Gentle hair blondening (French highlighting). How to do hair highlighting correctly How to care for your hair after French highlighting procedure

Hair highlighting is one of the most difficult types of coloring. Its essence lies in the fact that only pre-selected strands are affected by the dye, while all other hair must remain in the color in which it was originally. Nowadays, this procedure can be ordered at any beauty salon, or done independently. A detailed description of how to do highlighting at home will be given below, and anyone, using these instructions, will be able to create such beauty quickly and at no extra cost.

A little history

Around the first half of the 20th century, a new type of hair coloring appeared, which was called “highlighting”. Reviews from women who were the first to experience this technique were tempting for every other fashionista. The first model to appear before the general public with a similar hairstyle was Brigitte Bardot. It was colored by the famous Parisian stylist Jacques Dessange, which in itself made this technique famous and prestigious. Immediately after the sensation, only the richest fashionistas in Europe could afford highlighting. The secret of reproducing such technology was carefully hidden, but many young ladies still figured out how all this could be done with their own hands. Several decades later, visual aids began to be published on how to do highlighting at home, and the trend firmly became fashionable among women of varying incomes.

Advantages and disadvantages of highlighting

It is important to carefully study all the positive and negative aspects of the procedure before you apply highlights to your hair. Photos of many women who are fond of this method of coloring look very seductive. However, few people know that such an effect is possible only with proper and constant care. So, the advantages of this type of coloring include the following aspects: gray hair is completely hidden, a minimal amount of hair is exposed to chemicals, the hair color does not change radically, the hairstyle becomes visually more voluminous, regrown roots need to be painted over no more than once every 3 months. Well, the disadvantages that this procedure entails are as follows: you cannot lighten individual strands if you regularly use henna or do a perm, the procedure itself takes about 5 hours, after lightening the hair needs additional nutrition and hydration, otherwise they begin to fall out a lot. And even though there are many recommendations on how to do highlighting at home, it is very difficult to achieve the desired effect without hairdressing skills. Therefore, before starting this procedure, make sure that you can cope with the task.

Types of highlighting

Today there are many varieties of this type of hair coloring. They are suitable both for natural blondes who want to further refresh their image, and for flaming brunettes. Therefore, we will consider all types of this simple technology in turn. The first of them is classic, and consists in the fact that each strand is lightened along its entire length. Its thickness may vary, but note that the thinner it is, the more natural and delicate the final result will be. The second type is partial highlighting. Reviews from modern fashionistas tell us that this technology is the most widespread these days. Its essence lies in the fact that only the upper strands are dyed, and the back of the hair remains dark. Which creates a nice contrast. Reverse highlighting, as you might guess, involves dyeing naturally light strands in dark tones. Well, the gentle type is lightening most of the hair by 2-3 tones using dye without ammonia.

Note to blondes

When your hair is naturally very light, and you want to give it some charm, make your hairstyle more unusual and sophisticated, dark highlights come to the rescue. It can also be called the opposite, because during this procedure, light hair is dyed dark tones in various ways. The color of the hair does not change radically, but the hairstyle looks more voluminous and acquires slightly strict, but at the same time delicate features. It is important to take into account one factor here: the smaller the thickness of the strands that are dyed, the more natural the final result will look. Also, dark highlights can only be done on the lower part of the head. That is, you dye most of the hair at the back of the head, while the crown and bangs remain light.

We pay tribute to naturalness

Natural hair colors are now in trend, which is why many young ladies do not want to part with their natural shade. However, over time it can fade, become unsightly and dull. In order to refresh such a hairstyle without radically dyeing your hair, stylists recommend using light brown highlights. It is divided into several types, which look completely different, and therefore are suitable for young ladies with different tastes. The first technique is to lighten individual strands by a couple of tones using foil. As a result, you get the feeling that brown hair has simply been bleached by the sun. Next comes California highlighting. Reviews from those girls who tried it on their hair indicate that it is quite easy to do it both at the hairdresser and with your own hands. In this process, selected strands are lightened, not from the root itself, and then not wrapped in foil. The paint thus affects neighboring curls, their color also changes slightly, and as a result we achieve the smoothest transitions.

We carry out the highlighting procedure with foil

It is easiest to dye individual strands on short hair, especially if you are doing this operation at home. In advance you need to prepare cut strips of foil, up to 10 centimeters wide, thin combs, a paint brush, a plastic cup and many small hairpins. We dilute the lightening powder in a certain proportion with the oxidizing agent. Its percentage can be 3, 6, 9 or 12, it all depends on the original color of your hair and the desired result. However, if you are doing home highlighting, we do not recommend using the latter, as it can severely damage your hair. Now we divide the hair into four parts: two temporal, occipital and parietal. We start coloring from the bottom, separating one strand from the total mass. We place it under each foil and paint from root to tip. Then we wrap it and secure it with a hairpin. In this spirit, we move one by one to the temples, and when the whole head is worked, we leave the dye on the hair for an hour. This time can again be changed depending on the type of hair and the effect you want to achieve.

Partial coloring of long hair

If you decide to do highlighting on long hair at home, we recommend using the Californian type. In this case, you don’t have to struggle with foil to accurately separate the lightened strands from those that should remain in their color. In addition, an important advantage is that the lightening is insignificant, therefore there can be no side effects or unexpected reactions. Before you do highlighting at home using the Californian method, it is best to buy paint that does not bleed. It will only partially catch the neighboring curls that you did not apply, but it will not affect them much. Start coloring your hair from the back of the head, as it lightens the slowest there, and gradually move to the crown and temples. When the entire head is done, do not comb so as not to remove the bleach from the hair, just lay all the curls at the back.

"Feathers" on short hair

If you have short hair and want to make your hair more voluminous and fresh, the hair lightening method using a cap will suit you. You can buy it at any cosmetic store and use it many times. There are small holes in the cap through which the strands that you need to dye are passed. Therefore, we put this device on our head, pull out the curls we will be working with, and dilute the bleach in a glass. It is important to note that the result of such coloring does not look as natural as in the previous case. After washing your hair, large light “feathers” remain on your hair, which strongly contrast with the rest of the dark mass. In addition, these lightened areas are not painted from the root itself.

Aftercare for hair

The first thing you have to buy is shampoo and conditioner for damaged hair. The effect of lightening powder is very destructive, so curls need to be constantly nourished and moisturized. Masks made from natural oils and egg yolk are also useful. You can use burdock, olive, almond. Mix with the yolk and apply to your head for about one hour. Experts do not recommend using a hair dryer and various thermal hair devices for a month after highlighting. Give damaged curls time to get stronger, and only then expose them to similar influences, not forgetting to treat them with protective creams and serums.

Conclusion

In order for the result of highlighting hair at home to be the most acceptable, you need to choose the simplest method of all of the above. Firstly, give preference to colors that will lighten your curls by 3 tones, no more. Secondly, buy a product that does not smear. In this case, you won't have to use foil, and the end result will be natural and very attractive.

Increasingly, women prefer highlighting their hair rather than regular dyeing. Many people consider this method of transformation to be more gentle. In addition, regrown roots are not so obvious. Skillful use of just two shades of color can add vibrant highlights to your hair, and a combination of two or more tones can radically change the image. Correctly placed accents in the form of lightened strands help hide gray hair and visually increase volume. Dark hair can be skillfully changed to blonde or, conversely, dark natural shades can be smoothly achieved on bleached hair. There are many types of coloring: from traditional to the most modern technique - shatush. All of them are actively used.

Preparing for hair highlighting

In a salon or hairdresser, a specialist will help you choose the appropriate type of highlighting, taking into account the length of the hair, color, structure and wishes of the client. How much such a service costs is a separate question. If for financial reasons it is not possible to go to a specialist, there is no need to despair. It is quite possible to transform yourself at home.

The beauty of coloring your hair yourself is that it saves both time and money. It is worth deciding in advance the following issues: thin, medium or wide stripes should be obtained, use two shades of paint or create entire color combinations. As a rule, numerous thin strands look very natural, while wide stripes are bolder and more expressive. Along with this, there is a risk of not getting the expected result at home. To avoid a disaster, it is worth reading the contents of the article, which provides tips on highlighting hair at home.

Think ahead

Color

When choosing a dye for highlighting, you need to start from the main hair color and buy, as a rule, one or two shades lighter. High contrast can create a striped effect that looks very unnatural. When using lightening agents, you need to select the oxidizing agent very carefully.

If the hair is weakened, use a 4% solution. The darker the hair, the stronger the oxidizing agent (up to 12%). However, dark hair will in any case go through several stages of dyeing before it acquires the desired color. At first it will be orange, then pale yellow, getting lighter with each color.

Skin and clothing protection

To prevent the dye from ruining your clothes, you can cover your shoulders with an old towel or, alternatively, a bag. It is enough to make a hole in the bottom and thread it through the head immediately before the dyeing procedure. The paint box often comes with hand gloves, although they are not comfortable enough. It is worth buying latex gloves in advance. Any face or baby cream will help take care of your skin; it will be used as a barrier to paint along the hairline.

Tools

What you need to prepare:

• paint container (small bowl);
• two combs (regular and for removing strands);
• a brush for applying paint (many kits are equipped with a special applicator; if you don’t have one, you can use a regular toothbrush);
• accessories (foil, highlighting cap, hook, hair clips, mirror, watch).

Instructions

It all comes down to the fact that you need to calmly and slowly study the instructions for the hair dye: how to properly mix all the components of the dye, how long you need to keep the dye on your hair, etc.

The “allergy test” item should not be neglected.

Tips for dyeing hair at home:

1. It is better to wash your hair the day before, not on the day of dyeing.
2. It is necessary to prepare a place where you can sit comfortably, as well as all the necessary equipment and tools.
3. Apply the cream to the skin (to avoid staining the forehead, neck and ears) carefully so that it does not get on the hair roots.
4. The product for coloring (lightening) hair is prepared strictly according to the instructions.
5. The dye must be distributed evenly over the entire length of the hair.
6. Highlighting begins from the back of the head, gradually moving along both sides to the crown, then to the temples, and lastly to the area above the temples and bangs.
7. The dye should be left on the hair for a period of time strictly according to the instructions, then washed off with warm running water.
8. The use of special cosmetics applied after coloring will protect the hair and give it a healthy look.
9. When using several shades, it is better to start dyeing with a different tone after 2-3 days.
10. Any remaining paint should be discarded. It is dangerous to store and use it in the future.

The most common types of highlighting: through a cap, on foil, shatush and Californian.

Highlighting through a cap

Highlighting through a cap

Small changes in hair color guarantee stunning results. Highlighting through a cap allows a woman to color her strands evenly throughout her head with her own hands. One drawback: this method is only suitable for short or medium length hair. There are small holes on the special cap (it is included in any set intended for such purposes).

If necessary, you can make it yourself. For the base, a swimming cap or thick cellophane is suitable. All over the surface you need to make holes of the same size at equal distances in a checkerboard pattern.

The “working principle” of the cap is that only those strands that will be dyed are pulled through the holes using a comb or hook. The thickness of the stripes and their density need to be controlled. To get a light effect, it is enough to pull thin strands through every 2-3 holes, for significant lightening - from each hole.

Having prepared the coloring mixture according to the instructions, you can begin to change your appearance. The paint should be applied using a special brush. All elongated strands must be dyed evenly. The mixture is kept on the hair for as long as indicated in the description for it. The bleached strands are thoroughly washed with running water before removing the cap. After this, you can wash your entire hair with regular shampoo and use conditioner.

This is a very convenient way to highlight at home for those with long hair. You will need long strips of foil about 10 cm wide. The length of the blanks should be approximately 20 centimeters longer than the length of the hair. The edges of the strips must be tucked in by 1-2 cm. Such a pocket will protect the skin and neighboring strands from paint. You should divide your hair into five (or more) parts for convenience, securing them with elastic bands or clips. Coloring begins from the back of the head. Place strips of foil under the strands in certain areas.

The mixture is distributed throughout the curls from roots to ends. After applying the paint, you need to tuck the bottom of the strip and fold it in half. To prevent paint from leaking, the sides should be tucked.

Thus, the lightening of the strands begins from the bottom up to the temples and ends with bangs. The dye, depending on the desired shade, is left on the hair for 15 to 45 minutes, then the foil is removed and the hair is washed with warm water. The use of foil ensures that those strands that should remain unpainted do not come into contact with the paint. The effectiveness of this technique is confirmed by many women who use it at home. The location, width and density of the strands depends only on the desire of the lady.

Highlighting-shatush

Highlighting-shatush

To make the shatush, you will also need foil. The hair is divided into strands of about 2 cm and each curl is combed. The trick of the shatush technique is that the roots are tinted dark or not colored at all. Stepping back a little from the roots, shading, apply the lightening agent to the strands. After time, wash off the paint with water. Shatush is used to smoothly transition dark roots to light strands or to create the effect of “burnt ends”.

Shatush technique or “burnt ends” effect

This very fashionable type of highlighting today is a bit like shatush. The piquancy of this coloring method is the method of application. The paint for highlighting should be thick enough. It is correct to dilute the proportion of blondex and oxidizing agent as 1:1. The hair must be divided into horizontal partings and strands of 1.5-2 cm each must be separated. Holding the brush vertically to the hair, paint is applied from the roots (as opposed to the shatush technique) to the ends.

There is no need to wrap the strands with foil - in contact with the remaining undyed hair, they will lighten slightly. The result will look very natural.

Video about highlighting

This video will tell you how to perform highlighting at home without the help of professionals.

Pronounced highlighting using foil or without sharp contrasts of shatush are bold ideas that can be implemented by any woman at home.

How to do hair highlighting at home? Ladies want their hair to sparkle in the sun and look chic and at the same time natural.

If nature has not endowed you with naturally faded strands, you can always go to a beauty salon and have professional highlighting done.

It is more difficult to achieve the same effect at home, but much cheaper. Yes, you can experiment!

First, decide whether you will dye your hair alone or trust your friend/mother/boyfriend. The latter should be attracted only if he has an unbreakable desire for hairdressing.

The second step is to understand the types of hair highlights and choose yours. Remember how ten years ago all the girls bleached their brown hair to a yellow sheen? Since then, technology, fashion and the concept of beauty have moved forward.

When highlighting hair, several tones are used (from three to five), this guarantees smooth color transitions and a natural look.

Shatush, bronde, ombre... If you are not familiar with these words, it means you haven’t leafed through women’s magazines and gossip columns for a long time.

1)Ombre– this is a type of highlighting in which a distinct gradation is created from dark “roots” to light “tops”. The transition is so obvious that the hairstyle looks contrasting and fresh.

At the same time, when creating ombre, a lot of colors are used to make the flow of colors look natural. With such a combat color, you won’t be afraid of regrown dark roots!

2) Booking- Hollywood chic. Take many tones of your color scheme (without caustic contrasts and unexpected redness) and mix them on the head along the entire length.

This labor-intensive process ends with the fact that it seems to others that you were born this way. The hairstyle looks impressive and voluminous, but no one understands what the trick is.

3)Shatush And mazhimesh– two gentle types of highlighting. This is a delicate work with individual strands, imitating natural fading by a tone or two. Almost invisible, but revitalizing any hairstyle with a golden glow.

4) Californian (or Venetian) highlighting not far from shatushi in terms of technology.

It also does not harm the hair, and most importantly, it helps bleached blondes look natural.

With the Californian type, curls have deep dark roots (walnut, chestnut), but gradually lighten, and therefore look natural.

This procedure is suitable for everyone who is afraid to change their appearance radically, but dreams "refresh yourself",give the appearance liveliness and novelty.

Highlighted curls give more shine, look more curvy, more voluminous.

This is not only a youth trend: bleached strands mask gray hair,rejuvenate the appearance and make the skin visually smooth.

We cannot remain silent about the disadvantages of highlighting. This is a very long and tedious process, it is difficult to cope with it yourself, and the pros charge a lot.

If you are afraid of ruining your hair, do a gentle procedure: lighten it no more than two tones, and use ammonia-free high-quality paints.

1. The simplest and most classic way– get a special rubber hat with holes, or use a bag. A protective hat is put on the head, and strands of hair are pulled out with a hook.

When you have obtained everything you need, quickly color your curls with the selected tones and note the time. However, now few people turn to such ancient methods.

2. Popular method –using foil, professional or food, which is easy to find in every kitchen. Cut the material into strips and place them under the selected strands.

We applied the paint to one curl with a brush, wrapped it in foil and pressed it. And so on until the very end.

This method allows you to dye the strands under each other in different colors, make multi-layer highlighting.

3. Wide-tooth comb– another excellent product for home highlighting. In this case, the lightening mixture is applied not to the hair, but to the comb. Contrasting strands look natural and chaotic.

To highlight your hair at home, remember a few tricks

Apply the thick cream to your neck, back of your head and face (especially your temples). And paint that drips onto the skin will be easy to wipe off.

Start applying paint to the strands from the back, from the back of the head, gradually moving to the top layer.

Bend the top edge of the foil inward - this way the paint will not get on the delicate scalp.

Use gloves - take care of your hands.

The foil pieces should be a few centimeters longer than the hair, take into account the folds.

Wash off the paint strictly according to the schedule, do not overexpose.

So it's not complicated.

Until recently, home highlighting of strands remained an almost impossible task. But with the advent of professional hair coloring kits on the modern market, the salon procedure quickly migrated to the bathrooms of ordinary girls. How to do highlighting at home and not go wrong? Our master class will help you with this!

Traditional highlighting at home

Traditional or classic highlighting means a procedure during which the master uses a special cap or foil. Let's look at each option in more detail.

Highlighting with foil

You will need:

• Composition for bleaching strands (powder + oxidizing agent). For fine hair, the percentage of oxidizing agent in the powder should be 4%, for light hair – 6-8%, for dark hair – 12%;
• Brush for applying paint;
• Foil. This can be either a special foil for highlighting or a household option;
• Two combs - with a narrow long handle and for separating strands;
• Gloves;
• Towel.

How the process works:

2. If you are using food foil, cut it into strips. They should be 23 cm longer than your hair. The edge of each piece should be turned inward by 0.5-1 cm. This bend will prevent the bleach from leaking onto the scalp and neighboring strands.

3. Prepare the coloring composition according to the instructions.

4. Divide all your hair into zones. Pin each one with a hairpin.

5. Using a long comb, separate a not very thick strand from your hair.

6. Place a piece of foil under it. The pocket should be at the base of the hair.

7. Lubricate the strand with the dye mixture.

8. Fold the foil in half or cover your hair with a new piece.

9. Step back about 2 cm up and paint the next strand of hair.

10. Follow this procedure all over your head.

11. Wait about 30 minutes, unwrap each strand and rinse with water without removing the foil.

12. Remove the foil. Wash your hair with shampoo and nourishing balm.

13. Let your hair dry naturally.

Highlighting with a cap

Home highlighting through a cap is incredibly popular among women with short haircuts (up to 15 cm). Of course, you will hardly be able to find an easier way of coloring!

You will need:

• Gloves;
• Brush for applying paint;
• A special hat with small holes. You can also use a swimming cap or a regular plastic bag with holes cut in a checkerboard pattern;
• Comb with a narrow long handle;
• Paint container (glass or plastic);
• Towel.

How the process works:

1. Throw a towel over your shoulders.

2. Place the cap on your head and use the tip of a comb to pull small strands of hair through the holes. For light highlighting, you can use every third hole, for medium - every second, for intensive - absolutely everything.

3. Prepare the coloring mixture according to the instructions.

4. Apply it to your hair with a brush.

5. For light lightening (by 1 tone), the mixture is kept for only 15 minutes, for strong lightening - at least 45 minutes.

6. Rinse your hair with water. There is no need to take off your cap.

7. Dry your head with a towel, remove the cap and wash your hair with shampoo and a nourishing mask.

Watch the master class:

California highlighting at home

This type of highlighting is performed without foil. Experts say that it is fresh air that allows you to achieve smooth transitions and the effect of burnt strands.

You will need:

• Composition for bleaching strands;
• Brush for applying paint;
• Comb;
• Gloves;
• Paint container (glass or plastic);
• Towel.

How the process works:

1. Throw a towel over your shoulders.
2. Comb your hair with a comb and separate strands 1-1.5 cm wide. This should be done in a checkerboard pattern and strictly along horizontal partings.
3. Prepare the lightening mixture according to the instructions.
4. Apply it to the strands with light brush movements. Keep it parallel to your hair. Be careful not to get paint on other areas. For convenience, you can transfer the dyed strands with paper napkins, but not with foil.
5. Leave the dye on for up to 40 minutes and wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner.

Fashionable shatush at home

Shatush highlighting is the most gentle way to change your hair color and make changes to your appearance. Professional craftsmen call shatush a real art. Doing it at home without certain skills, abilities and knowledge is quite difficult. Are you ready to take a risk?

You will need:

• Hair clips;
• Comb;
• Towel;
• Coloring composition;
• Tinting agent;
• Brush for applying paint;
• Towel.

How the process works:

1. Separate several strands 1.5-2 cm thick. This should be done in a chaotic manner. Secure them with clamps.
2. Comb one of the strands and apply the lightening mixture to it with light and careless strokes. You should feel like an artist who shades gouache on canvas. Don't forget to step back a few centimeters from the roots.
3. Repeat the same with the remaining strands.
4. Wait at least 40 minutes. To evaluate the result, go over one of the strands with a swab dipped in water. Rinse your strands with water.
5. Apply a toning product to your hair (use according to instructions).
6. Wash your hair with shampoo and apply a nourishing mask.

Now you know how to make beautiful highlights at home, and you can experiment with your hair to your heart’s content. Good luck to you!