How To Do Chunky Highlights at Home

In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, traditional blended highlights took a backseat to a much bolder hair color trend: chunky highlights. As the name suggests, this trend involved painting thicker streaks into the hair to create a high-contrast look. Twenty-something years later, and chunky highlights are back (and, in our opinion, better than ever). Ahead, we’re breaking down the nostalgic trend and sharing tips on how to get the statement look at home.

What Are Chunky Highlights?

The term “chunky highlights” refers to a highlighting technique that involves lightening thicker sections of hair than traditional highlights. The goal is to create a piecey look with a stark, noticeable contrast between your base color and your highlights. Chunky highlights can either be applied all over or focused on your face-framing strands (in which case, they’re usually referred to as money pieces). If you’re struggling to decide between blended highlights vs. chunky highlights, consider your end goal. The former will create a more natural, sun-kissed look, while the latter will be bold and high-contrast.

How To Do Chunky Highlights at Home

While you can hit the salon to achieve this trendy look, it’s not necessary—with the right tools and technique, you can DIY it, too. If you’re up for the challenge, here’s how to highlight your hair at home.

Step 1: Select a highlighting kit

Before you begin highlighting your hair, you’ll need to pick up a hair bleach or highlighting kit to lighten your strands. We’re fond of the L’Oréal Paris Féria Hyper Platinum Advanced Lightening System Bleach, which can lighten your hair up to eight levels. To mix and apply your bleach, you’ll want to grab a plastic mixing bowl, a small brush, and aluminum foil—the latter will help ensure a precise, targeted application when you begin lightening your hair. If you’d rather skip the mixing and hand-painting, you can also pick up a highlighting kit. The L’Oréal Paris Colorista At-Home Hair Bleach and Lightener is our top pick, as it comes with nearly everything you’ll need to create chunky highlights, including bleach, developer, lightening cream, and an easy-to-use application brush for evenly-spaced highlights.

Step 2: Prep your work area

Next, don an old T-shirt—one you don’t mind getting bleach stains on—or cover your shoulders with a white towel. Then, apply petroleum jelly to your hairline, ears, and the back of your neck to create a barrier and prevent the bleach from touching your skin. We recommend doing your highlights in the bathroom in front of the mirror for the best results. If there’s anything in the vicinity that you wouldn’t want to get splattered with bleach stains, move it—mistakes happen, even to skilled colorists.

Step 3: Section your hair

Once you’ve prepped your workstation and selected your bleach, you can begin sectioning your hair. For all-over chunky highlights, we recommend dividing your hair into four equal sections, then sectioning out half-inch strands of hair, starting from the underside of each section and working your way to the top. We suggest securing each section with a small clip to help keep it separated from the hair you don’t want to lighten. If you want to experiment with money pieces, tie most of your hair back and section out an inch-thick section on either side of your face.

Keep in mind that if sectioning your hair seems intimidating, you can also use a highlighting cap to make the work easier. Just be sure to select a highlighting cap designed for chunky highlights rather than one for thinner streaks.

Step 4: Apply bleach

From here, you can begin applying bleach to the strands of hair you want to highlight. Mix up the formula as instructed in the directions of your chosen bleach, then begin painting the formula onto your strands. We suggest starting at the mid-strand and working your way to the ends before applying the bleach close to your scalp. Once the strand is fully saturated, wrap it in aluminum foil and move on to the next streak. Continue this process until you’ve applied all of your highlights, then sit back and let the color process. The exact time you’ll need to wait depends on the bleach you’re using—again, refer to the package instructions for accurate guidelines.

Step 5: Rinse and condition

Once your timer goes off, hop in the shower and rinse your hair thoroughly to remove the bleach. Then, apply the post-bleach conditioner included in your kit to help replenish and hydrate your hair. If your highlights appear brassy—which can happen after lightening dark hair—you can also use a toner, like the L’Oréal Paris Féria Power Toner Long-Lasting Anti-Brass Toner, to help minimize unwanted warmth.

6 Chunky Highlight Ideas To Try

If you’re ready to take chunky highlights for a spin, we’ve pulled together six popular color options worth trying.

1. Blonde-on-blonde chunky highlights

Pairing a dark, dirty blonde base with honey blonde highlights is a great way to experiment with the chunky highlight trend. To get the look, follow the instructions above or have your colorist place thick highlights around your crown for a striking tonal look. If you’re aiming to keep your highlights on the cooler side, be sure to add a purple shampoo and conditioner into your routine once per week to keep brassiness at bay. We love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Purple Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Purple Conditioner.

2. Dark hair with chunky highlights

This subtle take on chunky highlights is ideal for any brunettes who want to try the trend but don’t want to steer too far outside of their comfort zone (or lighten their hair too much). With chocolatey brown highlights, you’ll still get dramatic definition but with a more subtle contrast between your base color and highlights. To get the look, you’ll need to highlight your hair, then apply a chocolate brown hair dye to the highlighted strands. Or, embrace a calico hair look by mixing chocolate brown with other similar hues, such as auburn brown and ash brown.

3. Face-framing chunky highlights

Face-framing highlights, or money pieces, are a great way to experiment with the chunky highlights hair trend without committing to a full-head bleaching session. Lightening only the strands around your face creates a unique and attention-grabbing look—and it takes far less time to execute than full head highlights.

4. Dark red chunky highlights

Pair brown hair with bold chunky highlights in the crimson, burgundy, or auburn family for a warm look that stands out. As with chocolate brown chunky highlights, this look requires both bleaching and coloring your hair. Double processing can be damaging (even if done by a pro), so if you opt to embrace this look, we suggest updating your routine with reparative products. The L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Shampoo and coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner are excellent picks for those with damaged, color-treated strands.

5. Ash brown chunky highlights

Those with a cool-toned base will find that chunky ash brown highlights are the perfect match for their strands. We also love them mixed throughout neutral-toned brunette hair for dimension and a touch of coolness. If you find your ash brown highlights turning brassy, reach for a blue (rather) than purple shampoo—these pigmented picks are designed specifically for use on brown hair.

6. Chunky copper highlights

Metallic shades will always be a favorite of ours, and chunky copper highlights are a wearable take on the trend. Opt for a bright copper for a bold and striking look, or try a softer strawberry blonde hue for a subtler (but very ‘90s) feel.

Next Up: How To Balayage Your Hair at Home

Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris