Quick Answer
A money piece is a set of bright highlights placed right around your face, usually the first one or two inches from your part. It lights up your skin and eyes without coloring your whole head. You can wear it soft and blended or bold and chunky.
I placed my first money piece in beauty school in the 90s, long before anyone called it that. Back then it was the Y2K chunky stripe, the Kelly Clarkson or Christina Aguilera look: dramatic blonde, black and red stripes right down the front. Everybody wanted to make a bold statement. It hit Southern California first, and the rest of the country caught up by the early 2000s.
It is still one of the most requested services I see. Here is everything you need to know: the best looks for your hair color, what it costs, how long it lasts, and exactly how stylists place it.
Why is it called a money piece?
You will hear a few theories. It makes you look like a million bucks. It frames your money maker (your face). My honest answer as a stylist? It takes very few foils and very little product, it makes a huge impact, and clients come back every 6 to 8 weeks to keep it fresh. That is money for everyone. Cha-ching. 🎉
Some people call it the “million dollar piece.” Same thing, new name. Trends come back around and get renamed all the time.
Money piece vs face framing highlights vs balayage
| Money piece | Face framing highlights | Balayage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Front hairline only | Front pieces, blended back | All over, painted |
| Contrast | Medium to high | Soft to medium | Soft |
| Best for | Instant brightness with low commitment | A softer, natural glow | Full dimension |
| Upkeep | Every 6 to 8 weeks | Every 8 to 12 weeks | Every 12+ weeks |
A lot of the best results combine them: balayage or highlights all over, with a brighter money piece up front.
The best money piece looks
Subtle money piece
Thin, blended pieces one to two shades lighter than your base. Perfect if you want brightness that grows out softly.
Bold or chunky money piece
Thick, high-contrast blonde right at the front. Very Y2K and very eye-catching. Love this look? See more chunky highlights.
Money piece on brunette hair
Caramel, honey or golden blonde against brown is the most flattering look for most skin tones.
Money piece on dark or black hair
Very dark hair can lift beautifully, but it may take more than one appointment to get to a clean blonde. Healthy hair first. See face framing highlights for dark hair Start with the best bleach for dark hair and see a real black to blonde transformation.
Money piece on blonde hair
A brighter, cooler blonde at the front adds pop to an all-over blonde that has gone flat. A tip out is the secret to a seamless blonde money piece.
Money piece for a side part
The placement shifts to follow your part so the bright piece sits where your hair actually falls.
Money piece on curly hair
Placed on the curl pattern, not on a straight section, so it looks right when your hair is worn natural. See how I place balayage on curly hair.
Pink and fashion color money pieces
Pastel pink, copper or lavender up front is a fun, low-risk way to try color. Get my blush pink formula More ideas: pink peekaboo highlights and copper face framing highlights.
Gray blending money piece
Silver and pearl tones up front soften the grow-out and make gray look intentional instead of accidental. See my favorite color for blending gray
Will a money piece suit me?
Almost always, yes. The key is matching the brightness and thickness to you:
- Fair or cool skin: soft beige or pearl blondes.
- Warm or olive skin: honey, caramel and golden tones.
- Deep skin: rich caramel, copper or bronze shades glow beautifully.
- Low maintenance lifestyle: go subtle and blended so the grow-out is soft.
From my chair: my hot take
A money piece works for everybody. All highlight placement starts with the face frame, whether it is subtle, lived in or really bold. Everyone needs some form of a money piece. It is just a matter of which type fits the way you style your hair and the vibe you want to give off.
How much does a money piece cost?
Most salons price a money piece as a mini or partial highlight, or as an add-on to a color service. Price depends on your city, your stylist’s experience, and how much lightening your hair needs. Dark hair going very blonde usually costs more and may need a second visit.
Face framing highlights start at $350 at Manelli Studios. That includes the highlight, the toner and the styling.
How long does a money piece last?
The lightened hair stays light until it grows out. How often you come back depends on how bold you go. A really bold money piece can need a touch-up in as little as 6 weeks, while a more lived-in money piece can go about 12 weeks. The more contrast, the more maintenance. Plan on and a toner refresh if it starts to look brassy. Use a purple or blue shampoo once a week and heat protectant every time you style. Want less upkeep? Try low maintenance highlights.
How to ask your stylist for a money piece
- Bring 2 or 3 photos of money pieces you love, and one you don’t.
- Tell them how bright you want it and how often you will come back.
- Show them where you part your hair and how you usually wear it.
- Ask if your hair can reach that blonde in one visit.
From my chair: treat it like bangs
I treat a money piece like cutting bangs. You can always go shorter, but you can’t go longer. So I start a little more subtle than what I think my client wants, then we build bolder at the next visit. There is always room to go bolder. Going backwards from bold to subtle is much harder.
Can you do a money piece at home?
You can, but the front of your hair is the first thing everyone sees. Box bleach near your hairline is the fastest way to end up orange, patchy or breaking right where it shows most. If you want to try, watch my full tutorial first so you understand placement and toning. Watch the tutorial on YouTube
For stylists: how I place a money piece
This is the simplest way to start. Once you can do it clean, you can customize it for any client. New to placement? Start with my foil highlight placement guide and the Manelli Method.
- Find the part first. Dry the hair and let the client part it the way they actually wear it. Place for real life, not for the chair.
- Take a fine section along the hairline. Usually the first inch, two to three foils per side depending on density and how bold they want it.
- Saturate to the root. The money piece is all about a clean, bright start at the part. Weak saturation at the root is the number one reason it looks muddy.
- Feather the back edge. Blend it into the next foil so there is no hard stripe.
- Tone it to the face. Pick the tone for their skin, not just their hair.
Starting formula (adjust for the client):
- Lightener: your favorite lightener at 1:2 with 20 volume
- Toner: a neutral level 10 demi at 1:2 with 9 volume
Side parts: go heavier on the side the hair falls toward. Curly hair: place on dry, natural curls so you see where the brightness lands. Dark hair: be honest about how many sessions it takes. Lift slow and protect the integrity.
The fixes I see most (and the mistakes I made early on)
The money piece I fix most often is one the client never really wanted. There is nothing wrong with a thick money piece, but sometimes a client wants something more subtle. Listen to what she is actually asking for before you pick up a foil.
After that, it is almost always a hard line or the wrong placement. Hard lines come from skipping the shadow root, which can leave banding or bleeding at the part. Wrong placement usually means we forgot the little baby hairs around the temples. On naturally dark hair, those show up the second she pulls her hair back, and the last thing you want is a money piece that looks stripey in a ponytail. Customize to the hairline and highlight parallel to it.
From my chair: two mistakes I made early on
First, I followed head maps instead of my client’s actual hairline. Everybody’s hairline is different: widow’s peaks, deep recession at the temples, a straight across hairline. Use head maps as inspiration only. Second, I highlighted every tiny baby hair on my brunettes. Not every one needs to be bleached to oblivion. Now I highlight the longer hairs and pull the shorter ones out of the foil. It gives you a teasylight effect, keeps the root naturally rooted, and grows out seamlessly. Even when a client wants something bold and chunky, brushing out those tiny baby hairs is the more modern way to do it.
The full step-by-step, with placement diagrams and a dozen money piece variations, lives inside Hair B&B University.
Watch the full tutorial
Subscribe on YouTube for more color tutorials and product tests. youtube.com/mirellamanelli
Want to place a money piece that looks expensive every time? Download the free Hair B&B University app and get my Hairstylist Starter Kit, including placement lessons you can use behind the chair tomorrow.
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Ready to master every foil technique? Every foil placement I use in my chair, from a soft money piece to bold chunky highlights, lives inside Hair B&B University. You get the step-by-step tutorials, the placement and the effect each foil creates.
Sign up for Hair B&B University and start placing money pieces your clients rebook for. 🎉
Money piece FAQ
A money piece is a set of bright highlights placed around the face, usually along the front hairline. It brightens your face without coloring your whole head.
The lightened hair stays light until it grows out. A bold money piece needs a touch-up in about 6 weeks, and a lived-in one can go about 12 weeks, with a toner refresh as needed.
It can be low maintenance if it is soft and blended. A bold, high-contrast money piece shows regrowth faster.
Yes. Very dark or black hair may need two or more appointments to lift to a clean blonde without damage.
A money piece is brighter and sits right at the hairline. Face framing highlights are softer and blend further back.
Any lightener can, but a money piece uses very little product on a small area. A good stylist, the right developer and a bond builder keep it healthy.
Almost everyone can wear one. Choose the tone for your skin and the thickness for your lifestyle.
