Hair highlighting/lowlighting refers to changing a person's hair color

Hair color

Hair color is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to two types of melanin: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Generally, if more melanin is present, the color of the hair is darker; if less melanin is present, the hair is lighter...

, using lightener or haircolor to color strands of the hair in varying sizes. There are four basic types of highlights: foil highlights, hair painting, frosting, and chunking. Highlights can be done in natural or unnatural colors. Color highlights come in four categories: temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and permanent. Hair lightened with bleach is considered permanent.

Basic foil highlighting

Foil highlighting is the process of using foil

Foil (chemistry)

A foil is a very thin sheet of metal, usually made by hammering or rolling a piece of metal. Foils are most easily made with malleable metals, such as aluminium, copper, tin, and gold. Foils usually bend under their own weight and can be torn easily. The more malleable a metal, the thinner foil can...

 to separate strands of hair which will be lightened from strands of hair which will remain its natural color. The process is done by applying lightener to the hair that has been woven and separated using an applicator brush. The foil is then folded as to protect the hair and surrounding area during the "processing" time. This is the amount of time required to achieve the desired results. In highlighting hair hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...

mixed with pigment is used to change the color of the strand This process is also used in applying "lowlights" to the hair. In this process, hair dyes are used to create strands of hair that are darker than the natural color. The foils are often used to separate hair strands for high and low lights during the same process.

Hair painting

Hair painting is a method of highlighting hair that may be done at home. Hair painting methods are often permanent and employ a simple hair-painting brush. Hair painting is also used with temporary and semi-permanent types of brushes. While brushes are commonly used in hair painting, one may also use combs to paint or highlight thin-sized strands of hair. Balayage is a technique referring to free-form painting on clean, styled hair. The results are subtle, and more natural looking than foiling or chunking.

Frosting

Frosting refers to the process of free-hand lightening the tips of the hair, and is generally performed on men with short hair.

Chunking

Chunking refers to a style of highlight which is larger and thicker than a traditional highlight, rather than to a method of creating highlights. Chunky highlights are generally offered in a wider variety of bold natural colors, as well as a large number of artificial, or unnatural, colors and are used to create more contrast, rather than subtle texture, as in traditional, thinner highlights.