in a bright area so you can see your hair’s true colors. This helps avoid surprises when you go outside.
Seamless highlights depend on the section size. Try to keep sections thin, like a shoelace. This helps blend colors naturally and avoids harsh lines. Use a highlighting comb for precise sections and even application.
Blending Techniques for Seamless Results
To blend colors smoothly, use a spoolie brush after applying highlights. Focus on the hair around your face and avoid harsh lines at the roots. This method, called balayage, makes your highlights look natural and sun-kissed.
“I’ve been doing my own highlights at home for years, and the key is to work with small sections and blend, blend, blend! It takes a bit of practice, but the results are worth it.” – Sarah, DIY hair enthusiast
The goal is a smooth transition from your base color to highlights. Take your time and be patient. With these tips, you’ll get beautiful, natural highlights at home!
Common Mistakes to Avoid When DIY-ing Highlights
DIY hair lightening at home can be tricky. Knowing common mistakes helps you avoid bad results. This way, you can have a successful DIY highlighting experience.
Overprocessing and damage are big issues. This happens when bleach stays on too long. Check your hair often and aim for a pale yellow color, not stark white.
Misjudging Application Time
Another mistake is not knowing how long to apply the lightener. Always follow the kit’s instructions and don’t go over the recommended time. Too long can make your hair brittle and damaged.
Skipping the Strand Test
Always do a strand test before applying lightener to your whole head. It shows how your hair reacts and how long it takes to get the shade you want. Skipping this can lead to bad colors or hair damage.
Other mistakes to avoid include:
- Applying bleach too close to the scalp, which can cause burns and uneven results
- Skipping the toner, leading to brassy or orange tones in your highlights
- Not using protective treatments like Olaplex, which can help maintain your hair’s integrity during the lightening process
Learning proper techniques and understanding potential pitfalls is key to getting beautiful, natural-looking highlights at home.
If you’re unsure about DIY highlighting, get help from a professional colorist. Brands like Madison Reed offer advice through phone, FAQs, and video tutorials. They help you get the best results.
Aftercare: Maintaining Your Highlights
After getting your DIY highlights just right, keeping them vibrant and healthy is key. The right products and aftercare routine are essential. Choose sulfate-free, color-safe shampoos and hydrating conditioners for color-treated hair.
Suitable Shampoo and Conditioner Choices
Look for shampoos and conditioners that protect and enhance your highlights. Sulfate-free formulas are gentler and prevent fading. For blonde highlights, use a purple shampoo to keep the color cool and ashy.
Rinse your hair with lukewarm or cool water. Hot water can cause color to fade by opening up the hair cuticles.
Recommended Hair Treatments
Weekly deep conditioning treatments are a must. They restore moisture, keeping your highlights vibrant. Use a leave-in conditioner or hair oil on your ends to prevent split ends.
Always apply a heat protectant spray when styling with hot tools. This helps prevent damage and color fading.
Timing Your Touch-Ups and Roots
As your hair grows, you’ll need to touch up your roots. The touch-up frequency depends on your hair growth and color contrast. Aim for every 2-3 months, focusing on new growth to avoid damage.
Regular trims every 6-8 weeks keep your hair healthy and prevent split ends. With the right care, your DIY highlights can look salon-quality for months.
[…] to keep hair healthy. Get regular touch-ups every 4-8 weeks to keep your color looking fresh. DIY Highlights at Home Easy Hair Coloring GuideGetting sun-kissed locks doesn’t mean you need […]