Are you ready to dive into the vibrant world of summer hair highlights? As the sun shines brighter, your hair deserves to sparkle just as much. But with so many styles to choose from, how do you know which summer highlights are perfect for you? Whether you’re dreaming of summer blonde highlights or envisioning rich summer highlights for brown hair, this article has got you covered. From the subtlest shimmer to bold transformations, discover the top eight summer hair highlight styles that will redefine your look.
Sun-Kissed Blonde Highlights
Sun-kissed blonde highlights are the quintessential choice for adding a vibrant, natural glow to your hair. Ideal for those with lighter hair, these highlights mimic the subtle, natural lightening effect of the sun, offering a refreshing look without the need for constant upkeep. This style suits anyone looking to enhance their natural hair color with a sunny, radiant vibe.
For maintaining these gorgeous highlights, it’s crucial to protect your hair from further sun damage. Products like Aveda’s Sun Care Protective Hair Veil provide essential UV protection, keeping your highlights bright and your hair healthy.
Honey-Glazed Highlights
Honey-glazed highlights offer a warm and rich enhancement to your natural hair color, perfect for those with darker blonde or light brown hair. These highlights add a touch of golden sweetness that appears luminous under the summer sun. They are especially flattering for warmer skin tones, adding depth and dimension.
To keep these luscious highlights in perfect condition, using color-enhancing shampoos and conditioners, such as John Frieda’s Radiant Red Color Protecting Shampoo, even though it’s made for redheads, it wonderfully boosts warm tones in honey-glazed hair.
Balayage Highlights
Balayage highlights are crafted through a freehand technique, giving a more natural, blended look that is highly customizable. This method is fantastic for anyone wanting a low-maintenance style that grows out beautifully without harsh regrowth lines. Balayage works well on a variety of hair colors and types but is particularly striking on brunette bases.
Preserve the uniqueness of your balayage by using sulfate-free products like L’Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Shampoo, which helps maintain clarity and shine without stripping color.
Caramel Ribbons
Caramel ribbons are a sweet and sumptuous choice, weaving rich caramel tones through darker hair to create a multidimensional and engaging look. This style is ideal for those with medium to dark brown hair, adding a hint of lightness that catches the eye without overwhelming.
To care for caramel highlights, integrate a deep conditioning treatment weekly, such as Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which nurtures the hair and enhances its glossy finish.
Face-Framing Blonde
Face-framing blonde highlights are perfect for dramatically brightening your facial features and adding an instant youthful look. This style involves lighter highlights around the face, which works wonders for any hair color. It’s particularly effective for those looking to draw attention to their face without a full-color overhaul.
Use a violet-based toner like the Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Toning Spray to keep the blonde highlights from turning brassy.
Copper Highlights
Copper highlights are a fiery and bold option, great for adding warmth and intensity to your look. This choice stands out on all hair colors but is incredibly striking against darker shades. Copper is a standout color that suits individuals looking to make a vibrant statement.
To keep copper highlights radiant, opt for color-depositing conditioners, such as Overtone’s Ginger Coloring Conditioner.
Ash Blonde Highlights
Ash blonde highlights offer a cool, sophisticated edge to your hairstyle, perfect for counteracting any natural brassiness in blonde hair. This shade is particularly flattering for those with cooler skin tones and works well on medium blonde to dark blonde hair.
For optimal care, utilize a purple shampoo, like Clairol Shimmer Lights, once a week to maintain the ashy tone and avoid yellowing.
Bronde Highlights
Bronde highlights are the perfect blend of brown and blonde, offering a stunning, natural-looking hairstyle that brings light to your look without going fully blonde. This style is especially flattering for those who want to brighten up their dark hair without the maintenance of a full blonde. It’s a versatile choice that looks great on most skin tones.
For care, using a balancing shampoo like Biolage Colorlast Shampoo will help maintain the integrity of the colors, keeping your bronde highlights fresh and vibrant all summer long.
Chunky Blonde Highlights
Chunky blonde highlights make a bold statement, standing out against darker hair for a trendy, 90s-inspired look. This style is best for those who enjoy a more dramatic, eye-catching appearance. It suits people with medium to thick hair best, as the chunkiness can overwhelm finer hair.
To keep your chunky highlights looking spectacular, invest in a color-preserving treatment like Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector, which repairs bonds and strengthens hair.
Golden Brown Highlights
Golden brown highlights add a subtle warmth and depth to dark brown hair, perfect for those seeking a slight change that feels seasonal yet sophisticated. This color works well with warm and neutral skin tones and gives a sun-kissed glow that’s perfect for summer.
Use a color-enhancing conditioner such as Redken Color Extend Magnetics Conditioner to maintain the golden tones and keep your hair shiny and manageable.
Silver Ash Highlights
Silver ash highlights are a chic option for those looking to add a modern twist to their hair. Ideal for darker bases, this style can give an edgy contrast or a soft blend depending on the application. It suits cooler skin tones particularly well, offering a striking and contemporary look.
Maintain the cool tones of your silver ash highlights with a purple shampoo like Fanola No Yellow Shampoo, which helps neutralize brassiness.
Burgundy Flush
Burgundy flush adds a rich, deep red tone to your hair, perfect for making a warm and bold statement during the summer. This color is especially flattering for those with dark hair looking to add a vibrant, dimensional look. It’s a popular choice for all skin tones, providing a dramatic flair to your style.
To care for burgundy tones, use a sulfate-free shampoo like Joico Color Infuse Red Shampoo to enhance and protect the color.
Mocha Highlights
Mocha highlights are ideal for adding soft, rich streaks of chocolate brown, perfect for enhancing natural brunette hair with a subtle lift. This style brings warmth to the hair and is particularly flattering on people with medium to dark complexions.
For maintaining these highlights, use a nourishing treatment like Moroccan Oil Treatment to add shine and softness without weighing down your hair.
Lavender Tints
Lavender tints are a whimsical and trendy choice, offering a hint of pastel color that’s perfect for summer. This soft purple shade is best suited for lighter hair and works well with cooler skin tones, giving a fairy-tale touch to your overall appearance.
To keep your lavender looking lovely, use a color-depositing product like Keracolor Clenditioner in Purple to refresh the color and condition your hair at the same time.
Pastel Pink Highlights
Pastel pink highlights introduce a playful and soft hue to your hair, making it a perfect summer choice for those looking to add a splash of color without overwhelming their look. These highlights work best on light blonde or pre-lightened hair and are particularly flattering on cooler skin tones.
For care, consider using a color-preserving shampoo and a conditioner designed for colored hair, such as the TIGI Bed Head Colour Goddess set, which helps maintain vibrancy and moisture.
Platinum Highlights
Platinum highlights are a bold and eye-catching choice that add a radiant, almost metallic sheen to your hair. Ideal for those with a lighter hair base, these highlights can help create a striking contrast on darker hair as well. Best suited for individuals with cool undertones in their skin.
Maintain your platinum highlights with a purple toning shampoo, like the Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure pH 4.5 Color Freeze Silver Shampoo, to avoid any brassiness.
Chestnut Highlights
Chestnut highlights add a warm, earthy tone to your hair, perfect for enriching dark brown bases. This shade suits those with warm skin tones best, offering a subtle but noticeable lift to your natural hair color. It’s great for adding depth and dimension.
To care for these highlights, use a color-enhancing conditioner such as John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Conditioner to deepen and intensify the rich hues.
Mahogany Glow
Mahogany glow brings a reddish-brown warmth to your hair, ideal for those looking to add a touch of vibrancy to darker hair. It shines exceptionally well under sunlight, making it a superb pick for the summer. This color works well with both cool and warm skin tones, adding a rich, reflective quality.
Use a nourishing hair mask weekly, like the SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Treatment, to keep your hair healthy and the color vibrant.
Subtle Purple Highlights
Subtle purple highlights are a fantastic way to add an unexpected pop of color to your hair without it being too overt. This style is particularly flattering on darker hair bases, allowing the purple tones to peek through mysteriously.
Maintain the color with a specialized shampoo for purple hair, such as the Clairol Shimmer Lights Purple Shampoo, which helps keep the highlights bright and vivid.
Iced Blonde Highlights
Iced blonde highlights are perfect for giving your hair a cool, refreshing look with silvery blonde strands that mimic the icy tones of winter in the summer heat. This style suits individuals with light to medium hair and cool skin tones best.
Preserve these cool tones with a blue toning shampoo, like Redken Color Extend Blondage Shampoo, which neutralizes brassiness to maintain a crisp, icy hue.
Sandy Highlights
Sandy highlights offer a soft blend of beige and golden tones, perfect for creating a natural, beachy look. This style is incredibly versatile and works beautifully on blondes looking to add depth or brunettes desiring a subtle lightening. Ideal for warm and neutral skin tones.
Keep your sandy highlights looking fresh with a gentle, moisturizing shampoo like Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which preserves color and adds shine without stripping moisture.
Toffee Swirls
Toffee swirls are rich, caramel-like highlights that add a luxurious depth to brown or blonde hair. This warm tone is perfect for adding a glossy, sun-kissed look that’s both elegant and striking. Suitable for most skin tones, they enhance the natural richness of your hair.
To maintain these luscious swirls, apply a color-preserving product such as the Pureology Hydrate Sheer Conditioner, which helps lock in moisture and color.
Prompt for image: A young woman in her late 20s with soft, wavy hair enhanced with toffee swirls, enjoying a cozy book in a well-lit library nook.
Electric Blue Streaks
Electric blue streaks offer a bold, vibrant touch to your summer style, perfect for making a statement. This daring color works best for those looking to stand out and suits all hair types. It pairs beautifully with darker hair colors, providing a striking contrast, and is especially popular among younger adults.
To maintain the brilliance of electric blue, use color-safe products such as the Matrix Total Results Keep Me Vivid Shampoo, which helps to lock in color while enhancing shine.
Ready to brighten up your look with these stunning summer highlights? Each style offers a unique way to enhance your natural beauty and stand out this season. Experiment with these vibrant summer league highlights and find the perfect match for your personal style. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts and experiences in the comments below—we’d love to hear which highlight made your summer unforgettable!
