Highlights in Brighton: How to Choose the Right Technique
Highlights can completely change the way your hair looks and feels.
They can brighten a brunette.
Add softness to blonde hair.
Create movement through a darker colour.
Frame your face with subtle brightness.
Or transform your overall colour into something lighter, brighter and more dimensional.
But when you start looking into highlights, it can quickly become confusing.
Full head.
Half head.
Face-framing.
Babylights.
Balayage.
What's the difference?
And which one is actually right for you?
At House of Kingshott Hair Studio, near Preston Park in Brighton, we believe the best colour technique isn't necessarily the one that's currently trending.
It's the one that creates the result you want while working with your natural hair, your existing colour, your lifestyle and how much maintenance you're comfortable with.
House of Kingshott Colouring Services
What Are Hair Highlights?
Highlights are a hair colouring technique used to create lighter pieces throughout the hair.
Depending on the technique and placement, highlights can create anything from a subtle, natural-looking change to a much brighter overall result.
They can be used to:
Brighten your overall hair colour
Add dimension to brunette hair
Create a lighter blonde
Frame the face
Add movement to your haircut
Break up a solid colour
Create contrast and depth
Refresh an existing colour
The finished result depends heavily on how the highlights are placed.
This is why two people can both have "highlights" but end up with completely different-looking hair.
The placement, tone, amount of lightness and contrast all contribute to the final result.
Full Head Highlights
Full head highlights are designed to create lighter pieces throughout a larger proportion of the hair.
They can be a good choice if you're looking for a more noticeable overall change or want to create a brighter result throughout your hair.
Full head highlights can be particularly effective if you're looking to gradually become lighter over time.
However, the result will depend on your starting colour and your previous colour history.
If your hair is naturally dark, for example, achieving a very light blonde may take time and careful planning.
The condition of your hair should always be considered when creating a lighter colour.
Half Head Highlights
A half head of highlights generally focuses on selected areas of the hair rather than creating lighter pieces throughout the entire head.
This can be a useful option for clients who want to refresh their existing colour or add brightness without having the same level of colour work as a full head.
The exact placement can be tailored to your haircut and the way your hair naturally falls.
For some clients, focusing on the top layers and areas that are most visible can create the impression of a brighter overall colour.
This can also be an effective way to maintain an existing colour between more extensive appointments.
The best approach will depend on your individual hair and your desired result.
Face-Framing Highlights
Face-framing highlights focus on creating brightness around the front of the hair.
They can be a beautiful way to refresh your colour without changing the entire head.
The right placement can draw attention to your face and create a brighter, more illuminated appearance.
Face-framing colour can be subtle or more noticeable depending on your personal style.
It can also be combined with other colour techniques to create a more complete result.
For example, face-framing highlights may be paired with balayage or other dimensional colour to create a brighter appearance around the face while keeping the rest of the hair softer and more natural.
Babylights
Babylights are an extremely fine form of highlighting designed to create subtle, delicate brightness.
Because the sections are finer, the result can feel softer and more natural than a traditional highlight.
Babylights can be particularly beautiful if you're looking for:
Subtle brightness
A softer blonde
Natural-looking dimension
Fine, delicate highlights
Brightness around the face
A more blended overall result
They can also be combined with other colour techniques.
The right technique will depend on how much brightness you're looking for and how you want your colour to grow out.
Highlights vs Balayage: What's the Difference?
This is one of the biggest questions clients ask.
Both techniques can create lighter hair, but the way the colour is designed and placed can be different.
Traditional highlights generally create a more structured distribution of lighter pieces throughout the hair.
Balayage is often associated with a more freehand approach and a softer transition between the root and lighter lengths.
If you're looking for a brighter, more consistent blonde, highlights may be the better option.
If you're looking for a softer, more lived-in result with a natural grow-out, balayage may be more suitable.
However, there isn't a strict rule.
Different techniques can be combined to create a bespoke result.
The best colourist will consider the result you're trying to achieve rather than simply choosing a technique based on a trend.
What Type of Highlights Are Best for Brunette Hair?
Brunette hair can look incredible with carefully placed highlights.
The key is finding the right balance between your natural depth and the lighter tones you introduce.
You might choose:
Soft caramel
Honey
Warm beige
Golden tones
Lighter brunette shades
Subtle face-framing brightness
You don't necessarily need to become blonde to create a noticeable difference.
Sometimes the most beautiful result comes from adding just enough contrast to create movement and dimension.
This is particularly effective when the colour is designed around your haircut.
What Type of Highlights Are Best for Blonde Hair?
If you're already blonde, highlights can be used to create additional brightness or refresh your overall colour.
They can also be used to create more dimension by combining lighter and slightly deeper tones.
Your ideal blonde may be:
Bright and clean
Soft and natural
Beige
Creamy
Golden
Honey-toned
Multi-dimensional
The right choice depends on your natural colouring and the overall look you're hoping to achieve.
It's also important to consider the condition of your hair.
The lightest possible blonde isn't always the healthiest or most flattering option.
Sometimes a slightly softer, more dimensional blonde can look more expensive and be easier to maintain.
How Do You Choose the Right Highlight Technique?
There are several things to consider before deciding on your colour technique.
Your Natural Hair Colour
Your starting point will influence what is realistically achievable.
A natural blonde and a dark brunette will require very different approaches to create lighter hair.
Your Existing Colour
Previous colour can affect how your hair responds.
If you've had colour before, your stylist will need to understand your colour history before deciding how to approach your appointment.
Your Desired Result
Do you want to be noticeably lighter?
Are you looking for subtle brightness?
Do you want to frame your face?
Or are you simply looking for more dimension?
The clearer you are about the result, the easier it is to create the right colour plan.
Your Lifestyle
How often do you want to visit the salon?
If you don't want frequent maintenance appointments, you may prefer a softer, more lived-in approach.
Your Hair Condition
The condition of your hair should always be considered when lightening.
Your stylist will be able to advise you on the best approach based on your individual hair.
How Often Should You Have Highlights?
The ideal frequency will depend on your colour and how quickly you notice regrowth.
Some clients prefer to maintain their highlights regularly.
Others prefer to allow their colour to grow out and return when they feel ready for a refresh.
The placement of your highlights can also affect how noticeable regrowth becomes.
A more blended colour may allow you to go longer between appointments, while a brighter, more uniform blonde may require more regular maintenance.
Your stylist can help you create a colour plan that works with your lifestyle.
Do Highlights Damage Your Hair?
Any colour service involving lightening can affect the condition of the hair.
This is why professional colour should always be approached with care.
Your stylist will need to consider your previous colour history, the current condition of your hair and how much lightening is required to achieve your desired result.
Sometimes the healthiest approach is to work gradually towards your goal.
A beautiful colour doesn't need to be achieved at the expense of healthy-looking hair.
At House of Kingshott, we believe the condition of your hair should always be part of the colour conversation.
How to Maintain Your Highlights
The way you look after your hair at home can influence how your colour looks between appointments.
To help maintain your highlights, consider:
Using professional haircare suitable for coloured hair
Using heat protection when styling
Looking after the condition of your hair
Following your stylist's home-care advice
Avoiding unnecessary over-washing
Booking colour refresh appointments when appropriate
Your individual maintenance routine will depend on your colour and the result you're trying to maintain.
🔗 LINK TO: How to Make Your Hair Colour Last Longer Between Salon Visits
Can You Have Highlights and Balayage Together?
Yes, depending on the result you're looking for, different colour techniques can sometimes be combined.
For example, a stylist may use a combination of techniques to create:
Brightness around the face
Dimension throughout the hair
A softer root
A more natural grow-out
A brighter overall blonde
The goal isn't to use as many techniques as possible.
It's to use the right techniques in the right places.
This is where bespoke colour becomes particularly important.
Your stylist can consider your haircut, your natural colour and your desired result before creating a personalised colour plan.
What Happens During a Highlights Consultation?
Before beginning your colour service, it's important to discuss what you're hoping to achieve.
Your consultation is an opportunity to talk about:
Your current hair colour
Your natural colour
Previous colour services
Your inspiration photographs
Your desired result
Your lifestyle
Your maintenance preferences
Inspiration photographs can be helpful, but they should be viewed as a starting point rather than a guarantee.
Your hair may require a different approach to achieve a similar overall feeling.
The aim is to create a colour plan that's realistic, achievable and right for your hair.
Why Your Highlights Should Be Personalised
There is no single "perfect" highlight placement.
The right placement depends on your hair.
Your haircut.
Your natural colour.
Your face shape.
Your lifestyle.
And the way you want your colour to look as it grows.
A good highlight isn't simply about making sections of hair lighter.
It's about understanding how those lighter pieces work together with everything else.
The most beautiful colour is often the colour that looks effortless.
Are Highlights Right for You?
Highlights could be the right choice if you're looking to:
Add brightness
Create dimension
Become lighter
Refresh your blonde
Add movement to brunette hair
Brighten around your face
Create a more dimensional overall colour
However, if you prefer a softer grow-out and less noticeable regrowth, balayage may be worth considering.
If you're unsure which approach is best, a consultation is the perfect place to start.
Looking for Highlights in Brighton?
If you're looking for professional highlights in Brighton, House of Kingshott Hair Studio can help you find the colour technique that works best for your hair and lifestyle.
Whether you're looking for a brighter blonde, subtle dimension, face-framing brightness or a complete colour refresh, we'll take the time to understand what you're looking for before creating your colour plan.
Located near Preston Park in Brighton, our approach to colour is personal, considered and designed around you.