Best Highlights for Black Hair: 36 Ideas

Highlights on black hair are all about what you can see from a few feet away. Brown or caramel pieces read as glossy movement, honey and blonde read as contrast, and silver or red read as a statement. Pick the one that matches how much you want people to notice.

With dark hair winning the gold for sensuality and allure, adding highlights only serves to strengthen the appeal. Whether you’d like to go lighter overall or simply infuse some intrigue and depth, highlights are the way forward, but of course, the finished effect largely depends on where they’re placed and the shades you select.

Fancy the best of both worlds? Great news: blonde looks gorgeous on dark hair, if done masterfully. Balayage-style highlights can work wonders in revamping your look, and you get to keep that lustrous base color. You needn’t go too light either (in fact, we advise against it): caramel, chocolate, and mocha tones look showstopping paired with a black base color, too.

So, browse through our guide to black hair with highlights, from sumptuous chocolate brown tones to richly autumnal reds and everything in between, plus gray blending for when the silver starts showing up on its own.

Brown and caramel highlights on black hair

Black hair with chestnut highlights

Woman seen from behind, arms raised, long dark waves turning chestnut toward the ends — The chestnut starts around the shoulders, so the crown stays black.

Woman seen from behind with long dark curls and fine chestnut ribbons — Thin ribbons through every curl rather than one band of color.

Chestnut is a reddish brown, so it sits close to the warmth that shows up anyway when black hair is lifted. That makes it a kind shade to live with: the highlights fade toward copper rather than toward yellow. Wear it in loose waves, where the lighter pieces catch the light on every bend.

What to ask for Fine chestnut highlights lifted two or three levels, placed through the mid-lengths and ends, with a warm gloss to finish.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Black hair with brown highlights

Back view of long dark waves with golden brown pieces through the lengths — Warm brown pieces show on the outside of each wave.

Woman in a navy T-shirt with long black hair and light brown face-framing pieces — The lightest strands sit at the front, around the face.

Brown on black is the quiet version of highlights: from a few feet away it reads as glossy dark hair, and up close you see the movement. It’s a good first step if you’ve never colored your hair, because the grow-out line is hard to spot.

What to ask for Soft brown highlights one or two levels above my natural color, woven fine, with no bleach if my hair has never been dyed.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @dvcolour (right) Pin this

Mocha hair with light brown highlights

Woman in a denim jacket with a black root and light brown face-framing panels — Two wide light brown panels frame the face against a dark back section.

Woman in a white shirt with long dark hair and cool mushroom brown highlights — A cool, milky brown blended from the eyes down.

Mocha is a cool, milky brown, and light brown pieces over it give the whole head a softer finish than black alone. On waves the lighter strands wind through the dark ones, so the color changes as the hair moves.

What to ask for A mocha brown base with light brown highlights, cool toned, concentrated around the face and through the top layer.

Photos: @colorbymaddie (left), @tressesbytress (right) Pin this

Black hair with caramel highlights

Woman facing the camera with a dark root and long caramel waves — Caramel carries all the way to the ends from just below the root.

Woman with voluminous black waves and caramel tones on the ends — Only the ends are lifted, so the color reads as a warm glow.

Caramel is what many people picture when they ask for highlights on dark hair. It’s golden without tipping into blonde, and it flatters warm and olive skin especially. Ribbon the pieces through the lengths so the root stays dark and the grow-out stays soft.

What to ask for Caramel ribbons, lifted three or four levels and toned golden, starting a few inches below the root.

Photos: @hairbyydani (left), @mac_daddybeauty (right) Pin this

Dark brown highlights on black hair

Up close, the brown is only a shade lighter than the black.

Back view of shoulder-length dark hair with brown babylights — Fine babylights spread evenly, with no stripes.

Dark brown on black is only a level or two of difference, and the effect is depth rather than contrast. It suits anyone who wants color at work on Monday without anyone asking about it.

What to ask for Dark brown babylights one to two levels lighter than my black base, spread evenly, glossed afterwards.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Chocolate brown highlights on dark hair

Woman seen from behind with glossy black curls and chocolate brown ends — The chocolate shows on the underside of each curl.

Smiling woman with shoulder-length dark brown waves and lighter chocolate ends — Chocolate brown lifts the ends and leaves the root dark.

Chocolate brown has a touch of red in it, so it warms up black hair without looking obviously dyed. Big barrel curls show it off best, because each curl gets a light side and a dark side.

What to ask for Chocolate brown highlights, warm, woven medium thickness through the mid-lengths and ends.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @kaansayar1 (right) Pin this

Dark brown hair with soft highlights

Woman in a beige top with a center part and dark brown hair with soft face-framing pieces — The lighter pieces are a shade above the base and stop at the face.

Side view of sleek, straight dark brown hair past the shoulders — Straight hair shows the soft highlights as a sheen.

Here the base is dark brown rather than black, and the highlights are only a shade or two lighter. It’s the color of hair that’s spent a summer outdoors, and it grows out with no line at all.

What to ask for Keep my dark brown base, add a few soft highlights a shade lighter around the face and the crown, no toner needed.

Photos: @taunidawson (left), @nabisalon (right) Pin this

Brown and caramel blonde highlights

Woman seen from behind, one arm raised, with caramel blonde waves and a darker root — Brown near the root melts into caramel blonde on the waves.

Woman leaning forward with a dark root and caramel blonde waves framing her face — The caramel blonde is brightest on the two front sections.

Two shades do the work here: brown pieces blend the root into the lengths, and caramel blonde brightens the ends. Mixing them keeps the lighter tone from looking stripy on a black base.

What to ask for Brown lowlights near the root blending into caramel blonde through the ends, hand-painted, toned warm.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @linsonhair (right) Pin this

Natural highlights on dark brown hair

Woman in a gray sweater with long dark hair and soft ash brown face-framing strands — The lighter strands sit where the sun would reach first.

Back view of long dark brown waves with soft brown highlights — The highlights are fine and few, so the hair reads as one color.

Natural highlights copy where the sun would lighten your hair on its own: the top layer, the ends and the pieces around your face. Ask for them fine and few, and nobody will be sure you’ve had anything done.

What to ask for Fine natural-looking highlights on the top layer and around the face, a shade or two lighter, soft root.

Photos: @yogacolourist (left), @coloredbyphuong (right) Pin this

Light brown highlights on dark hair

Woman seen from behind, hands in her hair, with a dark root and light brown lengths — The light brown starts at the shoulder blades.

Woman looking to the side with dark hair and light brown balayage — Wide sweeps of light brown on the top layer.

Light brown is a gentle step up from dark brown and still easy on a dark base. Wide sweeps through the lengths make it look lived-in, and the dark root means you can stretch color appointments.

What to ask for Light brown balayage through the mid-lengths and ends, three levels of lift, toned neutral, dark root left alone.

Photos: @hairrbyemily (left), @deepcouture_ (right) Pin this

Honey and blonde highlights on black hair

Black hair with honey highlights

Back view of long dark hair with honey color on the ends — Honey from the mid-lengths down gives an ombre feel.

Woman seen from behind with honey ribbons through long dark waves — The honey pieces are woven through, not painted on the ends.

Honey falls between caramel and blonde: warm, golden and bright enough to show on black hair from across a room. Placed low, it gives an ombre feel with the depth kept at the top.

What to ask for Honey highlights lifted four to five levels, toned golden, heavier toward the ends.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Black hair with honey blonde highlights

Back view of long dark hair with fine honey blonde highlights — Fine honey blonde from the crown to the ends.

Voluminous honey blonde waves over a dark base, seen from the side — Layers put the honey blonde at several lengths.

Honey blonde is lighter again, so the contrast with a black base is stronger. Long layers help it, because the lighter pieces fall at different lengths instead of sitting in one band.

What to ask for Honey blonde balayage on a black base, painted from mid-length down, golden toner, long layers cut in.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Blonde highlights on black hair

Woman looking down with long black waves and chunky blonde face-framing pieces — Chunky blonde at the front, dark behind.

Woman in a denim jacket seen from behind, hands on her head, with icy blonde balayage — An icy blonde toned cool, over a dark root.

Blonde on black is a big jump in contrast. It takes lightener and usually a toner to stop the pieces going brassy, and it needs a colorist who’s done it on dark hair before.

What to ask for Blonde highlights lifted to a pale gold with lightener, toned beige, woven fine so the dark shows between them.

Photos: @paintslikeschmidt (left), @lanhhair (right) Pin this

Peach and copper highlights on dark hair

Woman looking down with copper-peach waves over a darker root — Peach and copper sit together on the lightened lengths.

Woman in a black top with warm copper face-framing layers — The brightest pieces frame the face.

Peach and copper lean into the warmth that dark hair shows when it’s lightened, instead of fighting it with toner. The result is softer than a cool blonde and kind to warm skin, and the face-framing pieces can go a shade brighter than the rest.

What to ask for Peach-copper balayage lifted to a light copper and glossed warm, brightest on the face-framing pieces, darker root.

Photos: @hair.by.jessv (left), @ocstyles (right) Pin this

Caramel blonde ombre with a money piece

Woman looking down with dark lengths and a platinum money piece at the front — The money piece is two bright sections at the hairline.

Woman in a white top with a dark root, caramel face-framing pieces and blown-out layers — The caramel front pieces start at the part and run to the ends.

A money piece is a bright band of color at the front hairline, and it frames the face even when the rest of the hair is tied back. Here it sits over a caramel blonde ombre that keeps the root dark.

What to ask for Caramel blonde ombre from the mid-lengths down, plus a brighter money piece on the two front sections, toned golden.

Photos: @chris0712 (left), @beachwavesandbalayage (right) Pin this

Balayage on black hair

Woman facing the camera with curtain bangs, a dark root and caramel balayage — The balayage starts at the cheekbones, well below the root.

A soft beige painted onto the outer layer.

Balayage is painted on by hand rather than wrapped in foils, so the color has no hard start line. On black hair it grows out gracefully, so it suits anyone who wants color with little upkeep.

What to ask for Hand-painted balayage in a caramel to light brown, soft root, heavier through the ends, gloss to finish.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @aaashleee (right) Pin this

Silver, ash and platinum highlights on black hair

Black hair with silver highlights

Woman looking down with a dark root and silver balayage through long waves — Silver ribbons show most on the ends.

Back view of a dark root fading to silver gray lengths — Dark at the crown, silver from the shoulders down.

Silver on black is all about contrast. It needs dark hair lifted very pale before the silver toner goes on, so it’s a salon job and a commitment. Fine pieces look modern, and chunkier ones look deliberate.

What to ask for Silver highlights: lifted to pale blonde, toned silver, woven fine through the top and sides, dark base kept.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @hairshaftralph (right) Pin this

Black hair with ash highlights

Woman in a blue coat with a center part and long ash gray waves — The ash cancels warmth, so no gold shows.

Woman seen from behind, arms raised, with smoky ash waves — A smoky ash with a hint of lavender.

Ash is a cool, smoky tone that cancels warmth. On dark hair it reads as gray-beige rather than gold. It suits cool or pink skin tones, and a purple shampoo once a week keeps it from turning yellow.

What to ask for Ash brown to ash blonde highlights, lifted and toned cool, blended from a dark root.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @glenhew (right) Pin this

Black hair with all-over platinum highlights

Smiling woman with voluminous black waves and platinum pieces — Platinum pieces spread all over, with the black between them.

Back view of a black root and platinum waves — Most of the length is lifted to platinum.

All-over platinum takes a lot of lifting, and the payoff is black hair that looks silver-white where the light hits. Bring a photo, plan for more than one appointment, and budget for a bond-building treatment alongside it.

What to ask for Heavy platinum highlights all over, lifted in stages, toned icy, with a bond builder in the lightener.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @jaimyw (right) Pin this

Gray peekaboo highlights on black hair

Back view of long black waves in a half-up twist with gray babylights — Gray shows through the waves under a dark top layer.

Woman lifting the top layer of her black hair to show a silver panel underneath — Lift the top layer and the silver appears.

Peekaboo highlights are hidden under the top layer. You see them when your hair moves or when you tie it up. Gray underneath black is a clever way to try a bold color you can hide on a Monday.

What to ask for Gray peekaboo panels under the top layer at the sides and nape, lifted and toned silver, top section left black.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Gray blending for dark hair

Gray blending with face-framing highlights

Woman in a blue top with long dark layers and silver face-framing strands — Silver strands at the face, dark through the back.

Woman looking down with long silver gray hair and darker lowlights — Lowlights keep some depth as the gray takes over.

Gray blending uses highlights to meet your grays halfway instead of covering them every few weeks. Brighter pieces around the face do the most work, because that’s where grays show first.

What to ask for Gray blending with fine face-framing highlights lifted toward my gray level, toned silver, the rest of my base kept dark.

Photos: @_idbeauty (left), @glorified_beauty (right) Pin this

Gray blended bob

Woman turned to the side with a lob of dark hair and silver beige pieces — Silver beige pieces blend the regrowth into the lengths.

Woman in a navy top with shoulder-length dark hair and silver streaks — A few silver streaks through a dark base.

On a bob, gray blending shows as a few silver streaks running through a dark base. The blunt shape keeps it looking sharp while the regrowth softens into the highlights.

What to ask for Silver highlights woven through a dark bob to blend my grays, toned cool, a bright section at the parting.

Photos: @oneelevensalon (left), @g_deodato (right) Pin this

Gray blending with bangs

Smiling woman in blue scrubs with curtain bangs and gray waves — The bangs carry the most gray.

Woman looking down with a layered gray shag and a short fringe — The fringe carries the brightest silver, over darker layers at the nape.

Bangs put your hairline in full view, so blending the grays there matters. Silver and gray pieces through the fringe and the layers let the natural gray join in rather than show at the root.

What to ask for Gray blending through curtain bangs and layers, babylights lifted toward my gray, toned silver, no all-over dye.

Photos: @hairbymichelleee (left), @esther_hairtamer (right) Pin this

Short salt-and-pepper blend

Woman with a short curly pixie, silver on top and dark at the sides — Silver on top, dark at the sides and nape.

Woman with a short wavy crop and a silver sweep at the front — A silver sweep at the front of a dark crop.

Short hair grows out fast, so blending suits it better than covering. Silver on the top and front and dark at the nape gives a salt-and-pepper finish that looks intentional.

What to ask for Silver highlights on the top and front of a short cut, blended into my natural gray, dark kept at the sides and nape.

Photos: @khimandi (left), @maritroter4 (right) Pin this

Long gray blending with babylights

Smiling woman in glasses with long waves blending from brown to gray — Babylights blur the line between brown and gray.

Back view of long gray curls with darker strands underneath — Gray on the outside, darker strands underneath.

On long hair, fine babylights spread the gray through every section, so the transition from a dyed dark color to natural gray happens without a hard line. It takes a few sessions and patience.

What to ask for Fine babylights all over, lifted toward my gray level, toned silver-beige, planned over two or three sessions.

Photos: @legendofgrayskull (left), @hairby.elenab (right) Pin this

Red, burgundy and purple highlights on black hair

Black hair with copper highlights

Woman in a black top with long, all-over copper hair — A full copper, one step past highlights.

Woman in a black sweater with dark hair and copper face-framing pieces swept to one side — The copper is brightest in the swept front section and runs down through the dark lengths.

Copper works with black hair’s warm undertone rather than against it, so it needs less lifting than blonde. It’s bright and still looks like it belongs to the hair.

What to ask for Copper highlights lifted three levels, toned copper, woven through the lengths with a few brighter face-framing pieces.

Photos: @labellaboutiquehairsalon (left), @memmieyo (right) Pin this

Black hair with burgundy highlights

Back view of long dark waves with burgundy streaks — Burgundy reads as wine against black.

Woman looking down with shoulder-length dark hair turning burgundy at the ends — Burgundy on the lower half only.

Burgundy is red with a lot of violet in it, so on black hair it reads as a deep wine color that glows in the sun. It fades faster than brown, so a color-safe shampoo and cooler water help.

What to ask for Burgundy highlights, lifted slightly and deposited with a violet-red, concentrated through the mid-lengths and ends.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Black hair with dark red highlights

Dark red shows as a garnet sheen on straight hair.

Back view of long waves with rosy red highlights over a dark base — A rosier red, brightest on the waves.

Dark red is red kept quiet: in the shade your hair looks black, and in the light it shows as garnet. It’s a good way to try red without going all in.

What to ask for Dark red highlights, a level or two lighter than my base, woven medium through the top and the lengths.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

Fiery red highlights on a jet black base

Back view of a jet black root with bright red waves — Bright red from the ears down, black at the crown.

Woman in a white sweater looking down with deep red waves — A deeper red for a softer version.

Bright red on jet black is meant to be noticed. The pieces need lifting before the red goes on, and red is the first color to fade, so plan on a gloss between appointments.

What to ask for Bright red highlights on a jet black base, pre-lightened, placed in bold ribbons, refresh gloss every four to six weeks.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @care.glam (right) Pin this

Black hair with plum red highlights

Smiling woman with plum red layers and curtain bangs — Plum red through long face-framing layers.

Woman looking down with a dark root and plum red waves, in a gray henley — The plum red is woven through the waves below a dark root.

Plum red falls between burgundy and cherry, and long face-framing layers show it off because every flicked end catches the light. It fades toward a soft berry, so the color shifts gently over the weeks.

What to ask for Plum red highlights and a gloss over a dark base, long face-framing layers, curtain bangs, refresh gloss every six weeks.

Photos: @princessscissorhands (left), @creativebea (right) Pin this

Black and auburn hair color

Woman with side-swept auburn copper hair and a black top — Auburn is heaviest on the side-swept front.

Woman in a cream sweater looking over her shoulder with auburn waves — A red-brown that stays warm in any light.

Auburn is a brownish red, so it’s a red you can wear to work. On a black base it gives a warm glow rather than an obvious stripe.

What to ask for Auburn highlights and balayage, lifted two to three levels, toned red-brown, blended from the root.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @salome.a_coloriste (right) Pin this

Rose gold highlights on dark hair

Woman seen from behind, arms raised, with dusty rose highlights over dark hair — Dusty rose through the lengths, dark at the crown.

Smiling woman with pink and purple waves — A pink gold from the cheekbones down.

Rose gold mixes a pale blonde with pink, so it needs a lot of lifting. On dark hair it reads as a soft metallic pink through the lengths.

What to ask for Rose gold balayage: lifted to pale blonde through the lengths, toned pink-gold, dark root kept.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @sharon.simplyinsane (right) Pin this

Black hair with deep purple highlights

Back view of a dark root and lavender purple curls — The purple brightens toward the ends.

Sleek black bob fading to purple, seen from behind — A violet sheen on a blunt bob.

Deep purple can go on black hair with little or no lifting, and then it looks like a violet sheen. Lift the pieces first and it turns into bright violet instead.

What to ask for Deep purple highlights, pre-lightened slightly for more color, deposited violet, through the lengths and the ends.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @toridar_hair (right) Pin this

Subtle, short and ombre highlights on black hair

Subtle highlights on black hair

Back view of black waves with fine ash beige pieces — Fine beige pieces catch the light on the waves.

Back view of dark hair with soft caramel pieces — Soft caramel pieces a shade or two above the base.

Subtle highlights are for people who want their hair to look healthier rather than colored. Fine pieces a shade or two lighter catch the light on waves and disappear on straight days.

What to ask for Very fine highlights a level or two lighter, soft beige-brown, spread lightly, no heavy face-framing.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @hannahjeanbeauty (right) Pin this

Short black hair with highlights

Ash blonde pieces lift the ends of a choppy bob.

Woman with a dark bob and brown highlights — Brown highlights keep a dark bob from looking flat.

On a bob or a lob, highlights shape the cut as much as the color does. Brighter pieces at the front lift the face, and darker ones at the back keep the shape tight.

What to ask for Highlights on a chin-length bob, brighter at the front, a honey to beige tone, dark root.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), @hirohair (right) Pin this

Black to brown ombre

The change from black to brown starts below the shoulders.

Back view of straight black hair fading to brown — A soft fade on straight hair.

An ombre keeps the root black and lightens the ends to brown, with the change happening somewhere around the chin. On sleek straight hair it’s a clean fade, and on waves it looks softer.

What to ask for Black to brown ombre, color change at chin level, lifted two to three levels at the ends, blended hand-painted.

Photos: Luxe Digital (left), Luxe Digital (right) Pin this

What are highlights on black hair?

Highlights on black hair are strands lightened a few shades above your base, so the color catches the light and the hair looks like it has movement. Colorists measure hair on a scale from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde), and natural black sits at 1 or 2. A caramel highlight on black is about three or four levels of lift, and blonde is more.

How the pieces go in changes the look as much as the shade does. Foils give defined, even highlights from close to the root. Balayage is painted on by hand for a softer start. Babylights are very fine and blend in, and a money piece brightens only the strands at your hairline.

Which highlights suit black hair?

Staying within a few shades of your own color keeps the result soft, and (like, every stylist on this planet) we’d recommend it for your first round. Caramel, chocolate, mocha and honey tones look showstopping against a black base, and they fade gracefully.

Beyond that, match the tone to your skin. Warm tones (caramel, honey, copper, auburn) suit warm and olive skin, while cool tones (ash, silver, burgundy) suit cool or pink undertones. If you’re unsure, a neutral light brown or chocolate sits in between.

What to ask your colorist for

Bring two or three photos, including one of a color you don’t want. Then say:

The shade and the tone. “Caramel, warm” or “ash brown, cool” is clearer than “lighter”.
How much lift. Two levels looks natural, four or more is a visible change.
The technique. Foils, balayage, babylights or a money piece.
Where they start. At the root, or a few inches down so the grow-out is soft.
Whether you need a toner. Lightened black hair turns warm, and a toner is what makes it ash, beige or silver instead.

If your hair has been dyed black before, tell them. Color doesn’t lift color, so previously dyed hair needs lightener where natural hair might not.

How much upkeep do highlights on black hair need?

It depends mostly on the technique. Balayage and highlights that start below the root can go three to four months between appointments, because there’s no hard line as your hair grows. Foils placed right at the root show regrowth sooner, usually within six to eight weeks.

Toners and bright shades fade faster than the lightening underneath. Plan on a gloss or toner refresh every six to eight weeks for ash, silver, red and purple, a color-safe shampoo, and a heat protectant whenever you style with hot tools.

Do honey highlights work on black hair?

Yes. Honey and honey blonde are popular choices on a black base, adding warmth and depth while staying close enough to the natural color to keep the result soft rather than stark. Ask for them heavier toward the ends if you want a sun-kissed look with a dark root.

Can you put blonde highlights on black hair?

Yes, blonde looks gorgeous on dark hair if it’s done well. It needs lightener, a toner to stop brassiness, and often more than one appointment to reach a pale blonde safely. Balayage-style blonde keeps the lustrous black base intact, though we’d still advise against going too light in one go.

Highlights or balayage on black hair?

Both lighten pieces of your hair. The difference is how they start and grow out.

	Highlights (foils)	Balayage
How it goes on	Woven sections wrapped in foil	Painted on by hand
Where it starts	Close to the root	Usually a few inches down
Look	Defined, even pieces	Soft, lived-in
Grow-out	Visible line in six to eight weeks	Soft, three to four months
Best for	Brighter results, short hair	Low upkeep, long or wavy hair

What is gray blending for dark hair?

Gray blending adds highlights, and sometimes lowlights, so your natural grays look like part of the color instead of a root line. Rather than dyeing dark hair every few weeks to cover the gray, the colorist lifts pieces toward your gray level so the regrowth blends in.

It works on dark hair with a few sessions. The first appointment lifts fine babylights or face-framing pieces, and the next ones add more until the dark and the gray sit close together. Expect it to take a few months if you’re moving off all-over dark dye, and ask for a silver or beige toner to keep the lightened pieces from turning yellow.

Do highlights damage black hair?

Any lightener opens the hair cuticle, so highlights do change the hair, and the more lift the more change. Fine highlights of two or three levels are gentle. Platinum, silver and rose gold on black need a lot of lifting, so ask for a bond builder in the lightener and space the sessions out.

At home, a weekly mask, a heat protectant and cooler water help. A color-safe shampoo keeps toners and bright shades from fading as fast.

For more ideas, our guides to short hairstyles for Black women, hairstyles for Black girls and loc styles pair well with any of the colors above.

Whatever you pick, start a shade or two lighter than you think you want. It’s much easier to add brightness at the next appointment than to take it back, and your black base will thank you for it.

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