Meet Mary Allen, a writer at The Right Hairstyles Magazine with a passion for the artistry of hair, who first joined our editorial team in January 2022. With a keen eye for trends in haircutting and coloring techniques, Mary Allen explores the diverse spectrum of beauty, ensuring that her articles resonate with women from all walks of life.
Read full bio Editorial guidelinesAs the summer comes up, it’s time to try something new and exciting, and we are not talking about a new gelato flavor. A subtle hair coloring like ribbon highlights can soothe your itch for a change and add flirty and cheeky vibes to your appearance.
Take a look at these 20 photos of ribbon highlights to get an idea of how you can embrace this hair trend in 2025!
This high-contrast look can infuse your brown hair with summer warmth, helping you get ready for long-awaited beach getaways. Slightly curl the locks for a ‘relaxed loose waves’ effect to enhance the glow of your sun-kissed ribbons.
The secret of stunning balayage is not only in the right technique but in flattering and harmonious color combinations. Caramel copper tones will ideally work with dark brunette hair, enriching it with warmth and making your skin glow.
While many women choose layered haircuts to enhance their fine locks with fullness, there is another way to boost your hair thickness while saving its length. Ask your stylist for natural-looking highlights that instantly add movement and dimension to long tresses.
Wavy hair is the best canvas for highlight coloring as it can showcase all the depth of the obtained hair color. For a soft and smooth balayage effect, opt for chestnut or nutty tones that give a brunette base that nice and warm finish.
When crafting highlights on fine hair, the key is in their density and depth of color. Melissa Maloney, a talented creator of this gorgeous look, recommends going “bold enough” by making larger sections that provide enough density to create a visual ribbon. Thus, the highlights won’t blend together and look dull or muddy.
Face-framing highlights don’t have to be contrasting or bright to make your main hair color more noticeable. A pinch of strategically placed silverish undertones can bring your dark hair to life without committing you to a high-maintenance hair color routine.
Subtle caramel highlights can give your thick hair just the right amount of color to compliment your rich brown base. As for the haircut, a butterfly cut might be wise to consider, as it can give your hair a needed lightweight and texture.
The colorists of Trove Artistry recommend ribbon highlights to break up the block color and give the tresses a stunning dimension. On top of that, a sharply angled blunt cut will significantly elongate your hair at the front, giving an illusion of exceptional volume and fullness.
Represented by thick streaks of sandy blonde, this coloring, nevertheless, differs from the original chunky highlights ideas, all thanks to its mix with babylights. Ribbon-like pieces usually begin at the roots as in this style, but you may adopt a more low-maintenance balayage technique that assumes root shadowing.
Elegant and sophisticated, babylight ribbons manage two tasks simultaneously: add depth to brown hair color and make straight hair look more textured. This is how you can craft an alluring hairstyle without trying too hard.
When choosing highlights for short hair, it’s wise to consider the options that allow you to grow your hair without monthly hair coloring. Hair ribboning is one of such low-maintenance and undeniably stylish ideas you wish you had tried earlier.
Brunette hair works great with any shade of blonde and caramel, but how about something more captivating and tempting? Explore the dark red hair color palette and pick a shade to accentuate your skin tone.
Are you ready for a fun change from typical soft blended highlights to something more catching and on-trend? We can’t wait for you to try these vanilla blonde ribbons, lovable yet daring enough for a statement. Show this photo to your colorist to bring your vision to life!
As blonde tones require more upkeep, we offer to shift your focus to caramel and coppery hues that mix well with brown hair shades. Additionally, curl the hair to show off all the highlights and their dimension.
These soft ribbon highlights are a golden middle between blended highlights that intensify towards the ends and a harsh stripy look. Honey blonde streaks, flowing through the hair softly, add depth and interest to dark brown hair, making it voluminous while straight.
If you wish to draw more attention to your features, eyes in particular, we recommend taking notice of hairstyles with money pieces. First gaining popularity in the 90s, this hair coloring technique has its momentum again, thanks to stunning combinations with bouncy layered cuts and ribboning.
Do you see how the color brings out the warmth of the complexion here? To achieve such a beautiful outcome, apply a golden blonde hue throughout the whole mane in large sections and finish with the glam hair blowout.
If you aim for a pop of cool tint into your warm-toned locks, ask for thin platinum and beige ribbons. These cooler touch-ups will allow you to create a captivating and well-balanced color, suitable for both cool and warm skin tones.
Subtle golden ribbons, mixed with hazel teasylights, give the effect of sun-kissed hair, as though you just got from a vacation on Caribbean islands. With this color, you won’t need to draw extra attention with intricate hair styling, as all eyes will be on you anyway!
Subtle ribbon highlights don’t give you the desired blonde effect? Pair them with a buttery balayage to bring yourself closer to the ‘light’ side while getting a noncommittal color.
Diverse and unique in their own way, these flattering ribbon highlights ideas contribute to bright and eye-catching yet low-maintenance hair color experiments. Save your favorite photos to give your colorist a better idea of your desired look.
Enter your email to get this picture to your inbox, and get other ideas you might like 💌