Lowlights vs Highlights: Which Does Your Hair Need?

You’re sitting in the salon chair, flipping through a magazine filled with gorgeous, dimensional hair. You know you want that depth, that movement, that je ne sais quoi that makes hair look expensive and healthy. But when your stylist asks the million-dollar question—”Are we thinking highlights or lowlights today?”—you freeze. Is there a difference? Which one is right for you?

The truth is, while highlights and lowlights are both techniques for creating dimension, they achieve dramatically different effects. Choosing the wrong one can leave you with a result that falls flat, while the right choice can elevate your entire look. This isn’t about which technique is better; it’s about which one is better for you. Get ready to become an expert on your own hair as we dive deep into the world of lowlights vs highlights.

What Are Highlights, Exactly?

Let’s start with the classic technique everyone knows: highlights. In simple terms, highlights involve lightening strategic sections of your hair. By using a lightener or bleach, the selected strands are lifted to a shade that is lighter than your base color. The goal is to mimic the natural brightening effect the sun has on hair, creating points of light that catch the eye.

Highlights are fantastic for adding brightness, creating a sun-kissed effect, and making your hair look like it’s been touched by summer vacation—even in the dead of winter. They can make your features pop, add the illusion of volume, and bring a youthful vibrancy to your overall appearance. Traditionally, highlights were applied using foils to achieve a more dramatic lightening effect, but techniques like balayage (free-hand painting) have become incredibly popular for a softer, more natural grow-out.

And What Are Lowlights?

If highlights are the sun, then lowlights are the shadow. This technique is the yin to the highlight’s yang. Instead of lightening strands, lowlights involve depositing color that is darker than your base color. Darker shades are woven through the hair to create depth, richness, and contrast.

Think of lowlights as a reset button for over-lightened hair or a secret weapon for adding sophistication. They can tone down an overly bright color, redefine your natural depth that may have been lost from years of highlighting, and create a multi-faceted, luxurious look. Lowlights are your go-to for adding weight and movement to hair that can look flat or one-dimensional.

The Core Difference: Light vs. Dark

It all boils down to one fundamental principle. Highlights add light by lifting color, while lowlights add depth by depositing darker color. One is not a replacement for the other; they are complementary tools in a colorist’s arsenal. A skilled stylist often uses a combination of both to create a truly bespoke color that looks naturally luminous and multi-dimensional.

Imagine a painting. If you only used bright white and yellow, the image would look washed out and flat. If you only used dark browns and blacks, it would be muddy and heavy. But when you masterfully blend both light and dark, you create a masterpiece with contrast, focus, and realism. Your hair is the same canvas.

Who Are Highlights Best For?

Highlights are a universally flattering technique, but they are particularly magical for certain hair goals and types.

If you want to brighten your complexion: Strategically placed highlights around the face can act like a ring light, making your skin appear brighter and your eyes more sparkly.

If you have fine hair and crave volume: This is one of the biggest benefits of highlights. The slight lightening process can roughen up the hair cuticle just a bit, which can add noticeable body and texture to fine or flat hair.

If you’re a brunette wanting to go lighter, gradually: Highlights are the perfect gateway into a lighter hair color. They allow you to test the waters without the commitment of a full head of bleach, letting you ease into a lighter look while maintaining your natural base.

If you desire that “lived-in,” sun-kissed look: For the quintessential beachy waves and summer glow, highlights—especially via balayage—are the undisputed champion.

Who Should Choose Lowlights?

Lowlights are the unsung hero of hair coloring, solving problems you didn’t even know you had.

If your blonde has turned brassy or dull: Over time, highlighted blonde hair can become a uniform, monotonous yellow. Weaving in ash brown or cool-toned lowlights will neutralize brassiness and reintroduce a dynamic, expensive-looking contrast.

If you have “over-processed” or flat color: When hair has been highlighted too much, it can lose all its natural depth and look one-dimensional and fake. Lowlights are the cure, restoring the shadow and depth that make color look natural and healthy.

If you’re a blonde wanting to go darker, gradually: Just as highlights help brunettes go lighter, lowlights help blondes ease into a darker shade without the shock of a single-process color.

If you want to add sophistication and richness: Lowlights create a sense of weight and luxury. They can make hair look thicker, healthier, and more intentional. They are a hallmark of many chic, classic hair colors.

The Perfect Partnership: Why You Probably Need Both

For the most natural, head-turning hair color, the answer is rarely just highlights or just lowlights. The magic happens in the combination. This hybrid approach is often called “dimensional coloring” or simply a “full highlight and lowlight service.”

By placing both lighter and darker tones throughout the hair, a colorist can create a color that is uniquely yours. It has the brightness to open up your face and the depth to ground the color and make it look like it grew out of your head that way. This technique is how you achieve those gorgeous, multi-tonal shades of caramel, bronde (brown-blonde), and champagne that seem to change color in different lights.

If your hair color looks a little too much like a solid helmet or lacks movement, this combined technique is likely the solution you’ve been searching for.

Consulting With Your Stylist: What to Ask For

Walking into the salon armed with the right vocabulary will transform your coloring experience. Don’t just ask for “some dimension.” Be specific about the problems you want to solve and the feelings you want to evoke.

Instead of saying “I want highlights,” try: “I feel like my hair is looking a little flat and I’d love to brighten up my face. Can we talk about adding some fine, babylight highlights around the front?”

Instead of a vague “I need lowlights,” say: “My blonde is starting to look a bit one-dimensional and yellow. I’d love to cool it down and add some richness with a few ash-toned lowlights to create more depth.”

And for the ultimate goal, you could say: “I’m looking for a really natural, grown-out look with lots of movement. I’m thinking a combination of highlights and lowlights to create a soft, blended effect without any harsh lines.” Bringing inspiration photos is always a huge help!

The Final Verdict: Listen to Your Hair

So, which does your hair need: lowlights or highlights? The answer lies in a honest assessment of your hair’s current state and your desired outcome.

Choose HIGHLIGHTS if: Your hair needs brightness, a sun-kissed glow, or a volume boost. You’re a brunette wanting to go lighter, or you’re starting your dimensional color journey.

Choose LOWLIGHTS if: Your color looks too bright, brassy, or flat. You need to tone down previous highlights, add sophistication, or are a blonde wanting to ease into a darker shade.

Choose BOTH if: You want the most natural, multi-dimensional, and luxurious result possible. This is the gold standard for creating hair color that looks expensive, healthy, and effortlessly beautiful.