The Daily Insight
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Are highlights more damaging than lowlights?

As you may have guessed, Gibson says that lowlights cause less damage to hair than highlights do. “Lowlights typically are done with a demi-permanent or a permanent hair color, which can be less damaging on the hair than a highlight,” she explains.

Are highlights or lowlights better?

Lowlights are a bit less damaging for our locks than highlights because you don’t need to lift color for a darker shade. You simply deposit more color in your strands. Fewer chemicals are applied, and less damage is done. You can use a semi-permanent color to make the strands darker.

Do highlights and lowlights damage your hair?

Highlights and coloring — Highlights and semi-permanent dyes aren’t as damaging as bleach, but they aren’t without consequences, Mirmirani says. They can also change the inner structure of the hair, causing a lackluster look and dryness, especially if you frequently color to hide roots or gray hair.

Can you get lowlights without highlights?

It can be done free-hand, like balayage, or more traditionally, with foils; but the color should be specific to you. Many times, a colorist will recommend both highlights and lowlights for brown hair for a multi-dimensional look, but adding lowlights alone will make your natural color look like the highlight.

Should I add lowlights?

The short answer: yes, especially when it comes to considering your natural hair color. Your stylist may suggest adding a few lowlights in with your highlights to complement your base color. “Most clients would use a highlighting plus lowlighting technique to give a very blended, natural look,” says Woodstrom.

Do highlights permanently damage hair?

“Coloring hair will always cause damage; unless it’s a gloss. “If you’re doing a single process or subtle highlights, the damage will be minimal, and you may not even notice, but if you are going platinum or heavily highlighting your hair, you can feel a lot of damage being done,” she says.