When it comes to summer hair trends, it’s not unusual to see more low-maintenance styles dominating in the warmer months. Yet while air-dried texture and beachy hair colours continue to dominate, there definitely seems to be an appetite for hair that looks and feels a little bit more polished. We’re seeing glam, brushed-out curls, Y2K-inspired pastel hair colours, and precisely tapered bobs emerging as summer’s hottest looks, and more intentional colour techniques seem to be following suit. Case in point: ribbon highlights.
Paying definite homage to the chunky streaks and more high-contrast balayage looks that were everywhere in the early noughties, this latest take on highlights is altogether more subtle. Think fine, softly woven sections of colour that thread through the hair—adding lightness, brightness and dimension as your strands shift and move. Plus, it makes for a particularly appealing trend if you’re looking for highlights that feel polished, but are still relatively low-maintenance.
What Are Ribbon Highlights?
“High-contrast ribbon highlights are a hair colouring technique where lighter ribbons of colour are placed against a deeper base,” explains hairstylist Jessica Elwell, winner of the L’Oreal Colour Trophy award and artistic team member at Scullion & Scot. “Rather than lots of fine, blended highlights that disappear into the hair, this look is all about creating bolder, more defined pieces that add contrast, movement and dimension.” And the fact that it is thicker sections of hair that are being coloured means that ribbon highlights work particularly well on all different hair types—particularly during the summer.
“This is the time of year when we tend to really embrace our hair’s natural texture, and this works so well with ribbon highlights as they have a wider diameter, which creates defined strands of light for a dimensional effect,” says colour specialist Siobhan Haug, Co-Founder of Haug London Haus. “On poker-straight hair, this can look quite contrasting; however, as soon as you introduce a little movement, the ribbons diffuse beautifully throughout the hair and appear like actual ribbons of colour and light.”
How to Get Ribbon Highlights
There are a few different ways that a colourist might achieve ribbon highlights in the salon, using hand-painting techniques or strategically sliced colour, but the key to the look is all about that contrast. “Ribbon highlights are bold, face-framing sections of colour that create visible ribbons of light running through the hair, rather than lots of blended highlights,” says celebrity hairstylist Joe Kelly. “I create this look by strategically placing thicker sections of lightener, focusing on the face frame and areas where the light naturally catches the hair. The key is keeping the placement intentional rather than overloading the hair with highlights, so you get movement and definition without losing depth.”
Ribbon Highlights Hair Ideas
Gigi Hadid’s chunky bright blonde highlights frame her face so perfectly here.
Haug rates Kaia Gerber’s “gorgeous sun-kissed ribbon lights” as a great example to take to your colourist if you’re considering trying this trend yourself.
I love the contrast between Ciara’s espresso brown lengths and the creamier beige highlights—a combination that she refers to as mocha.
Is there anything more Y2K cool than J. Lo’s ribbon highlights and half-up, half-down style?
Elwell points out Sarah Pidgeon for her dark roots and blonde ribbon highlights, which we all became collectively obsessed with during her role in Love Story.
For a more subtle take on the trend, Ayo Edebiri’s chunky caramel-coloured highlights add dimension to her bob without too much drama.
Kelly points to Beyonce for her “iconic honey blonde” ribbon highlights if you’re looking for the perfect transitional summer to autumn shades.
How chic are Mia Goth’s subtle ribbon highlights? These have been painstakingly placed to catch the light beautifully, adding dimension and shine.
Caring for Ribbon Highlights
Of course, highlights do require some degree of maintenance as we’re talking about colour that sits quite closely to the roots of the hair where growth is more noticeable. All of the experts agreed that you’d be looking at having to revisit the salon every 8 to 12 weeks for a colour refresh, depending on things like how high-contrast your highlights are and how fast your hair grows. In terms of aftercare at home? It’s all about hydration.
“Hydration is everything after highlights,” says Kelly. “A nourishing hair mask once a week to keep the hair healthy and shiny is key.” This one uses Smart Barrier HairTech to help add essential lipids back into the hair, leaving strands deeply moisturised, soft and shiny.
“A lightweight hair oil is also brilliant for sealing the cuticle and adding gloss without weighing the hair down,” says Kelly. “And heat protection is essential whenever you’re styling, as highlighted hair can be more prone to dryness.” This new launch from Olaplex ticks both boxes as a weightless oil that also protects hair from heat styling.
“Over the summer months, a purple shampoo is your friend to neutralise unwanted brassy tones that can find their way through, as the UV rays lift your hair colour”, says Haug. “However, keep this use consistent to once a week and always as a second shampoo so that your hair is thoroughly cleansed first.”
“I would also suggest using a hair sealer on wet hair to seal down the hair’s cuticle layer, trapping in moisture and working like a sun cream for your highlights,” says Haug.
“To keep lightened hair looking its best, I’d always recommend L’Oréal Professionnel’s Metal Detox range,” says Elwell. “It helps remove trapped metals from the hair that can lead to unwanted brassiness, while keeping the colour looking fresh and glossy.”
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including some skincare, makeup, hair and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
