Global Hair Color vs Highlights: What’s best for your hair?

Here’s everything you need to know before you get your hair makeover. 

If you’ve been looking for a reason to change your hairdo – not that you need one – now would be a good time. With festive discounts at your favourite salons and spas, consider a head-turning (pun intended) global hair colour or highlights. The best part? We’ve listed the pros and cons for you to decide. Let’s begin by answering some basic questions about each of these treatments. 

What is a global hair colour?

A simple Google search for ‘global hair colour meaning’ will tell you that the technique involves colouring your hair in a single hue from root to tip. You could pick from several global hair colour shades to suit your skin tone and preference. People usually opt for a global hair colour to cover up greys, switch from a previous hair colour, or get a uniform base for further colour application. It’s a reasonably straightforward treatment but could take 2-3 hours to complete, so ensure you plan your schedule for the day accordingly before making an appointment.  

Does global hair colour damage hair? 

Colour-treated hair tends to be drier and is a common side effect – nothing a religious post-care routine can’t resolve. The key is to be consistent and keep your hair hydrated and moisturised by choosing the right colour care products. You could also fix regular appointments with your hairstylist for touch-up sessions. Your original hair colour will grow from your roots, and touch-ups will refresh your global hair colour when required. 

How long does global hair colour last?

This largely depends on your hair length, hair type, and hair growth rate. It also depends on how well you maintain your mane after the treatment. You might need regular touch-up sessions if you have a global hair colour to cover your greys. Permanent global hair colour shades are best suited for this purpose since they last longer than temporary ones and don’t wash off or fade. Depending on your hair growth, permanent colours must be reapplied every 4-8 weeks. 

What are hair highlights? 

Hair highlights are for you if you’d instead not colour your hair entirely and leave some natural shade to merge with added hue. In this technique, colour is woven through your hair using a lightener to lift the brightness level of your strands. You could often confuse a global hair colour with highlights since they are applied finely to a clump of your hair, making it look thicker and shiny. 

Can highlights damage hair?

While highlights look great and give your tresses that lustrous sheen, they shouldn’t be done too frequently; if you get highlights too often, you might cause more damage than you think. It would be best to allow your natural hair to grow out and recover from the chemicals. Hence, giving your hair a break between colouring sessions is essential to keep it strong and healthy. 

How long do hair highlights last?

One good thing about hair highlights is that you don’t need to visit the salon regularly for touch-ups. A single session lasts about three months, depending on your highlight, such as balayage, ombré, baby highlights, chunky highlights, etc. While a global hair colour can be done at home, it’s best to get highlights done by a professional. They are also more expensive, so you might not want to invest in touch-ups each time. 

What is the difference between global hair colour and highlights?

While you could easily mistake a highlight for global hair colour, the vital difference is its application. Highlights only partially colour your hair by enhancing it with tones, while you would go all in with a global hair colour. 

Global hair colour vs highlights: Which should you opt for? 

While price is an essential factor to consider while picking between the two – global hair colour being more affordable than hair highlights – you also need to consider what it does to your hair. Highlights contain more chemicals since most of its formulas use bleach and hence take longer to apply. This also tends to dry out your hair, causing further damage. This brings us to the question you’re wondering:

Is global hair colour better than highlights?

Besides being less expensive and time-consuming than highlights, an advantage of global hair colour is that it doesn’t necessarily use bleach or harsh chemicals that could damage your hair. Post-care is also reasonably straightforward, with effective results if followed regularly. The treatment can be done by yourself, a professional at home, or a trusted salon. Another great thing about global hair colour is that it can cover an unpleasant highlight job. 

Global hair colour has everything you’re looking for: it lets you change your look by offering a plethora of global hair colour shades, uplifts your mane with added shine, and boosts your confidence. While highlights give your hair subtle tones, a global hair colour has the power to change your look entirely! 

You can book an appointment if you’re considering a global hair colour treatment.