Coloring or highlights: which method is less harmful to wires?

Many women, when they want to change their look a little or completely, fall into the following dilemma: highlighting or coloring the wires? Which of the two methods is better and attacks the wires less?

And, as you don’t play with hair, it’s important that the woman researches both methods well and asks for the opinion of a professional she trusts, in order to define which is the best option for her hair.

Knowing the differences between the methods is certainly the first step in arriving at the best option. Below, hairstylist Luiz Cintra, specialist in visagism, programmed cuts and colorimetry, provides important information about highlights and coloring and explains which method is less aggressive to the hair.

Lights X Coloring

Luiz Cintra explains that the big difference between the two methods is that, in the case of coloring, the whole hair is usually colored. “Mainly to cover the whites or to change the natural color of the hair, either darkening or lightening up to three and a half tones”, he says.

“In the case of highlights, generally, the hair is lightened in strands of different styles and amounts (according to the style that the person wants). And you can make inverse locks (dark) or locks to lighten the hair up to 9 tones”, adds the professional.

So, a good way to decide which method to use is to consider your objective: you want to completely change the color of your hair; disguise white wires; or go subtly blonde?

Another important point is to assess whether the chosen technique will not attack your hair too much, leaving your hair weak and lifeless.

In the opinion of hairstylist Luiz Cintra, the coloring is less aggressive than the highlights, due to the fact that the power of the coloring – which also has the action of discoloring the hair – is weaker than the bleaching powder.

However, on the other hand, the highlights have, as a positive point, the fact that they do not catch the entire hair, since they are only done in a few strands.

Lights

Luiz Cintra explains that, generally, the lights are made with a mixture of bleaching powder with hydrogen peroxide between 6% and 12%. “The style of whitening depends on the taste and style that the client wants and we can do it through different methods”, he says.

But can any woman, even if she already has another type of chemistry in her hair, do highlights? This is a very common question.

Luiz Cintra explains that, today, with the improvement of cosmetic products, it is possible for any woman to have highlights. “But the intensity of the lights will depend on the type and condition of the person’s hair. It is not always possible to have a great lightening of the wires”, he says. “There are only a few cases of products that are not at all compatible with whiteners. In those only cases we cannot make the lights,” he adds.

Special cares

After doing highlights, the woman should take special care with her hair. “All hair needs to be well taken care of to be healthier and more beautiful. But colored or highlighted hair requires a little more care. In the case of lights, care must be taken so that the wire does not break, requiring more strengthening treatments. Another special care is for the dryness of the thread and for shine, because bleached hair dries out and becomes opaque, requiring this attention”, says the hairstylist.

Coloring

Luiz Cintra explains that the coloring is practically ready, you just need to mix the cream (coloring) with the tube of hydrogen peroxide. “For efficient coloring, the best option is to do it at the hairdresser, as the colors indicated in the boxes still combine with the hair color to reveal a nuance. So it is not so simple, but a consultation with the hairdresser already helps”, he says.

The hairstylist explains that practically every woman – even if she already has another type of chemistry in her hair – can color her hair. “There are few products that are not compatible with coloring, in the case of older products. With the most modern ones, we can do coloring on all types of hair,” she says.

Special cares

“In the case of coloring, it is necessary to take care of the wires with lines of treatments for colored hair, in order to avoid fading and premature drying”, explains Luiz Cintra.

Why not do it at home?

The hairstylist explains that the risks of coloring or highlighting the hair at home are great, without the guidance of a hairdresser. “Coloring the hair with products sold in the pharmacy is less harmful, but, generally, the hair color is different, as we must consider the color of our hair along with the color that we will deposit in the hair”, he says. Therefore, the result is not always as expected. So, in order not to run the risk of regretting it later, the best option is to enlist the help of a professional you trust.

“Already doing highlights at home, I don’t recommend it to anyone, since the bleaching powder has a more powerful and less precise action than a coloring, and can leave the hair with an unwanted color and even break the hair if used incorrectly. ”, explains Luiz Cintra.

Now you have good information about both techniques and can decide which is the best option for you. But remember to consult a hairdresser you trust and always follow the guidelines given by him to avoid future regrets.