DIY Highlights: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pulling Hair Through a Highlighting Cap

Achieving salon-worthy highlights at home can be incredibly rewarding, not to mention a significant cost-saver. While many shy away from the process, fearing it’s too complicated, pulling hair through a highlighting cap is a very manageable method for DIY enthusiasts. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each step, providing detailed instructions and tips to ensure you achieve beautiful, natural-looking highlights without leaving your bathroom. Remember, patience is key! The first time might seem a little daunting, but with practice, you’ll become a pro.

Understanding the Highlighting Cap Method

Before diving in, it’s important to understand why a highlighting cap is a popular choice for DIY highlighting. This method is particularly good for:

• Even Distribution: The cap helps you achieve evenly spaced highlights, preventing clumped or patchy results.
• Precision: You can control exactly where the highlights are placed, targeting specific areas around your face or hairline.
• Beginner-Friendly: It’s easier to manage than freehand techniques, making it a great option for beginners.
• Root Control: The cap keeps the bleach away from your scalp, minimizing direct contact and potential irritation.

Before You Begin: Preparation is Key

Proper preparation is crucial for a successful highlighting session. Here’s what you need to do:

Gather Your Supplies

Before you even think about touching your hair, make sure you have everything you need within easy reach. This will prevent frantic searching mid-process and ensure a smoother experience. Here’s a checklist:

• Highlighting Cap: Choose a good quality cap that fits snugly on your head. It should have small, pre-punched holes. Some caps are reusable, while others are disposable. If you’re prone to hair pulling, a silicone or rubber cap may be more forgiving.
• Hair Highlighting Kit: This should include bleach powder, developer, a mixing bowl, a brush or applicator, and gloves. Select a developer volume based on your hair color and desired lift. Lower volumes (10 or 20) are gentler and create subtle highlights, while higher volumes (30 or 40) lift more dramatically, but can be more damaging. Choose wisely!
• Crochet Hook or Highlighting Needle: This is used to pull the hair through the holes in the cap. A thin crochet hook works well, or you can use a special highlighting needle.
• Old Towel: Drape an old towel around your shoulders to protect your clothes.
• Hair Clips: To keep any stray hairs out of the way.
• Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly: To apply around your hairline to prevent bleach staining.
• Timer: To track the processing time.
• Shampoo and Conditioner (Color-Safe): For washing out the bleach.
• Toner (Optional): To neutralize any brassy tones in your highlights.

Do a Strand Test

This is perhaps the most crucial step and should NEVER be skipped. A strand test allows you to gauge how your hair will react to the bleach and determines the correct processing time. To do a strand test:

1. Select a small, inconspicuous section of hair (e.g., at the nape of your neck).
2. Mix a small amount of the bleach according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Apply the bleach mixture to the selected strand.
4. Check the strand every 5-10 minutes, observing how quickly the color lightens.
5. Rinse out the bleach when you achieve the desired level of lightness or after a maximum of 45 minutes.
6. Assess the results – is the color right? Is your hair feeling brittle or damaged? If everything looks good, proceed to the next step. If there are issues, adjust your developer volume or processing time accordingly.

Prepare Your Hair

Start with clean, dry hair. Avoid washing your hair for 24-48 hours before highlighting to allow your natural oils to protect your scalp. Do not apply any hair products like hairspray or gels on the day of highlighting as this can hinder the processing and outcome of your hair highlights.

Step-by-Step Guide to Pulling Hair Through the Highlighting Cap

Now that you’re fully prepared, let’s get down to the business of pulling your hair through the cap. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Step 1: Put On the Highlighting Cap

Gently place the highlighting cap over your head, ensuring it fits snugly without being too tight or too loose. Align the cap so the pre-punched holes are evenly positioned around your hairline and crown. Secure any loose hairs around the edge of the cap with hair clips or pins to avoid accidentally pulling them through the holes. If the cap has a strap, secure it to keep the cap in place throughout the process.

Step 2: Start Pulling Hair Through the Holes

This is where the patience comes in! Begin by holding your crochet hook or highlighting needle at a 45-degree angle towards the hole of the highlighting cap. With slow and gentle strokes, use the hook/needle to poke through one of the holes, grabbing a small, thin section of hair. Gently pull the hair completely through the hole, avoiding jerking or yanking. The hair should come through the hole evenly and without creating a knot or fray. If you are struggling to pull the hair through, try using a slightly finer hook or needle. If the hole is too small, you could accidentally tear the cap, which could be problematic. Take your time, working your way around the cap systematically. Start from the front, around your face, and work your way back. Pay special attention to the face-framing pieces, as they often have the biggest impact on the overall look. Work your way systematically across each hole to ensure you have equal amounts of hair being pulled through.

Tips for Pulling Hair:

• Small Sections: Don’t try to pull too much hair through each hole. Small, thin sections create more natural-looking highlights. If the sections are too thick, the highlights will look like chunky stripes, which may not be your desired effect.
• Consistent Spacing: Try to maintain even spacing between the highlighted strands. Don’t focus too much on one area of the cap; try to distribute the highlights all around your head.
• Gentle Hands: Be patient and gentle. Jerking or pulling too hard can damage your hair and irritate your scalp. Remember to avoid pulling too hard or jerking when pulling the hair through each hole, to prevent breakage and unnecessary discomfort.
• Use Your Fingers: If you’re struggling to pull the hair through with the hook, try using your fingers to gently guide the strands. If you are experiencing a lot of resistance, ensure that the hair is not knotted, as this will make it harder to pull the strand through each hole.

Step 3: Double Check Your Work

Before you start mixing the bleach, take a minute to double-check that you’ve pulled through all the desired strands. Look at yourself in the mirror and see if you missed any spots or if there are any areas that need more highlights. Double check the cap to ensure that the hair is coming through evenly and that there are no knots or clumps. Make the necessary changes before applying any product. Adjust as needed.

Step 4: Prepare the Bleach Mixture

Now it’s time to mix the bleach. Follow the instructions that come with your kit. Usually, this involves mixing the bleach powder and the developer in a non-metallic bowl using the applicator brush. Make sure to use the right ratio of bleach powder and developer as advised. The mixture should have a creamy, yogurt-like consistency. If it’s too thick, it won’t spread evenly; if it’s too thin, it will run. Work in a well-ventilated area, ideally near an open window or using a fan to avoid inhaling harmful fumes from the chemicals.

Step 5: Apply the Bleach

Put on your gloves. Using the applicator brush, start applying the bleach to the exposed hair, ensuring that every strand is thoroughly covered from root to tip. Work systematically around the cap, making sure every exposed piece is coated completely with the bleach. If the consistency of your mixture is too thin, it may start to drip, so ensure you are working in a well-ventilated space and that you have a towel around your shoulders to avoid bleach getting on your clothes. Avoid getting the mixture on the cap or on your scalp, as this could cause irritation and burning. Remember to move quickly once the bleach has been mixed, as the process starts straight away.

Step 6: Process the Bleach

This is where the timer comes in handy! Check the instructions in your highlighting kit for the recommended processing time. Don’t exceed the recommended maximum processing time. It is better to process for a shorter period, then check on the progress, than to process for too long and risk damaging your hair. Depending on the developer volume you are using and the desired result, the processing time can range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes, generally. Check your strand test to get a better understanding of how long you need to process. Monitor your hair carefully throughout the processing time, as some sections may lift more quickly than others. If you notice the color has lifted to your desired level before the recommended processing time, go ahead and rinse out the bleach to avoid overprocessing and damage.

Step 7: Rinse Out the Bleach

Once the processing time is complete, take the highlighting cap off and thoroughly rinse your hair with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Make sure that there is no bleach left, as this could cause further damage. It is recommended that you use a clarifying shampoo to ensure that the bleach has been completely rinsed out of your hair. Be very gentle when rinsing, as the hair may be more prone to breakage. At this point, if you want to get rid of any brassiness, use a toner and follow the instructions on the bottle.

Step 8: Shampoo and Condition

After rinsing out the bleach, wash your hair with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. This helps to close the hair cuticles and prevent damage. Gently massage the shampoo into your scalp and roots, and then rinse it out well. Then, apply a generous amount of conditioner to your hair, focusing on the ends, which are most prone to damage. Let the conditioner sit for a few minutes, then rinse it out with cool water. The cool water helps to seal the cuticle and leaves the hair feeling shiny.

Step 9: Style and Admire

Gently towel-dry your hair and let it air dry, or use a hair dryer on a low heat setting. Style your hair as usual and enjoy your new, beautifully highlighted hair. Avoid heat styling for a few days after highlighting to minimize further damage. Apply a hair serum or oil to add extra moisture and protection.

Post-Highlighting Care

Maintaining your highlights is just as important as the highlighting process itself. Here are some tips for post-highlighting care:

• Use Color-Safe Products: Switch to shampoos and conditioners specifically formulated for color-treated hair. These are gentler and will help prevent your highlights from fading or turning brassy.
• Avoid Excessive Heat Styling: Heat can dry out your hair and cause color to fade more quickly. Try to limit your use of heat styling tools and use a heat protectant spray whenever you do.
• Deep Condition Regularly: Treat your hair to a deep conditioning treatment once or twice a week to keep it hydrated and healthy. Damaged or over-processed hair will be more prone to breakage.
• Avoid Direct Sunlight: Prolonged exposure to the sun can fade your highlights. Wear a hat or use hair products with UV protection when spending time outdoors.
• Touch Up Roots as Needed: If your roots start to show, you can repeat the highlighting process on just your roots. Be sure to only apply bleach to the new growth to avoid overprocessing your previously highlighted hair.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful planning, things can sometimes go wrong. Here are some common issues and how to address them:

• Uneven Highlights: If your highlights are patchy, you may need to go over them again, but this time, focus on the areas where the highlights did not take well the first time around. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully to avoid further damage.
• Brassy Tones: If your highlights are looking brassy, use a toner to neutralize the yellow or orange tones.
• Damaged Hair: If your hair feels dry, brittle, or damaged, reduce your heat styling, deep condition regularly, and use leave-in conditioners.
• Bleach Stains on Skin: Apply Vaseline to your hairline before you start to prevent bleach from staining your skin. If any bleach gets on your skin, rinse it off immediately with water and a mild soap.

Final Thoughts

Pulling hair through a highlighting cap might seem like a daunting task initially, but with careful planning, preparation, and patience, you can achieve beautiful, salon-worthy highlights at home. Remember to follow the steps carefully, prioritize hair health, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Practice will make perfect! Enjoy your new look!