Get Perfect Highlights Every Time by Asking These Key Questions

May 29

For a long time, going in to the salon for highlights was just as simple as that. There really wasn’t a lot to it and everyones highlights generally looked the same. Now highlights are so customized that depending on how your stylist does your highlights, it can completely change how your hair turns out, how it lasts, how your highlights grow out and how your hair will feel afterwards. After doing hair for over 14 years, I have figured out a few points that must be discussed before giving a client highlights to ensure that they leave happy and love their highlights. I want to share what you should know, as well as, what to ask when getting highlights.

What You Should Know

“Highlights” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

Just over 10 yrs ago, if you walked into the salon asking for highlights you would get that well known striped, yellow piece-y highlights **insert Kelly Clarkson highlights here

Fast forward to now, according to Redken, highlights are “simply pieces of hair that are lighter than your natural color”. Highlights can be applied from roots to ends or focused more on the middle and ends of your hair. They can also be super fine and blended or more bold and ribbon like. To complicate things even more, your stylist can place your highlights through different sectioning and angles to create a unique look. A perfect example of this is highlights focused around the face, often referred to as a ‘Money Piece’. Like this:

There are different techniques to achieve highlights

For years, highlights were done by pulling hair through a cap and over the years it became popular to get highlights applied using foil. Then balayage become popular. (Yes, balayage is a technique NOT a look. More on that later though.) If you visit an upscale or modern salon today, you might here technique terms like babylights, teasy lights, faux-layage, or the latest airtouch. If you havent heard of some of these, dont stress. You don’t need to really know what each one is, just know they exist and know that they are all ways to achieve highlights. Your stylist will use their expertise to choose which technique is best for your hair and your goal.

What To Ask When Getting Highlights

First things first, I highly recommend having at least one if not a few photos of inspiration of highlights to show your stylist. This way you are both on the same page from the beginning and that way you both can discuss the basics. Like, do you want your highlights to start at the root? If not, where would you like them to start? Do you want your highlights to be noticeable or subtle? Bold or soft? Use your inspiration photo to help determine this. Once you feel like you have dialed this in, here are the things you should ask:

‘How light do you predict my hair can get in this single appointment?’
Have your stylist show you on their color chart. This way you will know what color your highlights will truly be, when the toner she applies fades off. Then you will know how to best maintain your highlights at home
‘Will my highlights grow out soft or will I need to come back in for a root smudge?’
This is a tough one because if you ask this to any stylist now days they will say your highlights will grow out soft, when reality they might not. Its sadly become a common selling point that sometimes just doesnt hold up. Your stylist can feather your highlights but if your hair is naturally dark and you get a ton of highlights, there will be a noticeable root in a couple months, no matter what. Which is totally ok! It’s just something to be aware of so you will know what the maintenance routine is going to need to be.
Rule of thumb: the more highlights you are adding the more likely you will need to go back to the salon for a root smudge in a couple months.
‘How can I keep my hair healthy after getting highlights"?’
Your stylist should be recommending a moisture & protein products specific for your hair type, a serum with heat protectant and a deep conditioning repair mask. Highlights, even if done carefully, will rough up and dry out your hair strands so its crucial to make sure you are routinely adding back in moisture and protein for the first few months after getting highlights. Here are the products I recommend for my clients because they have the perfect balance of moisture and protein for taking care of highlights: