How to do California highlighting step by step instructions. The choice of paint for California highlighting on blond hair. For dark hair

Hair, as if burnt out under the rays of the hot sun, is the result of the use of a fashionable technique known as Hollywood or California highlighting. This coloring attracts girls who want to look the same stylish hairstyle as Jennifer Aniston, Keira Knightley, Sarah Jessica Parker and other foreign celebrities of modern cinema. The method is considered gentle, but not the easiest to perform, especially at home. However, nothing is impossible if you still decide to do highlighting in California. Stock up on knowledge, the necessary tools and materials - and forward to the realization of your "American dream".

What's happened

Attention! California highlighting is called gentle for several reasons: the dye for it does not contain ammonia, and during the application process, the composition does not come into contact with the scalp. With this staining, the roots are often left intact.

How is it different from conventional highlighting

These two staining methods differ not only in the result, but also in the technology of carrying out:

for the usual it used to be used, now it has been replaced by foil (thermal paper). California highlighting is performed without these materials;
the classic technique usually involves applying paint from the roots, Hollywood - along the length;
in the first case, the strands stand out evenly in color, often they are clearly visible against the background of the main mass of hair. With California coloring, a smooth stretch of color is done in such a way that the tips are the lightest part of the hairstyle;
ordinary highlighting can be colored, Hollywood - only natural.

Quite similar to each other California staining and shatush. Their ultimate goal is to create a natural effect of burnt curls. However, no additional toning is applied to the shatush, so the colors are less vibrant and the transitions are more washed out. The strands are taken quite wide, while Hollywood highlighting requires small curls.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of Hollywood technology:

beautiful natural effect;
gentle effect on the hair;
versatility - can be applied to curls of almost any type and length, you only need to correctly select the appropriate palette;
additional volume due to the successful play of colors;
gray hair masking;
image update;
no need to make frequent corrections, since the roots are not affected during coloring.

Flaws:

even with a gentle effect of the dye, the hair is still stressed;
the inept Californian highlighting technique can ruin the structure of the curls or the appearance of the hairstyle;
the dyeing process lasts quite a long time, especially if the strands are thick and long;
the desire to look like a Hollywood celebrity is expensive;
bleach can make your hair dry and brittle. They will require special care;
at home, coping with technology on your own is not very easy. You will need the help of another person.

Attention! Set aside the California dyeing technique for a couple of months if you have recently done a perm, changed your hair color with a permanent composition or henna. Otherwise, you can get an unpredictable color. Yes, and the hair needs a little rest and recovery between experiments with a hairstyle.

Price in the salon and for home use

Some hairdressers and beauty salons distinguish California coloring in a separate line of their price lists, and some value its cost on a par with classic highlighting. Specify your wishes in a direct conversation with a hair stylist, especially if you want to apply not 2, but 3-5 tones.

The price varies depending on the number of shades used, as well as the length and density of the curls. On average in Russia, the cost of the Hollywood effect of burnt hair will cost 3,000–4,000 rubles.

The cost of the service in large beauty establishments located in megacities often reaches 8-11 thousand rubles, and in medium and small towns it starts from 600-1000 rubles.

If you want to do California highlighting at home, calculate how much dye you need for your hair and what shades. High-quality ammonia-free formulations cost about 400–500 rubles, although it is better to take gentle products for toning curls. The range of tint balms and shampoos is very wide, and therefore has many both budget and expensive options: from 60 to 1000 rubles. For preliminary clarification, add to the costs the cost of the bleaching preparation (approximately 80–300 rubles, depending on the company).

Attention! For California highlighting, an individual approach is important, since it looks different on different hair. Before painting, the master should look with you at a photo of possible options, discuss the palette and number of tones, and other nuances.

Who suits

Sometimes it seems that the California technique has no restrictions on the type, because a variety of women choose this method of hair coloring. Many blondes like it, because on their curls it is possible to create an interesting combination of colors. The hair visually becomes thicker and more voluminous, which is important for owners of rare strands. Light brown hair should not be lightened, but darkened, and in the root zone. True, in this case, more frequent correction is required.

Finding the right colors for brown-haired women is difficult, but possible. The palette depends on belonging to the color type: cold or warm. Such highlighting looks quite contrasting. A significant number of tones (up to 5–6) will make it possible to make the transition from dark roots to light tips as smooth as possible. But stylists advise brunettes to be more careful with such experiments, because it is most difficult for them to achieve a natural gradient.

California highlighting is usually done on blond hair, and Venetian is chosen for dark ones.

For light, blond hair

Natural blondes are either warm spring or cool summer types. With this in mind, you need to select the color scheme. In the first case, golden blond, honey, wheat are optimal. In the second - ashen, pearl, mother-of-pearl. Platinum, ash, light blond look good on light brown curls. Blondes can choose just 2-3 tones to look great.

Fair-skinned girls with hair of an inexpressive "mouse" color will suit neutral shades: light blond, wheaten, beige, dark or light blond, walnut. If the skin is prone to tanning, you need to look at the warm palette, if not - to the cold one.

For dark hair

Girls who belong to the autumn (warm) or winter (cold) color types are also suitable for different colors. They should be close to the natural color of the hair. The best shades are golden, honey, cognac, amber.

Brunettes can use copper, bronze, chocolate (warm or cold), chestnut. These colors are also optimal for painting over gray hair. Looks extravagant in combination with black curls white tone on the bangs.

Features of coloring depending on the length of the hair

The best length of curls for applying the California highlighting technique on dark or blond hair is from the shoulder blades and below. In this case, it will be possible to make a soft, smooth transition between shades, to show a beautiful play of colors. The middle strands are often partially dyed, choosing only a bang, one or more strands. For hair of considerable length, it will require a large number of shades and especially a lot of time, but the result will be worth it. Correction in this case will be needed very soon.

With a successful selection of tones, California highlighting for short hair can also be very effective. The gradient will be invisible, but the hairstyle will become pompous, it will look fresh and non-standard. A significant disadvantage is that you will often have to update the colors so that the hair does not look careless. As a rule, the lightest shades are recommended for short haircuts.

Girls with squares of any length should remember a few rules for using Hollywood technology:

if the face is round, then the curls framing it are painted with a light color. The parietal zone with this variant of California highlighting is left dark;
with an elongated shape, wide strands are dyed;
brown-haired women need to choose colors that are 2-3 tones darker than their hair;
a similar recommendation applies to blondes, only the shades should be lighter than the "source".

California highlights on the square will visually make the hair more lively, thick and lush.

Technology features depending on other haircuts:

Bean. In this case, the front elongated curls are usually lightened along with the bangs.
Pixie. The best option is to highlight with color any one zone, bangs or whiskey.
Cascade. A competent selection of colors will emphasize the structure of the haircut and place the necessary accents.

Highlighting technique at home

To make California highlighting to yourself, you need to prepare in advance:

brightening agent (if necessary);
tint dyes in the required amount;
non-metal utensils. For each composition - its own;
several brushes or sponges;
2 combs: with rare and frequent teeth;
hairpins;
gloves and a cape on clothes (you can take an old dressing gown);
mask or hair balm.

Advice. Professional stylists often add a thickener to the paint so that it does not spread. This is important because foil is not used for staining. You can use wax for this purpose or immediately buy a clarifier based on a natural bee product.

Step-by-step description of how to do California highlighting at home:

Test selected formulations on the skin of the wrist or in the crook of the elbow. After half an hour, you should not have a rash, itching, redness.
Wash your hair without balm and conditioner, and then dry it naturally.
Divide your hair into strands, the thickness of which does not exceed 1.5 centimeters. It is more convenient to pre-divide the curls into zones: occipital, crown, temporal.
Put on gloves and a cape.
Apply bleach to your hair. With California highlighting, this is not done along the entire length of the strands, but with an indent of 3-5 centimeters from the roots. Spread the paint quickly.
Wait for the time specified in the instructions (no longer than 20-30 minutes).
Wash off the composition.
Tone the curls with the selected shade or several colors. You can add wax to the tonic so that the product fits better on the strands.
After the set time, rinse your hair.
Apply a balm or mask.

To get a clearer idea of the features of staining, watch various training videos, visual lessons and master classes, where the process is also described step by step.

According to reviews, Californian highlighting looks much prettier than regular coloring, and it harms curls less. Although after the procedure, the hair still needs close attention and respect. Use moisturizers, revitalizers, rinses, make masks and cut split ends.

When choosing a color at home, do not strive to get an impressive masterpiece the first time. Try 1-2 tones or lighten only part of the hair. So you can evaluate how laborious work you have to do, whether it is worth taking on it yourself or is it better to trust a professional.

Useful videos

California highlighting.

How to do California highlights.

You can emphasize the beauty and richness of the light brown shade of hair, which, by lightening several strands, will transform and refresh the whole image as a whole, and also, thanks to the contrast, will add brightness to the natural color.

What is California highlighting

The main task of California highlighting is smooth lightening, reminiscent of a natural honey shade of hair slightly burnt out in the hot sun. It is from here that the very name of this procedure originated in the sultry and always sunny California.

How much does California highlighting cost for brown hair

How to make California highlights on light brown hair on your own, at home to yourself

Gentle California, however, in this case it is important to make sure that there are no allergies and contraindications to this procedure.

Required tools:

ready-made clarifying paste based on natural beeswax;
;
brush and plastic bowl for mixing;
comb;
a pair of gloves;

moisturizing balm or conditioner.

Suitable products and their composition

All products used must contain natural ingredients and exclude ammonia and other harmful potent substances. So, the brightening paste should contain beeswax, and the shampoo and balm should be free of sulfates, parabens, fragrances and fragrances. In addition, it is advisable to avoid head cleansers based on zinc, which has the ability to dry out curls.

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Photo gallery: Can I do California highlighting myself?

Want to look all year round as if you just returned from a luxurious resort, where the warm sun has gilded your skin and hair? Yes? Then there are two options: either run for air tickets, or read our article and learn how to perform California highlighting. We will tell you how to turn into a luxurious Californian beauty in a couple of hours.

What is California highlighting?

We all watched the series "The Beach", in which beautiful lifeguards in red swimsuits conquer not only with their shapes, but also with their hair color. To achieve the same natural look of strands slightly burnt out in the sun, they came up with California highlighting. The essence of the technique is to stretch the tone as smoothly as possible from the darkest at the roots, to the lightest - at the tips. The whole secret is to smooth out sharp transitions, otherwise the coloring will look rough and vulgar.

California highlighting: pros and cons

Who is California highlighting suitable for and why is it good?

But, like any technique, California highlighting has its drawbacks.

California highlighting: technique, video

Due to the subtlety and laboriousness of the process, the staining technique has its own characteristics. It is worth remembering about them if you decide to repeat the procedure at home.

To create coloring using the California highlighting technique, at least you need 4-5 shades of paint, they will need to be mixed, so first study the basics of color and color compatibility
To apply the composition more accurately and accurately, a special thickener can be added to the paint. Beginners should definitely use this trick.
Lightening and California highlighting are two different things. Using one peroxide, you will never achieve a beautiful color. After lightening, the strands must be tinted
Coloring using the Californian highlighting technique can be done both with persistent dyes and with more natural and gentle balms. At home, it is worth giving preference to them: if you do not like the result, unstable dyes are faster and easier to wash off
The desired effect is not easy to achieve in one go, especially if you have dark and thick hair. Be patient and repeat the process.

How to do California highlights at home

The color pulling procedure is quite complicated and painstaking, so it is best to trust an experienced stylist. But if you have blond or blond hair, then you can try California highlighting at home. The main thing is to follow the proposed step-by-step instructions, as well as choose the highest quality natural dyes. We also recommend watching the video tutorials.

First of all, let's prepare the necessary materials. Choose 4-5 close shades. See if they fit well together. For California highlighting, special pastes are produced with the addition of beeswax. There are also ready-made sets that simplify color matching.

To protect clothes, you will need a special peignoir or cape, to protect the skin on the forehead - a greasy cream. To separate the strands, it is most convenient to take a narrow comb with a long tail. We will apply the dye with a special brush.

Do not forget to also prepare a bowl for mixing shades, shampoo and a special balm for colored hair.

Step-by-step instruction

Care after staining using California highlighting technique

As with any other coloring, choose special care after California highlighting. Shampoo and balm should be designed for colored or highlighted hair. Since your hair has undergone lightening, it needs to be moisturized regularly, special professional masks will help you with this.

In recent years, naturalness has been in trend, and on this wave a technique such as California highlighting has arisen. She intends to get the effect of hair exposed to the bright sun and salty ocean spray that reigns on the beaches of Sacramento and Los Angeles.

Where did California highlighting come from and how did it become popular?

Hollywood divas were the first to try it, and after them, ordinary women wished to flaunt curls, as if they had been in the hot California sun for a long time.

California highlighting is a special coloring technique that allows you to achieve the effect of naturally sun-bleached and regrown hair. It looks natural due to the absence of sharp color transitions and visually increases the volume of hair.

The color at the roots is saturated, and various shades are distributed along the length. The goal is to transition from dark to light shades from top to bottom, towards the ends of the hair.

This technique is very popular and in great demand, as it can be performed on hair of any shade. It is distinguished by a gentle effect, so even weak and thin hair will not suffer in the process. The most important thing is to choose the right palette and avoid sharp color transitions.

One of the main advantages of California highlighting is the fact that even a few weeks after the procedure, the hair continues to look natural and does not require a visit to the hairdresser.

Also, the undoubted advantages of this method can be considered:

gentle procedure, keeps hair healthy, elastic and strong, without affecting their deep layers;
this staining method suitable even for pregnant women and girls with paint allergies, as the roots do not stain at all, so the paint does not come into contact with the skin;
california highlighting - an ideal choice for those who decide to return to their natural color, growing hair will harmoniously fit into the hairstyle;
this color option is able to give the hair visual volume, healthy shine and naturalness, after the procedure the woman looks younger and fresher;
this type of highlighting is recommended absolutely everyone, regardless of the length and original hair color.

Technique for performing classic California highlighting

Classic California highlighting is carried out outdoors, without the use of foil or special paper. To avoid spreading of the paint, special thickeners based on beeswax are used. The master selects the shades that will be used in coloring.

Then the dyes are prepared, mixed with the oxide chosen for the procedure. Small strands with a width of no more than 1.5 cm stand out. The strands are selected in a checkerboard pattern. Next, paint is applied to the selected strands, when applied, the brush is held parallel to the hair.

The coating of the strands with a coloring composition is carried out with light movements; it is not necessary to thoroughly dye the hair during California highlighting. The paint acts on the hair from 15 to 30 minutes, it depends on how saturated the color is supposed to be as a result.

Interesting! Each colored strand is in contact with others, while the paint of different shades is mixed. This creates beautiful imperceptible color transitions.

To make the borders of the color transition less noticeable, and the shades more saturated and bright, after coloring the hair needs to be toned. The highlighting process is completed by washing the hair with shampoo and applying a balm and a nourishing mask.

How to do California highlights at home (step by step)

Important! The darker the natural color, the more shades will be needed for California highlighting.

Making California highlights on your own is problematic, but still possible. Follow the instructions exactly to get the desired result. It is very important to choose the right colors so that there is no contrast between them. It is equally important to understand in what proportions dyes and oxidizing agents should be mixed and to clearly present the scheme for applying the composition to the hair.

In order to do California highlighting at home, you will need the following accessories:

Attention! The Californian highlighting technique involves air access to the colored strands. But when carrying out the procedure at home, foil or a cap will greatly facilitate the implementation.

To obtain the best result, experts recommend removing the foil or cap from the hair after applying the paint, which will allow you to mix the shades and end up with smooth transitions.

Coloring is carried out in several stages:

Note! After any procedure with the use of chemicals, the hair requires additional care. Do not choose shampoos, balms and masks for colored hair. Many brands produce lines of products for the care of highlighted hair.

These are general rules, following which you can do California highlighting at home on your own. Be sure to take into account the original natural hair color, since highlighting the hair of various shades has its own characteristics.

How to do California highlights on dark hair

The most preferred shades for Californian highlights on dark hair are honey, caramel, golden, wheat. Some extravagant people prefer to use rich red, blue, pink dyes instead of natural light shades.

If it is supposed to create such an unusual palette, use the color stretching method. The color is "stretched" by adding oxides of various concentrations to the paint.

Often this method is used to gradually transition from a dark color to a light one. It is impossible to become a blonde, if the natural hair color is dark, in one dyeing procedure. This type of highlighting is one of the most difficult. To obtain the desired effect, you need to take from 4 to 6 shades that will flow into each other.

It is best to carry out such highlighting on natural unpainted curls, otherwise there is a risk of getting an ugly yellow tint. If the hair has been dyed before, you need to use a wash.

How to do California highlights on blonde hair

The procedure on fair hair is the easiest of all possible options. For blonde girls, California highlighting is an ideal option to make the hairstyle more original, while damaging the hair to a minimum.

The advantage of blond hair is that California highlighting can be done on them using not 5-6, but only 2 or 3 shades, which will significantly reduce the budget of the procedure. As a rule, a dye is taken a tone lighter than the original hair color and one of the lightest colors in the palette.

For blondes with pale skin, cold shades of blond are suitable, and for girls with a tan, it is better to choose warm colors.

How to do California highlights on light brown hair

The procedure according to the Californian method will make light brown hair expressive and give it extra volume. The most preferred shades for highlighting on light brown hair are ash, wheat, platinum, light blond.

How to do California highlights on red hair

Highlighting red hair is extremely difficult. California highlights are recommended for those women who want to refresh their natural color a little. The most suitable for diluting red hair color is light brown or a shade of chocolate. Glare of golden and wheaten shades will also perfectly decorate natural red curls.

How to do California highlights on black hair

The use of California highlights on black hair is an ideal option to paint over gray hair. For coloring in this technique, bronze, cognac, dark chocolate, dark caramel, copper, as well as a shade of black currant and all shades of chestnut color should be used.

It is very important to determine which color type a woman belongs to in order to choose cold or warm shades of the dye.

Features of performing California highlighting depending on the length of the hair

In order to get a great result, you should consider the length of the hair. Performing California highlighting on hair of various lengths has its own characteristics.

California highlights for short hair

If you choose the right shades, California highlights will make short hair more lush and bright. Owners of short haircuts need to visit the hairdresser more often than girls with medium or long hair.

Highlighting the Californian method is no exception, and requires frequent adjustments so that the haircut does not look careless as the hair grows.

California highlighting on a square

Lightening using the Californian highlighting technique is a great option for a caret of any length. Also using this technique it is possible to correct the oval of the face. Coloring the strands framing the face in light colors is suitable for a round face, leaving the crown area dark. For an elongated face, you should choose larger strands.

If the original color is dark, then you should choose shades 2-3 shades darker. And vice versa, with a light natural color, you need to highlight the strands with dyes 2-3 tones lighter.

The result of the application of Californian highlighting on the square will be a more lively look, additional visual volume and hair density.

California highlights for medium hair

The average length of hair gives a wide scope for choosing hairstyles for their owner. You can choose a large number of options for lightening strands of medium length and easily achieve naturalness in the game of color.

California highlights for long hair

Highlighting long hair will require great skill to create natural color overflows. It will require the use of more shades and the use of "stretching" the color, but the result with the right approach can exceed expectations.

Long hair, clarified by the Californian method, does not require frequent adjustment and tinting of regrown roots.

Popular execution techniques

ombre

Ombre will look most impressive on short haircuts, giving them extra volume. The most successful will be an ombre on light brown and brown hair. This technique is suitable for those who do not plan to radically change their appearance, but only emphasize the advantages of a haircut by creating highlights in their hair. As a rule, two shades are used for ombre, flowing into each other.

For extraordinary extravagant girls, a combination of dark and even black with bright red is suitable. If there is no craving for radical color solutions, combinations of natural chestnut or black with cognac, dark blond, honey shades will do.

Balayazh

Highlighting using the balayage technique looks very impressive on short haircuts with “torn” ends. Curly curls painted using this technique look luxurious. Balayazh highlighting will solve the problems of those women whose hair is distinguished by lack of shine, brittleness, thinness, porous structure and lack of volume.

This method involves applying the dye from the middle of the strands, significantly retreating from the roots, as well as highlighting or darkening the tips. The master applies the dye in broad strokes, as if sweeping. Hence the name of the technique, which is translated from French as "revenge".

Shatush

The shatush technique is simpler: this is the same California highlighting, but it allows you to achieve an even smoother gradation of color by dividing into larger strands and “stretching” the color. Strands for coloring are selected randomly, randomly.

Also, shatush does not involve hair tinting at the end of the procedure.

Hair coloring using this technique is not suitable for owners of short haircuts. Shatush looks most impressive on black and dark hair. Often this technique is used if a woman wants to grow a natural color, strands processed using the California highlighting technique hide growing hair.

Booking

Bronding allows you to achieve the most natural overflow of colors. In fact, this is a multi-color coloring, and it involves many options to emphasize the richness of the shades of the original color. The name itself consists of two words, meaning "brown" and "light" in translation.

It is the combination of shades of these colors that forms the basis of armoring. That is, it can be successfully carried out on light, blond, chestnut hair.

Creative options for staining with California highlights

3D highlighting

To give curls a deep and multifaceted color will allow newfangled 3D highlighting.

"Peekaboo" technique

The peek-a-boo option is suitable for young girls who want to stand out from the crowd. The lower part of the hair is dyed in a bright or dark color that contrasts with the original color. Sometimes bangs and whiskey are also distinguished.

Veil

A veil is a dyeing of the thinnest strands of the uppermost layer of hair. As a result, natural hair appears from under the dyed, which looks unusual and fresh.

Approximate price of California highlighting in a beauty salon

The price of the procedure varies greatly depending on the region. The class of the salon and the master who will be selected for the California highlighting procedure will also affect the cost. When calculating the cost of the service, factors such as hair length, original color, number of selected shades are taken into account.

The California highlighting technique is very popular among women all over the world. It practically does not harm the hair and allows you to give the hairstyle style and originality. Before deciding on such a procedure, you should carefully consider what effect you want to achieve, choose a good master or (if you do it yourself) materials.

How to do California highlights at home:

Useful video about California highlighting at home:

California highlighting, contrary to popular belief, was not born in the American state of the same name at all. This phrase, so sweet when spoken, conjures up a bright shining sun, beaches full of white, glowing sand, a blue expanse of ocean to the horizon. And a lot of happy, white-toothed smiles of people who do nothing but relax and enjoy life on the golden beaches of California.

This characteristic of highlighting was greatly facilitated by the large concentration of girls and women of all ages with blond hair near Los Angeles. It's no secret that the two giant film companies, Universal and Warner Bros., as well as the cherished Hollywood, where a huge number of films are shot, beckon blondes to them like spotlights attract moths. Under the merciless southern sun, hair burns out very quickly. And this natural burnout, paradoxically giving the hairstyle volume and a fresh look, gave rise to a whole trend in highlighting technology.

In this article:

The difference between California highlighting and other highlighting techniques

The task of such staining is to create on the head the effect of a natural, gradual disappearance of the pigment in the hair shafts under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Of course, in life this happens unevenly. This is the secret of highlighting in California. The master must work in such a way to create a distinct imprint of the equatorial sun on the client's curls, and in her appearance - the illusion of a many-day stay on the ocean coast.

Differences from other highlighting techniques are as follows:

Californian differs from simple highlighting by a smooth stretch of color along the strands and the absence of staining near the very roots (or a skillfully created impression of such);
Ombre implies the presence of a clearly visible border between two or more colors on the hair, which cannot be when tinting according to the Californian method;
Balayazh is characterized by a uniform stretch of color along the entire length of the curls. California highlighting affects individual strands, wide or narrow. And sometimes, both.
Shatush allows a somewhat deliberate effect on the hair. Sometimes their tips are whitened by the master so that the gradation of shades no longer looks natural, in contrast to the Californian highlighting technique.
Armoring, with external similarity, is more expensive in salons, because it is a more complex technique. Due to the fact that discoloration in it is minimal, it belongs to a sparing type of impact.

The advantage of this type of dyeing is that, in most cases, the dye is not applied to the roots of the hairline, which means it does not come into contact with the scalp, negatively affecting it. From here we can also conclude that such a technique will not require constant visits to the hairdresser in order to tint the regrown roots - with skillful handling, the master will select such a transition of shades that they will harmoniously merge into the color palette.

In addition, California highlighting is one of the rare types of strand coloring, in which gray hair does not require mandatory coloring. If your color is light enough - blond, light brown - then gray strands will support the natural look of the hairstyle with the stylist's competent approach to the creative process.

Staining technique

Coloring in California involves the maximum naturalness of color transitions, so often the master uses up to 6 shades to create the effect of natural burnout. Due to the difficulty of performing, the technique is not recommended for home use.

The application of paint is carried out in a row. Previously, the hairdresser selects several tones. Here, as in many modern staining techniques, his artistic taste is clearly manifested. Therefore, the choice of a good master is always the key to a successful and harmonious result.
Beeswax is added to the paint, which acts as a thickener. It contributes to the rapid drying of the creamy mass on the hair.
Coloring is done without heat treatment or wrapping the strands in foil, in the open air.
The process of tone penetration into the hair shaft is constantly controlled by the master until the desired color is achieved. Five minutes before the end, with a wet brush, the color is distributed from the bottom up, to smooth out the boundaries between the shades.
After washing off the coloring composition, the strands are tinted, which allows you to get the most beautiful and natural color gradient.
A nourishing mask is applied to the curls, which makes them filled with inner radiance and look bewitching.

You should not expect to spend less than three hours in the salon - the process requires thoroughness and slowness.

California highlights for different hair colors

This technique can be applied to hair of various colors - after all, the sun acts equally on dark and light heads that are not covered with headdresses.

For dark and black hair

Dark hair, especially black, is difficult to fade, so dyeing will take a long time. And of course, no snow-white and other strands of contrasting color should appear in the hairstyle. If you want a radical result, it is better to turn to other techniques. And California highlighting is aimed at creating soft lightening with a natural effect.

For dark-haired beauties, cognac, chocolate, coffee shades are suitable. The lightest gradient is light brown, wheaten, without yellowness.

Usually fair-haired women consider the color of their curls boring and uninteresting. They are the most active consumers of coloring agents. Perhaps they will be happy to know that it is on a light brown color that almost all modern staining techniques look the most advantageous. California highlighting is no exception.

On light brown strands, you can try a whole range of shades - from red to golden blond, and for cold color types - from coffee with milk to ice ash. The master gets a unique opportunity to include not only light, but also dark shades in the overflows of the strand. Merged together, they will add volume to the hair, and add incredible plasticity to long curls.

The main thing is not to make a mistake with natural colors - the color of the eyes and skin is of great importance. Incorrectly chosen tones in the hair can give the face an expression of fatigue, and even visually age. Such a property, for example, is possessed by gray and ashy shades, which are completely contraindicated in the Spring and Autumn color types. As a light accent, it is better to focus on the color of honey, September foliage, and earing wheat.

The victorious procession of California highlighting around the planet began with blondes, which they are deservedly proud of and are happy to expose themselves to salon coloring, achieving the effect of a “sunny kiss” on their hair. Moreover, the technique spares blondes, and instead of 5-6 tonal transitions, they only need two or three. Sometimes natural blondes even have to tint the roots in a dark color to create depth and volume, and in this regard, fair-haired women win again.

Here you also need to focus on the color of the skin, so as not to make a mistake with the shades in the strands. And only blondes are allowed to lighten the tips to an almost white color, and this will not create dissonance in the hairstyle.

California coloring for red hair

The red head of hair itself looks bright and attractive, but why not make it even more visually? Highlighting in its Californian version will come to the rescue. It is not forbidden to add darker strands to the hairstyle along with lightened ones, their choice depends on the desire of the client of the salon. Dark walnut, mahogany, amber, honey, orange shades - all this looks on red hair just as it sounds - delicious, juicy, delicious.

California highlights for hair of different lengths

This technique is quite achievable on different lengths of strands, and even on ultra-short haircuts, you can achieve the effect of burnt tips.

A short haircut after applying this technique becomes more magnificent, multifaceted. This is the easiest and least expensive way to update your hair - the length of the hair will not require much effort from the master and will provide economical paint consumption. The only note is that such toning is not suitable for geometric haircuts, as it will blur the clear structure of “ladders” and transitions set by the hairdresser.

Highlighting on medium hair is no different from applying dye to shorter strands, except that here it becomes possible to make the transition of shades more stretched and smooth. The medium length is preferred by many hairdressers because it gives room for creativity, but is still less capricious and tangled than long curls.

Such coloring looks especially beautiful on a bob haircut - asymmetrical, classic or with elongation - it does not matter. Due to the careful trimming of the ends, the hair sways smoothly, and in calm weather they move in a single wave. This creates a mesmerizing effect. Torn, stepped strands of other haircuts do not have this advantage.

Hair that reaches the shoulder blades on the back and goes down is considered long. Of course, the cost of painting this length will be significant. But the result will surprise and please. A feature of the technique will be an increase in the number of clarified strands in the middle, in the depth of the hairstyle. This is due to the fact that long flowing hair is more often “opened” under the sun. Burnt strands inside a mop of long hair are not uncommon, unlike the average level or short hair.

Any coloring on such a structure looks harmonious, especially one that implies a smooth stretching of color, which is present in Californian highlighting. It is on straight hair that the play of shades on the strands is noticeable and the gradient is clearly distinguishable. In addition, straight curls are perfectly modified by laying on curlers or when working with a styler and ironing. And this means that at any time you can create a new image, you just have to pick up a hairdressing tool.

With straight hair, there is always room for creativity - today the girl creates curls, and she is full of romance and mystery. Tomorrow she will make a bouffant and updo, switching to retro. And next time, he will take styling wax and create a windy and light mood for a haircut on his head, radiating a charge of vivacity and vitality around. And California highlights will complement each of these hairstyles with depth and play of shades.

Californian highlighting can be performed on natural curls, especially since ammonia-free dyes are only welcome in this technique. It is they who are shown for painting curls. It is better to entrust the procedure to the stylist, since it is very difficult to determine on your own where exactly it is preferable to place light accents so that the highlights look natural, and not pretentious and out of place with curls.

How to deal with bangs when highlighting?

California staining is just the case when it is even recommended to touch the bangs when painting. On short haircuts, it is this part of the hairstyle that often takes on the main emphasis in highlighting - after all, thin hairs near the face burn out in the bright sun almost instantly. The main thing is to observe the smoothness of color transitions, without violating the naturalness of the whole appearance.

How to perform this technique at home and is it worth it?

The high price of the salon technique makes women resort to trying to repeat it without leaving home. This is quite possible if the color is correctly selected and broken down into shades for its gradual transformation.

Here are a few key points to keep in mind when conducting an experiment:

The paint is applied to washed curls, without the use of conditioner, dried naturally;
Strands can be pulled through a plastic cap or created independently. To do this, they are separated by a comb in a checkerboard pattern and intercepted with an elastic band near the roots. Thus, the whole head is as if covered with "tails". This technique justifies itself - it is more convenient to apply paint, especially since it should not get into the roots near the scalp itself;
The composition is applied with a brush, not with a sponge and not with fingers;
The lightest tone is applied to the tips, left for 10 minutes. A little higher, the next, darker one is applied. And so on, up, not reaching the scalp by 3-5 cm;
5-7 minutes before washing off the composition with a wet brush from the bottom up, you need to draw over each strand, smearing the creamy dried mixture;
The washed head should not be dried with a hair dryer. It is allowed to apply a nourishing mask before the final rinse.

Color correction can be done after a couple of days. Strands stuck together during the painting process do not need to be covered with anything or try to separate - let them mix, transitions and highlights will be even more interesting.

Photo of California highlighting. Before and after

It is desirable to keep the result of staining obtained in the salon as long as possible, not only because of its magnificence, but also because a lot of money has been paid. I would like to postpone the next trip to the stylist for the maximum period.

In the case of such highlighting, this will not become a problem - as you know, growing roots do not spoil the beauty on the head, but complement it. However, in order to provide a hairstyle with glamor and gloss, you should follow the basic rules for caring for dyed hair:

More often use nourishing masks. At the same time, it is desirable that they do not have a bright color as a result of adding colored components to them. Otherwise, getting under the hair scales, the pigment particles settle in the hair shaft, and the coloring pigment fades, especially its light part;
Rinsing with herbal infusions is welcome, especially chamomile (shown for blondes) or onion (not for light curls). Perfectly nourishes the hair rinse in beer. The specific smell is easily eliminated by subsequent washing with water with the addition of citric acid granules or acetic acid solution.
Do not forget to cut off the split, tired ends of the strands. Regular renewal of the cut strengthens the hair shaft, prevents its splitting and loss of moisture, and prevents breakage.

Photos "before and after" clearly demonstrate the benefits and results of highlighting in California. Let the sun exposure on your hair be artificial, but the joy in your eyes, the freshness in your appearance and the amazing attractiveness in you will turn out to be real.