Highlighting for dark medium hair – photo before and after, top 7 popular techniques

Highlighting is a popular choice for many who want to update their appearance because it can transform dark medium hair by adding depth and dimension. A bright and contemporary look is produced by the contrast between the lighter strands and the darker base.

Dark to medium-length hair can be highlighted using a variety of methods, each of which provides a different look. The best approach will vary depending on your hair type and personal style, from delicate to striking looks.

This post will discuss the top 7 highlighting techniques and include before and after photos to illustrate the changes. You can choose the option that best fits your needs with the aid of these examples.

Features of highlighting for dark hair of medium length

The average hair length works best for the master conducting the highlighting because it’s easy to apply dye. They work well with all kinds of tinting and highlighting. Dark hair takes longer to dye because it needs to be clarified first.

This is of great importance! The coloring option is dependent on the skin tone and face shape, so the expert’s experience should be considered when making the decision.

Pros and cons

Highlighting on dark hair has benefits and drawbacks, just like any other effect. On the plus side

• Disguise of disadvantages (inexpressive color, rare hair, gray hair);
• the exclusion of the effects of hazardous drugs on the entire hair;
• Correction frequency reduction;
• the hairstyle acquires originality;
• accessibility for women of any age;
• achieving the effect of fresh skin and rejuvenation;
• correction of facial shapes.

There are a few drawbacks to this kind of coloring that must be considered:

• prohibition on coloring sick hair, otherwise complete hair loss or aggravation of problems is possible;
• duration of the procedure is several hours;
• impossibility of independent coloring;
• the need for mandatory gentle care for curls weakened by coloring.

Take note! Highlighting is not allowed right after henna or other preparation-colored hair! Give your curls a month’s vacation.

Contraindications to highlighting

Partial coloring is available and appealing, but in certain situations it cannot be used:

• After a perm or carving, because it will lead to fantastic colors that cannot be changed by subsequent coloring.
• After dyeing with henna, since the strands will be the color of orange.
• If dark hair has become brittle and thin as a result of strong exposure to lightening products.

Types of highlighting for medium-length hair

Young brunettes occasionally dye their hair pink, purple, blue, or red in an attempt to stand out or as a means of self-expression. For those who would rather be unique without going overboard, the following styles of highlighting are appropriate:

• Classic. The entire strand of a certain length and width is lightened. This type of coloring requires frequent correction associated with the speed of hair growth.
• Venetian. It creates the impression of burnt-out hair, since lightening begins from the ends, smoothly ending at the roots of the strand.
• Californian. Bleaching is carried out in a gentle way using foil.The process is similar to the previous one, but the look of the hairstyle is more sophisticated.
• Veil. This type is more suitable for processing short hair. According to the technology, wax is applied to the ends of the strands before lightening.
• Partial. This type of highlighting is considered gentle, since it does not produce strong lightening (by 2-3 tones), the hair does not suffer. As a result – natural shades: wheat, gold, caramel, copper. Some strands of the front part of the head are dyed, the lower ones remain unchanged.
• Mazhikontrast. The technology is based on dyeing all the strands in contrasting colors. The strands are wide, located all over the head. They can be both clear and blurry, both bright colors and natural.
• Diagonal. Lovers of naturalness and avant-garde will appreciate this type, since it creates an original image and is possible when dyeing in both bright and natural tones. A distinctive feature is that the partings are created at an angle.

Highlighting on dark hair at home

Because highlighting involves so many subtleties, it is best done in a salon. The correct dye must be chosen in order to achieve the desired shade. It’s not hard for a professional to do this; you just need to consider the hair’s color, thickness, and structure. But occasionally, you have no choice but to take independent, dangerous risks.

Execution technique

On foil. This technique works well on medium-length and long hair. You can avoid dying every hair strand by wrapping individual strands in food foil. Invite a helper and get everything ready before you start working: gloves, hairpins, foil, rare-toothed wooden comb, dye, and a tool for applying it. Additional actions:

1. Fold the cut foil in the form of pockets, this does not allow the paint to spread.
2. Determine the areas for highlighting with a comb.
3. Starting from the back of the head, stepping back a little from the roots, apply dye to the strand.
4. Place in a pocket, secure with a hairpin.
5. From the occipital zone, move to the parietal and finish with the temporal.
6. Wash your hair according to the instructions.

Atop a cap. In order to prevent the hair from becoming tangled while being pulled through the holes, this method also needs an assistant. You should add a hair-pulling tool (a wooden or plastic crochet hook will do) and a cap with holes (a bathing cap with cut holes will do) to the list of necessities previously discussed. Next, you ought to:

1. Comb your hair thoroughly.
2. Put on a cap.
3. Pull out strands of the desired width through the holes.
4. Starting with the upper curls and ending with the lower ones, evenly apply a layer of paint to them.
5. After waiting the time specified in the instructions, wash your hair with a special shampoo.

Comb. The simplest method for teaching you how to color your hair. A wooden or plastic comb, gloves, dye, and tinting shampoo are required.

What you must do is

1. After combing, give the hairstyle the desired shape.
2. Determine the thickness of the strand.
3. Put the dye on the comb and run it along the entire length of the hair.
4. Rinse off the product after the required time.

Take note! To prevent making mistakes that cannot be fixed, you must closely adhere to all instructions when doing your own highlighting. In any case, to restore the structure of your hair, use a conditioner after washing.

For those with dark to medium-length hair, highlights can make a dramatic difference by giving your appearance more depth and brightness. A modern, refreshed look can be achieved in a variety of ways with techniques like ombré, babylights, and balayage. These well-liked techniques have something for every taste, whether you prefer delicate lighting or striking contrasts. See how highlighting techniques can improve the color and texture of your natural hair by looking at before and after photos.

Choosing the type of highlighting for medium dark hair

Regular. This kind of highlighting makes a lot of tiny hairs stand out, giving the impression that the hair has been re-dyed. Frequent highlighting is linked to challenges selecting the appropriate shades for brunettes and people with brown hair.

Take note! For those with dark hair, frequently highlighting with contrasting colors will help them project an opulent image.

Uncommon. Unlike traditional highlighting, which covers 40% of the hair, rare highlighting only affects 20% of the hair.

If desired, it is used:

– to draw attention to the haircut’s stepped style;

– make the face seem mysterious by painting just the face’s frames;

Offer a unique backlight by painting the strands exclusively from the interior;

– Make a cheeky impression by staining just a small area.

Tiny. For this kind, staining with "feather" is one option. It is acceptable to use one or more shades. The tips of medium-length hair are painted, giving the appearance of density.

Big. This type of highlighting is appropriate for everyone, including those with thick, rare, thin, or curly hair. An essential step is to paint the strands, which make up 70% of the head, in the air so that the foil covers the remaining portion. It only takes three to four thick strands to give the hairstyle a visually striking and unique appearance.

Type of highlighting depending on the characteristics of dark medium hair

A bit wavy. There aren’t many options for dark-haired, curly women to alter their appearance. The most gentle approach that they most frequently use is coloring their hair, especially highlighting. Professionals advise employing the subsequent methods: Shatush, ombre, American, Californian, balayage.

For the straight. Women with dark hair can color their hair using a variety of techniques. The decision is based on skin tone, face shape, age, and hair structure, among other factors.

The most suitable shades and techniques for dark hair of medium length

Warm tones are advised by experts for brunette and brown-haired women with dark skin and dark or green eyes to look natural. You can safely use vivid, artificial colors for bright, striking images that draw attention away from the subject’s imperfections or highlight its features.

Light highlighting. There are various shade options available:

• In a cold range – pearlescent beige, light nut, pearl.
• In a warm range – golden, honey, caramel, creamy.
• Multicolored – an overflow of pastel and platinum tones.

Very good pastel with smooth transitions and light contrasting highlighting (bright light strands against the background of the main dark mass).

Ash. A blend of light gray and white tones that gradually transition into black will highlight elegance and lend the image a noble quality. The goal of the "salt and pepper" method is to enhance rather than conceal gray hair. It is safe for young girls with cold color types (not recommended for dark-eyed people) to select this style of highlighting.

This is important!

Crimson. Bright, bold personalities tend to have highlighting, in which striking threads stand out against a dark background. It works well on women with dark skin tones and can be done in both the Venetian and zonal techniques on medium-length hair.

Violet. It is advised to apply colored highlighting using the Californian, balayage, or shatush techniques. Purple makeup looks great on medium-dark hair. Women of all ages who possess courage and unconventional thinking tend to favor them.

Rosy. Pink is regarded as a universal color since it looks good on everyone. It should be kept in mind that it highlights wrinkles, wounds, and rashes. However, a few vibrant hairpieces will give the skin the appearance of being youthful and fresh. On dark hair, amaranth, wild orchid, and fuchsia curls look lovely.

Crimson. Hairdressers claim that red highlighting is a universal style. An intriguing image can be produced by carefully choosing the shades (many strands of different tones will make the color of the hairstyle natural). Light tones suit fair skin and blue eyes, while rich colors suit dark skin and brown or green eyes.

How much does highlighting cost on dark hair

The following variables affect the cost of highlighting:

1. Prestige of the salon.
2. Professionalism of the master.
3. Quality of the dye.
4. Highlighting techniques.
5. Location of the hairdressing salon.

The service’s average cost:

• Frequent highlighting – from 1500 rubles.
• Large – from 3000 to 7000 rub.
• Colored – from 2500 to 3000 rub.

The popularity of the method and how intricately it is carried out determine how much the job will cost.

Care after highlighting

Even with its gentle effect, highlights still damage hair, so proper hair care is required after the procedure. To repair the structure of damaged hair, shampoos and balms must be purchased. Applying masks made of eggs, sour cream, or any vegetable oil is not prohibited.

This is of great importance! Friction from sudden temperature changes ruins curls even more, so using hair dryers and curling irons is not recommended.

Technique	Description
Balayage	A subtle blend of highlights that gives dark hair a natural, sun-kissed look.
Ombre	Gradual transition from dark roots to lighter ends, creating a dramatic effect.
Babylights	Fine, delicate highlights that mimic the natural look of sun-lightened hair.
Foil Highlights	Classic method using foil to create bold, defined strands of lighter color.
Chunky Highlights	Thicker sections of highlights for a more striking contrast on dark hair.
Sombre	Softer version of ombre with a less noticeable transition from dark to light.
Face-Framing Highlights	Highlights placed around the face to brighten and add dimension.

For dark to medium-colored hair, highlights can significantly change the way you look by bringing in dimension and brightness without completely changing the color. For people who want to accentuate their inherent beauty while retaining some of their original shade, this is a fantastic option.

The correct highlighting technique can produce amazing effects, whether you go with the traditional foil technique or a more contemporary option like balayage. It’s critical to choose the technique that best fits your preferences and way of life because each one produces different results.

Examining before-and-after pictures can help you feel more confident about your decision by giving you a clear understanding of how various techniques work on dark hair. Your highlights will keep your hair looking vibrant and fresh with proper maintenance.

Video on the topic

Venetian highlighting on dark hair – Popular technique