High Lift Tints in Abingdon
If you are considering lightening your hair without bleach, you are looking for a product called a ‘high-lift tint’. High-lift tints offer a softer and gentler way of achieving a lighter colour without the need for bleach! But what exactly is a high lift tint, and how does it differ from bleach? In our daily blog we will cover questions around the use of high lift tints, whether it could be the right choice for your next colour service and we walk through the various pros and cons of high lift tints.
If you are considering something different, our highlights service page can help. Finally, if you’re new to the salon and not sure how to get the most value from your next appointment, need a consultation or would value a conversation before booking, call or send a WhatsApp message on 01235 534705
High Lift Tint FAQ’s
What do high lift tints do?
‘Normal’ hair colours won’t lighten hair and as Stylists we use hair colours (or tints as they are known) to change base or tone and this change is most commonly used to darken hair. High lift tints are still permanent colours however they are formulated to achieve a higher level of lift than standard hair dyes. High lift tints therefore lighten hair and are ‘stronger’ colours, but they aren’t designed to be used as a direct replacement for bleach nor do they offer a comparable result.
High lift tints are typically used to add lightness in a gentle way that offers a softer aesthetic than bleach will. It’s too worth noting that high lift tints are typically applied to natural virgin hair rather than coloured hair. If you want to lighten hair without bleach, here’s how.
How much can a high lift tint lighten hair?
It’s important to avoid misappropriating what high lift tints are and what they are not. We are often asked in-salon how much lift can be achieved through the application of a high lift tint. On average you can expect a high lift tint to lighten virgin hair by roughly three to four levels and this is typically dependent upon your starting colour (light or dark). If you intend to go lighter than four levels, you will need to use bleach. One of the key questions clients often ask is how much lift they can expect from a high lift tint. Case in point, if your natural hair is a medium brown, a high lift tint may take it to a dark or medium blonde with a single process.
It’s worth noting that your Stylist will need to sufficiently align your expectations. High lift tints are not a replacement for bleach nor will they achieve results that bleach will ultimately achieve and vice-versa. For example if you desire a very light result with significant contrast, bleach would represent a more appropriate choice. If you want to know how much highlights can lighten your hair, here’s a blog post.
What are the differences between high lift tints and bleach?
Very simply the two biggest differences between using bleach and high lift tints are the strength lightening The most obvious difference between high lift tints and bleach is the strength of lightening and the softness of colour. Fundamentally both products work in different ways with bleach removing pigment from the hair and being capable of lightening coloured or virgin hair whereas tints deposit colour only so whilst they offer a much softer and natural looking result, they won’t achieve a significantly lighter end result.
Why would you want to use a high lift tint?
Most commonly high lift tints are used on virgin hair either for a softer end result or because a client has strong preference for avoiding bleach altogether. In many cases, the desired end result often necessitates bleach or high lift tints respectively meaning that a high-lift tint shouldn’t be viewed as a direct replacement for bleach and vice versa. That being said there are several reasons why you would want to use a high lift tint to go lighter without the commitment of the bleaching process. From a visual perspective high lift tints offer soft end result and if you desire an understated and natural looking finish, high lift tints can offer a really effective finish. On the other hand if you are concerned by the use of bleach, some use of high lift tints are generally kinder to the hair and largely won’t compromise the condition of your hair.
Conclusion
While most clients opt for bleach when lightening hair, high lift tints are an alternative that offer a softer and gentler finish and whilst it offers a lighter finish, if you are considering something that is slightly lighter and offers soft dimension on natural hair it’s a natural look. While high lift tints don’t offer the same level of lift as bleach, they can still create beautiful results. If your motivation is for a gentler process, a more natural looking finish, or simply want to dip their toes into blonde without fully diving into bleach-based colour, it’s worth considering the impact of a high-lift tint.
If you are feeling lost in what could work best for you, leave it to us. Our consultations work through any question you might have, logistics and we too make recommendations based upon your lifestyle and hair type.
