The Beauty of Traditional Foil Highlights- Full or Partial

Admin June 28 2022

If you’ve spent any time in a salon, you’ve probably seen a stylist pull out foil and start wrapping sections of hair in it. While the process may look a little strange, this is a traditional highlighting technique that has been used for many, many years to produce stunning highlights and lowlights. Now, let’s delve into what foil highlights are, how to choose full or partial foils, and how to maintain your new look.

What Are Traditional Foil Highlights?

Foil highlights result from a highlighting technique that gives you very precise color placement. The foils keep the dye on that specific section of hair. The foil also acts as a heat conductor helping the dyed sections warm up slightly to decrease the processing time. This is why foil highlights don’t take as long as other highlight techniques that don’t use any type of covering. Foils also allow for the application of multiple shades in a single session rather than applying the colors in multiple steps.

What Is a Full Foil?

A full foil is a highlighting service that places highlights throughout your entire head of hair. Your hair will be parted into sections, individually coated with hair dye, and wrapped in foil. The dye is then allowed time to process before the foils are removed and the dye rinsed out. A full foil typically consists of 45-100 foils.

What Is a Partial Foil?

Partial foils are only focused on certain sections of your hair instead of all over. The top half and sides are usually where the foils are placed. This placement frames your face to brighten your complexion and gives you a natural sunkissed look.

Full or Partial
Aside from choosing the shades used, you must also decide whether you’d like full or partial foil highlights. But which is right for you? That depends on the look you are going for. If you’d like highlights throughout your entire mane and bolder color, then full foils are the right choice. If you’d like a more subtle look with just a few sections highlighted, then partial foils is what you should ask for.

Will It Damage My Hair?

There is always a risk of some damage with any highlighting or hair coloring service. This is why you should only entrust your locks to an experienced and well-trained stylist. They will evaluate the condition of your hair before beginning and recommend any necessary pretreatments to ensure your hair stays healthy and beautiful.

What About Maintenance?

Maintenance after a foil highlighting treatment is much the same as with any other hair coloring service. You shouldn’t wash your hair for at least 24 hours after your appointment to give the dyeing time to fully adhere to your strands. After that first wash, you can apply a deep conditioning mask to help restore moisture lost during the treatment process. For long-term maintenance, here are a few tips to help your highlights last longer.

• Use only products that were designed for color-treated hair. They are formulated to be gentle and not fade your color prematurely.
• Wash less often. Every time you shampoo you're losing just a little bit of color. So shampoo only 2-3 times per week, and use dry shampoo as needed to freshen up between washes. When you do shampoo use cool to lukewarm water to keep your cuticle closed and more color locked in.
• Avoid heat styling tools. Heat damages both your hair and your color, making your tresses look dull before their time. Air dry and use no-heat styling methods whenever possible, and use a thermal protectant when you do heat style.
• Protect your hair from the sun. UV rays will not only fade your color, but they can also oxidize your highlights resulting in brassiness. Use a UV protectant spray formulated for use on hair before going outdoors, and wear a hat when in the sun for extended periods of time. Use a color-correcting shampoo at the first sign of unwanted coppery undertones.
• Avoid pool chemicals. Chlorine is not good for color-treated tresses. So when you take  a dip to cool off, keep your hair out of the water or wear a swim cap. An alternative is to saturate your hair with fresh water and apply a leave-in conditioner before swimming so that your hair can’t absorb as many pool chemicals, and then shampoo immediately after to remove any chemicals on the surface.

If you’re ready to experience the beauty of traditional foil highlights, the talented stylists at  D’Ametri’s Hair Color and Design Studio will be delighted to help. It’s amazing to see how a few well-placed highlights can totally transform your look. Give us a call at 303-274-7838, use our online booking tool, or download our free mobile app from iTunes or Google Play to book your appointment today. We look forward to serving you at 5760 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO.