Face-framing highlights, money piece highlights, or rebel streaks. Whatever you know it as, this recognisable hair trend is sure to have popped up on your radar. These face-framing hair colours help to bring out your facial features and add a bold twist to your look, while keeping things much more low-maintenance compared to all-over colour. Whether it’s a stark contrast to your natural hair colour or a subtle colour option, face-framing highlights can also add more depth and dimension to the face.
The best way to figure out which colour option suits you best is to visit a hairstylist. But meanwhile, we’ve put together a list of options for you to sift through. From stand-out blonde shades, natural brunette tones, to auburn hues — take a look at our picks here.
Sleek and strong, we love the contrast of blonde and the jet black shades — all the better to soften your features without having to go full-on blonde. Curl them slightly for more texture or leave them straight for a chic style. Check with your hairdresser if you have never gone this light before, though, as it’ll take a few bleaching sessions to achieve a pale blonde. You may also need to use purple shampoo to keep those highlights from going brassy.
Already have a head of blonde highlights? You can still join in this trend by doing a subtle gradient, with the lightest pieces at the front. This helps to frame your face better and adds dimension to your mane.
For those with a warmer skin tone, you might want to try sticking to honey and bronze tones to bring out your skin colour. We love how the front pieces of this style are lighter compared to the rest of the hair, and it frames the face beautifully. Keep your fringe the same length as the rest of your bob so the change is gradual.
For those who want to go more cool-toned, go with platinum to contrast with your natural hair colour. For those with a bob, you can do this by highlighting the side pieces instead of the fringe, so they’re peeking out when you tuck your hair behind your ear and hidden otherwise. Great for those who want to show off a taut jawline!
We love how Beyoncé’s light brown highlights contrast the bronze waves from the rest of her hair. If you want the highlights to really frame the face better, go with waves or curls in your styling to help. Check with your stylist which colour protect hair products to use to keep the hair from going too brassy.
If you’re wary of trying the face-framing highlights trend, then you can always stick with a thinner portion of the highlights, and keep to a more natural colour like chocolate brown. That way it can come across more subtle as it blends into the rest of your hair colour. This look works well for both short and long hair, and is definitely workplace-friendly.
Of course, if you really want to keep the illusion subtle, ask your hairstylist for a balayage colouring option. The colour will blend seamlessly with the rest of your hair while the front highlights the face. We love this look for how it defines and adds dimension even if you have naturally fine and thin hair. For added body, style your hair in loose beachy waves.
If you want to try a creative colour while keeping it work-friendly, we love this salt and pepper duo that uses greys and blue-tinted black hues to bring out the hair. As a bonus, they’ll hide any grey hairs in your mane. This look needs some degree of styling and makeup to look its best though, so we’d advise trying it only if you’re willing to put in the level of maintenance.
Blonde and subtle pink — we’re talking real subtle, not Barbie pink — play well with each other and we love how seamless the two look even though there’s no balayage involved. This works best with healthy, shiny hair, and can be worn short or long.
Switch it up the other way around and accent your face with baby-pink or rose highlights. We love how it looks both feminine and edgy. If you have naturally dark hair, brunette tresses and deeper pink face-framing highlights work well too.
Stylish yet subtle, this dark lilac highlighted along the face with a light ash brown base helps create a classy contrast that gives the illusion of more volume at the crown. You might also be able to get away with it at the workplace!