You know that perfectly sun-kissed color that has become the signature of Giselle and Jessica Biel, to name a few? Often mistakenly referred to as ombre, the technique at play is ombre's fancy French cousin, Balayage. With no foil in sight, stylists physically paint the color directly onto sections of hair for a more natural, blended finish. "This technique is for the female who desires a free-flowing look that is very natural," says Pelusi. And it's not hard to see why. Balayage gets rid of that harsh line between dark and light that has become so prevalent with ombre.

While skipping the strategic foil placement gives you a much more customizable look, it also runs a higher risk of a color horror story. "It is very important to go to someone very skilled in hair color for this particular technique, so as not to damage the hair. Be sure to ask if the hairstylist you patron is skilled in this technique."

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Not to be confused with taking a machete to your hair, slicing refers to a more choppy highlighting technique. Hair slicing is typically used to create a bolder highlighting look than its weaving counterpart. "Slicing describes when a stylist literally takes a slice of your hair — generally 1/8 of an inch thick — as the hair that will be highlighted in a foil. Skilled hairstylists can slice highlights beautifully. With thicker slices, you get highlights that are chunkier and more noticeable.

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Contrary to what the name suggests, this process does not involve hair extensions. Weaving is one of the more complicated highlighting techniques on the market. "Weaving is an even finer highlight pattern (than slicing). If you're looking for a more natural look, weaving is a good place to start."

According to Pelusi, many hairstylists have perfected this technique; so most know how to do it well. "The main rule of thumb is to go to a talented hairdresser whom you trust, and to have a frank discussion about which highlighting technique he/she feels is best for your hair type and your desired result."

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If all this highlighting talk has you itching for an update, Pelusi suggests not giving up on the ombre trend just yet. "What's occurring now — as does with most trends — is a softened, refined version of the popular ombre highlight. Whether you're blonde, brunette, or even red, this is the highlight color trend that's hot for fall." Instead of the typical two-toned look, this season's ombre is about soft highlights strategically placed several inches away from the scalp that blend in softly.

To get the look, take in a pic of Kate Middleton or Rachel Bilson, and as Pelusi suggests, ask your stylist for soft highlights throughout the last few inches of your hair. "For the trend to truly work, this style works best on hair that hits at the shoulders or longer."

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