Highlights and streaks are popular methods of altering hair color, often used by teenagers and young adults to create a more unique appearance. Both techniques involve coloring small sections of hair, but they have distinct differences and purposes.
Key Takeaways
- Highlights are applied to lighten hair color, while streaks can be any color, even darker than the natural hair color.
- Highlights typically involve coloring thin slices of hair, while streaks use thicker and wider slices of hair.
- Highlighting is often done for a more subtle change, while streaks are used to make a bold statement or for attention.
Highlights
Highlights involve applying small streaks of hair color to give the hair a lighter shade. This can be done temporarily or be partially permanent. Many people get their hair highlighted at a beauty salon, but there are also products available for at-home use. Some individuals even choose to do their own highlights.
Streaks
Unlike highlights, which primarily lighten hair color, streaks can be used to create darker shades or any other desired color. Streaks are often used to make a bold statement and help the wearer stand out in a crowd. It is common for teenagers to use neon colors, such as pink, green, or purple, or even dye their hair red.
Difference between Highlights and Streaks
The modern trend of hair coloring allows individuals, particularly teenagers, to express themselves and get noticed. For example, some Asian individuals with naturally black hair choose to dye their hair blonde due to Western influence. On the other hand, many people who use streaks simply want attention and may belong to punk, rocker, or emo cliques. The key difference between highlights and streaks is the method of application: highlights involve coloring thin slices of hair, while streaking uses thick and wide slices.
Changing one’s hair color is a form of self-expression, allowing individuals to present themselves in a particular way to others based on their chosen hair color.