8 of the Best Highlight Colors For Black Hair

Image Credit: @mgray153

If your client wants a bright blonde shade for their highlights, suggest cool-toned sweeps of ash or platinum blonde. When it comes to contrast, these are the perfect shades to make an impact through black locks. Then, you have the option to apply in a balayage style or in root-to-tip blonde highlights. If it's this particular look you want, paint on those lighter shades from the roots to the very ends in chunky ribbons. Try BlondorPlex as your pre-lightener, which is perfect for dark black or brown hair, as it gives you up to nine levels of lift. It also strengthens the hair bonds throughout the lifting process for up to 97% less breakage*. Then tone with an ashy blonde hue, such as Illumina Color 8/1, Color Touch 9/16 or Shinefinity 09/13.

Image Credit: @jhair_stylist

Ready to try the color block trend? Black hair is the perfect canvas for the look, as it contrasts beautifully against bold shades, like vivid violet or ash green highlights. For this look, magenta is the accent, delivering a pop of color that's bound to turn heads. But how do you create these chunky, pinky-purple highlights with maximum impact? First up, pre-lighten wide sections of hair – including the face frame – with BlondorPlex, making sure you saturate hair strands for a bright, even lift. Then, when you've got your lighter canvas, tone the blonde sections with Koleston Perfect 0/65 – an unstoppably bold fuschia pink we can't get enough of.

Credit: @lindsey.wella

Make dark locks glisten with a sun-kissed look that stands out against black roots. For this style, you're dip-dyeing the ends of tresses for a two-tone effect that enhances the shape of textured hairstyles. First up, add the highlights to the mid-lengths and ends of a black base color, focusing BlondorPlex + 4% through the front section of hair. Follow with BlondorPlex + 6% applied with a balayage technique through the rest of the hair, then allow to develop for 50 minutes (or until strands have reached the desired undertone). Rinse with WellaPlex No2 Bond Stabilizer, then glaze with Shinefinity 09/36 + 09/61 for a caramel color that stands out against dark roots. You can watch the full look in action here.

Image Credit: @jeongchen

Smoky silver gray highlights lend gorgeous shine to dark strands, so if your client is seeking a look with cool undertones, recommend this glossy style. The trick is to keep the roots dark, then focus the silver highlights through the mid-lengths and ends of hair. We love this melted ombre hair take, which was crafted using demi-permanent Color Touch. Recreate the look by lifting the mid-lengths and ends with BlondorPlex first, then tone with 9/97 + 8/71 + 0/68 for a silver gray with edgy appeal.