If you’ve got some amazing highlights and are considering blending in some hair extensions, you may find it slightly more difficult than you thought.
The colour of your extensions might be close, but it’s not quite as seamless as you wanted.
Blending hair extensions with highlighted hair can be slightly tricky, as working with multiple tones sometimes poses some difficulties.
But the good news is that with the right shades and placements, you can find the seamless look you’ve been chasing.
So, in this article, we’re talking about everything you need to know to make your highlights and extensions blend together.
Understanding Your Highlights (and Why They Matter)
Before you consider choosing some extensions, take a moment to really look at your highlights and understand their colouring.
Highlights aren’t just lighter strands of hair, they’re a mix of different tones, placement, and contrast.
Understanding what style or type of highlights you have will help you choose the extensions that naturally blend into your hair the best.
Warm vs Cool Highlights
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Warm highlights (think honey, caramel or golden blonde) have a yellow or copper undertone.
- Cool highlights (ash, beige, champagne) have silvery or smoky undertones.
MHE Tip: Always match your extensions to the lightest tone in your hair, not your darkest. It’s easier to tone down warmth with gloss or purple shampoo than to lift a shade that’s already too dark.
Balayage vs Foil Highlights
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Balayage is a blended, soft colour, with brightness that builds toward the ends.
- Foil highlights start closer to the root and add a more even, structured lightness.
If you have balayage, choose rooted or balayage extensions that mimic that fade. If your highlights start higher up, multi-tonal or highlighted extensions will create the best blend.
Choosing the Right Extensions for Highlighted Hair
There's a few things to consider when choosing the style and colour of your extensions. Here are some of the main things we recommend to our customers if you’re trying to blend your hair extensions with your highlights:
1. Pick Multi-Tonal Extensions
Extensions that include several shades in one strand are ideal for highlighted or balayaged hair. These mimic the natural colour variation of your real hair with that slight mix of light and medium tones that makes your highlights shimmer.
2. Match to Your Ends, Not Your Roots
When matching extensions, hold them up to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, not the top. Most highlights are concentrated through the lengths, so that’s where the colour match counts most.
3. Choose the Right Type for You
Choosing the right type of extension is crucial in getting the perfect blend. If the type of extension doesn't suit your hair type, the blending will look off regardless of how good of a colour match it is.
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Clip-ins: Great for temporary use and easy styling changes.
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Tape-ins: Perfect if you want an invisible, flat blend and wear them daily.
- Wefts: These are best for thicker hair or long-term wear.
Prepping Your Hair Before Blending
Healthy, well-prepped hair is the foundation of a seamless look so it’s important to
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Wash with sulfate-free shampoo and lightly condition your ends (avoiding the roots).
- Blow-dry your hair (ideally with cooler air) so you can clearly see your colour variation and check tone match.
MHE Tip: Natural light is your best friend here. Always compare different shades in daylight, as salon lighting can make tones appear warmer or cooler than they really are.
Blending Techniques: Making Your Highlights and Extensions Flow
1. Placement
If you’ve chosen clip-ins or MHE ultimate wefts:
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Start low at the base of the head and work your way upward.
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Leave a small layer of natural hair between each section to help hide the weft.
- Alternate pieces of slightly different shades for that natural, multi-dimensional effect.
2. Add Movement Through Styling
Perfectly straight hair can sometimes show the distinction between your real hair and the extensions.
Creating soft curls or waves can help merge the colours together.
Here’s how you can do that:
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Curl your natural hair and extensions together in the same sections.
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After curling your hair, gently brush through it with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to soften the wave.
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Finish with a light shine serum to unify texture and tone.
3. Trim your Hair for the Perfect Finish
A small trim makes a world of difference, especially if your extensions are much longer than your natural highlights.
Ask your stylist to blend-cut your extensions while they’re in, adding long layers or face-framing pieces that mimic your highlight pattern.
The Takeaway
Blending hair extensions with your highlights is all about tone, placement, and texture. The most natural blends don’t match exactly; they mimic the way light moves through your real hair.
With multi-tonal extensions, thoughtful colour matching, and a few MHE stylist tricks, your extensions can enhance your highlights rather than compete with them.
And if you’re still unsure about your perfect match, our MHE stylists are always here to help. We offer personalised colour matching and expert recommendations so you can find your perfect seamless shade.
