Craving that “just got back from vacation” hair glow without hopping on a plane or fully dyeing your hair? Babylights are your new best friend. While this coloring method may appear subtle at a glance, it can seriously transform your hair, adding eye-catching dimension and brightness to your strands.
There are so many reasons to be obsessed with baby lights, starting with the fact that pretty much anyone can pull off this flattering, sun-kissed look. They are also low-maintenance, look very natural, and have a soft hue that agrees with many skin tones. That is also why they are the hottest trend on Social Media.
We’re sharing some facts about these delicate highlights, including what babylights are, how babylights differ from other color techniques (like babylights vs. highlights), who they may be best suited for, and how to maintain the look between salon visits.
What Are Babylights?
Babylights are thin, delicate highlights designed to help enhance your hair’s natural dimension. They’re finely woven throughout the hair to create a natural sun-kissed effect. This highlighting technique mimics how a child’s hair naturally lightens during the summer months (hence the name “baby” lights).
Good hair day by @miriam.pineda.
Babylights vs. highlights: What’s the difference?
As mentioned above, babylights are technically a type of highlights. They differ from classic foil highlights in a few key ways. Firstly, babylights are thinner than highlights. While babylights are delicately woven and placed very close together, chunky highlights use thicker sections of hair to create pops of color and a high-contrast look. (The nostalgic “tiger stripe” highlights of the early ‘00s are the perfect example of a high-contrast, chunky highlight look.)
Babylights also tend to be less noticeable than traditional highlights. The super-fine weave pattern of babylights creates more of a natural, blended effect with less color contrast between the lightened strands and your natural color. Because of this, babylights may not always show as highlights—they often have more of a beach babe aesthetic than a fresh-from-the-salon vibe.
The process takes longer since babylights are woven in much finer sections and placed closer together than traditional highlights. It’s a more detailed, precise technique, so appointments usually run longer than your standard highlight session.
Babylights vs. balayage: What’s the difference?
Balayage is another highlighting technique that, similar to babylights, has a natural-looking effect. With balayage, bleach is hand-painted onto the strands (rather than placed in foils, as is the case with babylights). The color is processed under plastic wrap or in open air, creating a soft, natural-looking transition between the base and highlight colors.
The goal of balayage is to replicate the natural look of grown-out hair color, whereas babylights mimic a natural sun-kissed effect. Depending on your hair texture and the look you’re going for, your stylist may even combine both techniques to create gorgeous, customized highlights.
How Are Babylights Applied?
Babylights are a great way to add soft, natural-looking dimension to your hair without a dramatic change. The process involves micro-weaving fine sections of hair and applying color with a foil technique for a precise and seamless blend. Because the sections are so delicate, the result is a subtle, sun-kissed glow that mimics how hair naturally lightens in the sun. It's best to achieve this look with a licensed hair colorist so you can get a consultation to set appointment expectations and to get the look you want.
Appointments can take two to four hours, depending on the amount of highlights, desired color, etc. Pricing depends on factors like hair length, density, and the colorist's expertise level, but many find the investment worth it for the low-maintenance, natural finish babylights provide.
Good hair day by @slim_color.
Who Should Get Babylights?
Babylights can be flattering for all hair types, colors, and textures. Although anyone can pull off this look, it complements those with fine hair. The texture of fine hair allows the subtle highlight technique to shine, whereas thicker hair may require a heavier highlight to make as much of an impact. Strategically placed babylights can also create the illusion of more fullness for anyone with fine strands.
If you're new to hair color and want something subtle yet impactful, babylights are a great place to start. They offer a fresh new look with minimal maintenance and commitment. Whether you have blonde, brown, or red hair, babylights can be tailored to suit your shade and customized to complement warm and cool undertones.
If you’re unsure whether babylights are the right option for your hair, we recommend booking a consultation with a professional colorist. They can answer any questions you have and customize your babylights in a way that flatters your skin tone, haircut, and preferred styles.
Good hair day by @redken.
Styling and Maintenance Tips
Babylights may be low-maintenance, but the secret to keeping that soft, sun-kissed glow looking fresh? A solid aftercare routine. With the right products and a few simple habits, you can keep your hair looking vibrant long after you leave the salon.
Schedule regular touch-ups
To keep your babylights looking fresh and blended,plan for touch-ups every 8 to 12 weeks. This helps maintain the brightness and avoid any harsh grow-out lines. If you’d rather stretch the time between appointments, ask your colorist about a root smudge—it softens the regrowth and gives a more lived-in, low-maintenance finish.
Use color-safe and haircare products
Maintaining that fresh-from-the-salon glow starts with using the right products. Investing in a good shampoo is essential for maintaining vibrant babylights. For daily care, go for the Matrix Glow Mania Shampoo & Conditioner to keep your color vibrant for up to 8 weeks and your strands hydrated. If you're blonde, swap in Redken Blondage Shampoo & Conditioner once a week to neutralize brassiness and keep your tone cool and bright. For color-treated hair, you'll always want to go sulfate-free with hair products to help your color last longer.
Protect hair from heat and UV damage
Color-treated hair is more vulnerable to damage, so shielding it from heat styling and sun exposure will help keep your strands healthy. Always apply a heat protectant. Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray is a favorite for styling with its nourishing and moisturizing benefits and heat protection. When heading outdoors, toss on a hat or use a UV-protectant spray to keep your color from fading and your strands from drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What makes babylights worth it?
Babylights are perfect for anyone who wants to switch up their look without going for a dramatic change. Babylights are subtle, natural-looking highlights that add dimension and depth to your natural hair color, making them great for achieving a subtle and versatile sun-kissed look. This style is also great for anyone seeking a relatively low-maintenance way to enhance their natural hair color.
Babylights can be great for anyone who doesn’t like the look of traditional highlights and will look great no matter your hair color. Someone can get babylights on dark brown hair to create the appearance of medium brown hair, without needing to bleach all of it. Or you can add cool tones to your blonde hair with ash blonde babylights.
Not only will you add dimension and vibrancy throughout your strands, but here’s a bonus: babylights can be gentler on your hair. Since thinner sections are placed in the foil, they process more quickly, meaning less time with bleach on your strands and less potential damage.
How much do babylights cost?
The cost of babylights can vary depending on your hair color, location, and stylist. In many cases, babylights will be in a similar price range to traditional highlights. They may cost more since this ultra-fine technique may require more time, product, and precision. We recommend speaking with your colorist, as they can offer advice and help you get your desired look within your budget.
How do I ask my stylist for babylights?
Start by getting a clear idea of the look you want to achieve. Browsing social media or flipping through magazines can help you find babylights inspiration that speaks to your style. Try to find examples of someone with a hair color and texture similar to yours. That way, you’ll have a more realistic idea of how the results might look on you. If you don’t already have a colorist you love, you’ll want to research before deciding where to go. Look for a colorist who specializes in or has experience with babylights. You can check out their social media channels or ask your friends for recommendations.
Once you’ve found the right colorist, make an appointment and share your hair goals with them. If they already have experience with babylights, they should know what you’re going for. However, it always helps to bring photos of the color you’re hoping to achieve, stylists generally appreciate having inspirational photos to reference.
How long do babylights last?
With babylights, grow-out is typically less obvious than classic or chunky highlights. This means you may be more flexible when scheduling your next salon visit. For the most part, babylights should be touched up approximately every 8 to 12 weeks, but this can vary depending on your preferences and how quickly your hair grows.
Next Up: How To Get Voluminous Hair In 4 Easy Steps
If you’re ready to try babylights for yourself, use our salon locator to find a color expert near you.
Header image credit: @matrix
