strandlights the new hair rave you need to try

Strandlights: The New Hair Rave You Need to Try!

Out With The Old, In With The New

This new highlighting technique, called strandlights, has made its debut on Instagram and, is taking over pushing the old highlighting techniques out the way. The name gives away what exactly it is; strands of your hair are being highlighted. This technique may be the most natural looking highlights you will ever have. After researching this highlighting technique myself, I might get strandlights.

What Are Strandlights?

You know how chunky some highlights can be, strandlights are the exact opposite. This coloring technique takes individual strands of your hair, spaces them out and color them. The main difference between strandlights and highlights is the size of the hair strands that are colored and the placement. By coloring each strand and placing it in foil, this creates multicolored strands that lighten your entire head. Thin slices of hair used in the foil; these colored pieces blend in creating an all over lightened look. More intricate than the typical highlights, strandlights are like a freehand painting that ends up beautiful yet subtle. They help to achieve a color you’ve always wanted without damaging a significant portion of your hair, like chunky highlights.

Why Strandlights?

We all owe thanks to a Texas-based hair stylist by the name of Liz Haven. Thanks to her, this hair color technique has been trending. This highlighting technique came to a reality when a client wanted a low maintenance color that would transition from summer to fall. This client wanted the color to be similar to their natural hair color. With this in mind, Liz decided to highlight around the face by strategically placing highlights. This strategy was the birth of this technique. The goal is to add depth to your natural hair color without heavy chemicals and coloring.

The Advantages of Strandlights

Less processing

With every new hair trend, we always try it because of the popularity and benefits it will have on our overall looks right? I love getting highlights. Highlights give you the desired lightening without all of the chemical processing. Strandlights cut that same chemical processing in half by coloring fine and thin pieces of your hair, not large chunks. Because of how minimal this process is, you are less likely to experience any significant damage; even when bleaching. This hair coloring technique works hand in hand with the natural sunlight. If the surface of each section has strandlights, then the sun will naturally appear to have lightened up the rest of your hair. Cool right?

Placement creates a more natural look

Strandlights achieve such a natural bright color by focusing on the hairline. No more streaks of color starting in the middle of the hair shaft, which creates the chunky, dense look we once liked. With these highlights being so close to the hairline, they give the allusion that your hair is naturally becoming lighter. No more horizontal growth ladies! This placement makes the typical highlights look less natural, and that is because of their placement. Because of how dense the hair sections are with standard highlights, they do not appear at the hairline. If they were, it wouldn't be as attractive but not to worry; we now have strandlights. The little amounts of hair that are colored will ensure that you won't end up with the thick stripes once the color grows out. I wish this technique was around when I thought it would be a great idea to get thick streaks of blonde.

Low maintenance

Strandlights gives you the effect that the sun naturally gives your hair on a bright summer day. That is why so many people have taken heed of this new hair phenomena. With less density than other highlighting techniques, the placement of strandlights provides the perfect brightness every time. This highlighting technique is also low maintenance, and you only need to get these touched up every four months; especially if you are going lighter. With these, you will not need to get them often retouched, which saves you time and money.

When to Use Strandlights

Besides just wanting to have lighter hair; to achieve a perfect ombre throughout, strandlights are perfect. If your highlights need to brighten up, strandlights are great. If you want to get rid of those grey hairs, give strandlights a go. Strandlights are ideal for anyone who wants to use their natural pigment to achieve a bright or lightened hair color. Spring and summer time are great times to get strandlights of any color since the sun is out more during these seasons. These highlights look great on any length of hair, however long and mid-length hair will best achieve the desired look. For people who have shorter hair, strandlights aren't for you. On shorter hair they tend to make your hair look denser; which makes it appear unnatural. Strandlights are not to be used for coloring hair a darker color, as its name suggests. However, you can add lighter strandlights to dark hair to give it a certain shine once light or sunlight hits your hair. Blonde isn't the only shade that you can go with these highlights. Red is another excellent summer color that will look awesome with complimenting strandlights. This coloring technique tricks the eye into believing that you have a two-toned or even tri-tone hair color naturally. Best results on light brown or blonde hair; for obvious reasons. The lighter strands blend perfectly into your natural hair which allows your natural color to peek through. This result creates the mentioned multi-toned hair color.

Strandlights Are The Future

Whether you are blonde or a brunette, these lights will amplify your natural hair color. I suggest this technique because who doesn’t want a sun-kissed finished to our hair? Although strandlights are a relatively new concept, I think they will be here to stay for a while. These highlights look great on any hair texture and for any features. These fantastic highlights make any natural hair appear to be lighter. Also making your facial features stand out more. They are a coloring process that is best achieved at a hair salon or by a professional hair stylist. It’s the beginning of summer, so there is still time to achieve this look ladies!
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