What This Service Includes

  • Custom Foil Placement

    Strategic foiling to brighten where it counts. Full head, half head, or partial.

  • Lift to Your Tone

    We control the brightness so the result is bright without losing dimension.

  • Toning Pass

    Final toner to lock in the exact shade: cool, warm, or neutral.

  • Finish

    Blow-dry styling so you walk out seeing the cut and color the way they live together.

What to Expect

  • 1. Consult

    Full head, half head, or partial? Brightness level, tone direction, maintenance cadence. We plan it together.

  • 2. Foil Placement

    Strategic, calculated foils. Not just throughout, but placed where they will brighten your face shape.

  • 3. Process + Tone

    Timed processing, then a custom toner to land the exact shade.

  • 4. Finish

    Blow-dry plus an honest at-home plan to make the brightness last.

Who at Cut Above does this service

Julie Blaszczyk, Jen. Meet the team to choose your stylist.

Blonde balayage by Julie at Cut Above Salon in Middletown, NY

What happens between the first foil and the blow-dry?

We start with your hair dry. Your colorist looks at your natural base, any old color left on the ends, and how your part falls. That decides where the brightest pieces land.

  1. We section the hair and weave or slice thin pieces into foils. Fine weaves blend softly. Thicker slices read as bolder ribbons of light.
  2. On a cap service, we pull small strands through a perforated cap instead of foiling. It works well on shorter hair and for an even, all-over brightness.
  3. Lightener processes inside the foils. We open a few along the way to check the lift before anything gets rinsed.
  4. At the bowl, foils come out section by section, then toner goes on.
  5. The blow-dry shows you how the placement sits with your part and your cut.

What do the weeks after highlights look like?

Expect tone to shift before anything else. Lightened hair is more porous than the rest of your hair, so it lets go of toner faster, and warmth shows first in the brightest pieces. Regrowth shows more on a full head than a half head, since every section has a line at the root. Wash in cool water and keep hot tools on a lower setting with a heat protectant. Before a swim, wet your hair with clean water so it soaks up less chlorine. If your hair feels gummy or stretchy when it's wet, call us before your next foil visit. We'll plan a strengthening treatment first.

Julie's approach to foil highlights

Julie is the colorist behind the luminous blondes at Cut Above. She works lift in stages instead of pushing it all at once. She checks tone closely while your hair processes, and she uses a bond builder when the formula calls for it. Her menu covers Full Head Foil, Half Head Foil and Highlighting with Cap. For current foil work, browse our Instagram.

Page updated October 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Full head, half head, or partial: what is the difference?

Full head highlights all of your hair (max brightness, more maintenance). Half head brightens through the top and sides (most popular for blondes). Partial covers the most visible areas around the face (lowest maintenance).

How often should I get highlights?

Full head every 8 to 12 weeks. Half head every 10 to 14 weeks. Partial can stretch to 14 to 16 weeks. A gloss in between extends each session.

Can I go significantly lighter in one visit?

Often yes, but going more than 2 to 3 levels lighter usually takes 2 sessions for the healthiest result. Julie specializes in planning these journeys.

Highlights vs balayage?

Highlights use foils and lift to a brighter, more uniform finish. Balayage is hand-painted and softer. Many guests do both: balayage with a few foils near the face for extra pop.

Are highlights damaging?

Lift involves lightener. We use Aveda formulas and add a bond builder when needed. Hair health is part of the consult.

How do I keep highlights looking fresh?

Cool-toned shampoo to fight brass, weekly treatment, gloss refresh between visits. We will set you up with the exact at-home routine.

Ready to Book?

Live availability for every service. Two clicks to a confirmed appointment.

Current pricing for Highlights is on our Service Menu.

Looking for related services? See our full Hair Color page or browse the complete service menu.

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