Photo: Via @sabletoothtigre. In 2019, hair color is all about subtlety —naturally blended balayage and babylights for sparkly
dimension. But like the clunky Dr. Martens boots that have somehow found their way to the front of your closet for the first time since high school, '90s highlights — un-delicate, chunky, face-framing streaks à la Ginger Spice — are popular once again. Actually, the iconic British girl band is an
apt point of reference, considering the striped highlight made a resurgence in the UK last year. According to London-based colorist Bryony Cairns of Larry King Salon, the "rogue" highlight is a nod to '90s feminism. "Rogue hair color is an extreme adaptation on the face frame," Cairns explains. "Most commonly, the highlight is bleached blonde, but
can totally be adapted to any other color, too. Our clients think of it as the hair equivalent to power dressing, because it's a strong, dramatic look that draws inspiration from confident women, like Drew Barrymore and the Spice Girls." Now, we're starting to see a variation of the rogue streak pop up on American celebrities, like Beyoncé
and Jackie Aina. To see how the chunky-gone-chic highlight reads up close, scroll ahead. Let it inspire you to try the retro technique — in a cotton-candy pink fringe or a platinum streak — at your next appointment.
Dyeing your hair? Cool. Dyeing just those two front parts à la Dua Lipa? Extra cool.
Are you brave enough to go two-tone? It’s a statement, it’s not a simple change and it can require time and investment in your hair. I’m naming the trend Front Bits, and that’s the official title for the duration of this piece.
Some people have a naturally white piece of hair growth at the front (Cruella de Vil – does she count?) and that’s possibly where this Front Bits trend stemmed from. Dua Lipa made it modern with her black and bleached blonde hair posing quite the contrast.
Another star who went down the two-tone route – albeit in a slightly different manner – is Billie Eilish. This look would, I’d imagine, require incredible levels of upkeep.
And before we move on to advice on how to take care of Front Bits, can we take a brief moment for the original purveyor of Front Bits, Geri Halliwell (who’s now known as Geri Horner)… What a gal.
Keep it clean
Geri’s bits notwithstanding, if you are thinking of hopping on this particular hair trend, there are some things to note before you go in.
- Make sure to treat the dyed portion differently than the rest of your less-colour treated hair. Instead of regular conditioner, apply an anti-breakage treatment every couple of days to keep the hair strong.
- If you’ve gone blonde at the front and want to keep it fresh, use purple shampoo, but again, only on those bits and follow it up with a treatment as purple shampoo can be quite drying.
- Lighten the front portions gradually. An overnight bleached blonde effect is almost impossible to achieve without breakage. Take your hairdresser’s advice.
And lastly, bear in mind that this is a trend, and celebrities can get away with it more readily than your average woman. They’ve also got a full glam team ready to turn their hair back to normal in an instant should they need it. Just, you know… Caution.
Featured image via Instagram
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It happens to the best of us. You’re sitting in the hairdresser’s chair, black Velcro gown and all, wondering what foreign language the stylist is speaking as she rattles off complicated hair coloring terms about a major chemical process your scalp is about to endure. You could just smile and nod (like always) and leave your hair fate to the coloring gods, or you could consult our handy guide to make more informed decisions. Your choice.
1. BALAYAGE
What it means: Also called hair painting, this technique is where color is applied freehand to the surface of hair. The color is “hand swept” by the colorist from mid-shaft to ends, which differs from traditional highlights that are applied from the base of the hair.
How it looks: Think more natural-looking highlights that are a bit easier to maintain.
2. PINTURA
What it means: Similar to balayage, but for curly-haired ladies. This technique also paints color directly to the strands in specific patterns (depending on the desired effect).
How it looks: Since stylists can choose exactly where to place color, the final result adds dimension and light-reflecting qualities specific to each client.
Neil George
3. OMBRÉ
What it means: This look is generally low-maintenance and uses the balayage technique to paint color onto the bottom half of the hair length. (Balayage is the technique; ombré is the look.)
How it looks: Hair is colored darker at the roots (or left alone if naturally dark) and fades to a lighter hue at the ends (or vice versa).
4. TORTOISESHELL
What it means: Also known in the beauty world as "ecaille," colors ranging from gold to chocolate are added and blended through the hair to create a gradual shift from dark to light.
How it looks: The tortoiseshell appearance is a bit softer and more natural-looking than ombré, and begins with a darker root that subtly fades to a warm blonde.
@chialamarvici/Instagram
5. HAND-PRESSED COLOR
What it means: Created by NYC-based colorist Chiala Marvici, this technique uses a plate of plexiglass (like an artist’s palette) to transfer multiple layers of color onto the hair. (If you haven’t heard of it yet, don’t worry--it’s going mainstream as we speak.)
How it looks: Multi-dimensional color that appears to change as the hair moves.
6. PARTIAL HIGHLIGHTS
What it means: These highlights are placed around the face, though some stylists place the highlights on the top layers of the hair. Make sure to clarify which area the partial highlights will be applied to.
How it looks: The addition of face-framing color can add volume and body to hair, though may appear dramatic if lower layers are much darker than highlights.
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7. FULL HIGHLIGHTS
What it means: Like it sounds, the color is applied to every section of your head, from the nape of your neck to your hairline.
How it looks: The highlight color usually appears in greater contrast to the original hair color and can look quite dramatic if a very light hue is chosen for dark hair. Conversely, they can also appear the most natural--if similar colors are blended together.
8. LOW LIGHTS
What it means: A technique that darkens strands of hair (rather than lightening them).
How it looks: This can add depth to hair, which gives the illusion of more volume, and is often paired with highlights in order to add even more dimension.
9. FOILING
What it means: The most common method for applying highlights/lowlights, hair color is painted on strips of foil that are folded and allowed to “process” for a set time.
How it looks: The color will typically appear on the entire strand of hair from root to tip.
10. BASE COLOR
What it means: A color that the stylist applies all over the head, from root to tip. This step usually precedes other colors or highlights.
How it looks: One-dimensional color that looks uniform throughout--until you add other hues on top.
11. COVERAGE
What it means: The measure of a hair dye’s ability to cover gray strands.
How it looks: More coverage means less transparency and fading over time.
12. SINGLE PROCESS
What it means: Color is applied to the entire head in one step by depositing a new base color. This technique is typical of home-dying kits.
How it looks: Single process will not have as much variety as double process (see below) but is useful for covering gray hairs and adding shine.
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13. DOUBLE-PROCESS
What it means: When two hair color techniques are applied during the same salon appointment. Typically, this means you first get a base color and then you get highlights.
How it looks: Multi-dimensional color.
14. GLAZE/GLOSS
What it means: This liquid formula is applied all over and adds shine and semi-permanent color that typically lasts for up to two weeks. Some glazes are clear, which you can think of as a top coat for color. Glosses and glazes can also provide intense conditioning and often help repair damage to hair.
How it looks: Think super-shiny color that fades quickly.
15. TONER
What it means: A semi-permanent color is applied to damp hair to even out any unwanted hues (i.e., “brassiness”).
How it looks: Harmonizing colors are added, but they can fade over time. This is just a temporary fix for reviving color.
16. FILLER
What it means: A chemical that helps hair absorb color by filling gaps in the cuticle of the hair.
How it looks: Hair color is more evenly distributed throughout and remains more vibrant for a longer period of time.