Ask for a little hair colour at a salon, and you might find yourself choosing between highlights and lowlights. Actually, the names sound a little bit similar, but the results are quite different. And, if you have naturally dark Indian hair, then knowing the actual difference can help you avoid a colour that doesn’t suit the look you’re after.
In simple terms, highlights add lighter strands to your hair. On the other hand, lowlights add darker ones. In this guide, we’ll explain highlights vs lowlights and how each technique works, how it affects your hair, and which option can suit your hair colour and skin tone.
What Are Highlights?
Highlights are strands of hair coloured lighter than your natural shade, usually by two or sometimes three tones. They make your hair look brighter and add depth into it, and bring attention to your face. You can get highlights through foils for a more defined look, balayage for a softer, blended finish, or lighter strands around your face.
If you have naturally black or dark brown hair, getting lighter highlights usually requires bleach or a high-lift colour. This process can leave your hair dry and damaged if not done properly. Read our guide on why bleaching is bad for your hair to understand how it affects your hair.
For Indian hair, shades such as caramel, chocolate brown, golden brown, along with burgundy are popular choices. So, choosing a shade that works wll with your natural hair colour can give you a rich, natural-looking finish without even making the highlights look too harsh. Need more ideas? Explore our hair colour ideas for Indian skin tone.
What Are Lowlights?
Lowlights are strands of hair coloured a few shades darker than your base colour. They perfectly add depth and make your hair look fuller, richer, and even more natural. Unlike highlights, lowlights add colour instead of lightening your hair, so that they usually don’t need bleach.
However, lowlights can not be very noticeable on naturally black Indian hair, as there isn’t much room to go darker. They work better if your hair is already lighter than its natural colour, like:
- Previously coloured brown hair: When the colour starts looking flat, lowlights can bring back some depth.
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Old highlights: If your highlights have become too bright or brassy, darker strands can help balance the overall colour.
- Naturally brown or sun-lightened hair: Lowlights add darker tones and make the colour look richer.
Here, the best part is that you don’t have to colour your entire head. Adding a few darker strands in the right places can make your existing hair colour look more natural and balanced.
Highlights vs Lowlights: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Highlights | Lowlights |
|---|---|---|
| Shade Compared to Your Base | Lighter | Darker |
| Main Effect | Brightness, contrast, face framing | Depth, richness, a fuller look |
| Bleach on Dark Indian Hair | Usually needed | Usually not needed |
| Best Starting Colour | Natural black or dark brown | Brown, coloured or highlighted hair |
| Regrowth | Dark roots show sooner because of the contrast | Grows out more softly |
| Upkeep | Toning and touch-ups to control brassiness | Lower maintenance; refresh when colour fades |
Which One Suits Indian Hair?
If your hair is natural black or dark brown
Highlights are the usual option as they create contrast that you can actually see. For a subtle result, ask for fine strands in shades close to your own, like chocolate or caramel. Chunkier panels or brighter shades like burgundy give you a bolder look.
If your hair is brown or already coloured
This is exactly where lowlights do their best work. Here, lowlights fix flat or brassy colour and add back the depth that colour loses over time. Colourists mostly combine the two, with highlights on top and lowlights underneath, for a natural layered finish.
If you are starting to see greys
Fine highlights can make scattered greys at the parting less obvious, because the lighter strands sit closer to the grey and the regrowth line looks softer. If much of your hair has already turned grey, lowlights do the opposite job, adding back darker strands so the grey looks blended instead of flat. For grey at the parting or crown without colouring at all, a topper or patch from our grey hair collection is another option.
Matching shades to your skin tone
A quick way to check your undertone is to look at the veins on your wrist in daylight. Greenish veins usually point to warm undertones, bluish veins to cool, and a mix of both to neutral.
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Warm undertones: caramel brown, golden brown, copper brown
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Cool undertones: ash brown, burgundy, wine red
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Neutral undertones: chocolate brown, medium brown and most browns in between
Try the Colour Before You Commit
Bleach is hard to undo, so it makes sense to test a shade first. Clip-in highlight extensions let you add a few strands of colour in minutes and take them out at night. Gemeria's single clip highlights come in around twenty shades, from chocolate, caramel and ash brown to burgundy and bold blues and greens, all in 100% human hair.
- Want brightness? Place a couple of blonde highlight extensions near your face.
- Want depth on brown hair? A few darker clip ins, such as the Natural Black Brown shade, work like instant lowlights.
- Want richer browns all over? Explore our brown hair extensions and other coloured pieces.
Our guide on how to wear single clip-in highlights at home covers placement, and our comparison of coloured hair extensions vs hair dye helps you weigh up the two routes.
Caring for Highlighted or Lowlighted Hair
- Wash with a gentle, sulphate-free shampoo to slow down fading.
- On highlighted dark hair, a blue or purple toning shampoo once a week helps control orange and yellow tones.
- Use a heat protectant before straightening or curling.
- Book a gloss or toner between colour appointments if your highlights start looking brassy.
Final Thought
The right choice between highlights and lowlights comes down to what your hair needs. If your natural black or brown hair feels a little flat, lighter strands can add the brightness and contrast it needs.
If your hair is already coloured or has become too light, darker strands can restore its richness. And if you want both depth and brightness, combining the two is worth considering. Not ready for a salon colour yet? Try clip-in coloured strands first and see how the new shade looks with your natural hair.
