Highlighted hair looks elegant and laid-back, particularly when applied subtly and naturally.
Highlights - and their varying techniques of baby lights, balayage, low lights, and ombre - are a timeless colouring style that hairdressers are asked for time and time again. We asked a leading colourist for their take on the best highlighted hair looks if you want to update your hair for autumn. "First, choose a shade that compliments your natural hair colour and skin tone, creating a more natural, flattering look," celebrity hair colourist and stylist Katie Allan, founder of MAYFIVE Hair, told us. "Think about the jewellery you wear; if silver suits you more, you will generally suit cooler tones, but if gold is more flattering, warmer tones complement you more."
She continued, "It’s important to consider your hair type and texture, as fine hair may need more delicate, subtle highlights like baby lights, while thicker hair can handle bolder techniques. Maintenance is key, so opt for a style that suits your lifestyle - low-maintenance options like balayage are great for those who prefer fewer touch-ups." These are our top 32 highlighted hair looks to inspire your next salon visit.
32 highlighted hair looks to inspire your next colour appointment
Classic foil highlights
Foil highlights involve sectioning the hair and wrapping pieces in foil to lighten specific strands. Colourist Katie Allan said, "This technique allows for more controlled and uniform placement, resulting in a more structured and defined look." Margot Robbie's bright blonde highlights are a stunning example of this look.
Our highlighted hair staples
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Contrasting blonde and brown shades
Foil highlights are a great option for anyone who wants the classic highlighted look with some contrasting shades. "You can have multiple different colours in highlights as the hair is isolated in the foils," colourist Katie Allen told us. Beyonce's chunky highlights are contrasting shades of warm blonde for a bold look that suits her perfectly.
Icy blonde highlights
"Platinum or icy blonde highlights are popular for those looking to create a cool, striking contrast with their base colour, adding a sleek and modern edge," colourist Katie Allan told us. Jennifer Lawrence has opted for a white-blonde shade with subtle contrasts to break up the block colour.
Soft balayage
"Balayage is a freehand painting technique where the colour is applied in sweeping motions, starting lightly at the roots and becoming more concentrated toward the ends. This creates a soft, natural, sun-kissed effect," colourist Katie Allan tells us.
"Balayage is perfect for those who want a low-maintenance style since it grows out seamlessly without harsh lines. It is ideal for medium to long hair and works well for those seeking a more subtle, blended look with a natural, beachy vibe." Jessica Beil's blonde highlights look stunning in loose, beachy waves.
Subtle brown and toffee highlights, or 'expensive brunette'
The 'expensive brunette' trend refers to subtle and natural highlights for an elegant brunette look. "The expensive brunette trend, which features rich, multi-dimensional brown tones with soft, caramel, or honey highlights for a luxurious and polished effect, is as popular as ever," colourist Katie Allan told us.
Baby lights around the face
Baby lights are very fine, delicate highlights that offer subtle, multi-dimensional tones of hair naturally lightened by the sun. "The technique involves applying tiny, finely woven highlights throughout the hair to create a soft, radiant effect," colourist Katie Allan told us.
"Babylights are ideal for those with fine or thin hair who want a natural look with a little extra brightness and dimension without the intensity of traditional highlights."
Soft blonde highlights in warm tones
For a more natural effect, buttery blonde, toffee, caramel or golden highlights can add warmth and a sun-kissed glow, making them ideal for those with warmer skin tones. "Baby lights, which are very fine, subtle highlights, mimic the natural, sun-lightened strands often seen in children’s hair and are perfect for adding a soft, blended brightness to blonde hair," colourist Katie Allan told us.
A full head of bright blonde highlights
Heidi Klum's bright blonde style is softened with contrasting tones, but the overall look is a statement blonde that can be achieved through a full head of light blonde highlights.
Money piece highlights
Eva Longoria showcases the money piece trend, where the front sections are bolder and brighter to frame the face, with a mix of caramel and toffee shades highlighting her dark brunette hair for an overall sunkissed and soft look.
Subtle low lights
Low lights refer to adding darker tones to the hair to create more contrast, as opposed to highlights that lighten sections. "This technique is great for adding richness and dimension to hair that looks too flat or one-dimensional," colourist Katie Allan told us.
"Lowlights are ideal for anyone wanting to add depth or prefer a more subtle, toned-down effect. They can be added as a ‘backlight’ to blonde hair to add contrast and make it pop."
Darker blonde highlights
Margot Robbie shows us how darker, ash-blonde tones can subtly lift light brown and dark blonde hair shades for an elegant highlighted hair look. The actor keeps her roots natural for a more lived-in style.
Thin and bright highlights around the face
Adding a few highlights around the face can have an uplifting effect on your style. "Face framing highlights are another great choice, as they focus on brightening around the face to enhance features without requiring a full head of highlights," colourist Katie Allan told us.
Reverse balayage
"Reverse balayage is another emerging trend, adding darker lowlights to blonde or light hair for a subtle contrast and a more lived-in look," colourist Katie Allan told us. Reverse balayage can mean lighter roots with subtly darker blonde tones at the end, as in the case of Jennifer Aniston's red carpet look, or can be used more dramatically with lighter roots graduating to darker, richer lengths and ends.
Blend chunkier highlights for a statement style
Using chunkier highlights in soft tones can also have a stunning finished effect, as Jennifer Lawrence shows us with this elegant style. Opt for soft caramel and toffee tones to recreate the look and a glossy blow-dry to show them off.
Mixing light and dark brunette shades
Dakota Johnson's timeless highlighted hair look mixes brunette shades for a subtle finish, with a hint of caramel to lighten the overall look. This could be achieved with balayage or a half head of highlights, focusing on framing the face.
Colour from behind the ear
Colourist Kate Allan suggests adding colour from behind the ear with lighter strands through the lower sections of long hair to frame the face. "Face-framing highlights work well on any hair length and are incredibly flattering on longer styles when hair from behind the ear is incorporated to add an extra pop," she told us.
Shadow roots
Shadow roots are intentional dark root areas with lighter lengths and ends for a contrasting look - and this is a great low-maintenance style if you don't want to visit the salon constantly. "Shadow roots are great for those who want a natural grow-out effect, blending darker roots with lighter lengths seamlessly," colourist Katie Allan tells us.
Chunky golden blonde highlights
Jennifer Lawrence has shown us a range of fabulous highlighted hair looks throughout her career, from icy blonde to more subtle highlights. We love this chunky blonde highlighted look with a sleek side-swept style for red carpet glamour.
Honey and beige highlights
"For a multi-dimensional look, beige or honey blonde low lights can add depth and contrast, creating a rich, textured appearance that looks natural and grows out beautifully," Katie Allan, owner of MAYFIVE Hair, told us. Julia Roberts switched her signature auburn hair for caramel and honey highlights and low lights for an appearance on the red carpet with stunning results.
Ombre
Ombre highlights create a gradient effect, with the hair gradually transitioning from a darker colour at the roots to a lighter shade at the ends. "This style can be bold or subtle, depending on the contrast between the root colour and the highlight shade," colourist Katie Allan told us. "Ombre is perfect for those who want a dramatic, two-tone look with a modern twist."
Thinner caramel sections on brunette hair
"The best highlights for brunette hair are those that add depth, dimension, and warmth while complimenting the natural richness of dark tones," Katie Allan told us. "Caramel and honey highlights are popular choices for brunettes, as they add warmth and a sunkissed effect that brightens the overall look without being too bold." Eva Longoria lifted her brunette hair with whispy caramel sections that ensure the contrast isn't too harsh - a look that's likely achieved with smaller sections in foils.
Chestnut tones
Darker-toned highlights like chocolate, chestnut or mahogany can also look very flattering in brunette hair, as shown by actor Sophie Bush. "For a more subtle enhancement, chocolate or chestnut highlights blend seamlessly with brown hair, creating a soft, natural glow that adds richness without a drastic change," colourist Katie Allan tells us.
For brunettes, stick to three colours
"I tend not to stray away from three shades with brunettes to keep them looking glossy and healthy," colourist Katie Allan tells us. Jennifer Lopez's multi-tonal brunette hair shows how different shades can work harmoniously on brunette hair.
Chunky blonde front highlights
Try some chunkier pieces throughout the front sections of the hair in Jessica Alba's style for a sun-kissed look. "Blended highlights, which feature bold, face-framing pieces that brighten up the face, continue to be popular for their ability to add dimension without a full head of highlights," colourist Katie Allan tells us.
Opt for a hand-painted style for a natural look
Highlights don't need to be uniform, particularly with a balayage style; they'll look more natural and elegant with a handpainted effect than if the highlights are applied in more rigid sections. Jennifer Lopez's highlighted hair look is a sleek way to wear the trend with a more relaxed finish.
Try cool tones like mocha or toffee on brunette hair
Cooler tones will suit brunettes with a paler skin tone, as in the case of Kate Beckinsale. "For those looking to make a statement, cool-toned highlights like ash brown or mocha provide a modern contrast against darker brunette shades," colourist Katie Allan suggests.
A wash of caramel highlights
Kate Middleton's hair look is soft and bold, with honey blonde and caramel highlights throughout the lengths. This classic look would suit mid to dark brunette shades and add a sun-kissed finish that's perfect for summer.
Subtle caramel strands through the ends
For a subtle take on the balayage trend, applying thinner sections through the ends (as in the style of American model Lily Aldrige) creates a look that ties into the 'expensive brunette' trend and is a great way to try highlights if you want a less dramatic change - you can always build up to more colour at the next salon visit.
Warm gold tones in brunette hair
Kate Beckinsale's old-school Hollywood waves look even more glamorous with chunky golden and caramel highlights through the ends. The darker roots mean this is a look that's easy to keep on top of as well.
A wash of soft blonde tones
Like the 'expensive brunette' trend, using subtle shades of blonde in blonde or light brown hair that are blended naturally will create a chic and elegant finish. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's shiny hair looks healthy and sleek, showing how elegant blonde highlights can be.
Gentle ombre
Ombre doesn't need to be a statement style that veers towards a more edgy look - it can also be a subtle graduation of colour. Build up blonde highlights through the ends of the hair with a more natural root colour for a streamlined highlighted hair look like Jennifer Lawrence. This use of colour looks particularly striking with tumbling waves.
Beachy blonde highlights
Textured waves look fabulous with classic blonde highlights. Jennifer Aniston's beachy look is the perfect everyday style, keeping the colour natural-looking and sunkissed as opposed to dramatic contrasts, with an 'un-done' hairstyle that works well during the day but could easily translate to an evening look with a makeup refresh.
