Highlighting curly hair at home?! Yessss, let’s gooooo! Okay, first things first, I’m so proud that you’re ready to put your DIY mood to work. Boss moves only. You’ve got your curly hair looking all fabulous already, and now you want to sprinkle it with some magical highlights. I feel you. We’re about to get into it smoothly and make sure your curls stay poppin’. ‘Cuz trust, we’re not about that hotline to the salon calling us for recovery after a DIY gone wrong.
So, grab your favorite snack (I’m serious, you’ll need it ‘cause it’s lowkey a process) — and let’s get into how you’re gonna walk out of this looking like a golden sunset over the ocean.
Step 1: Get the Glow — Choose Your Highlight Shade!
Okay, okay, wait. Before we even get into the hair-dye drama, you need to choose your highlight shade. And I know, it sounds obvious. But seriously: imagine showing up with straight-up platinum highlights on your natural dark brown curls. Maaaaybe not what you pictured, right? (Although if platinum’s your vibe, you better own it! 💁♀️)
The Point: You want a shade that works with your natural coconut-y vibes. Like pick something two or three shades lighter than your base color for a more sun-kissed natural glow.
Here’s a quick lil’ table to help you decide which colors might match:
| Base Hair Color | Highlight Suggestions |
|---|---|
| Dark Brown or Black | Light Caramel, Bronze, Warm Brown |
| Light Brown | Honey Blonde, Soft Auburn |
| Dark Blonde | Golden Blonde, Light Chestnut |
| Medium/Light Blonde | Platinum Blonde, Champagne |
PRO-TIP: If you’re new to this whole highlighting at home situation, don’t go nuts trying to jump like 10 shades lighter in one try—it’ll mess up your curls and your vibes. 😅 Go easy; you’re aiming to add a little spice, not blow up the kitchen!
Step 2: Get Prepped & Protect Yo’ Curls
Did a mini panic just hit? Chill, we got this. To protect your curly crown from fried ends and frizz, we’re going to make sure you’re prepped. Besides, we don’t have time for crispy curls here. Curly hair needs a lil extra love, so hydration is gonna be your BFF.
Hot Tips To Get Ready:
– A couple of days before: Don’t wash your hair. (Trust me obsessively clean hair doesn’t hold dye well. It’s a thing. Plus, natural oils keep your scalp a lil more protected.)
– Detangle: Get all that hair smooth and knot-free before you start slapping on any product.
– Condition like crazy: Use a rich conditioner or hair mask the night before to boost the moisture in your curls.
Also, grab:
– Old T-shirt or towel (unless you like playing with stains 😂)
– Hair clips to section, because trust me, working without them = absolute chaos.
Hydrated curls are happy curls, especially before throwing some bleach into the mix.
Step 3: Pick Your Highlight Technique 🙌
Okay, here’s where you get to flex your makeup artist instincts: choosing how you wanna apply the highlights. With curls, it’s all about strategically placing the color so you can let your natural twists do their thing.
Here are some easy ways to highlight curly hair:
Foilyage (yep, like balayage but with foil!)
This is for my people who want a super blended and natural look. You tease out small sections of hair, apply your lightener, and wrap the strands in foil. It’s like a beachy goddess vibe when it’s done right—a slightly sun-glow effortless look. If you’ve ever seen those natural, wavy, beach highlights, this is how they did it.
Pintura Highlights
Specifically for curly girls! Pintura (a Brazilian technique 👏🙌) involves painting the bleach directly onto your dry curls without messing up your natural curl pattern. This one’s clutch if you want more dimension and definition rather than chunky highlights and is great for tightening those curls back up without a straight-up freak out.
The pintura highlighting method literally respects your curls, which I love because it’s all about enhancing their shape, not fighting them.
Step 4: Bleach Baby Bleach 👩🔬
Alright, this right here’s your moment to channel your inner scientist. Bleach is next. And yes, bleach might sound a little scary if you haven’t used it before, but I swear it’s doable—just follow my lead.
Make sure you buy a bleach powder & developer kit. I recommend a 20-volume developer because anything higher can fry up your curls. (…Like you’re already fabulous, but I know you don’t wanna wear a burnt-spaghetti head, right?)
Mix it up as the box instructs. It should turn into a creamy consistency that’s smooth and easy to work with.
Step 5: Applying the Bleach 👀
Now grab sections of your curls and apply bleach to the parts where you want the highlights. If you’re doing foilyage, you’ll separate the hair into little sections and gently backcomb the sections before applying, so the bleach blends more naturally. Foil them up and “bake”!
If you’re doing the pintura method or freehand highlights, just grab individual curls, and paint the bleach onto areas where the light naturally hits. Trust your instinct here. You’re not going for precision with curly hair: you’re highlighting the surface aesthetic.
NOTE: Don’t slap the bleach like you’re trying to frost cupcakes! We’re going for strategic highlights: focus on the top layers, front strands (like those Instagram-worthy face-framing curls), and random curls around the crown area.
Step 6: Timing — Don’t Stress But Keep An Eye Out!
This part! The time you leave the bleach in depends on your original hair color and how light you want your highlights to go. For super subtle highlights, you could look at 15 to 20 minutes. But if you’re pushing for a bolder, lighter moment, you’ll need around 30-45 minutes. Keep checking the color, and remember the bleach continues lightening until you rinse it out. So, don’t be chillin’ in front of Netflix forgetting that’s still in your hair!
Step 7: RINSE + Neutralize!
You’ve earned this break… well, kind of. Now you get to rinse the bleach out, and OMG, be gentle. Curls are at their most vulnerable after bleach, so no rough scrubbing, please.
Use cool water (not scorching hot) to gently rinse out the bleach. If you’ve got that nasty brassiness going on, either run a purple shampoo through your locks to tone it down, or use a toner + 10-volume developer for a quick fix-up. Wella T18 is a good one for neutralizing yellow tones!
Then condition like your life depends on it! Seriously, I’m talking deep conditioner and hair masks ‘cause we wanna bring curls back to life. Your curls have been through an experience, and they are gonna be DRY right after bleaching.
Step 8: Style & Show Off Your Masterpiece!
Now, let your curls live their best life 🌟. Style your hair however you like, but I recommend going all-in on the hydration again. Maybe use a leave-in conditioner that’s super creamy and a curl enhancer or mousse to keep the moisture locked, and bam: you are good to go!
Curly highlighted hair needs some leave-in treatment always to stay juicy, so get that Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie or DevaCurl SuperCream whipped out.
AND YOU’RE DONE! Doesn’t your hair look like a literal goddess just bathed in sunlight? 🙌✨
Extra Tips To Protect Your Highlights!
Real talk, bleached hair can go from fab to drab quickly without proper TLC, especially curly hair, since it’s fragile:
- Avoid Heat for at least a week to prevent breakage. Let your hair air-dry instead of heat styling.
- Sleep on Silk: A satin pillowcase or bonnet helps your hair slide without getting frizzy.
- Moisturize Weekly: Deep-condition weekly and hydrate with oils or leave-ins every few days. Your natural oils may not travel well through the curls, so you need to step in.
And there you go, babe! A DIY curly-hair-highlighting session that didn’t end in disaster. 🙌💁♀️ We’re proud. Can’t wait for you to slay with your new look. Text me a pic when you’re done!
Catch you later,
Su 🍒
