Highlight Options for a Unique Look

With the change of seasons, many women are switching up their hair color. It just feels right, and it gives us all a fresh outlook on our cold-weather wardrobe. With so many options in hair color, which style is right for you? Here are a few ideas to inspire a new look for you.

Balayage. One of today’s most popular highlighting techniques is balayage. That’s French for “to sweep,” which is the technique your stylist uses to apply highlights in your hair. Think of it as a freestyle painting technique, where the stylist becomes an artist, strategically painting in your highlight color where it will look most natural and best reflect the light. Balayage is a technique rather than a color, and you can ask for the balayage technique to use with a variety of different color contrasts.

Ombre. Ombre is a type of color rather than a technique for applying color. Ombre is another French word that means “shadow,” and the style creates the look of a shadow as the top portion is darker than the ends, where color gradually transitions to a lighter shade. Again, you can do ombre with a variety of colors, and you can even do a reverse ombre, which is lighter at the roots and darker at the ends. Another version of this is “sombre,” which has a softer contrast between the light and dark shades.

Jewel tones. You can do a lot with jewel tones, and there are a lot of fun options that make your look unique. The opal look is meant to mimic an opal jewel, a light stone that shines in multiple colors in the light. The effect works best on platinum-dyed hair, where the other colors are applied randomly. The oil slick look is great for dark hair, with highlights of multiple jewel colors shining on the top layer. Geode hair usually has two shades of purple to mimic the deep, mysterious color of geode stones.

Light optimization. Some of the newest techniques in color take advantage of the way light reflects to add interest to your color. Floodlights add highlights to the top of your color, and the effect is as if the sun is always reflecting on your hair. Crystalizing involves a gloss finish that makes your hair shine like a crystal.

Inspired? These ideas are just examples of the many options available for hair coloring. Make an appointment today at  Anna’s Salon Elite, and our well-trained, professional stylists will help you decide on the perfect color for you! We’re dedicated to helping you look and feel your best, year-round. To make an appointment today, can find us at 2616 Brodhead Road in Aliquippa, give us a call at 724.375.8511, or for your convenience, visit our website to book an appointment online.