Okay, so I’ve always had this super dark, almost black, hair. And honestly, I was getting a little bored. I wanted a change, but nothing too crazy. That’s when I started thinking about highlights. I figured some subtle highlights could really brighten things up without, you know, making me look like a totally different person.
First, I scrolled through tons of pictures online. I mean, tons. I was looking for inspiration, trying to find examples of highlights on black hair that I actually liked. I quickly realized there are, like, a million different shades and styles. It was a little overwhelming!
I narrowed it down to a few options. I really liked the look of balayage – you know, where the color is kinda painted on, so it looks more natural and grows out nicely? I also saw some pictures of babylights, which are super fine highlights, and those looked pretty cool too.
The DIY Attempt (or Not!)
Initially, I was brave (or maybe stupid). I thought, “Hey, I can totally do this myself!” I watched a few YouTube tutorials, and it seemed…doable. I even bought a highlighting kit from the drugstore.
But then, reality hit. I started to imagine all the ways I could mess this up. Bleach is scary, you guys! I pictured myself with orange streaks or, even worse, fried, damaged hair. So, I chickened out. Big time.
Calling in the Pros
I decided to book an appointment at a salon. I found a stylist who had amazing reviews and tons of pictures of her work on dark hair, which was a good sign. During the consultation, I showed her the pictures I’d saved, and we talked about what I wanted.
She suggested a combination of balayage and babylights to give me the dimension I was looking for, but keep it subtle. We picked a caramel-ish color that she said would complement my skin tone and not be too harsh against my natural hair color.
The Process
The whole process took a few hours. First, she carefully sectioned my hair. Then, she painted on the bleach, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends, and adding those tiny babylights around my face.
After the bleach processed, she washed it out and applied a toner to get rid of any brassy tones. Then came the fun part – seeing the final result!
The Reveal!
I was so happy! The highlights were exactly what I wanted. They were subtle, but they added so much warmth and dimension to my hair. It wasn’t a drastic change, but it was enough to make me feel like I had a whole new look.
My hair felt soft with the new highlights, although I invested in a good purple shampoo to keep the color from turning brassy, and a deep conditioner to keep my hair hydrated. Because bleach can be drying.
The highlights grew out perfectly, beacause of the placement and the balayage technique.
Overall, I’m super happy I went for it! Getting highlights was the perfect way to update my look without doing anything too extreme. And, pro tip: definitely go to a professional if you have dark hair and want highlights. It’s worth it!
