33 Hair Highlights and Lowlights Ideas for Winter, Spring and Summer with Blonde, Caramel and Red

The world of hair highlights and lowlights offers endless possibilities for transforming your look in 2024 and 2025. Whether you prefer blonde, brown, or rich red tones, these styles bring depth and dimension to any season. From winter to summer, highlights and lowlights can enhance both short hair and curly or straight styles. With shades like caramel and brown dark, these ideas are perfect for anyone seeking a fresh update for their hairstyle.

Blonde Balayage with Lowlights

For a soft, sun-kissed effect that can carry you from summer to winter, try a blonde balayage with subtle brown dark lowlights. This blend gives a natural look, perfect for casual outings or beach days. It works best for medium to long hair lengths, and those with oval or heart-shaped faces. The blonde adds brightness while the lowlights create depth, making it perfect for those with blue or green eyes. It’s versatile enough for both daytime errands and nighttime dinners.

To create this look, a stylist will paint the blonde highlights freehand to ensure a natural fade. They’ll then add brown lowlights to sections underneath, creating a multi-tonal effect. Maintenance is simple, requiring a purple shampoo to avoid brassiness and a hydrating conditioner, such as Pureology’s Hydrate Sheer, to keep your color fresh and your strands smooth.

Caramel Highlights on Dark Brown Hair

If you’re looking for a warmer color that suits all seasons, caramel highlights on dark brown hair are a timeless choice. This look offers a rich contrast that brightens the face and brings out warm undertones in your skin. Suitable for round or square faces, it pairs beautifully with hazel or brown eyes, making it ideal for fall and winter occasions. Whether you’re heading to a formal event or a casual brunch, this look is both sophisticated and inviting.

Creating this hairstyle involves foil highlights, with the caramel tones placed strategically to frame the face. A gloss treatment helps keep the shine intact, while regular use of a sulfate-free shampoo like Redken’s Color Extend ensures the highlights don’t fade prematurely. Add a leave-in conditioner for a glossy, healthy finish.

Red Highlights with Brown Lowlights

For a bolder option, red highlights paired with brown lowlights add fiery dimension to your hair. This combination is ideal for both cool winter evenings and bright spring afternoons. Best suited for heart-shaped faces and those with lighter skin tones, this style adds excitement and pairs well with both casual outfits and more formal attire. The red pops against the darker lowlights, creating a striking yet sophisticated effect.

This style is achieved by adding vibrant red highlights throughout the top layers of the hair, with deeper brown lowlights beneath for contrast. A color-protecting shampoo like Joico’s Color Infuse Red helps maintain vibrancy, while a lightweight serum ensures a smooth, sleek finish.

Short Hair with Platinum Highlights

If you have short hair and want to make a bold statement, platinum highlights can give your cut an edge. This look works especially well for pixie cuts or bobs, adding a cool-toned shimmer that’s ideal for 2024. The platinum shade flatters oval and square faces, bringing out lighter eye colors like blue and gray. It’s a fantastic choice for formal events where you want to stand out, yet it remains chic and refined for everyday wear.

To create this, your stylist will apply the platinum highlights with precision to emphasize texture and movement in your short hairstyle. Use a toning shampoo like Fanola No Yellow to keep brassiness at bay, and invest in a heat protectant spray to maintain the shine during styling.

Caramel and Blonde Blend for Curly Hair

Curls deserve extra attention, and a mix of caramel and blonde highlights adds depth and brightness to curly hair. This look is perfect for spring and summer, offering a sun-kissed appearance with soft, radiant tones. The color combination flatters oval and round faces, working especially well for those with brown or hazel eyes. Whether for a casual day at the park or a formal garden wedding, this look will turn heads.

This style involves carefully placing highlights through the mid-lengths and ends of the curls, giving dimension without overpowering the natural texture. A moisturizing shampoo like DevaCurl’s Low-Poo Delight will help maintain the curl pattern, while a curl-enhancing cream ensures bounce and definition.

Winter Brunette with Ash Blonde Lowlights

For a cool, winter look, try adding ash blonde lowlights to brown dark hair. This understated contrast creates an icy, ethereal appearance, perfect for formal events or elegant dinners. The combination works best for long, straight hair and oval or diamond-shaped faces, enhancing lighter skin tones and blue or green eyes. It’s a chic, polished style that transitions seamlessly from winter holidays to formal 2024 occasions.

Achieving this look involves applying the ash blonde lowlights subtly throughout the hair, especially at the mid-lengths and ends. To maintain its cool tones, a silver shampoo like Matrix Total Results So Silver is essential, along with regular deep conditioning treatments to keep the hair hydrated and glossy.

Summer Blonde with Soft Lowlights

If you’re looking for a beach-ready style for summer, soft blonde highlights mixed with subtle lowlights create the perfect sun-kissed glow. This blend is ideal for those with short hair or medium-length cuts, and flatters heart-shaped or round faces. The contrast between light and dark strands brings out the golden hues in your complexion, especially for those with green or hazel eyes. It’s the perfect look for beach parties or casual outings.

To achieve this style, your stylist will balayage the blonde highlights and add soft brown lowlights underneath for dimension. Use a color-protecting shampoo and a weekly deep conditioner to keep your hair hydrated under the summer sun.

Brown Lowlights on Blonde Hair

For a natural, lived-in look, adding brown lowlights to blonde hair creates a subtle contrast that’s perfect for everyday wear. This style is ideal for those with short or medium-length hair and works well for square or heart-shaped faces. The brown lowlights soften the overall appearance, making it great for casual events or professional settings. It’s a great way to transition your hair color for spring or summer without going too dramatic.

To create this look, the lowlights are woven through the lower sections of the hair, blending seamlessly with the blonde. A gloss treatment will keep the hair shiny, while a sulfate-free shampoo will ensure the color stays vibrant between salon visits.

Red Lowlights with Blonde Highlights

A striking contrast of red lowlights and blonde highlights offers a bold and dynamic hairstyle perfect for making a statement. This look is ideal for formal events or even high-fashion photoshoots, adding a dramatic flair to 2024 trends. Best suited for oval or square face shapes, the combination highlights both fair and medium skin tones. Pair it with a classic outfit, and you’ll turn heads at any event.

The highlights and lowlights are applied using foils, alternating the red and blonde shades for a sharp contrast. To keep the colors vibrant, use a dual-action color shampoo and a lightweight oil to maintain shine and prevent frizz.

Spring Pastel Highlights

For something playful, pastel highlights in shades of pink, lavender, or baby blue create a fresh, youthful look. These spring-inspired colors work beautifully on short or medium hair, especially for round or heart-shaped faces. It’s an ideal style for creative events, outdoor weddings, or artistic ventures. The soft pastel hues bring out warm skin tones, making it perfect for those looking to add some fun to their hair.

Creating pastel highlights requires pre-lightening the hair, followed by toning with pastel shades. Regular toning shampoos and deep conditioning masks will help maintain the pastel colors and keep your hair soft.

Honey Blonde Highlights on Dark Brown Hair

Honey blonde highlights on dark brown hair create a rich, golden glow that’s perfect for spring and summer. This warm combination enhances the natural warmth in your skin tone and looks especially flattering on oval or heart-shaped faces. It’s ideal for daytime outings or casual get-togethers. With honey tones, this style works well with brown or hazel eyes, giving a soft and sun-kissed appearance that’s both elegant and effortless.

To create this look, the highlights are painted throughout the mid-lengths and ends using the balayage technique. Regular use of a moisture-rich shampoo and conditioner, like SheaMoisture’s Manuka Honey & Yogurt, will keep the hair hydrated and ensure the honey tones stay vibrant.

Red Copper Highlights on Medium Brown Hair

For a bold but refined look, consider red copper highlights on medium brown hair. This color combination brings warmth and depth, ideal for winter and fall events. Best suited for square or heart-shaped faces, the coppery tones highlight medium to dark skin tones, while green or blue eyes pop against the rich backdrop. Whether for a formal party or a weekend brunch, this look adds a touch of sophistication with a fiery twist.

Your stylist will use a combination of foiling and freehand painting to place the copper highlights where they’ll catch the light. A color-protecting shampoo like Aveda’s Color Conserve and a heat-protectant spray will ensure that the vibrancy lasts for months.

Caramel Lowlights with Golden Blonde Highlights

For a radiant, multi-dimensional look, pair caramel lowlights with golden blonde highlights. This combination is ideal for summer, bringing out a soft glow that’s perfect for outdoor events or beach vacations. The contrast adds richness to the hair and works best with heart-shaped or round faces. The golden tones reflect beautifully on fair to medium skin tones, complementing hazel or brown eyes.

To achieve this, the stylist will apply blonde highlights using foils, adding caramel lowlights to the underneath layers. Regular use of a deep conditioning mask and a purple shampoo will help keep the blonde tones bright and brass-free.

Face-Framing Blonde Highlights

Face-framing blonde highlights are an excellent way to brighten up any brown or darker hair color without committing to a full head of highlights. This style works beautifully for both casual and formal events, adding brightness around the face for a fresh, youthful look. Best suited for oval or heart-shaped faces, it flatters blue or green eyes, making the face pop. Whether in winter or summer, this look offers a light, breezy aesthetic.

The highlights are typically placed along the front sections of the hair, framing the face and accentuating facial features. Maintenance is simple, requiring a gloss treatment and regular use of sulfate-free shampoo to keep the blonde looking vibrant and fresh.

Bold Red Highlights on Black Hair

Add a daring pop of color to your 2024 look with bold red highlights on black hair. This high-contrast style is perfect for edgy events or a night out, making it ideal for heart-shaped or square faces. The red adds a fiery touch, especially against deep, dark hair tones, and works well with fair to medium skin tones. It’s a fantastic way to express your personality and add a modern twist to your style.

To achieve this look, your stylist will apply foils to highlight select sections of the hair, ensuring the red pops without overwhelming the black base. A color-protecting shampoo like Joico’s Color Infuse Red is essential to maintain vibrancy.

Winter Silver Highlights with Ash Lowlights

For a cool, icy look perfect for winter, silver highlights paired with ash lowlights create a stunning contrast. This modern style works well for formal events or professional settings and is especially flattering for oval and diamond-shaped faces. The cool tones complement fair skin and lighter eye colors, such as blue or gray. It’s a striking look that’s polished and elegant, perfect for winter 2024 and beyond.

This look is created using a mix of foils and freehand painting, with silver highlights placed around the top sections and ash lowlights beneath. To maintain the cool tones, use a purple shampoo like Fanola No Yellow and a hydrating conditioner to keep the hair soft and sleek.

Chocolate Brown Highlights on Short Hair

For those with short hair, chocolate brown highlights offer a rich, warm update that’s both subtle and sophisticated. Ideal for bob or pixie cuts, these highlights add depth and dimension, making short styles look more voluminous. This style is best suited for oval or square faces, and it brings out the warmth in brown or hazel eyes. Whether it’s a spring brunch or a cozy winter party, chocolate tones add a refined yet playful touch.

The highlights are placed strategically throughout the short layers to give a balanced, natural look. A sulfate-free shampoo and regular trims are essential for maintaining the vibrancy and shape of the style.

Caramel and Blonde Highlights for Curly Hair

Curly hair benefits from added dimension, and a blend of caramel and blonde highlights can bring out the best in your curls. This mix is perfect for creating a soft, radiant look that works well for both casual and formal settings. Best suited for round or oval faces, it highlights the natural volume of curly hair and brings out the golden tones in medium to dark skin. Whether you’re heading to a party or enjoying a day in the sun, this style is bound to make an impression.

Your stylist will use a balayage technique to add highlights throughout the curls, ensuring a natural and seamless blend. Use a curl-enhancing product and a sulfate-free shampoo to keep the curls defined and the color vibrant.

Auburn Highlights with Chestnut Lowlights

Auburn highlights mixed with chestnut lowlights create a warm, inviting style perfect for fall and winter. This combination adds depth and richness to brown hair, making it ideal for square or heart-shaped faces. It brings out the warm tones in medium to dark skin and flatters brown or hazel eyes. Whether it’s a casual outing or a more formal event, this style is both classic and striking.

Your stylist will use foils to apply the auburn highlights, with chestnut lowlights woven in for added depth. To keep the color looking fresh, use a moisturizing shampoo like Pureology Hydrate and regular conditioning treatments to keep the hair smooth and shiny.

In conclusion, highlights and lowlights are perfect for experimenting with different shades, textures, and dimensions, whether it’s 2024 or 2025. Feel free to leave a comment below and share your favorite look, or suggest styles that you’ve tried. Let’s keep the conversation going!