Both warm and cool highlights lighten up your hair, but they have different tones meant to match specific skin and hair undertones. Warm highlights match golden tones, whereas cool highlights match pink undertones. Highlights are the perfect way to freshen up your ‘do and end the summer feeling transformed but still like yourself. They’re fun, and they add texture, dimension, and life to your hair. While it’s tempting to revel in the last days of summer with warm highlights, reflective of the bright and burning sun, cool highlights are also a chic way to spice up your look and get you ready for the fall season. A stylist can help you pick the right look.
Warm Highlights vs. Cool Highlights
The difference between warm and cool highlights are as obvious as the difference between blonde and brown hair. That is to say, it can be hard to tell the difference until you already have the look. In reality, every shade of hair can fall into different tones and hues that appear warmer or cooler.
Warm highlights are blondes, browns, and shades of red that are more golden, caramel, or orange. They can bring out a rosiness in your cheeks and truly make your summer tan stand out with their radiance. Warm highlights bring out a certain level of charm and youth within all of us.
Cool highlights include platinum blonde, cherry, and shades with undertones of black or violet. They add a level of coolness and sophistication to your look that would go great with a pair of leather boots this fall. If you maintain the look, these highlights can make you feel like an elegant ice princess by the time winter rolls around. They’re classy and timeless, though they do highlight the cooler tones in your skin.
With warm highlights, you’ll feel as radiant as you look. Summer doesn’t have to end with August. Rather, your new hair will keep you feeling warm throughout the rest of the year. On the other hand, cool highlights are a great way to say hello to fall and winter. They look business-ready, professional, and offer a somewhat more subtle transformation.
In the end, it really boils down to how you want to wrap up your summer. Do you want to continue with a bright, radiant hairstyle that’ll highlight your tan and rosy cheeks? Or are you ready to switch gears and transition into fall with highlights that have cooler tones? Of course, this is also a decision a hairstylist at our salon can help you make.
Find the Right Color with a Consultation
Highlights are beautiful and look effortless, but they certainly aren’t an effortless process. DIY dyes can leave your hair with abrupt streaks or highlights with orange or even green tints. At Deseo Salon & BlowDry, our stylists have the experience, patience, skills, and equipment to give you easy-breezy highlights that compliment your hair and frame your face perfectly. You don’t have to worry about walking out of the salon with orange or green streaks. Also, the highlights will naturally transition back to your hair color without harsh lines or blotches of color.
Another perk that comes with going to the salon is the consultation. You and the stylist will be able to talk about your hair goals, desires, and come up with a look that goes above and beyond your expectations. The stylist will also be able to make helpful suggestions about what they think would suit you best based on your skin and hair tones. Sometimes, it’s hard to pick the right look for yourself.
Consultations include the vital step of a strand test. If your hair already has dye in it, that can make your final color very different from the look you planned on having. Once our stylist tests the color on a strand of your hair, they can create the right plan to heal your hair from previous damage. We also recommend that you pamper your highlights with Kérastase’s Bain Chromatique Riche shampoo, which is expertly designed to preserve new hair color.
Highlights are the perfect way to revive your hair and end your summer with a new, yet still “you,” look. However, it’s not as simple as sitting down in the salon chair and saying, “Okay, give me highlights!” It’s important to know whether you want to end your summer with warm or cool highlights. Start the process by booking an appointment with Deseo Salon & BlowDry to consult with one of our stylists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between warm and cool highlights?
Warm highlights feature golden, caramel, and orange-toned shades of blonde, brown, or red that complement golden skin undertones and bring out warmth and radiance in your complexion. Cool highlights include platinum blonde, cherry, and shades with undertones of violet or black that suit pink or neutral skin undertones, offering a more sophisticated and polished look. The choice between warm and cool comes down to your natural skin tone and the overall aesthetic you want to achieve.
How do I know if I should choose warm or cool highlights for my skin tone?
Warm highlights tend to complement golden or olive skin tones, bringing out a rosiness in the cheeks and making a summer tan stand out beautifully. Cool highlights suit those with pink or neutral undertones, adding sophistication and elegance. A professional consultation with a stylist is the most reliable way to determine which tone will best complement your specific complexion, as they can assess your hair’s existing color, undertones, and condition before recommending a look.
Why is a strand test important before getting highlights?
A strand test is a crucial step before applying highlights, especially if your hair already has existing dye or chemical treatments. Because previous color can significantly alter the final result, a strand test allows the stylist to see exactly how your hair will react to the new color, helping them plan the right approach to achieve your desired look while avoiding unexpected tones like orange or green. Skipping this step, particularly with DIY highlights at home, can lead to uneven or undesirable results.
Can highlights be damaged or uneven if done at home?
Yes, DIY highlights carry a significant risk of uneven application, abrupt streaks, or unwanted tones like orange or greenish hues. Achieving natural-looking, blended highlights requires precise technique, professional-grade products, and an understanding of how your existing hair color will interact with the dye. A professional stylist has the experience and tools to create smooth, dimensional highlights that complement your hair and face shape.
What shampoo is recommended for maintaining highlighted hair?
Kérastase’s Bain Chromatique Riche shampoo is specifically recommended for preserving new hair color. It is formulated to protect colored and highlighted hair from fading, keeping your highlights vibrant and fresh for longer. Using a color-preserving shampoo is an important step in your at-home routine following any highlight service.
Is the end of summer a good time to get highlights?
Yes, the end of summer is actually an ideal time to refresh your look with highlights. Warm highlights can extend the sun-kissed, radiant feel of summer well into fall, while cool highlights are a great transition into the cooler seasons with a more sophisticated, polished aesthetic. Either way, getting highlights at the end of summer gives you a fresh, revitalized look as the seasons change.