Hair Care

These Are the Most Flattering Highlights for Your Hair Color

From highlights to lowlights, find out which shades complement your hair color

by Sharon J. Yi, Allie Flinn

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Did you ever go through a gothic phase in high school, when you couldn't stand even a slight fade to your jet black hair color? Those days, you probably thought highlights were meant only for the carefree blondes or the sun-kissed brunettes of the world -- tortured soul, much?

Or maybe you had a head full of highlights -- bright blonde strands scattered on top of your dark brown hair -- and wish you could transport your current colorist back to your life circa college. You know, so he could talk you out of those fake-looking streaks.

Whatever your highlight history, it's time to think about revisiting them. Highlights offer the ability to switch up your hair color without getting a dramatic overhaul, and they can bring depth and life to an otherwise blasè brown or dull blonde. And lazy-girls, rejoice: The latest trends in highlights allow you to go a full six months between touchups.

The key to great, natural-looking highlights, say experts, is knowing what shades will work best with your hair color. Here, the best tips on how to get the right highlight shades for every hair color.

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Older comments

Nice tips

by EricaC123 Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 02:24PM Report as inappropriate

Thanks for the tips.

by Monique3 Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 09:14AM Report as inappropriate

very interesting!

by Chris213 Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 07:00AM Report as inappropriate

Reese's hair looks gorgeous.

by robyne00 Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 06:26PM Report as inappropriate

This aryicle is great.

by lharrell80 Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 11:36AM Report as inappropriate

Thanks for all the tips. Getting ready to have my hair colored and I never knew that in was especially unhealthy to use heat products to style colored hair! Duh, makes perfect sense!

by justteri Friday, August 17, 2012 at 06:20PM Report as inappropriate

Thank you for including something about black hair. Any hairdresser I went to for highlights used blonde colors. Now I know what to tell them to do. Also, it is critical to use color safe/retention products. I have never tried Shielo, but I am going to now. Great advice!

by Cheryl5752 Friday, August 17, 2012 at 12:40PM Report as inappropriate

I on;y liked Jessica Alba's hair, but it looks more like ombre, not highlights...

by venenumletalis Friday, August 17, 2012 at 11:30AM Report as inappropriate

They didn't put anything for red hair. There is a definite difference between red and auburn, and they just totally skipped red out. I'm disappointed.

by GingerDrink Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 07:29PM Report as inappropriate

Great article! Nice tips for those of us who may be a bit challenged with color selection!

by CCochran Friday, June 15, 2012 at 09:26AM Report as inappropriate