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Blond highlights give your style a major refresher. Use sunny streaks to brighten up your base color, tone a fading dye job or give your face a young, healthy glow. Part of the beauty of highlights is that you can customize their placement for a style that flatters your look.
Weaving
Weaving is one of the more-recognizable styles of highlights. The result is the natural pattern of blond streaks that looks like you've been spending time in the sun. Pick hair up with a rattail comb in sections that are 3 inches wide or less and 1/8-inch thick or less. Zigzag the comb in and out as you select the section, so that blond is woven through your base color. This is a young, playful look for women of all ages.
Angling
Angling gives your highlights the same natural pattern of weaving, but rather than working in straight sections, select pieces at an angle. This is a beautiful look for women who want to look a little wild or messy -- like you've been in the sun in different hairstyles all summer. Select sections at an angle, starting at the hairline and working back toward the ear, following the round contours of your head.
Slicing
Slicing is usually left to the pros, but if you've been highlighting at home, give it a whirl. Slicing picks up hair the same way as weaving, but in slightly thinner sections. Try pieces that are skinnier than 3 inches wide and about 1/6-inch thick. Forget the zigzag technique, because you're keeping your highlights thin. Slicing is a sexy style that adds a lot of dimension. Try it with platinum-blond highlights that would look unnatural otherwise.
Bricklayering
Bricklayering is another advanced highlight style. Hair is sectioned into chunks and dyed in an alternating brick pattern. The look has a lot of impact, because the sections of color are so defined. Try this style if you have a lot of thick hair that can handle a heavy highlighting pattern.
Balyage
Balyage is a brush technique for highlights. It's a little bohemian, a little beachy and really creative. Just brush blond into your hair in sweeping motions wherever you want a little brightness. Since it's a free-form style, you can make it your own really easily. Decide where you want to refresh your mane and start painting.
