If you’re looking for a fresh, easy-to-style, and agelessly flattering new cut to change up your hair, look no further! When it comes to the biggest hair trends of the new year, and one that is particularly popular with celebrities, money piece highlights, a professional hair stylist tells us, is a tried-and-true way to add dimension and youth to women over 40.
With that said, we rounded up tips from a hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, Ghanima Abdullah, regarding money piece highlights, and why this hairstyle is so flattering. Read on for tips, suggestions, and insight!
What are money piece highlights?
You've probably seen this hairstyle before but never had a name for it. Money piece highlights, which are also referred to as "face-framing highlights," Abdullah says, "are noticeable [face-framing pieces] of hair on two sides of a center part that have been dyed a different color, or a lighter color."
"Money piece highlights are only flattering if they are actually highlights, two to three shades lighter than the rest of your hair and in the same color family," Abdullah warns. "When the money pieces are in a different color family, say ash blond when you have a caramel hair color, or if they are a different color altogether, say blonde with black hair, they don't look so great, in my opinion. When they are used as highlights they warm the face and look very nice." Some celebrities to look to with money piece highlights include Beyoncé, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Hailey Beiber, Jennifer Aniston, and more.
"Money pieces can be anti-aging because they mimic the coloring of a child's head of hair. At times, children have a front area that's very light on their heads, the middle is medium colored and the back is darker than the rest of the hair," she continues. "That's probably because they play out in the sun. But money pieces lend a look of freshness and youth to the wearer, as long as they are in the same color family, just lighter. If you use a contrasting color or a fashion color, money pieces do their work to make you look older. The forelock is the first area where many women start to gray. So contrasting lighter colors mimic that look."
When it comes to the haircuts that work best with money piece highlights, Abdullah recommends a medium-length. "If the hair is too long or too short, too much attention is drawn to the money pieces, whereas it's best if they blend with the rest of the hair, at least somewhat," she says.
Overall, Abdullah concludes that money piece highlights can be flattering for women of any age because they create a sense of playfulness. They resemble sun-bleached hair you can get in the summer, but now you can have that all year round! This, she says, makes them an excellent option for women who want to change their hairstyle for 2023. (We couldn't agree more!)
