DIY highlights are a perfect way to save without having to give up your great looks! Furthermore, I’m sure many of you are thinking about giving DIY highlighting a try just as I’m sure many ladies have already tried and absolutely loved it! Am I right? Well, here are a few great highlighting tips for all of you DIY beauty enthusiasts:
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1. Prep Your Hair
Perfect DIY highlights require a steady hand and a very obedient hair so start with the latter and prep your hair so that it gives you as little troubles as possible. In order to do that, you’ll need to start with hair that is not perfectly clean. Don’t wait until it’s too dirty either – a day old wash will do just fine as it’s not too oily and yet, not clean enough to fly away. Now detangle your hair slowly and carefully and move on to my next highlighting tip!
2. Use a Clarifying Shampoo
Speaking about a shampoo – you might want to use a clarifying product on your hair instead of your regular shampoo before you attempt at-home highlights. It’s not absolutely necessary but it can give you much better results so why not give it a shot. According to many, product buildup can alter the chosen color and mess with your results which, you’ll agree probably isn’t something you’d want.
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3. Choose Your DIY Highlighting Method
If you’re new at this and this is the first time you’re attempting to dye or highlight your own hair, you might want to take a real highlighting kit that contains everything you’ll need including the color, special applicator and instructions on how to use them. Experienced ladies can opt for the desired shade only and apply it like they always do, using a brush, comb, foil or cap.
4. Choose Your Color
Choosing the right color is crucial for DIY highlights! After all, we want them to look absolutely gorgeous and natural, don’t we? Well, here’s how it goes – if you have very dark hair (like black or very dark brown) you’d want to stick to lighter brown shades. Don’t go for blonde highlights…unless you want to look like Cruella DeVille, of course! Medium to light brunettes can update their style with a few natural, dark golden blonde streaks while natural blondes might want to lighten and brighten their color by adding a few silvery blonde strands.
5. Think It through
Highlights can do a lot for your looks – they can make you look younger, make your hair appear more voluminous, brighten up your face and make your eyes pop! However, before you opt for at-home highlights, you have to decide on where you want them and how many of them you want. You can highlight your entire hair for a drastic color change that appears natural and won’t damage your hair as much as bleaching, you can concentrate them around your face to point it out, or highlight only the top layer of hair in case volume is what you need. The choice is all yours!
6. Highlight like a Pro
Want some more highlighting tips? Well here’s a few on how to achieve perfect streaks! Simply section and pin up the layers you want to highlight then let them down one by one and do your highlights. Start from the back, work on the bottom layers first, slowly work your way to the front and don’t forget to place a piece of regular aluminum foil between the layers to avoid color transfer and smudges!
7. Washing Tip
Oh, and let’s not forget one very important thing – your DIY highlights will last longer if you allow the dye one or two days to set completely. It’s kind of like a perm, actually – you’ll have to wash the acid or, in this case dye, after a few minutes (10 to 30 to be precise) but it’s strongly advised to wait a bit until the next wash.
What do you think about DIY highlights? Have you done them before, were you happy with them and do you have a highlighting tip or two to share as well?
Comments
Anonymous: Most often... a RECIPE for orange disaster! Many VERY important points are missing, such as... color wont lift color... ONLY bleach will work to "lift" if previously color treated etc...
Kirstie: Eureka! I'm so happy that I chose to give myself another shot at my own highlights after a terrible issue with the cap. Dye went through some of the holes and I had some spots!😬😔 yikes🥵!! I have now mastered all around highlights on ONLY $18 DOLLARS AND this is how I did it. So I bought the Champagne highlighting kit. I would work on one layer every week. Yes i took my time because of my schedule. I made the test formula for each time and yes its GORGE! It has maybe taken me less than a month to finish all of it however I am very busy like I said so ofcourse you could do it every other night or whatever you want. BY THE WAY.. I DID NOT USE THE CAP! This time I really took the time to paint strips properly and more efficiently because I only had to focus on a layer at a time. And ofcourse I kept in mind that I had to make it even on the layers so it didnt look funny ya know!?!
Shannon: I do not think the snide comments by stylists are necessary. Obviously this website is to give inexpensive ideas to women. I have been in a position many times where I really wanted my hair done to feel better about myself. As I was a mother of young children, I did not always have the extra money to go to a professional stylist. I am sure these woman are quite aware of what the outcome may be. Rule of thumb, always test an inconspicuous area (strand test) to make sure it won't ruin your hair. (which I haven't seen a hairstylist do as of yet)....Ladies-don't listen to these rude $$$$ making women. They obviously have never been broke and just enjoy feeling good by making themselves sound important. I have not needed to do my own hair in a long time, but instead what these lovely stylists could be doing is boosting women's egos by offering discounts to those in need (like one free cut and color to someone in need per month --). After all we are all women and we all just want to be beautiful.
Anonymous: Just highlighted my hair tonight...love the results and the cost wasn't bad either :)
Anonymous: I did DIY highlights ONCE!!!! Then I spent a lot more money getting it fixed. Should have just had it done professionally from the beginning and my hair would have been in better shape!!
Anonymous: people who do this makes hairdressers like me LOTS of money
Anonymous: This sounds quite daring. I would make sure to tell reader that color WON'T lift color. So if you have any sort of hair dye on your hair you cannot use anything besides BLEACH to lighten your hair. Also you might want to invest in purple shampoo or a toner to reduce unwanted brassy or warm tones. Good luck!
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