The 9 Best Highlighting Kits of 2023

Best Overall

Madison Reed Light Works

4.5

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You gotta hand it to Madison Reed. The brand has truly revolutionized the at-home hair color world, so naturally, their innovative highlighting kit is our Best Overall pick. It’s available in five shades that even work on tough-to-color dark brown hair, and the clay-based, ammonia-free (no harsh odor!) cream color makes the experience mess-proof and more goof-proof than usual. Since it comes with a wishbone-shaped applicator, you’ll achieve the look of hand-painted balayage highlights you’d get in a salon—without the salon price. The kit also comes with a toner to use afterward, the secret to ensuring a natural- and professional-looking result. It’s the priciest option on this list, but the sunkissed look is worth it.

Price at time of publish: $45

Active Ingredients: Keratin, argan oil, ginseng root extract | Shades: 5 | Size: 1 ounce (Light Works Lightening Cream), 2 ounces (Light Works Lightening Activator), 1.35 ounces (Light Works Finish Toning Glaze), 2 ounces (Light Works Finish Toning Glaze Activator), 0.5 ounces (Light Works Bond Building Cleansing Treatment), 0.5 ounces (Color Protecting Shampoo), 0.5 ounces (Color Protecting Conditioner) | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Drugstore

L'Oréal Paris Frost & Design H65 Caramel

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Never underestimate the power of a drugstore highlighting kit like this one from L’Oréal Paris. While the process is a little gimmicky, who cares about looking silly in the privacy of your own bathroom? (Especially since the price is so budget-friendly.) Here’s how it works: You pull on a special cap with holes in it, then use hooks to pull various pieces of hair through the holes and apply the color to those pieces. Ridiculous looking, yes, but it does make for a great highlighted effect since you can apply the color precisely where you want it. The included toner ensures a refined color and healthier hair too. It comes in caramel and champagne tones for darker and lighter blonde bases, respectively, and there’s an option for both lighter and shorter hair as well.

Price at time of publish: $11

Shades: 2 | Size: 3.5 ounces (Creme Developer), 0.86 ounces (Lightening Powder), 0.35 (After Frosting Conditioning Shampoo), 0.63 ounces (Toning Protective Creme), 1 ounce (Color Toning Rinse) | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Blondes

Clairol Balayage for Blondes

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Whether you’re wanting to paint on just a few baby lights, do a full-on balayage situation, or even create an ombré vibe, Clairol’s highlighting kit makes the process—whichever you choose—easier than ever. It comes with a foolproof applicator and has a quicker processing time than other highlighting kits do. While it comes in just one shade, it works on a range of light to dark blondes. (Sorry brunettes, this one isn’t the best option for you.) It doesn’t come with a toner, but since the highlighting kit costs just $10, adding a separate toner to your cart won’t break your budget.

Price at time of publish: $10

Type: Permanent | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.49 ounces (Lightening Powder), 1.48 ounces (Developing Creme), 1 ounce (CC Colorseal Conditioner) | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Light Brown Hair

Garnier Multi Lights H2 Golden Blonde

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You could spend a month on the beaches of Puerto Rico to naturally develop golden highlights, but let’s face it: it’s more realistic to spend $8 and an evening at home creating them with this Garnier highlighting kit. It’s specially made for those with dark blonde to light brown hair and immediately gives you radiant highlights. (Leave it on anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how light you want to go.) The formula itself is packed with moisturizing avocado, olive, and shea oils and also comes with a separate ampoule of a grapeseed oil treatment to use afterward to ensure your hair stays hydrated post-highlighting. The color is rich and long-lasting, and have we mentioned the price?

Note that some reviewers mention that the color doesn’t exactly match the box, so you may want to do a small test on an inconspicuous chunk of hair before highlighting your whole head.

Price at time of publish: $8

Active Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, avocado oil | Type: Permanent | Shades: 2 | Size: 2.28 ounces (Nourishing Creme Developer), 1.6 ounces (Nourishing Color Creme), 1.35 ounces (Nourishing Conditioner) | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Brunettes

Revlon Color Effects Frost & Glow Highlights Honey

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There are three shades of this REVLON highlighting kit available, but this particular option is best for those with brown hair. It comes with a highlighting cap, which can be tedious, but if that’s not your preferred method, hit up YouTube. There are plenty of tutorials of people using the product without the cap and still achieving impressive results. Also nice: The formula is ammonia-free, sparing you from a harsh smell, and it’s enriched with a keratin complex to strengthen hair bonds. It’s the most affordable option on this list too.

Price at time of publish: $7

Active Ingredients: Bond Restore Complex | Type: Permanent | Shades:3 | Size: 2.9 ounces (Cream Developer), 1.3 ounces (Highlighting Powder), 0.4 ounces (Moisturizing Violet Shampoo), 0.4 ounces (Anti-Brass Conditioner) | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for a Quick Fix

dpHUE Hair Lightening Blonding Brush

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If you’ve scrolled through Kristin Cavallari’s Instagram, you’ve likely seen videos of her using this brush, which she created in partnership with her longtime colorist Justin Anderson. It’s ideal to use between salon visits when you want to brighten up your highlights but don’t have the time, energy, or wiggle room in your budget to deal with full-on color. The brush-on gel uses lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide to ever-so-subtly brighten and lighten blondes. (It’s worth noting that this is only for those who are naturally or already-lightened blonde, not shades of brown.) The heat-activated formula kicks in when you go in the sun or hit it with a blow-dryer, making it a solid choice for a fast fix to sun-kissed-looking locks.

Price at time of publish: $28

Active Ingredients: Lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide | Shades: 1 | Size: 0.65 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Base Color & Highlights

L’Oréal Paris Couleur Experte 6.1 French Éclair

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In the mood for a full-blown hair makeover? To change your allover shade and then add in some highlights—all with just one box!—this is the kit to use. There are four base shades available, from dark mahogany brown to medium iridescent blonde, and two hues in between, which come with coordinating highlight tones. The highlight shade is tinged with a blue tone, which makes it easy to see exactly where you’re placing them, and the tiny fingertip brush adds to the ease. Plus, priced at just $14, it’s significantly cheaper than visiting a salon—just don’t expect the color to last as long as a professional’s would.  

Price at time of publish: $14

Type: Permanent | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Balayage Effect

eSalon Light Set

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Balayage highlights are often lauded for looking more natural and growing out less noticeably, but you’ll pay many pretty pennies for them in a salon. To achieve the hand-painted look at home, add one of these eSalon Light Sets to your online cart. This kit includes everything you need, including access to a personal colorist who you can consult to determine which of their six colors is best for you. (Each color can brighten your locks up to three shades.) The formula dries quickly so you can paint it on without the mess, and it comes with a toning mask to blend your base and highlights seamlessly and eliminates any unwanted brassiness. Big points to eSalon for including easy-to-follow instructions, videos, and color charts on the brand’s website, too—that helps alleviate any nervousness if you’re used to working with a stylist. While some reviewers note that the color gives an orangey finish, many more commented about how beautiful and salon-like their hair turned out.

Price at time of publish: $35

Shades: 6 | Size: 2 fluid ounces (Toning Mask), 1.55 fluid ounces (Activator) | Cruelty-Free: Yes