Spotlight highlights are the stunning way to play up pretty curl patterns

We love pretty curls and coils – the volume, the texture, the movement. As for curly-girl hair colour, one technique we love, thanks to its bespoke approach, is spotlight highlights. It’s kind of like balayage, but it takes into account curl patterns, so that the placement really helps to spotlight all that gorgeous movement. 

We spoke to the experts to get the drill on everything we need to know. 

What are spotlight highlights?

“Spotlight highlights are a way of illuminating the hair in a soft subtle way,” explains Michelle Thompson, award winning afro and textured hair specialist and Color Wow‘s Curl Wow Ambassador. “The technique is very similar to balayage, where colour is painted onto the hair without using foils and heat,” adds Charlotte Mensah, hair artist and founder of Manketti by Charlotte Mensah. However it focuses on how best to showcase your hair pattern. 

“Essentially, it’s a way of hand-painting natural-looking highlights for a pretty pop of colour that truly shines through on curly and coily hair,” says Charlotte. “The technique is ideal to use on curly hair as it creates movement and dimension to the hair, and with strategic placement it can contour your curls beautifully,” Michelle agrees.

What should you ask your colourist for?

“You want to ask for tones that complement your skin tone. Typically, this technique works best when your natural base is lifted 1-2 shades lighter on the areas being highlighted, this helps to keep the colour looking soft,” says Michelle. “So, select a lighter, bolder highlight. Make sure it’s lighter than the base shade, but nothing drastically light, remember it’s about soft, subtle illumination not bold, stripy contrast,” she adds.

How can colour placement contour and spotlight curls?

“When hand-painted using the freehand technique, your natural curl is left intact so that the colour will hit the right spots for bursts of colour,” says Charlotte. “Colour placement can be tailored to your curl pattern, texture, cut and style,” adds Michelle. “The lighter pieces can be placed in the areas where you specifically want more movement and want to look more illuminated,” she explains. Likewise you can tailor it so that the brightest areas are focused where the sun would naturally hit along your curl pattern for a beautiful, natural glow.

What is the best application method?

“The colour is strategically placed on dry hair where the light falls, as opposed to a foil technique where you would most likely stretch the curl to place the colour and wrap it in foil to process,” says Charlotte. “The technique should be done curl by curl using partial saturation on the mid lengths, to full saturation on the ends to allow for that pop of illumination (similar to balayage but for curly hair),” adds Michelle. This gives a soft diffused finish that blends out seamlessly from the root rather than creating a stark contrast.

Are spotlight highlights better for curly hair?

“Spotlight highlights use significantly less colour than traditional highlights which helps to keep hair super healthy and is less damaging. Plus, because only ribbons of colour are used rather than it being saturated root-to-end, the regrowth looks very natural,” says Charlotte.

How to keep curly colour looking phenomenal?

“Curly hair is naturally more porous so it’s important that you use a product line that is going to replenish the moisture especially after a colour service,” advises Michelle. “The Color Wow Curl Wow Coco Motion Lubricating Conditioner contains rich oils that penetrate deep into the hair and lubricates the hair’s internal protein chain, leaving the hair silky soft highly moisturised and looking phenomenal,” she adds.

Here’s some of our favourite ways to wear spotlight highlights…

Penny and pecan

Sand and champagne

Walnut and honey

Chocolate and bronze

Toffee tones

Ombre gold

Mocha bronze

Sand and pearl

Buttery brunette

Chestnut and caramel

For more from GLAMOUR’s Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk