the color trend to adopt in 2021

We know the trendiest way to light up your hair with pretty highlights to start the new year on a high note and the good news is, it's low-maintenance!

The year 2021 has barely started and already, a new way to shade your color to display pretty reflections in your lengths is freaking out social networks (TikTok in the lead) and promises to be the new type of strands to ask your hairdresser during your next meeting: reverse highlights.

What are the reverse highlights ?

This coloring trend, which can be translated word for word in French as "inverted strands", consists in achieving targeted work of wicks mainly on the lower part of the hair unlike conventional highlighting locks which usually stand out very clearly from the hairline to blend better into the hair lengthwise. Hence their well-found name of reverse highlights which echoes the reversal of the technique usually used to achieve lighter strands in hair.
But that doesn't mean that strands lightened with this coloring technique are only lightened from mid-length. To get this more intense result on the lower part of the hair without showing obvious strands that streak the hair on the top of the head, the hairdresser must actually work his strands over the entire length of the hair, but first very thinly at the roots before making the strands thicker at as they descend lengthwise so as to intensely illuminate the mid-lengths and ends and create this famous effect reverse highlights.

At stake, a color full of contrasts that lacks neither radiance nor depth thanks to a very discreet highlight on the top of the hair but clearly visible on the lengths and ends, which creates a play of shadows and light that is softer and more natural but also much easier to maintain. Indeed, the wicked effect of reverse highlights evolves better over time than conventional locks when the hair grows because the root indeed remains very natural with this technique. Gone is the bar effect present in regrowth when we sport many blonde locks in our natural brown: the illuminating effect created remains unchanged for a long time before having to retouch the color because there is no no obvious demarcation in roots. An interesting feature for the maintenance of these pretty reflections which is thus greatly facilitated, and guarantees us less regular appointments with the hairdresser.

A real godsend even though we have spent nearly a year maintaining our locks and brushes ourselves at home (with varying degrees of success) because of the successive confinements which have resulted in the closure of our hair salons for many months and prevented us from entrusting our hair to seasoned colorists.

Inverted wicks: for whom?

If the wicks technique advocated by the reverse highlights makes you eye, know that it has the advantage of being suitable for the greatest number. Indeed, it is possible to achieve it on all hair colors, so you can try it on whether your hair is blonde, brown or red. If the principle of making the lock is reversed for this trend, that of the choice of the color of the locks remains exactly the same as for the conventional locks. It will therefore suffice to adapt the shade of your reverse highlights at your base to embrace the trend. Natural blondes will be able to choose very light locks while chestnut and red bases will prefer honey locks and brown hair will opt instead for a lightening caramel color which will blend more harmoniously with their natural base.
Cut side, inverted strands again work for most lengths although of course they will not be possible on very short hair. They will therefore gladly illuminate a long bob or XXL lengths.

Examples of reverse highlights

Inverted blonde highlights

Reverse highlights on brown hair

Reverse highlights on long hair

Ombre blond hair: all you need to know about this coloring that illuminates the hair:

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Video by Loïcia Fouillen

Elodie LEGALL

Passionate about writing and beauty, Elodie swaps her lipstick for her laptop to find the best in makeup, hairstyle and skincare trends, and professional tips …