Lowlights Vs. Highlights

"The hair is the richest ornament of women." - Martin Luther

All women desire to have beautiful hair, which will make them stand out from the rest. That's why we find so many women investing their time and money in the beautification of their crowning glory.

These days, women have the option of going in for any of the various hair color ideas such as lowlights or highlights or a combination of both, to experiment with their locks and add that dramatic touch to their personality.

However, before going in for any of such hair coloring techniques, women should know exactly what these mean and what they will do to their hair.

Highlights refer to the process of coloring the hair in two shades lighter than the natural or overall hair color. For example, for women who have brown hair, streaks of caramel or blond color are usually given. For women with black hair, streaks of dark brown or red tones are opted for. They help in giving the entire hair more light and depth. Women who prefer a sun kissed, dramatic look on their hair, should go in for this process.

On the other hand, adding lowlights is a hair coloring technique wherein some of the strands of hair are colored in two shades darker than the original hair color. For example, women with black hair are given eggplant colored streaks.

Thus, the main difference between lowlights and highlights is that in the latter, hair color which is two shades lighter is used for streaking while in the former, a darker hair color is used.

These are preferred by women who want to jazz up their hair a bit, but still do not want them to look over dramatic. They add depth to the existing hair color and are very good at hiding gray hair. They make a woman look classy, graceful yet trendy, all at once!

Mostly, hairstylists recommend placing either of these on top of the head or around the face. They also recommend to go in for getting thin strands colored rather than opting for thick and chunky hair streaks. As for lowlights, hair stylists are of the view to get them done on the lower layers of the hair as it helps in lending to the illusion of thick hair with a lot of depth!

These days, a hair streaking trend that is fast catching up is getting both types done in your hair. To get the perfect look, highlights are added on top of the hair while lowlights are added below the hair. This give depth to the hair and at the same time, makes them look highly dramatic. Such a combination enhances the overall hair color like none other!

This technique, popularly known as "Tri-color Service" should always be done by a professional. A professional will know exactly how many streaks to add to the hair to get the right balance of both styles. Usually, when it comes to this service, most stylists follow the formula 3:1, i.e., for every three highlights, one lowlight is added.

Here's hoping that the next time you go to a salon to add streaks to your hair, you will know exactly what to opt for to get those glamorous locks! One last tip before I sign off - along with styling and coloring your hair, pay attention to hair care as well, to enhance the natural beauty of your hair!