Babylights vs. Highlights — What’s the Difference?

If you want to add dimension to your hair color, getting highlights or babylights may be what you're after. But how do you know which is best for you? What exactly is the difference between babylights vs. highlights, anyway? “The two terms are very similar,” says Atlanta-based colorist, Rachel Korman of Tinte Salon. To learn more, we tapped Korman and James Corbett, colorist and founder of James Corbett Studio, who let us in on everything there is to know about the two popular coloring techniques, including when to use each.

What Are Highlights?

“Highlighting is a treatment that lightens hair to mimic what the sun would do in order to draw attention to certain pieces of hair,” says Korman.

Highlights are always lighter than your base color, and the lightening process is achieved by using an ammonia-based product that draws pigment out of the hair. Decades ago, highlights were applied by first placing a plastic cap with tiny holes spaced evenly across it on the client’s head and then using a metal tool to pull tiny sections of hair through the cap. Now, there is a greater art to the application, with colorists choosing the spacing and which sections to lighten by ‘weaving’ strips of hair to separate them from the rest of the hair and laying those strips on foils before then applying the lightening agent to lift the hair color.

Highlights can be applied in different ways, and colorists categorize highlights with various terms including full highlights, partial highlights, dimensional highlights, babylights, and teezy lights. A full highlight means lightening hair all over the head, while a partial means just doing the front or top portion of the hair while leaving the back alone. Both the application process and someone’s individual preference dictates how long highlights ‘last’ between appointments. Do you want bright color with no roots, or are you ok with a more ‘lived in ‘ look?

What Are Babylights?

“Babylights are an application style within the method of highlighting,” Korman tells us. They're super-fine highlights that offer the most natural brightening effect to the hair. “Babylights are a more modern way of highlighting hair, and the rule for applying them is that it’s such a thin section of hair that you can read the newspaper through it,” says Korman.

According to Corbett, the term came into fashion around 2008 as trends began shifting away from the heavy, chunky highlights of the ‘90s and early aughts. “Babylights give you a subtle melt of light hair that creates an all-over brightness,” he says. Thus, babylights offer lightened hair color without ‘stripes’ or obvious sections of lighter pieces.

Babylights are applied with foils, the same way that highlights are applied, just with smaller pieces of hair in each section being lightened. They are also often focused around the hairline, natural part, and even toward the ends of the hair to achieve a natural final look.

Benefits of Highlights

Highlights are used to create dimension and movement to any hair color. They offer a pronounced contrast between darker (often your natural hair color) and lighter hair, and are often a very noticeable change.

“When I’m looking for something more prominent and want the section to stand out, I highlight,” says Corbett. “Highlights can add drama and interest by accentuating the layers of your haircut.”

When applied to curly hair, highlights can make specific curls pop, and highlights are also strategically placed in the hair to accentuate certain facial features, i.e. make your cheekbones pop. Highlights are also used to cover up gray hair.  

Benefits of Babylights

Babylights are used to fully brighten up the hair without having to bleach it to a solid blonde all over. By leaving some of the base hair color in between the lightened strands you achieve a more natural color as there is more dimension, and it also offers an easier regrowth process as you don’t have a solid line of ‘outgrowth’ from the root. That dimension also helps add depth and even the illusion of thickness.

“Babylights can give fine hair the appearance of looking thicker due to the dimension it creates,” says Corbett. Korman reiterates that basically all highlights applied on fine hair are, in fact, babylights.

How to Choose Between Highlights vs. Babylights

If you want to recreate the look of a child’s hair lightening up in the summer because of all the time they spend in the sun, you’re probably in the market for babylights. The same goes for people who prefer a more low-maintenance hair color. If you like to squeeze more time in between your hair color appointments, babylights are also likely the right choice as the regrowth isn’t as dramatic since the sections of hair are smaller.

If you are looking for a more dramatic look, you’re probably after highlights. “I was taught the phrase, ‘Do you want to whisper, talk, or shout?’” reflects Corbett on determining what people want from their hair color. Babylights definitely don’t shout, and highlights could never whisper.

How to Maintain Highlights and Babylights

Since babylights involve tinier sections of hair being lightened, it’s not as notable as they grow out, which means, yes, by default, babylights are less maintenance than thicker highlights. However, any lightened hair requires the same type of at-home care to properly maintain its health and integrity. Hair that has been bleached should be treated gently, as bleach makes hair more fragile and brittle.

Don’t wash your hair daily, and when you do, use shampoo and conditioner intended for color-treated hair like Biolage Color Last Shampoo and Conditioner. Purple shampoo like Kristin Ess The One Purple Shampoo is a great option for toning any brassiness out of blonde hair.

It’s also important to use a hair masque or deep conditioner at least once a week, and Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask gives you professional-level hydration at home. Shaz & Kiks Nourishing Naram Conditioner is a deeply hydrating everyday conditioner for when your hair is feeling dry. And always use a heat protectant before you style your hair with any hot tools. Kenra Professional Platinum Blow-Dry Spray is easy to use and helps cut down on blow dry time while also protecting your highlighted hair from heat. Sleeping on silk pillowcases and running a humidifier when you sleep in colder months are also excellent ways to take care of color-treated hair.

“You have to take care of your investment if you want it to look good,” says Corbett. “If you buy an expensive cashmere sweater, would you throw it in the washing machine with dish soap?”