Quick Answer
The Manelli Method is a foil highlight technique I created that uses a double zigzag parting, one zigzag at the top of the section and one at the bottom, plus a Dream Weaver comb through the mids and ends. It gives you a soft, diffused root that looks like teasylights with no backcombing, usually no shadow root, and a grow-out that stays pretty for four to six months.
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I have been behind the chair since 1999, and I created the Manelli Method because I got tired of watching stylists tease every single section just to get a lived-in root. I knew there had to be a faster, cleaner and gentler way to get the same result, so I built one.
Below I break down the whole technique: why I developed it, exactly how the double zigzag works, and which clients it is best for.
From my chair: where it started
The double zigzag was born in the middle of a color correction. When I correct color, my goal is to trick the eye and soften any bands or lines of demarcation. Pairing a double zigzag with an uneven weave did exactly that, and the Manelli Method grew from there. It is a lifesaver for corrections, but it is just as useful as an everyday foundational highlight, giving you that teasylight softness without teasing and a truly lived-in finish.
What are Manelli Method highlights?
Manelli Method highlights are built on a double zigzag parting, one zigzag at the top of the section and one at the bottom, with a Dream Weaver comb to weave the mids and ends before the foil goes in.
The result is what I call a broken zigzag: an uneven, diffused line of color at the root that looks like teasylights without any teasing. The color melts into the natural hair, so the root looks intentional without a shadow root. It grows out beautifully, it saves time in the chair, and it works on almost every client.
From my chair: why it works
The double zigzag does the job the tease used to do. Instead of backcombing to break up the root line, the parting itself creates an uneven edge, so there is no clean line for the eye to follow from natural hair into highlighted hair.
Why I created it: the problem with teasing
Clients love teasylights for the soft, dimensional, sun-kissed result. My issue was always the process.
Teasing is unpredictable
Two stylists with the same training will tease a section differently every time: how much they backcomb, how deep, how much hair gets caught. Even the same stylist teases differently at 9am than at 5pm when their hands are tired.
Teasing takes time
A full head of teasylights takes a lot longer than a standard foil service, because you add an extra step to every section. On a full highlight, that adds up fast.
Teasing is hard on the hair
Backcombing causes mechanical damage. For fine hair, fragile ends or hair that has already been colored, that is extra stress it cannot afford, especially right before lightener goes on.
So I asked myself what the tease was actually doing. It was breaking up the clean line where the foil starts, so the color soaked in unevenly at the root and looked naturally grown in. Once I understood that, I could get the same effect without the tease. That is where the double zigzag came from.
How it is different from a standard teasylight
With traditional teasylights, the parting is usually straight or a single zigzag, and all of the softness at the root comes from backcombing. With the Manelli Method, the softness comes from the shape of the parting, so there is no backcombing and no extra step.
| Traditional teasylights | Manelli Method | |
|---|---|---|
| Root softness comes from | Backcombing | The double zigzag parting |
| Steps per section | Part, tease, foil | Part, weave with the comb, foil |
| Consistency | Depends on the stylist’s hands | Very consistent |
| Stress on the hair | Higher | Lower |
| Time per section | Longer | Faster |
| Shadow root needed | Often | Rarely |
For a lot of clients, the Manelli Method gives an even better result than teasylights, because the softness at the root is more controlled and more consistent from section to section.
The double zigzag, step by step
1. Take your section as normal
Work in your usual horizontal sections, like any foil service. Section size depends on how dense you want the final result.
2. Zigzag the top
Part the top of the section with a zigzag instead of a straight line. Keep it subtle and a little uneven, not sharp peaks and valleys.
3. Zigzag the bottom
This is what makes the Manelli Method different. Part the bottom of the same section with a second zigzag. That creates the broken base of the highlight and the diffused root, with no teasing. The two zigzags do not need to match. The unevenness between them is what makes the root look natural.
From my chair: the most common mistake
The biggest mistake I see is partings that are too neat. The whole point of this technique is irregularity, so let your zigzags and weave be uneven on purpose. That imperfection is exactly what makes the finished result look natural.
4. Weave the mids and ends with a Dream Weaver comb
Before the foil goes in, use the Dream Weaver comb to pick up strands through the mids and ends. It is faster, more precise and more consistent than weaving by hand.
5. Foil as usual
Place your foil, apply your lightener and fold. From here, the service is the same as any foil highlight.
From my chair: that is it
Five steps, no teasing and no backcombing, and a root that grows out beautifully every time.
The Dream Weaver comb
The Dream Weaver comb is what makes this technique fast enough for a busy book. Without it, you would be hand weaving every section, which defeats the whole point.
It picks up hair evenly and quickly, so you get even color through the mids and ends to go with the broken root from the double zigzag. If you do not have one yet, get one. You will use it for almost every weave technique, not just this one.
When to use Manelli Method highlights
It works on almost every client, and it really shines for:
- Color corrections: banding, spots and DIY color respond beautifully to the uneven parting.
- Brunette to blonde: going from dark to light needs a natural root from the very first session.
- Lived-in, low-maintenance clients: if your client only comes in every four to six months, you need a technique that grows out gracefully.
- Clients who do not want a shadow root: the broken zigzag usually softens the root enough on its own.
- Fine or fragile hair: no backcombing means no extra stress. Pair it with a lightener that scores high for integrity on the Manelli Scale.
Who it is not right for
From my chair: not for everyone
This is not the technique for a client who wants bold, chunky contrast, or for someone who expects a completely seamless grow-out with no visible regrowth at all. The Manelli Method is made for clients who want soft, natural-looking dimension.
Want bold instead? See my guide to chunky highlights.
Why you do not need a shadow root
A shadow root fixes one problem: a hard line at the root that looks unnatural. The Manelli Method gets rid of that hard line in the parting itself. The top and bottom zigzags create an uneven edge, so the transition is already soft before any product goes on. That saves you time and saves your client money.
When a shadow root is still worth adding
You can still add a shadow root to a Manelli Method client when it is a creative choice, like a moody, high contrast root. Because you started with a clean double zigzag, you have full control over how deep and seamless that shadow is. Just know you are adding it on purpose, and price it that way.
What results to expect
When the Manelli Method is done right, you and your client should see:
- A soft, diffused root with no hard lines
- Dimension through the lengths from the Dream Weaver comb
- A lived-in, natural look from day one
- A grow-out that still looks good at four to six months
- Faster service times than teasylights
- The same result no matter which stylist in your salon does it
From my chair: how often they come back
Because this is a lived-in look, many of my clients go 4 to 6 months between appointments and still love their color, especially when I finish with a color melt toner. Clients who like it fresher can come back every 8 to 12 weeks. It really comes down to their preference.
What toner to use
You can pair the Manelli Method with a single toner shade, which keeps the service fast and easy. Or you can elevate it with a color melt toner if you are shadowing, gray blending or doing gray coverage.
Why the results stay consistent
Like any technique, your result depends on section size, developer, lightener and starting level. But the method itself is easy to repeat and easy to teach. The result does not depend on how hard someone teases, so two stylists using it will get nearly the same result, which makes it great for salons with a team.
Choosing a lightener for this technique? See how 50 lighteners scored on the Manelli Scale, my best bleach for dark hair ranking, and my bleach test on YouTube.
More on foil placement: 8 foil highlight techniques every stylist should know, my foil highlight placement guide and teasylights without the tease.
Ready to add the Manelli Method to your service menu? The full technique, with step-by-step tutorials and live application, lives inside Hair B&B University.
Sign up for Hair B&B University and start foiling without the tease. 🎉
Manelli Method FAQ
The Manelli Method is a foil highlight technique created by Mirella Manelli. It uses a double zigzag parting at the top and bottom of each section, plus a Dream Weaver comb through the mids and ends, to create soft, lived-in roots without teasing or backcombing.
No. Teasylights use backcombing to soften the root. The Manelli Method gets a similar look from the shape of the double zigzag parting, so it is faster, more consistent and gentler on the hair.
Usually not. The double zigzag softens the root enough that a separate shadow root is unnecessary in most cases. When you do add one, it is a creative choice rather than a fix.
A Dream Weaver comb, used to weave the mids and ends of each section before the foil goes in. It makes that step fast, precise and consistent.
Color correction clients, brunette to blonde transformations, lived-in and low-maintenance clients, and anyone with fine or fragile hair, since there is no backcombing.
A professional lightener with good viscosity and a high integrity score. Mirella has tested 50 lighteners and scored them on the Manelli Scale.
A single toner shade keeps the service fast and easy. To elevate it, use a color melt toner, especially if you are shadowing, gray blending or doing gray coverage.
The full technique is taught inside Hair B&B University at hairbnbuniversity.com, with step-by-step tutorials and live application.
cheers,
Mirella
Because it is a lived-in look, many clients go 4 to 6 months between appointments and it still looks good, especially with a color melt toner. You can also touch it up as often as every 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the client.
