How do I choose the right highlights?

Author: Mrs. Aurelia Jacobson  |  Last update: Tuesday, December 9, 2025

“The universal rule is to keep highlights within four shades of your base color — any more can look harsh,” says Papanikolas. “At the lightest end brunettes should opt for caramel, auburns for copper gold and blondes or grays can go to baby blonde.

How do I know what kind of highlights I need to get?

To manage expectations when choosing the right hair color for your modern highlights, it's important to consider the following factors:
  1. The current condition and color of your hair.
  2. Your skin tone and complexion.
  3. The level of maintenance you're willing to commit to.
  4. The desired outcome and if it aligns with your lifestyle.

How to decide what to highlight?

Highlight the key words that indicate the main idea. Usually, these key words repeat throughout the section. When all of the highlighted words are read alone, a key idea of the reading is stated. You should be able to read only the highlighted words and the words will make sense.

How do I know if highlights suit me?

The rule of thumb when picking out a hair color is to choose tones opposite that of your skin. So for example, if you're warm toned, you might opt for an ashier, more cool shade of highlights, and vice versa. Follow along for our breakdown of each different tone of highlights and who they look best on.

How do I find my highlight shade?

``The best way to find a highlighter that's right for you is to look at your own skin tone,'' makeup artist Dana Delaney, who works with Solange, says. ``Look for a highlight shade that's two shades lighter than your skin.'' That way, your glow will look natural versus galactic (unless that's your thing).

How to Expertly Choose Your Perfect Base HAIR Color 🤎

How do I find my correct shade?

Swatch on your jawline: Apply a small amount of foundation on your jawline and blend it towards your neck. The right shade should seamlessly blend into your skin. Consider your skin type: Different formulas work better for different skin types (e.g., matte for oily skin, dewy for dry skin).

How to know if you'd look good with highlights?

Start by identifying your skin tone and undertone: Cool skin tones (pink or blue undertones): Ash or pearl blonde highlights work best, offering a harmonious, balanced look. Warm skin tones (yellow or peach undertones): Golden or honey blonde highlights will make your skin glow.

Do highlights in hair age you?

If the highlights get too white or icy, it can be very aging. Try to stay away from choppy, obvious highlights.

Should I go lighter or darker with my hair?

A great rule is to stick to within two shades of your natural hair, in terms of light or dark, as your hair shade usually matches your complexion. Go too dark and your natural skin colour will probably be washed out, and vice-versa.

What is a good rule for highlighting?

Stop and think about what you read and determine the main concepts before you highlight. This will help you pinpoint key concepts and decrease mindless highlighting. Limit yourself to highlighting one sentence or phrase per paragraph. Look for the sentence that best expresses the main concept.

How to choose hair highlights for your skin tone?

The rule is simple – warm skin tones look best in warm colors while cool tones look best in cool colors. The goal is to pick a shade that best accentuates your natural features.

What are the four basic types of hair highlights?

There are four basic types of highlights: foil highlights, hair painting, frosting, and chunking. Highlights can be any color, as long as it is a lighter level than the surrounding hair. Hair lightened with bleach or permanent color will be permanent until new growth begins to show.

What are the most natural looking highlights?

Babylights. These are the finest and most natural looking highlights.

What not to do before highlighting your hair?

But don't go to the salon with obviously greasy, overly oily or sweaty hair, and avoid packing on the styling products on days you plan to get highlights. Colorists tell clients to wait 48 to 72 hours after getting color to give highlights time to set before washing their hair.

Do I need a full head of highlights every time?

That being said, highlights only require top-ups every 6-8 weeks, and it is very easy to switch from getting half heads to full heads and vice versa. It all comes down to your hair goals, so have a good think about what look you want.

Are highlights unhealthy for your hair?

Highlighting can cause damage to the hair if not done properly or too often. 3. Fading of highlights due to exposure to sun, heat, or other elements is common and requires regular salon visit for touch ups in order to maintain a natural look and color balance throughout the hair's length and layers.

What does honey blonde look like?

Honey blonde is a rich, warm color. On the blonde shade spectrum, it falls somewhere between a caramel shade and a buttery hue, but it can also be worked as a bronde (brown blonde). Just think, quite simply, of the color of honey, and you've got this trend in one. It's glossy, gleaming, glowy and golden.

How do I choose the right highlight?

Identify your skin undertone

“Cool undertones will see their veins are more blue/purple,” Collazo says. “Warm undertones will see green veins and neutral will see more aqua blue-green veins.” Once you know your skin undertone, it'll be much easier to select a highlighter that will look best on your complexion.

What do peekaboo highlights look like?

"Peekaboo highlights are [strands of dyed hair] typically hidden when the hair is down. They become visible only when the hair moves, is styled in certain ways, or intentionally parted to reveal them," says Priscilla Choi, a colorist at NYC The Team.

Should I get highlights or balayage?

The Difference Between Balayage & Highlights

With highlights, the hair is saturated with colour from roots to the ends. If you want a balanced, blended and softer look then balayage is for you. For a more intensely lightened look, then you should go for highlights.

How do I choose the right highlight and contour shade?

The Shade Rule

A shade that is too warm can make your face appear orange rather than naturally sculpted, while a shade that is too cool may look ashy. The goal is to choose a contour shade that mimics natural shadows, typically two to three shades darker than your foundation, with the same undertone as your skin.

Do you contour on the cheekbone or under?

Go light on the contour, focusing just below the cheekbones, and let the highlighter do most of the work. Highlight the center of the forehead, under the eyes and just below your contour.

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