Ready to transform your hair with a bold new look? Chunky highlights are making a major comeback, bringing with them all the drama and dimension we’ve been craving. These statement-making streaks add instant volume, texture, and personality to any hairstyle—whether you’re sporting a sleek bob or flowing locks.
We’ve curated the hottest chunky highlight trends that are dominating salons and social media feeds this season. From high-contrast blonde chunks on dark bases to vibrant pops of color for the adventurous spirit, these aren’t your subtle balayage highlights. They’re unapologetically bold and designed to turn heads. The best part? Chunky highlights work on all hair types and lengths, making them an accessible option for anyone looking to refresh their style without a complete overhaul.
What Are Chunky Highlights: Understanding The Bold Hair Trend
Chunky highlights are thick, bold sections of lighter hair color that create a high-contrast, statement-making look. They typically feature wider strips of color compared to traditional highlighting techniques, making them instantly noticeable and eye-catching.
The Difference Between Chunky Highlights And Traditional Highlights
Traditional highlights focus on creating subtle, natural-looking dimension with thin, delicate strands of lighter color blended throughout the hair. These fine highlights typically measure about 1/8 inch in width and are carefully woven to mimic the way hair naturally lightens in the sun. Chunky highlights, on the other hand, feature much wider sections of color—usually 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick—that are deliberately placed to create bold, attention-grabbing contrast. The placement of chunky highlights is strategic rather than blended, often framing the face or creating distinctive patterns throughout the hair. While traditional highlights aim to enhance your natural color subtly, chunky highlights serve as a dramatic style statement that transforms your entire look.
Why Chunky Highlights Are Making A Comeback
Fashion cycles inevitably bring back trends from previous decades, and chunky highlights have returned with renewed popularity from their 90s and early 2000s heyday. Celebrities like Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid, and Billie Eilish have embraced this bold technique, sparking widespread interest among their followers. Social media platforms, particularly TikTok and Instagram, have accelerated this trend with millions of views on chunky highlight transformation videos. Modern chunky highlights offer improved application techniques compared to their predecessors, with colorists now using more sophisticated approaches that prevent harsh lines and damage. Many people are gravitating toward bolder self-expression following pandemic restrictions, with chunky highlights providing an accessible way to make a dramatic change without committing to a full color overhaul. The versatility of today’s chunky highlights allows for customization across all hair textures, lengths, and base colors, making them appealing to a diverse audience seeking personalized style statements.
10 Stunning Chunky Highlight Hairstyles To Transform Your Look
Bold Blonde Chunks On Dark Hair
Bold blonde chunks on dark hair create an eye-catching high contrast look that instantly transforms your appearance. This striking combination features thick, streaky stripes of blonde against a dark base, creating a deliberate artificial aesthetic that’s impossible to ignore. Popular during the late 90s and early 2000s, this dramatic style has made a important comeback with modern refinements. The stark contrast between light and dark makes this option perfect for those wanting to make a statement with their hair.
Caramel Chunky Highlights For Brunettes
Caramel chunky highlights offer brunettes a gorgeous way to add warmth and dimension to their natural color. These rich, honey-toned streaks complement chocolate and espresso bases by introducing subtle radiance without overwhelming the original hue. Strategically placed caramel chunks can brighten your overall look while maintaining sophistication. Many brunettes prefer this option because it enhances their natural beauty without requiring a complete color overhaul.
Face-Framing Chunky Money Pieces
Face-framing chunky money pieces focus highlight placement around your facial contours to brighten your complexion and enhance your features. This technique concentrates bold streaks near the front sections of hair, creating a halo effect that draws attention to your eyes and cheekbones. The strategic placement offers high impact with minimal commitment, making it perfect for highlight beginners. Your face gains instant luminosity with this technique, as the lighter sections reflect light exactly where you need it most.
Chunky Red Highlights For A Fiery Transformation
Chunky red highlights deliver a fiery transformation for those seeking bold, head-turning color. These vibrant crimson, copper, or burgundy streaks create ever-changing dimension against any base color, particularly dark brown or black. The red tones infuse your look with energy and passion, making this an ideal choice for those with confident personalities. Your hair gains incredible depth and movement as the red catches light differently throughout the day.
Two-Tone Chunky Highlights For Dramatic Contrast
Two-tone chunky highlights use distinct colors to achieve maximum dramatic effect in your hairstyle. This technique pairs cool and warm tones against each other—often with classic blonde streaks contrasted against deeper shades. The deliberate color variance creates visual interest and depth that single-tone highlighting can’t achieve. Your hair gains fascinating complexity with this approach as the different tones interact and create an almost three-dimensional appearance.
90s-Inspired Chunky Highlight Placement
90s-inspired chunky highlight placement embraces the bold, obvious streaking technique that defined the decade’s most iconic hairstyles. This nostalgic style features thick, distinct stripes of contrasting color placed throughout the hair without much blending. Celebrities like Kelly Clarkson, Lindsay Lohan, and Jennifer Aniston popularized this look during its heyday. The placement deliberately showcases the stark contrast between colors rather than attempting to create a natural appearance.
Chunky Balayage For A Modern Twist
Chunky balayage combines bold highlight sections with the painted application technique of balayage for a contemporary interpretation of chunky highlights. This method creates a more seamless color transition while maintaining the impact of thicker highlight sections. The roots remain darker with gradual lightening toward the ends, avoiding harsh lines of demarcation. Your hair gains the boldness of chunky highlights with the sophisticated gradient effect that modern color techniques offer.
High-Contrast Chunky Highlights For Short Hair
High-contrast chunky highlights work particularly well on short hairstyles where the distinct color sections become more pronounced and visible. The limited length allows each highlight to stand out clearly, creating maximum impact with minimal hair. Pixie cuts and bobs showcase these bold color placements especially effectively. Your short style gains instant dimension and character with strategically placed chunks of contrasting color.
Subtle Chunky Highlights For A Natural Look
Subtle chunky highlights offer a more understated approach while still incorporating thicker sections of lighter color. This technique uses strategic placement and careful color selection to create dimension without overwhelming contrast. The highlights complement your base color rather than dramatically opposing it. Your hair gains gorgeous movement and depth while maintaining a relatively natural appearance that works for professional settings.
Vibrant Colored Chunky Highlights For The Bold
Vibrant colored chunky highlights incorporate blues, pinks, purples, and greens for those wanting to make a truly unique statement. These non-traditional colors create stunning visual effects against any base shade, from blonde to black. Rainbow highlights using multiple vibrant hues offer maximum creative expression, while pastel versions provide a softer interpretation of the trend. Your personality shines through with these playful color choices that transform ordinary hair into extraordinary self-expression.
How To Choose The Right Chunky Highlight Colors For Your Skin Tone
Selecting the perfect chunky highlight colors isn’t just about following trends—it’s about finding shades that complement your natural skin tone. We’ve created this guide to help you identify which highlight colors will enhance your complexion and create a harmonious overall look.
Best Chunky Highlight Shades For Warm Skin Tones
People with warm skin tones should embrace golden and honey-toned highlights that enhance their natural glow. Warm skin typically features golden or yellow undertones that pair beautifully with complementary highlight shades. Caramel and copper highlights create a sun-kissed effect that brightens warm complexions without looking harsh or unnatural. Amber and butterscotch tones work exceptionally well for those with darker warm skin, adding dimension while maintaining harmony with your natural coloring. Cool tones like ash blonde or platinum should be avoided as they can make warm skin appear sallow or washed out rather than vibrant and healthy.
Perfect Chunky Highlight Colors For Cool Skin Tones
Cool skin tones shine brightest with highlight colors that complement their natural pink or blue undertones. Platinum, ash blonde, and icy blonde highlights create striking contrasts that enhance cool complexions rather than competing with them. Silver-toned highlights offer a modern edge for those with cool skin, especially when applied as chunky face-framing pieces. Cool-toned brunettes can explore mushroom brown or smoky violet highlights for a subtle yet distinctive look. Warm tones such as golden blonde or honey highlights should be avoided as they typically clash with cool undertones and can make the complexion appear unhealthy or ruddy.
When selecting your chunky highlight colors, your natural hair color also plays a crucial role in determining the most flattering options. Dark hair benefits from more contrasting highlights to create that bold, chunky effect that’s currently trending. Modern chunky highlighting techniques generally favor cooler tones over warm ones, particularly for classic blonde streaks, giving this revived trend a fresh, contemporary feel. Working with a professional colorist can help you identify the perfect chunky highlight shades that will complement both your skin tone and natural hair color for a stunning, personalized result.
Maintenance Tips For Keeping Your Chunky Highlights Fresh
Maintaining the vibrancy and definition of chunky highlights requires proper care and attention. With the right approach, you can extend the life of your statement-making highlights and keep them looking salon-fresh for longer.
Right Products
- Purple shampoo serves as an essential tool in your highlight maintenance arsenal, helping prevent brassy tones when used once or twice weekly. This color-correcting formula keeps your highlighted strands soft while maintaining their intended hue.
- Color-depositing masks like the Ref Cool Silver Hair Mask can refresh your highlight tone when applied weekly, extending the time between salon visits while keeping your color vibrant.
- Color-safe shampoo protects your investment by gently cleansing without stripping away your carefully placed chunky highlights.
- Deep conditioner treatments maintain both the health and vibrancy of highlighted hair, counteracting the potential drying effects of chemical processing.
- Heat protectants shield your highlights from damage when using styling tools, preserving both color and hair integrity.
Washing Frequency
- Limit shampooing to once or twice weekly to prevent your chunky highlights from fading prematurely. Frequent washing can make highlighted hair brittle and significantly reduce the longevity of your color.
- Apply a hair screen when outdoors to protect your highlighted strands from environmental factors that can dull or damage your color investment.
Product Recommendations For Chunky Highlighted Hair
- Purple Shampoo: We recommend incorporating a quality purple shampoo into your routine as it’s crucial for maintaining blonde chunky highlights and preventing unwanted brassy tones.
- Color-Depositing Mask: Products like Ref Cool Silver Hair Mask offer an excellent way to maintain your highlight tone between salon appointments.
- Color-Safe Shampoo: Gentle, sulfate-free formulations specifically designed for color-treated hair help preserve your chunky highlights’ vibrancy.
- Deep Conditioner: Regular deep conditioning treatments support hair health and moisture levels, which is particularly important for chemically processed highlighted hair.
- Heat Protectant Spray: Using a reliable heat protectant before styling with hot tools prevents damage and color fading in your chunky highlighted sections.
How Often To Touch Up Your Chunky Highlights
- Schedule regular touch-ups every 6-8 weeks to maintain the definition and freshness of your chunky highlights. This timeframe allows your stylist to refresh your color before important root growth becomes apparent.
- Book gloss treatments midway between color appointments to revitalize your highlights and maintain their vibrancy. These treatments add shine and refresh tone without the commitment of a full highlighting session.
DIY Or Professional: Getting The Perfect Chunky Highlights
When it comes to achieving those eye-catching chunky highlights, you’ll need to decide whether to visit a salon or attempt the transformation at home. Professional stylists offer expertise that ensures even color distribution and personalized recommendations, while DIY approaches might save money but come with important risks.
What To Ask Your Stylist When Getting Chunky Highlights
Consulting with your stylist before getting chunky highlights ensures you’ll achieve your desired look. Ask about the best color tones for your skin complexion, as current trends favor cool tones rather than golden or warm shades. Discuss your hair type in detail so your stylist can select appropriate products and techniques that minimize potential damage.
Request information about maintenance requirements, including how frequently you’ll need touch-ups and exact care instructions to keep your highlights vibrant between appointments. Bring up how the chunky highlights will integrate with your current hairstyle and any future styling plans you have in mind. Your stylist can provide valuable guidance on placement strategies that will complement your overall look and lifestyle.
At-Home Chunky Highlighting Techniques And Precautions
Attempting chunky highlights at home requires careful preparation and realistic expectations. Start by sectioning your hair methodically using clips to separate the strands you want to highlight, ensuring even application throughout. Apply hair dye in thick, streaky stripes to create that distinctive chunky effect, using a highlighting cap or foils if you’re comfortable with these tools.
Follow the processing time instructions precisely as indicated on your dye packaging, since overprocessing can severely damage your hair structure. Be aware that bleaching or coloring at home carries important risks, including potential hair damage that might require professional correction. Without proper technique, you may end up with uneven color distribution that appears patchy rather than purposeful.
Always perform a patch test 48 hours before applying any hair dye to check for allergic reactions, which can range from mild irritation to severe reactions. DIY highlights typically require more frequent touch-ups compared to professional services, making them potentially more time-consuming and expensive in the long run. Given these considerations, we recommend consulting a professional stylist for chunky highlights to achieve the best possible results.
Styling Ideas For Hair With Chunky Highlights
Face-Framing Highlights
Face-framing highlights create an instant brightening effect on your complexion while improving your natural features. This strategic placement technique works wonders for adding volume and dimension to hair, drawing attention to your face in the most flattering way. The contrast between your base color and the chunky highlights around your face creates a framing effect that’s both stylish and attention-grabbing.
Color Combinations
Mixing brown, blonde, and orange chunky highlights delivers a playful, creative look with a burst of warm dimension throughout your hair. High contrast combinations like ashy brunette with blonde chunks create a chic, modern appearance that feels fresh and fashion-forward. Dark brunette hair paired with bright blonde or vibrant red chunky highlights makes a striking statement, adding bold, fiery flair that transforms your entire look.
Balayage and Ombre
Combining chunky highlights with balayage techniques creates a seamless blend of colors with added dimension that looks natural yet impactful. This method ensures a smooth transition between your base color and highlights, giving your hair movement and depth. Creating an ombre effect with chunky highlights allows for a gradual, eye-catching transition from your natural hair color to lighter shades, resulting in a multi-dimensional look that’s both trendy and sophisticated.
Money-Piece Highlights
Bright “money-piece” highlights frame your face for a subtle yet impactful statement that instantly elevates your style. This technique is ideal for defining long bob shapes and adding perceived volume around the face. The strategic placement of these chunky highlights draws attention to your facial features while creating the illusion of fuller, more ever-changing hair.
Rainbow and Pastel Highlights
Bold rainbow chunky highlights in vibrant hues like pink, purple, blue, and green create a unique, eye-catching look that showcases your personality. Softer pastel shades such as lavender, baby blue, or blush pink offer a more subtle yet equally stylish appearance for those wanting to experiment with color without going too bold. These colorful chunky highlights add personality and dimension to any hairstyle, making them perfect for those looking to express their creative side.
Best Hairstyles To Showcase Your Chunky Highlights
Long, Voluminous Blowout
A long, voluminous blowout amplifies the impact of chunky highlights by creating movement that showcases the color dimension. Contrasting colors like copper on dark brown hair or strawberry blonde on auburn create ever-changing visual interest that turns heads. The volume in the blowout allows light to hit different sections of the highlights, creating a multi-dimensional effect that’s stunning from every angle.
Medium Length Hair
Large blonde chunky highlights and money pieces transform medium-length brunette hair into a fresh, updated style. The contrast between the base color and highlights on medium-length cuts creates a perfect balance of boldness and sophistication. Medium lengths also allow for versatile styling options that can emphasize different aspects of your chunky highlights depending on how you wear your hair.
Curled Hair
Creating beautiful curls with a curling iron or hot brush enhances the visibility of chunky highlights by adding texture and dimension. Curls cause the light to reflect differently off various sections of your highlighted hair, making the color contrasts more pronounced and vibrant. The combination of texture and chunky highlights adds important volume to the hair, creating a full-bodied, ever-changing look that showcases your color investment.
Heat Styling Tips For Highlighted Hair
General Care
Using a heat protectant spray before any heat styling is essential for preserving the integrity and vibrancy of your chunky highlights. Heat damage can cause highlighted sections to become dry and brittle faster than your natural hair, leading to color fading and breakage. Protecting your investment with proper heat protection ensures your chunky highlights stay vibrant and healthy longer.
Curling and Brushing
Setting your curling iron or hot brush to lower or medium heat prevents damage while still effectively styling highlighted hair. High temperatures can strip color molecules from highlighted sections, causing premature fading and dullness. Gentle heat styling techniques help maintain the vibrancy of your chunky highlights while still achieving your desired style.
Avoid Over-Styling
Limiting the use of heat tools prevents your chunky highlights from fading faster than expected. Frequent heat styling can break down the color molecules in highlighted hair, causing them to wash out more quickly. Alternating between heat styling and heat-free styling methods gives your highlighted hair necessary recovery time to maintain its vibrant appearance.
Use Color-Safe Products
Color-safe shampoos and conditioners preserve the vibrancy and dimension of your chunky highlights by preventing color leaching. These specially formulated products help seal the hair cuticle, locking in color molecules and moisture that keep highlights looking fresh. Investing in quality color-safe hair care extends the life of your chunky highlights, maximizing the time between salon touch-ups.
Celebrity-Inspired Chunky Highlight Hairstyles To Try
Celebrities have long been the trendsetters for bold hair transformations, and chunky highlights are no exception. Let’s explore some iconic celebrity chunky highlight moments and how you can recreate these statement-making looks.
Y2K Throwback Chunky Highlight Looks
The early 2000s era gave us some unforgettable chunky highlight moments that defined an entire generation’s aesthetic. Kelly Clarkson stands out as one of the undisputed queens of chunky highlights, showcasing her edgy style with bold, contrasting streaks. Lindsay Lohan’s chunky highlighted locks became a signature part of her early 2000s look, inspiring countless fans to adopt similar styles. Jennifer Aniston occasionally rocked chunky highlights during her “Friends” days, incorporating them into her already iconic hairstyle that millions tried to recreate. Christina Aguilera embraced the dramatic nature of chunky highlights with her vibrant interpretations that perfectly complemented her bold personality.
These Y2K chunky highlights featured thick, streaky stripes that created an intentionally artificial, high-contrast appearance. The style was deliberately edgy and dramatic, with highlights strategically placed to frame the face and make a powerful statement. Color placement was prominent and unmistakable, with highlights designed to stand out dramatically against the base hair color rather than blend seamlessly.
Modern Celebrity Chunky Highlight Interpretations
Today’s celebrity-inspired chunky highlights have evolved while maintaining the bold spirit of their Y2K predecessors. Cool tones have largely replaced the warm golden hues of the early 2000s, especially when it comes to classic blonde streaky highlights. Modern color application techniques have refined the look, creating chunky highlights that appear more intentional and sophisticated while still delivering that eye-catching contrast.
Current celebrities like Bella Hadid and Penelope Cruz have embraced updated chunky highlight styles, bringing fresh energy to this Y2K trend for the 21st century audience. These modern interpretations offer remarkable versatility, allowing wearers to adjust the level of boldness based on personal style preferences. You can opt for a subtler take with strategically placed chunks for a sexy, dimensional look, or go all-in with dramatic contrasting pieces for maximum impact.
The contemporary chunky highlight approach combines nostalgic elements with modern sophistication, making it perfect for anyone wanting to make a statement while still looking current and fashion-forward. Unlike the sometimes harsh contrasts of the original trend, today’s techniques create more harmonious transitions between colors while maintaining that distinctive chunky effect.
Common Mistakes To Avoid With Chunky Highlights
While chunky highlights can transform your look dramatically, certain missteps can prevent you from achieving the desired results. Understanding these common mistakes will help you get the most out of this bold trend.
Incorrect Color Choice
Selecting the wrong color for your chunky highlights can significantly impact the final result. Cool tones are currently trending and provide a more modern appearance, so avoid using colors that are too golden or warm if you’re aiming for a classic blonde look. Your skin tone and natural hair color should guide your color selection—caramel and honey tones work beautifully on brunette hair but may not suit everyone. We recommend consulting with a professional colorist who can assess your complexion and recommend complementary highlight shades that enhance your natural features rather than clash with them.
Color Combinations That Don’t Work
Not all colors play well together when it comes to chunky highlights. Combining bold, bright colors like pink, purple, and blue without a cohesive plan often results in a chaotic rather than stylish appearance. Pairing chunky highlights with other bold hair trends can sometimes create an overwhelming look that lacks harmony. The key to successful chunky highlights lies in thoughtful color combination planning—either opt for colors within the same family or choose contrasting shades that still complement each other. Professional colorists can help create a balanced palette that makes a statement while maintaining a polished look.
Placement Errors That Can Ruin The Effect
The strategic placement of chunky highlights makes all the difference between a striking style and an unflattering one. Positioning highlights too close together or too far apart disrupts the desired contrast and visual appeal of the chunky highlight technique. Failing to frame the face correctly with highlights can diminish their impact on your overall appearance. “Money-piece” highlights around the face are particularly effective at brightening your complexion and improving your features. Your hairstyle also affects how your highlights will appear—consider how you typically wear your hair before deciding on highlight placement. Styles like ponytails and buns can help emphasize chunky highlights, especially those framing the face and jaw.
Lack of Styling Consideration
Many people overlook how their everyday hairstyling habits will interact with their new chunky highlights. Highlights that look amazing when your hair is styled in the salon may be hidden or ineffective with your usual daily styling routine. Certain hairstyles showcase chunky highlights better than others—wearing your hair down or in simple updos often provides the best display of the color contrast. We recommend discussing your typical styling preferences with your colorist before getting chunky highlights to ensure they’re placed where they’ll be most visible and flattering with your everyday looks.
The Future Of Chunky Highlights: Emerging Trends And Techniques
Emerging Trends
Chunky highlights are experiencing a stylish comeback with important evolution from their 90s and early 2000s predecessors. Today’s modern chunky highlights, also known as money piece highlights, feature a more refined and sophisticated approach than their zebra-like ancestors. Face-framing ribbon highlights that run the entire length of the hair have become the standout trend, adding dimension while beautifully framing facial features. Celebrity trendsetters like Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian West, and Dua Lipa have propelled these face-framing pieces into mainstream popularity, making them a must-have look for fashion-forward individuals.
Innovative Chunky Highlighting Methods
Modern chunky highlighting techniques blend traditional methods with contemporary approaches for stunning results. The ribboning technique has gained important traction among colorists for its ability to create depth and dimension, effectively bringing more texture and visual thickness to various hair types. Foiling methods are making an impressive comeback in the highlighting industry, though with a distinctly softer finish even when bold colors are used. This revival of foiling allows stylists to achieve more precise placement and superior control over highlight coloration, resulting in cleaner lines and more intentional contrast patterns.
Upcoming Color Trends For Chunky Highlights
The combination of brunette bases with warm blonde chunks stands as the most anticipated color trend for chunky highlights in 2025. This versatile pairing adds incredible texture and dimension while spicing up natural hair colors with warm, eye-catching accents. Bold statement options like skunk stripes and zebra-inspired patterns are trending for those seeking more dramatic contrast in their hair transformation. Softly toned blonde strands incorporated into bob haircuts and various other styles will continue their popularity, adding brightness and textural interest to natural brown hair colors. Professional application using quality products like Kenra Professional’s Simply Blonde Blue Powder Lightener creates the most impressive results, especially when precisely sectioning hair for perfect placement of these striking color combinations.
Making The Transition: How To Grow Out Or Change Your Chunky Highlights
Chunky highlights offer endless possibilities for self-expression and style transformation. Whether you’ve embraced bold blonde chunks or vibrant colored streaks we’ve seen the dramatic impact they can make on your overall look.
Ready for a change? Transitioning from chunky highlights doesn’t have to be difficult. Work with your stylist to develop a growth plan using color-melting techniques or consider a gloss treatment to tone down contrast while growing out. For those seeking something new consider shifting to ribbon highlights or experimenting with different placement.
The versatility of chunky highlights means you’re never stuck with one look forever. With proper maintenance and professional guidance you can continually evolve your style while keeping your hair healthy and vibrant. Whatever direction you choose chunky highlights remain a timeless way to make your personal style statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are chunky highlights?
Chunky highlights are thick, bold sections of lighter hair color that create a high-contrast, statement-making appearance. Unlike traditional highlights, which are thin and subtle, chunky highlights feature wider strips of color strategically placed to create dramatic contrasts that transform your overall look.
Are chunky highlights back in style?
Yes, chunky highlights are making a strong comeback! Influenced by celebrities and social media, this trend reflects the broader desire for self-expression following pandemic restrictions. Modern application techniques have improved, making chunky highlights more customizable and flattering than their 90s and Y2K predecessors.
Which hair types work best with chunky highlights?
Chunky highlights work beautifully on all hair types and lengths. The technique can be customized for straight, wavy, curly, or coily hair. The key is proper placement and color selection based on your specific hair texture. Even short hairstyles can rock chunky highlights with strategic placement for maximum impact.
How do I choose the right chunky highlight colors?
Select highlight colors based on your skin tone and natural hair color. Warm skin tones look best with golden and honey tones like caramel and copper. Cool skin tones pair well with platinum, ash blonde, and icy blonde highlights. Consult with a colorist to find shades that create the perfect contrast with your base color.
How do I maintain chunky highlights?
Maintain chunky highlights by using purple shampoo to prevent brassiness, color-depositing masks to refresh tones, and color-safe products to protect vibrancy. Limit shampooing to 1-2 times weekly, always use heat protectants, and schedule touch-ups every 6-8 weeks. Consider gloss treatments between appointments to revitalize color.
Should I get chunky highlights professionally done or DIY?
Professional application is recommended for even color distribution, personalized recommendations, and optimal results. Stylists can customize placement to flatter your face shape and hair type. While DIY options exist, at-home attempts risk uneven application and potentially damaging color corrections. The investment in professional service typically yields better, longer-lasting results.
What are some popular chunky highlight styles?
Popular styles include bold blonde chunks on dark hair, warm caramel highlights for brunettes, face-framing money pieces, vibrant red highlights, two-tone effects, 90s-inspired placements, chunky balayage, high-contrast highlights for short hair, subtle chunky highlights, and vibrant colored highlights. Each style offers a unique way to express individuality.
Which celebrities have worn chunky highlights?
Both Y2K icons and current celebrities have embraced chunky highlights. Early 2000s trendsetters included Kelly Clarkson, Lindsay Lohan, and Jennifer Aniston with their bold, streaky styles. Modern interpretations can be seen on stars like Bella Hadid and Penelope Cruz, who incorporate contemporary techniques for more sophisticated chunky highlight looks.
What mistakes should I avoid with chunky highlights?
Avoid choosing colors that don’t complement your skin tone or natural hair, poor color combinations that clash rather than harmonize, and incorrect placement that fails to enhance your features. Consider your everyday styling habits to ensure highlights will be showcased effectively. Working with a professional can help prevent these common mistakes.
What are the emerging trends in chunky highlights?
Emerging trends include face-framing ribbon highlights (popularized by Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lopez), refined ribboning techniques for greater depth, and a revival of precision foiling. Color trends for 2025 focus on brunette bases with warm blonde chunks and bold statement options like modern skunk stripes, offering fresh takes on this classic technique.
