What Is Instant Highlights, And Can It Replace Highlights?

“The description of highlighting with the use of an iron caught my eye: you paint a strand, wrap it in foil, heat it - and you're done. What kind of technology is this, and what effect on hair can you expect in reality?"

Veronica (27 years old)

Stylist's answer:

Instant Highlights is an express lightening technique that can be used for partial highlights or contouring. The whole procedure takes 45-60 minutes, which is twice as fast as classic highlighting. The process is accelerated by the use of an iron: the master takes the strands, places them on the foil and applies a lightening cream in a dense layer, then covers it with a second layer of foil and warms up for 30 seconds. If this was not enough, you can iron a second time. Thus, we achieve a reduction in the time of exposure to the hair dye due to heat treatment (the iron heats up to 140 degrees). The procedure is absolutely safe if you do everything correctly and do not overexpose your hair in a lightening cream.

Such coloring is ideal for creating separate “burnt-out locks: on the face, on the parietal zone. You can also lighten only the ends of the hair for an ombre effect.

The maximum possible lightening with Instant Highlights - 6 tones. If less is needed, simply shorten the holding time. Of course, a lot also depends on its natural color: for example, previously dyed hair will be lighter, and if we start from a natural color at the level of seven (the usual light brown shade), then we can reach the 10-11 row (bright blond).

You can also use Instant Highlights on dark hair, for example, to add bump to the hair, this is the case when you want to make a multifaceted overflow from a single dark color. However, in this case, the color will "rise" only by 3-4 tones, and not by 6 tones. The process of applying paint and lightening in any case will take 45 to 60 minutes.

Care after

After lightening, you can use any color directions; golden, beige and ash. This is not necessary in principle, but desirable. There is a dye that fills the void of the bleached hair, and due to the acidic environment, closes the scales, and the hair becomes smooth and shiny. Also, if you try this service in the salon, you can recommend post-treatment for intensive nourishment and restoration of the structure of bleached hair. In the same line, there are boosters with pigments that are added to the mask: with their help, you can give shine and give direction to the blonde ─ strengthen the warm undertone, neutralize the copper tint, make the blonde noble and bright.

Warning

The Instant Highlights kit is available for purchase, but the coloring itself is only a salon service. First of all, this is an iron and high temperatures, which you still need to be able to work with. The second point is the nuances, including purely "technical" colors, which only professionals understand. Simply put, using Instant Highlights improperly at home can ruin your hair.