How Much Do Highlights Cost?

Are you thinking of transforming your hair with highlights? One burning question is, "How much does a highlight cost?" The cost of highlights can vary depending on the salon's location, the reputation of the place, the length and thickness of your hair, the expertise of the stylist, and many other things.

This article will give you a proper breakdown of how much your highlights should cost. So, let's dive into the article and help you achieve your dream highlights.

What Are Highlights?

Highlights are chunks of hair that are lighter than the natural hair color. This means the highlights can be lighter brown or brown if you have dark brown hair. If your hair is blonde, you can go for lighter blonde highlights. This technique creates a dimension in your hair and makes it look more fun.

Highlights can be applied in a variety of ways. Traditionally, foils are used. They are strategically placed on small portions of your hair, making a soft and elegant look. The color is applied to these chunks of hair and is left for processing so that the desired color can be achieved.

Nowadays, a new technique called Balayage is also used. In this, the highlights are hand-painted onto smaller, random hair pieces. This gives your hair more dimension and an effortless look.

Related Read: Highlight VS Balayage, Which Is Right For you

What Is the Average Cost of Highlights?

When it comes to the cost of highlights, a lot of factors should come into consideration. On average, the highlights can range from $50 to $150. However, you must understand that this is a broad spectrum, and the actual price quoted to you by your hair stylist can change, and it can either be between this price range or even more than this.

The prices can vary according to the salon you opt for. It can also change based on the type of highlights you are getting, the length of your hair, and even the volume. The price may also be influenced based on the stylist's expertise.

Cost of Highlights Based on the Types

There are many different types of highlights that you can get, and every highlight has a different technique. This is why the cost can also vary accordingly. Below, we have mentioned the various methods of highlights and the expected price.

1. Traditional Highlights

Traditional highlights are the classic way of doing highlights. Here, the foils are used to create the highlights and seal the heat of the bleach used in color, ensuring that your color comes out like it needs to be without being patchy. The traditional highlights are expensive because the stylist needs to use foils to separate your hair.

The traditional highlights cost you around $50 to $150, but the prices vary based on your hair length because longer hair requires more foils. Another factor is the salon's reputation and the skillset of the hairstylist.

2. Balayage Highlights

The balayage technique is just for you if you are into sun-kissed and natural-looking hair color. This is derived from a French term that means "to sweep.” In this technique, the hair color is done free-handed-handed, and no foils are involved in separating the hair. This technique allows the hair stylist to create that organic transition of colors, that looks incredibly stunning in the sunlight.

Balayage highlights are affordable with costs ranging from $50 to $90. However, the price might be influenced by hair density, length, and even the stylist's expertise.

3. Partial Highlights

If you are not into dramatic changes and want something subtle, yet you can see some color on your head, the partial highlights might be for you. This technique takes only sections of your hair that cover less than half of your head. These chunks are distributed in such a way that they majorly frame your face.

Partial highlights are a simple technique; so the pricing is also lower than the others. You can get this down between $45 to $55, but remember this can also change based on the salon, the location, and the person you are getting it from.

4. Full Head Highlights

Full head highlights are just what the name suggests. In this, almost your entire hair is colored, leaving a few strands of air in its natural color. This is for people who want to have a complete transformation of their hair, giving it a multi-dimensional look.

This technique uses a lot of color and effort since the stylist needs to cover your entire head. However, this may cost you more than other highlights, ranging from $80 to $100. This can also be influenced by the density of your hair, the length, the number of foils being used, the color, and a few other things.

5. Lowlights

Lowlights are the opposite of traditional highlights and are used to darken the strands. This can be done to create dimension in your hair. The best thing about this technique is that it makes your hair look thicker and fuller, creating depth.

The lowlights can start from $75, and the pricing can be influenced by the length of your hair and even the volume. The color selection, the technique to apply the color, and the salon will also affect the pricing.

Cost of Highlight by Techniques

The technique that your hair stylist chooses can also affect the highlight prices. Below is the breakdown of how your prices vary according to the methods.

1. Foil Highlights

If you go to the foil highlights, you must pay about $50 to $150. This is a traditional way of doing highlights. The hair is sectioned off and wrapped in foil after the color is applied. This is one of the best ways of doing highlights because you get the most intense color with the technique.

The price for this type of highlight can vary depending on your hair volume and length. According to this, the foils can also increase, making the cost more than the expected range.

2. Cap Highlights

Cap highlights are when the hair strands are pulled from the plastic cap on your head. On these strands, the color is applied and left for processing. This is an old-fashioned way and is done to get symmetrical pieces of highlights. These highlights can be less expensive, varying from $30 to $100.

3. Hair Painting

Hair painting is freehand; however, you must find a stylist who aces this method. The color is directly applied to your hair without any foils or caps. This method is used for a more blended and natural look. Hair painting can cost you around $70 to $100.

Wrapping Up

Getting your highlights can be very exciting, but when it comes to pricing, you might get confused, as not all the highlights have the same pricing. Highlights can be costly because they need a lot of precision and experience. The pricing for highlights varies because of different factors, such as the length of the hair, the volume, location, and the store's reputation, among others. The type of highlights you choose will also contribute to the changes in the pricing. We hope this article benefited you, and now you know how much highlights can cost.