Before you start painting on highlights, O'Connor recommends applying a skin protector like Aquaphor Healing Ointment, $7.49, around your hairline and on your ears to protect them from the bleach you'll be applying to your hair.
If you have short hair or medium-length fine hair, you can attempt to use a cap. They are best for adding highlights all over though, so if that's not the look you're going for, or if your hair is thick or long, you should plan to either use a highlighting kit that comes with a special highlighting tool or if the tools seem too tricky, use a brush or finger paint (while wearing gloves) the streaks on, which O'Conner believes is the easiest way to apply highlights to your own hair.
Seems like a no-brainer, but remember to read the directions on the box carefully. "There are years of research behind these at-home colors, so they should be executed in the way they were intended. Go by the guidelines. Don't take matters into your own hands," O'Conner says.
Image via Imaxtree
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Practice Before You Paint
To master the art of highlighting your own hair, Cona recommends practicing with your highlighting tools the day before you highlight. "Replace the highlighting product with conditioner, and practice your application on dry hair. It is a great way to get comfortable with the tools, and placement of your highlights," she says.
Highlights can add dimension to hair and give it a gorgeous sun-kissed effect when done correctly, but a few missteps can make you look skunk-like or worse. Thanks to experts Rona O'Conner, celebrity colorist and co-owner of the Lukaro salon in Beverly Hills, Calif. and Marcy Cona, Clairol Global Creative Director of Color and Style we got the scoop on how to successfully highlight hair at home — read on to see their tips.
