How Much Does It Cost To Get Highlights?

If you want to change your look but you don’t have your heart set on a brand new color, highlights might be a good option for you.

There are different types of highlights and then there are different salons that you can go to. Ultimately, you can even try doing your highlights at home but you might need the help of a good friend in this matter.

On average, getting highlights should cost you anywhere from $50 to $200. It will vary according to the salon you go to, the length of your hair as well as the type of highlights you want to get. 

Type of highlights	Neighborhood salons	Fancy salon chains	Supercuts
Ombre highlights	$100 long hair $70 short hair	$200 long hair $150 short hair	$60 long hair $40 short hair
Balayage highlights	$150 long hair $100 short hair	$200 long hair $150 short hair	$80 long hair $60 short hair
Full highlights	$100 long hair $70 short hair	$150 long hair $100 short hair	$75 long hair $50 short hair
Partial highlights	$75 long hair $50 short hair	$100 long hair $75 short hair	$50 long hair $35 short hair
Babylights	$100 long hair $75 short hair	$120 long hair $100 short hair	$80 long hair $55 short hair

Different Types of Highlights

As we mentioned, you will find out that there are different types of highlights that you can try. Not all of them will work for you which is why you should talk to your stylist before investing in one look or another.

Keep in mind that the price of your highlights will also differ according to the length of your hair. Short hair highlights tend to be cheaper than long hair highlights.

Ombre highlights

Ombre highlights are a combination of dark color at the roots and lighter color at the ends of your hair. These highlights will give you a smooth transition between the darker shade and the lighter shade to match your skin tone.

Dark skin will go great with shades of red and brassy ones while pale skin will look amazing with blonde ombre or light brown shades. This type of highlights will cost anywhere between $100 and $200 depending on the type of salon you go to.

Balayage highlights

You most likely heard of balayage highlights and this is a great hair painting technique. Your stylist will paint each strand by hand and in a very natural way.

It is a French technique that includes painting the strand from the middle towards the ends and the roots. This will make the color more intense in the middle area of the strand than at its ends.

As a result, it will last longer and look more natural. But this technique is even more expensive than the ombre, with a starting point of $150 and it can get to $200 and even more.

Full highlights

Full highlights are among the most popular types of highlights and it’s a style that suits women of all kinds. These highlights go on the entire hair and have to be even in all areas.

They change your look completely and you can get them in any color you want. You can expect to pay about $100 to $150 for full highlights, depending on the salon you visit to get them.

Partial highlights

As the name indicates, partial highlights will not cover your entire head. However, they will change your look nevertheless. These types of highlights are great for catching attention to certain features and getting a unique look.

If you want, you can get the highlights near your face to get a framing effect. As far as the price goes, you should be ready to pay anywhere from $75 to $100.

Babylights

Babylights are just what they are called to be: highlights that imitate the color of baby hair. Babies have unique shades of blonde or red and brown and you can get those shades in your hair as highlights too.

But you will need a specialist to reach this look and impress everyone around you. These highlights will look more natural. The price for babylights can be about $100 to $120.

Also Read: How Long Does It Take To Get Highlights?

Are Highlights More Expensive Than Color?

One of the toughest decisions to make is if you should get highlights or a completely new hair color. When it comes to the price difference, it will depend a lot on the color you are choosing.

If you need to bleach your hair in order to get your final color, the price can reach way into the hundreds. On average, a complete color change can get to $300. But without the bleaching process, it can get anywhere between $100 to $200 or more.

So, if you don’t need to bleach your hair or add to the process of changing your hair color, you should spend on average $150 to get a new look. This price is similar to highlights at a high-end salon.

Coloring your entire hair to a high-end salon will cost you more than getting highlights at the same salon. At the same time, if you choose to color your hair at a neighborhood salon, there will be a difference between a complete color change and a type of highlights.

In general, you can expect to pay more for a color change than you pay for highlights unless you are choosing a complex babylights style that can be quite pricey depending on the shades you go for in the process.

Also Read: How Much To Tip Hairdresser on $200, $300 & Highlights

Wrap Up

Regardless of the highlights, you need to get, you should always try to consult a specialist that can advise you regarding the best choice for you.

The price of highlights depends on the salon you choose. You should consider the features of your face and you should also pay attention to the hairstyle you want to wear.

Not all highlights go with everyone and not all of them will compliment every hairstyle you want to try. But, if you choose the color right, you might be quite impressed by how versatile it is.

Highlights will always be in style and you should never worry about their trending aspect.

You can expect to turn many heads if you get the best highlights for your personal style. It is not a good idea to do this at home as it can turn quite complicated and time-consuming.