Chunky highlights are thick, bold stripes of color that stand out on purpose. Instead of hundreds of tiny blended pieces, you get fewer, wider sections with real contrast. Think the late 90s and early 2000s, but cleaner.
I was behind the chair in 1999 when every client wanted them. Red and black. Blonde and brown. Every color combo under the sun. Now they are back, and I am here for it. Here is how to wear chunky highlights so they look like 2026, not your middle school yearbook.
What are chunky highlights?
Chunky highlights are wide sections of lighter or brighter color placed through your hair. The sections are thicker than traditional highlights, so each stripe is easy to see. They can be blonde, caramel, red, or a fashion color like pink or blue.
The point is contrast. Babylights melt into your base. Chunky highlights show up and say hello.
90s chunky highlights vs modern chunky highlights
The trend is back, but the technique grew up. Here is what changed:
| 90s and Y2K | Modern (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Root | Hard line, bright right to the scalp | Soft root smudge or a slightly diffused start |
| Width | Very wide, evenly spaced “zebra” stripes | Wide, but placed where hair falls and moves |
| Placement | Same pattern all over the head | Heavier at the face and part, lighter in back |
| Tone | Brassy gold or stark platinum | Toned to the skin: honey, beige, copper, vivid |
| Grow-out | Harsh line by week 4 | Grows out softer, more time between visits |
The biggest change is placement. In the 90s we foiled a pattern. Now we foil the client: where they part, how they style, and where the light hits their face.
The best chunky highlight looks for your hair color
Chunky blonde highlights
The classic. Wide pieces of beige, buttery or platinum blonde with a soft root. Best on light brown to dark blonde hair, and the easiest look to keep modern.
Chunky highlights on brown hair
Caramel, honey and toffee stripes on brunette. Warm, rich and flattering on almost everyone. Ask for one to three levels lighter than your base if you want low upkeep.
Chunky highlights on black hair
Black hair can carry bold contrast beautifully, but lifting it takes time. Caramel or copper is a realistic first visit. Clean blonde may take two or more. Healthy hair first. See my guide to face framing highlights for dark hair for more.
Black and blonde chunky highlights
The high-contrast Y2K look. Very blonde stripes on a near-black base. Gorgeous, but it is the highest maintenance look on this list.
Red chunky highlights
Copper, cherry or auburn stripes on brown or black hair. My red-headed model in the video is giving full Ginger Spice and I love it. Red fades fastest, so plan on gloss refreshes.
Chunky highlights on red hair
Strawberry blonde or golden stripes on a copper base. A soft way to try the trend without going stark.
Pink and fashion color chunky highlights
Pink, lavender, blue or green. Lighten first, then deposit the color. Fun, bold, and a low-risk way to try a vivid. Love pink? Here is my blonde to pink formula.
Chunky highlights on curly hair
Placed on the curl pattern, on dry hair, so the color lands where your curls actually fall. Wide ribbons look amazing on curls. See how I place highlights on curly hair.
Chunky face-framing highlights
All the drama is up front. Two thick bright pieces at your part, and the rest of your hair stays natural. This is basically a bold money piece.
Are chunky highlights in style in 2026?
Yes. Chunky highlights are one of the biggest color comebacks right now, driven by Y2K fashion and a break from years of soft, blended balayage. The difference is that the 2026 version is placed with more intention, toned to the skin, and softened at the root so it grows out better.
Will chunky highlights suit me?
Almost anyone can wear them. The trick is matching contrast and width to your hair and your life:
- Fine hair: go medium width. Very thick stripes can make fine hair look see-through.
- Thick hair: go wide. Thick hair can hide skinny highlights.
- Low maintenance: stay one to three levels lighter than your base and ask for a root smudge.
- Love bold: go high contrast, but book touch-ups every 6 to 8 weeks.
- Not sure: start with chunky face-framing pieces only. All the impact, a fraction of the commitment.
How much do chunky highlights cost?
Most salons price chunky highlights as a partial or full highlight, depending on how many foils you need. Your price depends on your city, your stylist’s experience, your hair length, and how far your hair has to lift. Dark hair going very blonde often needs more than one visit, which adds to the total.
How long do chunky highlights last?
Lightened hair stays light until it grows out. You will usually want a touch-up every 6 to 10 weeks, depending on how much contrast you chose. A toner or gloss every 4 to 6 weeks keeps blonde from turning brassy and keeps red and vivids bright.
To keep them looking fresh:
- Wash with cool water and a color-safe shampoo.
- Use a purple or blue shampoo once a week on blonde.
- Use heat protectant every time you style.
- Book a bond treatment with your touch-up.
How to ask your stylist for chunky highlights
- Bring 2 or 3 photos you love, and one you don’t.
- Say “chunky” and point to how wide you want each piece. Everyone pictures something different.
- Tell them if you want a hard 90s root or a soft modern root.
- Show them your part and how you wear your hair most days.
- Ask if your hair can get to that color in one visit.
Can you do chunky highlights at home?
You can, but chunky highlights are the hardest highlight to hide a mistake in. Each stripe is wide and high contrast, so uneven lift, a hard band or a hot root shows right away. If you try it at home, keep the sections even, keep the bleach off your scalp, and watch my full tutorial first so you understand placement and toning. Choosing a lightener? Here is my best bleach for dark hair ranking.
How to fix bad chunky highlights
Chunky highlights gone wrong usually means stripes that are too even, too thick, too brassy, or a hard line at the root. Here is how a stylist fixes each:
| The problem | The fix |
|---|---|
| Stripes look like a zebra | Break them up with babylights or lowlights in between |
| Hard line at the root | A root smudge or shadow root to soften it |
| Brassy or orange | Tone with the right neutral or cool gloss |
| Too much blonde overall | Add lowlights to bring back depth |
| Patchy or uneven lift | A color correction, often over more than one visit |
Do not keep bleaching over damaged pieces to fix it. That is how hair breaks. Learn more about hair color correction.
For stylists: how I place chunky highlights
Chunky highlights look simple, and that is the trap. With fewer, wider foils, every placement decision shows. Here is how I keep them modern.
- Consult on width, with photos. Have the client point to the exact stripe width they want. “Chunky” means half an inch to one person and two inches to another.
- Find the part dry. Let them part it the way they wear it. Place for real life, not for the chair.
- Map it, don’t pattern it. Heavier and wider at the face and part, lighter and more spaced through the back. Skip the even zebra grid.
- Take clean, thick slices. Use a straight slice, not a weave, for that solid stripe. Keep your section depth consistent so every stripe matches.
- Soften the root. Start the lightener a touch off the scalp or plan a root smudge at the bowl. That is what makes it 2026 instead of 2002.
- Saturate fully. Thick sections need full saturation, or you get a stripe that is bright on top and muddy underneath.
- Tone to the face. Choose the tone for their skin, not just their hair.
Starting formula from the video (adjust for your client):
- Lightener: your favorite lightener at 1:2 with 20 volume
- Red base: equal parts level 6 copper and level 6 red-copper at 1:1 with 20 volume
- Toner: a level 8 to 10 golden demi at 1:2 with 9 volume
Dark hair: lift slow and protect the integrity. Caramel on the first visit is a win. Curly hair: place on dry, natural curls so you can see where the color lands. Fine hair: go medium width so the hair still looks full.
Want to sharpen your foiling? Start with my 8 foil highlight techniques and my guide to foil highlight placement.
I share every foil placement I use, including the full chunky highlight placement step by step, inside Hair B&B University.
Watch the full tutorial
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Want chunky highlights that look expensive, not dated? Join the Dean’s List inside Hair B&B University. I share every foil placement I use, including my chunky highlight placement, step by step. You also get 70+ video lessons on color and building your book, plus a live class with me every month. Join for the year and my Highlight Placement Blueprint is included. Join the Dean’s List
Chunky highlights FAQ
Chunky highlights are wide, bold sections of lighter or brighter color placed through the hair. They are thicker than traditional highlights, so each stripe stands out.
Yes. They are back with Y2K fashion, but the modern version has a softer root, smarter placement, and tones matched to the skin.
Regular highlights use thin, woven sections that blend. Chunky highlights use thicker slices for visible contrast.
The lightened hair stays light until it grows out. Most people touch them up every 6 to 10 weeks and refresh toner every 4 to 6 weeks.
High-contrast chunky highlights show regrowth fast. Keep them one to three levels lighter than your base with a soft root for lower upkeep.
Yes. Caramel or copper is realistic in one visit. Clean blonde on black hair often takes two or more appointments to stay healthy.
Break up the stripes with babylights or lowlights, soften the root, and tone out brass. Patchy lift needs a color correction from a professional.
Yes. Ask your stylist to place them on dry, natural curls so the color follows your curl pattern.
