How to Lighten Highlights That Are Too Dark?

Many agree that getting highlights can be the ultimate confidence booster. They add dimension, vibrancy, and that irresistible sunlit glow. But sometimes, they just don’t turn out quite right. If you’re staring at your reflection wondering how to lighten your existing highlights without compromising the health of your hair, you’re not alone. You have options, and there are effective ways to make your highlights look exactly how you envisioned them.

Let’s dive into how to fix not-quite-right highlights, and how you can confidently tweak your shade, keeping your hair soft, strong, and hydrated.

Why Are My Highlights Too Dark and How Do I Lighten Them? 

What if you were dreaming of beachy, golden ribbons but instead, ended up with a deep caramel shade? The first thing to know: don’t panic, and definitely don’t reach for bleach right away. There are a few things to learn about WHY your highlights might be darker than you expected.

First, it all comes down to the lightening process. When highlights are added to the hair, the lightener (usually bleach) has to work through any existing color that might be on the hair, as well as your natural hair color pigment. This means that only so much lift (or lightness) can occur in one sitting, especially when you are wanting to preserve the integrity of your hair as much as possible. For example, if you are going from dark brunette to blonde, it may often take more than one coloring session to get your hair as light as you’d ideally like it to be. This slow and steady approach to going lighter is actually a good thing and protects the health of your hair! It will also lead to a cleaner-looking blonde in the end (think less orange and brassy). 

Another reason why your highlights might look too dark is due to the toner used. After highlights are complete, a toner is applied to finish and refine the overall color of the highlights. If you are going for a very cool ash color, the finished result might look a little dark at first due to the cool pigment in the shade. If you wish to go a little brighter and lighter, you could try going for something warmer such as gold or beige tones which tend to reflect lighter than ash tones.  

So, how to lighten highlights that are too dark? If your highlights are too dark due to the latter scenario of your toner looking too dark - then you could use a gentle clarifying shampoo that will speed up the fade of excess toner and expose a potentially brighter highlight. You could also use Prime For Perfection to help shift out some of the overdeposit of a toner. 

On the other hand, if your highlights just simply aren’t light enough, we’d suggest skipping the DIY fixes and booking a salon appointment instead. Our expert colorists will help take you through a thorough consult and come up with a plan on how to best take your hair color lighter with a gentle approach.  

Rebalancing Without Damage

How to fix highlights that are too dark often comes down to patience and understanding what the starting base of your hair was prior to highlighting. Fading out a toner is a relatively easy, quick, and less invasive option, as long as you are ok with a warmer tone. 

If you want to take the highlights lighter altogether – this would be done by lifting them lighter than they already are, or adding more highlights. You could trying going the route of adding some soft balayage or delicate babylights to brighten your look without lightening all over again too soon. Over time, these methods build a more natural, glowing effect that feels effortless and fresh. To learn more on what babylights are, check out our article. 

Remember, the key is patience and subtlety. Rushing to fix dark highlights with harsh chemicals or over highlighting can lead to damage.

Caring for Lightened Highlights

Once you've lightened your highlights to the perfect shade, the real magic lies in maintaining that fresh-from-the-salon look. Lightened hair tends to be more delicate, so giving it a little extra love is essential for long-term shine and strength. 

Start with a sulfate-free, color-protecting shampoo and conditioner to ensure you gently cleanse while preserving the color and infusing your hair with nourishing ingredients like keratin and argan oil. Remember that hydration and strengthening is everything. Invest in a deep-conditioning or bond-building treatment to integrate into your hair care routine to help restore moisture and elasticity to the hair.

And don’t forget UV and thermal protection. Sun exposure can fade highlights quickly, turning warm tones brassy or cool tones flat. A leave-in protectant or serum shields your hair from both heat styling and the sun, so your highlights stay bright and beautiful longer.

To sum up: treat your lightened strands gently, minimize heat tools when possible, and always use a heat protectant if you do style. 

The Takeaway

If you’re wondering how to lighten highlights, the path forward doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The key is choosing the right approach for your specific hair type, shade, and style goals.

At Madison Reed, we believe everyone deserves hair color that reflects their individuality without compromise. With the right products and our experienced professionals, we’re here to help you achieve the highlight color you’ve always wanted, making you feel absolutely stunning.

Want to dive deeper into fixing your highlights at home? Be sure to read our article!