Using highlift vs. bleach when creating a subtle brunette

I cannot stress how important it is (and how much time it will save you) to know how to use multiple products!!!


These are two separate clients but they both have a very very similar starting point & texture. On the left I used highlift color and on the right I used bleach. (Both were done with @schwarzkopfusa products!!) The differences are really subtle but when you look closely you can see the variations in each!

🔥 Here’s when I would pick highlift and when I would pick bleach when creating a subtle brunette look:

HIGHLIFT:
👉🏼 4 to 5 levels of lift
👉🏼 the client is okay with warmth
👉🏼 there is no existing color on the hair

BLEACH:
👉🏼 up to 7ish levels of lift or more (depending on the product you use)
👉🏼 the client wants a cool toned end result
👉🏼 there is existing color on the hair

***something else to note: when I’m using lightener with the intention of getting subtle brunette pops, I watch the foils and pull them out when they’re ready (around a warm level 7) because if I let them get to a level 9, the toning process is so much more complex! With highlift, it processes for 45 minutes and then doesn’t do much more, so there’s not a lot of watching and checking.

I have classes on BOTH of these techniques inside my virtual education platform BCU! The class for the technique on the left is called “Bleach-less Brunette” and the class for the technique on the right is called “3 Layers of Lived In: Brunette Edition.” Click HERE to learn more about BCU!