What is the Difference Between Highlights and Lowlights

Highlights and lowlights are popular hair coloring techniques. Both techniques can improve the hair’s texture and appearance. However, they had two different purposes.

The key difference between highlights and lowlights is their color. Highlights involve pieces of hair that are lighter than your natural hair color, whereas lowlights involve pieces of hair that are darker than your natural hair color.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Highlights  
3. What are Lowlights
4. Similarities – Highlights and Lowlights
5. Highlights vs Lowlights in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Highlights vs Lowlights
7. FAQ – Highlights and Lowlights

What are Highlights?

Highlights are simply pieces of hair that are lighter than your natural color. For example, if your base color is brown, you can add highlights that are lighter brown or even go for blonde highlights. If you have blonde hair, you can highlight using lighter blonde shades.

There are different types of highlighting techniques. Traditionally, foils are used to isolate parts of the hair in various shapes and patterns. This method can create contrast that’s either very bold or very soft. However, highlights may require more frequent touch-ups as the lightened sections grow out and roots become visible.

What are Lowlights?

Lowlights are pieces of hair that are darker than your natural color. This technique adds depth and contrast to your hair, which makes it look thicker and more voluminous, which is perfect for people with finer hair. Lowlights are also great for adding dimension to hair that has become overly light from regular highlighting. Lowlights are also great for adding dimension to hair that has become overly light from regular highlighting.

If you have blonde or light brown hair, lowlights are a good option for you. However, if your hair is naturally black or very dark, lowlights might not work well because it would be challenging to find a color darker than your natural shade.

Lowlights can also help if your hair is looking a bit flat. They create an optical illusion of volume and can revive old highlights that are looking dull, which adds depth and drama to your hair, especially when the seasons change.

Similarities Between Highlights and Lowlights

1. Highlights and lowlights involve coloring sections of hair.
2. Both are used to add dimension and depth to the hair.
3. They can be done using similar methods, such as foiling or balayage.
4. Both may require regular touch-ups.

Difference Between Highlights and Lowlights

Definition

1. Highlights involve lightening sections of hair.
2. Lowlights involve darkening sections of hair.

Purpose

1. Highlights create contrast and add brightness.
2. Lowlights add depth and reduce the overall lightness of the hair.

Colors

1. Highlights involve shades that are lighter than the natural hair color, such as blondes, light browns, or even bold colors like pastels.
2. Lowlights involve shades that are darker than the natural hair color, such as dark browns, deep reds, or other darker tones.

Hair Health

1. Highlights involve more chemical processing.
2. Lowlights involve less chemical processing as it only involves darkening the hair.

Maintenance

1. Highlights may require more frequent touch-ups as the lightened sections grow out and roots become visible.
2. Lowlights require less frequent maintenance.

The following table summarizes the difference between highlights and lowlights.

Summary – Highlights vs Lowlights

Highlights are used to lighten sections of hair and create contrast and add brightness. On the other hand, lowlights are used to darken sections of hair and add depth and reduce the overall lightness of the hair. This is the basic difference between highlights and lowlights.

FAQ: Highlights and Lowlights

1. Which is better, highlights or lowlights?

• The choice between highlights and lowlights would depend on several factors, like your hair color and desired effect. In general, highlights create contrast and add brightness, while lowlights add depth and reduce the overall lightness of the hair. You can use a combination of highlights and lowlights to add both depth and brightness to hair.

2. Are lowlights more expensive than highlights?

• Lowlights tend to be less expensive than highlights because they require less touch-ups than highlights. Since highlights have lightened sections that grow out, they need regular maintenance.

3. What do lowlights in hair look like?

• Lowlights in hair look like darker strands woven into the natural hair color. They add depth, contrast, and dimension. They also create a richer, fuller appearance and can help make the hair look thicker and more vibrant.

4. Can you do lowlights without highlights?

• Yes, you can do lowlights without highlights. This will add depth and dimension to your natural hair color without the added brightness of highlights.

5. Can I do highlights and lowlights at the same time?

• Yes, you can do both highlights and lowlights at the same time. This adds both depth and brightness to hair and creates a textured look. It also gives more customized and natural-looking results to the hair.

Reference:

1. “Hair Highlights.” Go Beauty.
2. “What are Lowlights?” Hair By L’Oreal.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Hair Coloring in Beauty Salon” (CC0) via Pexels
2. “A Woman in White Dress Pointing a Finger” (CC0) via Pexels

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