40 Partial Balayage Ideas to Update Your Look in 2025

Partial balayage is a modern classic that has numerous variations. Whether you are thinking of subtle highlights or a bright contrast of hair strands, there sure is an ideal option for you. Keep reading for style tips, tricks, and ideas for a beautiful hair transformation!

What is it? Essentially, it is a freehand hair dyeing process that implies adding highlights to a certain part of the hair rather than all over the mane.

Take your time to go through these gorgeous styles below and pick the one that matches your personality best!

1. Face-Framing Candlelit Highlights. Fragmentary highlights on dark brown locks combined with a layered shape is a match made in heaven. Not only will your locks look textured, but they will also reveal your tender and dreamy nature.

2. Sandy Pieces on a Dark Base. Highlights in a sandy hue are reminiscent of the beautiful summer days you can feel every time you look in the mirror. This tender tone of blonde is aristocratic and chic!

3. Natural-Looking Caramel Glaze. This style clearly demonstrates the main difference between full and fragmentary highlights. Watch how the latter peek through the natural shade and create a natural sun-kissed effect instead of taking the spotlight.

4. Creative Placement. One of the greatest advantages of this style is that the right placement can create an amazing dimensional look and minimize hair damage from bleaching. Come up with an idea to create a custom look and enjoy the result!

5. Subtle Highlighted Brunette Style. Dark-haired ladies are often concerned about getting highlights of a contrasting hue. If that’s your case, worry not! A subtle face-framing is an ideal option for your mini-transformation!

6. Minimalist Highlights on Dark Hair. Want to rock a rich brown color with a twist? Steal this amazing espresso brown brightened up with the softest highlights we can only imagine. Although delivering little contrast, this color palette still boasts dimension and glow.

7. Blended Streaks. Modern streaks on brown work miracles in a messy style. It is a hot trend that makes your beauty look effortless and cool while adding volume and texture to your locks, regardless of their length.

8. Flirty Contrasting Blonde Highlights. Put yourself in a mood for romance by getting highlights in blonde hues. The bright wavy locks contrasting with a darker background look flirty and alluring, so you’ll always be the center of attention!

9. Bronzed Black Lob. The contrast of black and bronzed blonde is drool-worthy. Your hair color will look different depending on the light and the way you choose to style your locks – perfect for daily transformations!

10. Face-Framing Black Locks. Piece-y highlights on dark locks look especially stunning if the brighter strands are concentrated near the face. This style has the power to highlight your beauty and freshen up your overall look.

11. Shaggy Waves with Contouring. Going for an effortlessly stunning look? This styling solution has everything you’re searching for, from perfect ‘money piece’ highlights to quirky shaggy ends and irresistible waves.

12. Mid-Length Brown Hair with Splashes of Color. This cute bob with delicately thinned-out ends looks absolutely natural thanks to masterfully placed highlights that merge in the seamless color transition flowing to the bottom.

13. Сaramel Blonde Waves. Golden or ginger locks will sparkle with fresh colors if you add a bit of bright blonde to the scheme. The coif below features both highlighted face-framing tresses and glimpses of platinum throughout the locks.

14. Barely-There Caramel Highlights. The next style proves that brunettes can handsomely spice up their natural color with much softer shades of blonde. This sweet disheveled lob manages to stay on the darker side with just a few noticeable strips of caramel.

15. High-Contrast Half Head Highlights. The beauty of these highlights is in the flexibility they deliver, allowing you to create various effects without damaging your locks much. These chunky blonde ribbons mixed and matched with finer pieces lend depth and a stunning contrast.

16. Subtle Highlights for Straight Locks. These light brown tresses would look too dull and flat if it weren’t for the gentle strokes of blonde popping out here and there. Moreover, the combo of warm and cool shades works great to highlight the complexion.

17. Natural-Looking Bleaching on Short Locks. Nicely textured and fashionably undone, this short bob is also warmed up with lighter shades of gold to create the coveted sun-kissed effect and bring out more shine.

18. Barely There Light Brown Highlights. Going light brown is a smart strategy for those girls who want to be on the safe side when lifting their naturally dark hair color. This gorgeous feathered style shows how to incorporate delicate highlights through the mid-lengths, face-framing locks, and ends.

19. Accent Front Pieces. Getting a head-turning coif is no sweat with the right color placement. The money pieces on these medium-length locks make all the difference, turning otherwise ordinary brown locks into an amazing frame for the face.

20. Mesmerizing Half Highlights on Long Locks. Adding some reddish undertones to a deep black base is another brilliant idea worth trying if blonde is not your cup of tea. You can keep the highlights closer to mahogany brown or opt for brighter coppery shades.

21. Front Streaks for Long Strands. Fragmentary highlights for long manes is a stunning styling option for those who want to visually elongate their face shape. Such highlights focus on the front strands and create a romantic look with wavy locks.

22. Midshaft-to-Ends Caramel Ribbons. The caramel shade deserves its popularity among fashionistas. After all, it creates a delicious-looking combination with natural brown color and adds a joyful vibe to it. If you’re a brunette, give it a try!

23. Layered Brown Highlights. If you have short or shoulder-length locks, trying layered highlights is a great idea. Firstly, the price for short-haired ladies is always lower, and secondly, it looks simply amazing!

24. Discreet Dark Hair Highlights. If your dark mane is asking for a change, go ahead! Fragmentary highlights don’t require you to commit to a completely new hair color and yet enable to freshen up your appearance.

25. Melting Highlights for Bob. Ask your hairstylist to use blended highlights to create this ombre style. You will definitely love the gradient of colors and the number of compliments you will be receiving!

26. Front Highlights on Curled Hair. If you like wearing curly locks, there are plenty of color ideas to flatter you. One of our favorite variations is the one with a subtle gradient from the front to the back – how cute is it?

27. Light Brown Slimming Highlights. The asymmetrical highlights work as a stunning accent you’d love adding to your look. Pick a shade like caramel, cinnamon, or chestnut, and notice how your appearance changes for the better!

28. Pinkish Blonde Highlights. Strawberry blonde and pearl pink are great not only as solid colors but also as highlights. Meld them into your naturally dark locks and embrace your quirky side with this stunning hairdo!

29. Blonde Highlights with Depth. One of the most feminine ideas with fragmentary highlights is the one in light blonde. Bright strands popping here and there will complete your look and make you appear youthful and lively.

30. Thin Strands for Thick Locks. This technique can create a variety of different styles. Less is more, so, if you prefer thin highlights over chunky ones, this option will be a perfect fit for your needs.

31. Symmetrical Highlights for Lob. Perhaps, chaos is not your cup of tea, and you prefer your hairdo to look symmetrical. Not a problem! Ask your stylist to recreate this color scheme with flawlessly matching highlights on the sides.

32. Modern Subtle Highlights for Brunettes. Some variations of highlights have a superpower of being subtle yet channeling the big diva vibe. This style is a great example of that quality! Pick a tender tone to match your mane and shine, girl!

33. Dimensional Brown Highs and Lows. If someone tells you that dark brown is not good for dimensional highlights, don’t listen to them. Look at this style and trust what you see! A combination of dark brown shades will make you runway-ready.

34. Modern Streaks for Straight Locks. Blended streaks on sleek hair creates a glossy style worth of a magazine’s cover. Whether you have short or long locks, such highlights will surely look marvelous!

35. Foil Highlights for Black Hair. The defined dyed strands created by the foil technique are simply adorable! They will help you to achieve a cute look and demonstrate your sweet personality to the world.

36. Refined Copper Blonde Highlights. Blending long dark hair with thin highlights creates a savage mix that is low-maintenance and natural-looking. Be ready to look fierce and wildly gorgeous with this style!

37. Taupe and Golden Highlights with Sheen. Incorporating a beautiful ashy hue into your brunette color scheme is an amazing idea! Find a great stylist to achieve a smooth transition between the dark and light tones, and you are guaranteed to receive lots of attention.

38. Cinnamon Highlights on Short Locks. Cinnamon is a beautiful shade that will make your brunette style special. Grazing the dark brown locks, it gives that fall feel regardless of the season, and we love it!

39. Strawberry Blonde Sheen. Have you ever thought of going blonde from dark hair? Fragmentary blonde highlights are an incredible chance to give light hair a try without any fears of the outcome!

40. Rose Gold Pieces. Have you ever seen highlights that are so magical? The rose gold dye is unusual, classy, and otherworldly. Dress up your brown base with this precious shade while focusing on the front strands for the best effect!

Highlights are an amazing color solution for ladies of all ages, skin tones, and hair colors. It is a trend that seems to never go out of fashion. As you can see, fragmentary highlights come in a variety of ideas. We hope you’ve found the styling solution that fits you best and will try it anytime soon. Get your dream style and transform your look! Wishing you great hairstyle experiments!