Blonde highlights have become a popular hair trend that never seems to go out of style. Whether you’re looking to lighten up your look for the Summer, Spring or add dimension to your hair all year round, blonde highlights are a great way to achieve that fresh and vibrant look.
Meet The Expert
Maria Lazarevska – Krauter
Maria is a hairstylist with 11 years of experience.
You can find Maria at her hair studio in Chicago, IL
With so many different shades and styles to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide on the perfect way to get blonde highlights. That’s why in this article, we’ll be chatting with hair colorist Maria Lazarevska-Krauter for her expert advice on getting and maintaining blonde highlights. Plus, I’ll provide you with plenty of picture-perfect ideas to inspire your next hair appointment. So, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about blonde highlights!
As the saying goes, blondes have more fun. But before taking the leap into the world of blonde highlights, there are a few things to consider. Who better to turn to for advice than an expert in the field? Maria Lazarevska-Krauter is a hair colorist who has years of experience creating beautiful blonde looks for her clients. Here are some of her top tips for anyone considering blonde highlights.
First, Let’s Talk About Your Hair Health
First and foremost, Maria emphasizes the importance of healthy hair before going blonde. “One thing a lot of women don’t consider when wanting to go blonde is the importance of a healthy haircut,” she explains. “If you have damaged or brittle ends, it makes the blonding process much more difficult.” So, before booking your appointment, make sure to get a trim to ensure your hair is in the best possible condition.
Once your hair is healthy and ready for blonde highlights, the next step is to take care of it properly. Maria recommends using a good hair cream, such as Incredible Milk by Milkshake. “The benefits from a good hair cream such as the one by Milkshake can replace a few products in the long run,” she explains. “It leaves the hair moisturized which in return takes care of a high percentage of frizz and dryness. Over all, the hair will look a lot shinier and healthier.” By incorporating a hair cream into your routine, you can help maintain your blonde highlights and keep your hair looking its best.
Hair Products You Need to Know About
Of course, maintaining blonde highlights requires more than just using the right products. Maria stresses the importance of understanding the upkeep required for this color. “Blonde highlights can be very high maintenance in comparison to other color services,” she warns. “In between blonding services, a toner often needs to be done every 5-6 weeks. At home care also should be a top priority. A deep conditioning mask should be a regular part of that routine and done at least every two weeks.” By keeping up with this maintenance, you can help ensure your blonde highlights look their best for as long as possible.
What You Need to Know About Maintenance
When it comes to getting and maintaining blonde highlights, there are some common misconceptions that Maria has seen. “I would say some women think that using the same products they used prior to getting highlights should be good enough to use after the highlighting service,” she says. “That is not true. The hair that has been blonded is now different from the hair they had before.” So, make sure to switch up your routine to accommodate your new blonde locks.
Talk to Your Colorist About These Things
Before booking your appointment, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what’s involved in the process. Maria recommends asking your hair colorist questions such as, “Is my hair healthy enough to do the blonding service I want done? How often would I need to make appointments to maintain my hair? What products will I need to purchase to keep my blonde healthy and bright? How many sessions will it take to get to my desired blonde?” By getting all the information upfront, you can ensure that you’re prepared for the maintenance required to keep your blonde highlights looking their best.
Pictures of The Best Ways to Get Blonde Highlights
Get ready to be inspired with our gallery of stunning blonde highlights – because let’s face it, who doesn’t love a good hair transformation?
#1: Prettiest Blonde Highlights in Brown Hair
Blonde highlights in brown hair give that lived-in style but are still bright all over. On your first visit, ask your hairstylist for a full highlight and slight shadow root. Then schedule an appointment for ten weeks later for toning, not highlighting. This color works if you’re looking for low-maintenance hair color but still want to feel pretty with brighter hair color! To maintain this sandy blonde color, don’t wash your hair daily. This will cause the toner to fade out faster. Use color-protecting and sulfate-free products to save the tones.
#2: Natural Highlights for Long Blonde Hair
Go for a natural highlight effect for long blonde hair. Ask for babylights with flipped ends for a soft blonde at the crown that transitions to a bold blonde on the ends. You can try a toner with cool/gold tones for a vibrant reflective blonde with a beautiful balance of tones.
#3: Gorgeous Blonde Highlights
Blonde highlights on medium-length hair are a simple and beautiful way to change up your look. If you have natural medium-brown to light-brown hair, I recommend adding blonde highlights. To create a chic and modern look, try adding some loose waves and a side part. This will give your hair a more natural and effortless look. To keep your highlights looking fresh and vibrant, use a purple shampoo once a week. It helps prevent brassiness. Also, use a deep conditioning treatment once a month.
#4: Combined Blonde Highlights and Lowlights
Blonde hair highlights and lowlights create a neutral tone. A combination of babylights, hair painting, and a tone adjustment is all you need. The spacing of blonde foils allows for a lot of depth at your root. This results in a lowlight color to your mid-shaft, where the blonde pops. Ask your colorist to use 20v if your ends were previously lightened. After it’s processed and shampooed, use Jbeverlyhills 11.00/11.22 equal parts with 2T developer. This helps bring those babylights to life and cut out any yellow.
#5: Classic Icy Platinum Blonde Highlights
Icy platinum blonde highlights are a full highlight toned to an icy blonde hue. It will always be a classic go-to color for blondes. This hue is for lighter to medium complexions. Plus, it gives you a huge advantage if you have lighter-medium natural hair. To maintain this silver-blonde color, rotate between Kinactif products. Use the silver shampoo once or twice weekly to keep the cool tone. Then use Nutri shampoo for the rest of the week for moisturizing.
#6: Beautiful Blonde Highlights on Dark Blonde Hair
Blonde highlights on dark blonde hair is a classic blended blonde and ash brown. It’s beautiful because it has a glam feel without being over-the-top bottle blonde. To maintain a soft tone, I recommend you use Olaplex treatment #3. Use Hello Blondie shampoo and conditioner by Matrix. This color and style are so versatile. It suits a wide range of skin tones and is great for summer or winter, whether you’re bronzed or a little paler.
#7: Multi-Tonal Blonde Highlights on Light Brown Hair
Blonde highlights on light brown hair give that golden-toned ombre. It looks fantastic if you have medium brown hair because it’s so natural. There will be minimal noticeable regrowth. Multi-tonal shades of light brown and blonde blend in with natural hair color. Use neutral tint levels with no added reds or ash. The natural medium brown hair color itself creates golden undertones. Such a color tends to go brassy on chemically damaged hair, so it’s essential to keep your hair hydrated. This will ensure the color lasts longer, looks healthier, and feels moisturized.
#8: Dark Short Hair with Subtle Blonde Highlights
Dark short hair with subtle blond highlights is a beautiful low-maintenance color. If you want a color that is more high contrast, then this is perfect for you. Place some waves away from your face to show off that color contrast!
#9: Creamy Blonde Highlights
If you want to brighten your blonde balayage, you could ask your stylist for bright babylights. Ask for them to be added around the perimeter of your hair. This will give your color more pop. If you’re a stylist, add a lowlight for contrast. It will make the light pieces more prominent.
#10: Natural-Looking Brunette Hair With Blonde Highlights
Brunette hair with blonde highlights can bring out the brightness in lengthy, dark tresses! Try this brunette hair with highlights for a natural-looking balayage finish. The shades and movement from the waves blend so well, forming a smooth dimensional effect in your hair.
#11: Flowing Blonde Balayage Highlights
If you need to refresh your balayage but do not need your whole head done, consider a partial highlight. Be aware of your regrowth. If it’s been over six months, you’ll need more than a partial. This is more cost-effective if you are gray. Ask your stylist how you can modify your appointments to be suitable to maintain your color.
#12: Dirty Blonde Hair With Noticeable Highlights
Dirty blonde with highlights is sexy on women of all ages. Dark roots create a color-melt effect. The dirty blonde highlights appear great under the sunlight. Plus, this balayage hair looks amazing when you add beach waves on a long-length cut.
#13: Youthful Grey and Blonde Highlights for Women Over 70
Grey and blonde highlights for women over 70 add dimension and fullness to greying hair. Highlights diffuse the grey, so you won’t have full-on coverage, which grows out softly and is low maintenance for an impactful color. The two tones’ contrast adds depth to your hair, making it look thicker.
#14: Glossy Brown Hair With Blonde Balayage
Brown hair with blonde balayage is a great hair color that adds gloss to your long tresses. Revamp your brown hair by rocking this brown hair with blonde highlights. The balayage appears smooth, which goes very well with beach curls.
#15: Alluring Dark Hair With Blonde Highlights
Dark hair with blonde highlights results in a dimension you need to upgrade your style! The depth of these cool blonde highlights is visible to emphasize the accentuating color. Waves also create movement, making your mid-length hair more dramatic.
#16: Light Brown Hair With Face-Framing Blonde Highlights
Light brown hair with blonde highlights and lowlights is a great color. Dark-rooted light brown with blonde highlights offers face-framing pieces for extra glam. Added waves and a chop where the length goes above the chest make an ideal combo for your new go-to style.
#17: Perfect Red Hair With Blonde Highlights
Red hair with blonde highlights featured in the long-length shaggy layered cut adds dimension. This auburn hair with blonde streaks isn’t only for natural redheads; these can be the perfect highlights if you’re a brunette!
#18: Chic & Sultry Honey Blonde Highlights
Honey blonde highlights look vivid, as if the sun shines through the mane. Go for this creamy honey-blonde hair balayage when you have long, straight tresses. For added depth, add waves!
#19: Spiced-Up Ash Blonde Highlights
Ash blonde highlights can spice up dark tresses, giving them a hot smokey effect. Pair these soft blonde ends with a mid-length chop to go well with some waves.
#20: Stunning Long Black Hair With Blonde Highlights
Long black hair with blonde highlights can take your natural beauty to the next level! The added bright streaks give prominence to your best facial features. Style your bronde hair with waves for a natural-looking glow.
#21: Trendsetting Blonde Highlights on Dark Brown Hair
Blonde highlights on dark brown hair are one of those trends you must try once in your life! Blonde locks add elegance to your angelic face while jazzing up your long mane and flattering your skin tone.
#22: Feminine Blonde and Brown Highlights
Blonde and brown highlights will cover your mid-length, dark locks with warmth. This shade of blonde guarantees a dimension, especially if styled with voluminous waves.
#23: Radiant Bronde Blonde Streaks
Bronde blonde streaks through balayage never fail to bring out a sun-kissed finish. They carry out the radiance and can ginger up your dark tresses. Blonde highlights are perfect if you have a long hairstyle with beach waves.
#24: Short Brown Hair With Bold Blonde Highlights
Short brown hair with blonde highlights looks great on short A-line bob hairstyles. It will keep your hair light, with lots of movement and that signature sun-kissed color.
#25: Cool Platinum White Highlights for Older Women
Cool platinum-white highlights for older women bring out natural silver-grey strands. This hair color is low-maintenance. You can get these tones by highlighting your hair and doing a silver-blonde gloss. The gloss helps to maintain shine and gives more silver tones than grey. It also helps with the texture of your grey hair, softening it and making it more manageable.
#26: Modern Chunky Blonde Highlights for Women over 50
Modern chunky blonde highlights are great for women over 50 to add depth and contrast to their hair. These also help your fine tresses to appear thicker. A bob haircut with highlights is perfect if you’re over 50. It looks great in a sleek style. Add beach waves to give your hair more body, bounce, and texture.
#27: Outstanding Dark Blonde Highlights
Dark blonde highlights are classic, chic, and sassy. This style is perfect if you have thick hair. Plus, the color adds enough dimension whether you wear it straight or styled. Blonde babylights and balayage are the best highlighting combo color. It’s easy to style and low-maintenance. For the color, see your colorist every three months for a toner to freshen up the color between haircuts. If you’re on well water, you’ll have a hard time with your color lasting. If that’s you, could you go in sooner for fresh color services?
#28: Natural Rooty Face-Framing Blonde Highlights
Try a hairstyle that features natural rooty blonde highlights. Keep your natural color up top for a low-maintenance grow-out. This leads to blending into the light blonde tips. Ask your stylist for face-framing blonde highlights and beachy waves curled away. The curls make the whole style come together. A little effort in styling your hair can make your hairdo go from ehh to boom, baby!
#29: Gradient Caramel Blonde Highlights
Gradient caramel blonde highlights is a higher gradient balayage. It’s more of a neutral to cooler tone. It’s less of a subtle sun-kissed look but rather more solid and rich. Hair with caramel highlights requires a toner at the salon every 8-12 weeks. The balayage will also need to up higher as your hair grows longer, usually in a timeframe of 12-16 weeks. This specific tone would work best if you have a fairer skin tone to an olive/tan with a cool undertone. Balayage could work for every skin tone. But a deeper shade of blonde or mocha caramel colors is flattering on warmer undertones.
#30: Naturally Beautiful Blonde Highlights
Beautiful blonde highlights are “fantasy hair” in the hair world. In this photo, most of the blonde is balayage, while only a few highlights go to the roots. This allows you to go up to three months or more between color services. This hair grows out with a minimal amount of roots.
#31: Relaxed & Natural Highlights for Blonde Hair
Relaxed and natural highlights for blonde hair bring out brightness around the ends. Subtle blonde highlights and a diffused root shadow make it natural and beautiful. I recommend this color and hairstyle for almost any hair type and skin tone.
#32: Fresh & Soft Blonde Highlights
Soft blonde highlights are a fresh style. The foils are extremely fine and back to back to create a seamless color that doesn’t look “liney.” Plus, it avoids harsh regrowth when you grow out your hair. Color maintenance at home would be using the L’Oréal Silver Shampoo when necessary. Use a good quality shampoo like L’Oréal Nutrifer Shampoo and Conditioner. These hair products will help maintain the color and hair’s integrity. Treating weekly with the Smartbond at-home treatment would also be a must as a follow-up to the in-salon service.
#33: Opalescent Golden Blonde
This opalescent golden blonde is iridescent! This opalescent blonde shows an array of shimmer. When light shines against it, you see an array of colors. Watch colors bounce from beautiful golden tones to cooler pearl tones. These highlights for blonde hair look stunning against a darker base. This hair color and cut work great if you have medium to fine hair texture and a cooler skin tone. Golden tones with cooler accents help cooler skin tones look more youthful.
#34: Charming Warm Blonde Hair With Highlights
Warm blonde hair with highlights is a bright vanilla blonde. It’s dimensional up top where natural color can show through, then melt into solid ends. This gives your hair color a shadow-root feel. It’s a great option if you want an easier grow-out while keeping a lot of brightness through the ends. This is perfect if you have previously been a solid blonde. So if you used bleach and tone, consider this color to transition to a more natural-looking color. There will be less maintenance while growing out this light shade.” This is also a good color if you want to keep brighter locks but want to keep some depth around your face to avoid.
#35: Bright Blonde Highlights on Bright Blonde Hair
Blonde highlights on blonde hair can be customized to your skin tone. Ask your colorist for a ton of back-to-back foils while doing the highlights. This will make for a bright blonde without the streaky feel. Blonde women should try Olaplex. It’s like an insurance for your hair. It stops the breakage and helps your color last longer. If you have a cooler skin tone, ask for warmer shades of blonde, like golden/caramel blonde tones. If you have a warmer skin tone, ask for violet tones, platinum blonde hair, beige blonde, or dusty blonde hair. You can get a few highlights around your face for a pop of brightness. Or combine it with balayage to get an impactful, low-maintenance blonde. You can also go for a full head of highlights for that platinum blonde color.
#36: Beach-Inspired Blonde Highlights
Beach blonde highlights are a beach-inspired hairstyle any woman can wear. The soft, natural contrast between the base color and highlighted pieces is effortless. The beach blonde hair color ideas are for you if you have natural level 7 hair and are looking for a quick brightening fix. It’s easy to maintain and transitional through the seasons.
#37: Wearable Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair with Dark Roots
Blonde highlights on brown hair with dark roots are a rooty blonde. This bright shade of hair is for women who want a low-maintenance shade. The light blonde highlights are ultra seamless with minimal contrast and very subtle. Warm and golden hair colors like this are perfect if you have medium, olive, or tan skin tones.
#38: Low-Maintenance Blonde Highlights on Short Hair
Blonde highlights with short hair give that rooty blonde color. It’s perfect because it keeps your hair brighter on the ends but leaves the root soft. It’s lower maintenance than traditional highlights. You still get the “dark” hair broken up with tons of dimension, but you don’t see a line of new growth coming out in a few weeks. Ask your stylist for balayage between foils to give your strands an even more bright pop!
#39: Sexy Sun-Kissed Blonde Highlights
Sun-kissed blonde highlights are a color melt balayage that makes your hair color look sun-kissed and can suit both straight and curly hair. Use purple conditioner and purple shampoo to help take the brass out. Purple shampoo sometimes contains sulfates which take the color out. Balayage highlights can last up to five months. This is because the grow-out is less obvious with balayage. Using foils while balayaging is called “foilyage.” The foil helps to speed up the process and can lift your hair lighter.
#40: Spiced-Up Red and Blonde Highlights
Red and blonde highlights create a rosy tone that’s soft, almost pink-red. It spices up the color, so it’s not one color. A red and blonde color is best if you don’t have a lot of pink tones to your skin. Having such tones would bring those tones out and make them more dominant.
#41: Modern Beach Blonde Highlights
Try modern beach blonde highlights that combine bright, beach-inspired, and light golden highlights. Don’t try lightening your hair at home! Natural-looking highlights are all about the little details. It’s easy to lose control and end up with an uneven brassy color. At-home color changes can look like a failed attempt at bleaching out your hair. Avoid the mess (and the tiger stripes!) and see a trusted professional.
#42: Luscious Curly Brown Hair With Blonde Highlights
Curly brown hair with blonde highlights creates stunning balayage blonde highlights within your hairstyle. It’s a way to give you light pieces running all through your hair without being so uniform like foils can do. It’s also good if you don’t like to see that harsh re-growth line. This way grows much softer. The dimensions throughout the head using highlights give it tons of depth.
#43: Stylish Dark Brown Hair With Blonde Highlights
Dark brown hair with blonde highlights features an off-the-scalp highlight. It’s a soft, dimensional highlight with a flattering dimension and a great transitional grow-out. To maintain longevity, use a color-safe or sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. This technique requires low upkeep, which would benefit your busy lifestyle. To ensure the best blend from the base color to highlight, base the tone level on your natural base color.
#44: Baby Light Blonde Highlights
Achieve baby light blonde highlights with a lightener and a babylights application. Focusing on highlights on your front hairline will bring out the brightness of your face. This is great if you wear your hair up a lot. Doing so blends the grow-out lines away. Keeping the babylight application true and fine lowers the maintenance as well. Use a protein because this color almost always lacks protein. A good leave-in protein conditioner is Neuma Neusmooth leave-on. Or try a spray like Onesta Protein Probiotic Spray to keep your hair as strong as possible. This shade is great if you have naturally lighter hair or are starting to grey and want to blend it away. Greys usually start in that front hairline, so it’s nice to keep that brighter and blend it away.
#45: Gorgeous Balayage Blonde Highlights on Dark Hair
Balayage blonde highlights on dark hair look fabulous! Especially when it creates a contrast between the dark and light beige balayage. Without lightening all your hair, a balayage is a great alternative to give texture and style. Try using Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Keratin Shampoo to help keep the integrity of your hair. Then alternate with AG Sterling Silver shampoo. This will help you keep your highlights a nice beige color.
#46: Transitional Medium Blonde Highlights
These transitional medium blonde highlights are perfect! This color is created by a full head of babylights, balayage in between, and a glaze over the top. The babylights (fine blonde highlighted hair pieces) break up your dark color. The balayage (painted on highlights) brightens the ends. Adding a glaze/toner all over creates a cohesive golden tone to match your previous color. If you want to go for brown, red, and then back to blonde, slow the transition process.
#47: Sassy Strawberry Blonde Highlights for Women Over 60
Strawberry blonde highlights are flattering if you’re a woman over 60. The lighter coppery lowlight tones blend well if you have gray hair and a fair complexion. This strawberry blonde makes a very easy, fresh, low-maintenance transition of highlights in blonde hair for mature ladies.