Black hair with blonde highlights is proven to offer depth and texture to any type of hair and transform your look dramatically. Brightening natural dark hair seems a tedious and impossible process, but I’m happy to tell you that it’s totally not!
You don’t need to go all solid blonde with your deep black hair just to liven it up. With strategically placed coloring, you can achieve multi-tonal, dimensional hair that can be very flattering on your skin complexion.
One thing about this hair color that makes everyone fall in love with it is the spectacular contrast it provides when warm and cool tones are blended perfectly. Vivid highlights always look stunning on straight, wavy, or curly hair.
Blonde is the perfect shade to use when testing out lighter hair colors on a darker base. Liven up your black hair with blonde streaks without the commitment of fully transforming your hair color. There is a wide range of blonde hues to choose from like platinum, ash, sun-kissed, bleached, dirty, and a lot more!
Before your next hair color appointment, check out these gorgeous pictures and ideas of black hair with blonde highlights.
#1: Unique Blonde Panel Highlight
A blonde panel highlight is currently a hot trend. This high contrast look makes a very bold statement and can help change your look drastically without the potential damage of a full head of lightening. This trend does require a little amount of maintenance but does not take a whole day in the salon to touch up.
#2: Undercut Black Bob with Chunky Blonde Streaks
Here’s an undercut black bob with chunky blonde streaks. Ask for dimensional ombré highlights to show your bob haircut and give it a modern trend style. The best way to achieve this is with teasy lights applied in foils for maximum lift on black hair. Tone with a soft violet gold for a balanced finish.
#3: Glossy Dark Hair with Bronde Caramel Highlights
Go for a glossy dark hair base color with blonde caramel highlights. When dyeing your hair lighter on a dark base, ask for caramel tones to compliment the dark. Gold and beige look great with dark hair if you like a more balanced, soft feminine look. A color melt or root shadow will give you a lower maintenance color.
#4: Long Black Hair With Simple Blonde Highlights
Long black hair with caramel highlights is a classic trend that offers a chic, feminine style. A fusion of long waves and contrasting hues is what creates multi-dimensional tones. This one’s perfect if you want to brighten up your dark tresses for a change. Long hair that’s black with creamy caramel accents can be considered a low-maintenance balayage. It’s for dark hair types with a long layered haircut and angles in the front.
Research a stylist who works with a darker hair type, and more specifically, blonde on black hair. Then stick with that stylist for consistent results. It will take more than one appointment to get your desired result of a blonde balayage on dark hair.
#5: Mid-Length Black Hair with Blonde Peekaboo Highlights
If you want a bold yet subtle hair color, black hair with peekaboo highlights is a great choice. Spend time in a consultation to review options and get those highlights just right. They should be placed to create a nice effect without being too overwhelming. Ask your colorist for lighter blonde shades blended throughout the style. It will give it dimension and movement. Maintain this look between appointments. Use shine serums or masks designed specifically for this colored hair.
#6: Long Black Hair with a Blonde Money Piece
Black hair paired with a blonde money piece and highlights is the best way to achieve maximum dimension. Bold coloring is in right now and if your hair is in good enough shape to handle the black being lightened to any level of blonde hair color, then go for it!
A trusted and experienced stylist is a must-have for any lifting from black to blonde. Because your hair is going from one end of the spectrum to the other, at-home care with professional products is paramount. Pair this “statement” color choice with a new lipstick to make all the heads turn.
#7: Short Black Hair with Blonde Tips
Consider short black hair with blonde tips if you are looking for something edgy. A dramatic ombré is an eye-catching and low-maintenance style. Remember, it may take a few visits to achieve an extreme lightening on the ends of your very dark or previously colored hair. Consult with a stylist to see if this color suits your needs and budget.
#8: Medium-Length Hair with Partial Blonde Highlights
Try medium-length hair paired with partial blonde highlights. Even very dark brunette women can add some blonde pieces for a gorgeous sun-kissed effect. Remember to keep your highlighting minimal. Overdoing it will result in the appearance of an overall lighter hair color.
#9: Sleek Chin-Length Bob with Full Highlights
A chin-length bob with full highlights is a modern twist to the classic and chic french bob. Your cut compliments your color in this combination yet, can vary on density and color pallete. This is a high-maintenance choice that needs upkeep, which can vary from 4 weeks for a cut to 8 weeks for a highlight touch-up.
#10: Mid-Length Hair with Cute Partial Blonde Highlights
Mid-length black hair paired with partial blonde highlights is a soft style that brings dimension to your base hair color. Variations of the color placement can mimic what the sun could do in thread-like pieces or create high contrast with ribbons of highlights. When asking for this option be sure to have some photos for reference during your consultation.
#11: Black Long Hair with Blonde Money Piece and Highlights
Black long hair combined with a money piece and highlights is a popular choice that is low-maintenance. Money pieces have a way of framing the features of your face while adding dimension to any style you choose.
#12: Short Black Hair with Natural-Looking Blonde Ends
Short black hair paired with blonde highlights is a high-contrast way to showcase your individual style. It has a lived-in feel that allows you more time in between long visits at the salon. Ideally, the tips begin at mid-length and have a lifetime of half a year.
#13: Blonde-Copper Highlights on Dark Hair
Try blonde-copper highlights on your dark hair if you want to add a subtle pop of color to your tresses. To recreate this look, ask your stylist to add more lowlights on the bottom half of your head. You may even consider leaving it in its solid color for greater dimension.
#14: Sultry Black Hair with Chunky Blonde Highlights
Opt for black hair with chunky blonde highlights if you want to be a blonde but don’t want to be in the salon every 4 weeks for retouches. This color is rooted so you can go farther between blonding appointments. However, you can expect to be buying some purple shampoo to fight brassiness and visiting your salon for toning appointments.
#15: Sun-Kissed Balayage Highlights on Black Hair
Sun-kissed balayage highlights on black hair create the perfect dimension and depth in your naturally darker hair. When lightening your dark hair, a toner may be necessary to counteract any unwanted warm tones. Make sure to set up future toning appointments to maintain your desired tone and to keep away warm, red tones.
#16: Stunning Black Hair with Auburn Blonde Tones
Black hair combined with auburn blonde tones is perfect if you are looking to spice up your hair hue. Ladies with pale to neutral complexion will look fabulous with this hair hue.
#17: Bright Full Highlights on Thick Black Tresses
A full head of highlights on thick black tresses adds needed depth and dimension to your dark hair. Fine, weaved highlights on black hair add brightness and movement to all-over solid brunettes. Use a large round brush to blow out your thick hair to give you a soft, glamorous finish.
#18: Modern Platinum Highlights on Black Hair
Platinum highlights on your black hair are high contrast and simply stunning. Cool blonde tones on dark hair take time and dedication to achieve but are well worth the sessions. Using a foilayage technique, ashy blonde hues will blend seamlessly with your dark hair and give a stunning icy platinum result.
#19: Black Hair with Blonde Ombre Highlights
Black hair paired with blonde ombre highlights and brighter, face-framing blonde blends your roots beautifully and brightens your face. Blonde is very versatile, looks stunning on many face shapes, and can be easily customized to suit your skin tone perfectly.
#20: Very Natural Highlights for Black Hair
Natural highlights for black hair create lightness, fullness, and dimension. With naturally dark hair, highlights tend to pull warmer. Have a thorough consultation with your stylist to make sure your desired level of blonde can be achieved. Highlights on black or even dark brown hair are also an excellent way to blend any gray you may have.
#21: Shoulder-Length Hair with Titanium Blonde Highlights
Go for black hair with blonde highlights because it’s three-dimensional! Between your naturally dark hair at your crown, to the bronze mid-way down your hair that’s sprinkled with titanium highlights, it’s a unique color combo.
#22: Dark Curly Hair with Silver Blonde Highlights
This is black hair with subtle highlights, and these soft curls appear stylish when added with grey streaks all over. One of the coolest benefits of silver blonde highlights on your black hair is how dimensional and textured they can be from every angle.
#23: Black A-Line Bob with Dirty Blonde Highlights
Black hair with blonde highlights on a short bob cut can give you a stunning hairstyle. This hair idea has a short and sweet quality to it that makes it look perfect with this bob cut, adding a soft touch to the look with the smooth waves.
#24: Long Black Hair with Yummy Honey Blonde Highlights
The light-catching and deep volume feature of these honey blonde highlights on black tresses look absolutely marvelous from root to tip. It allows you to keep your natural black hair from the roots, so you can enjoy the summery ribbons of blonde even after it grows out. The partial balayage like this is also a great way to create a brightening effect around your face.
#25: Natural Jet Black Hair with Golden Blonde Streaks
The richness of super dark straight hair provides the perfect base for warm honey colors and golden highlights. The blond highlights on your black hair melt with the angled ends creating a mini ombre that makes your hairstyle light and edgy.
#26: Casual Black Hair with Ash Blonde Highlights
Jazz up black hair with ash blonde highlights to see a lovely salt-and-pepper effect. The best thing about this long ashy blonde shade is its dimension. It’s the icy blonde highlights that contrast with the dark tone of black hair. This hair idea is called a foilayage ombre. It’s more contrast and features chunky lights. Blonde ombre highlights have a dimensional effect on straight or wavy hair. Plus, it’s suitable on short, medium, or long hair with a dark natural base. This combo of tones is perfect if you want to keep your natural virgin hair, too. If you love your dark natural hair color, I recommend you go for this ash blonde hue. It still looks good while new roots grow out, and the blonde and black hair color will maintain its uniqueness as it fades. Just ask your colorist to pre-lighten your hair.
#27: Beautiful Black Pixie Cut with Blonde Highlights
Here’s a black pixie cut with blonde highlights that offers a dashing style! This is a short sassy haircut that looks great when textured. It has subtle layers, so it’s easy to style with a piece-y effect. The fusion of black hair underneath, plus the hints of the blonde hue, will create a nice dimension in your hair.
#28: Popular Dark Hair with Grey Highlights
Dark hair with grey highlights is a popular yet high-maintenance color that is recommended for you if you have a lighter shade of locks. To achieve the dimension, begin by doing a full-head of babylights. The method brings the highlights closer to your roots. After processing the lightener, follow up with a few toners.
#29: Stylish Light Blonde Highlights on Black Hair
These light blonde highlights on black hair are on a stacked bob. Women who are very dark naturally can still have healthy, bright highlights, and it accentuates the layers throughout the cut. I recommend you style your blonde streaks in black hair with a mousse and serum combo, along with a round brush. This is great if you want a stylish look, but don’t want to spend all morning blowdrying your hair.
#30: Sassy Blonde Highlights for Black Women
If you’re a black woman, blonde highlights can give dimension to your curly hair. This beige tone has just the right amount of cool and warm so it looks great on a variety of skin tones. Highlights with a root shadow grow out wonderfully and need to be retouched less often. Expect to be in the salon every 6-8 weeks for toners.