Money Piece Hair: What Is The Decadent-Sounding Color Trend?
If you're looking for a way to switch up your hair color without too much commitment, consider doing a money piece. "Money piece highlights are a fuss-free way to change up your look without having to touch the whole head. It's all about face-framing and contouring the hair," colorist Natalia Romaniuc reveals to Allure.
You can opt for a very subtle money piece or go all out with a vibrant color or even multiple different shades. While money pieces are traditionally done a color a couple of shades lighter than your base, more and more people are experimenting with colors that are darker than their base or even bold rainbow shades.
Even though you can do a money piece at home — since it's all in the front, you can easily see what you're doing — we would still advise you to get it done professionally to ensure the best outcome. And if you're unsure just what color to go for, here are some of our favorite ways to hop on the money piece trend.
Subtle golden money piece on brown hair
The traditional way to approach the money piece trend is to go for highlights that are a couple of shades lighter than your base. This means that if you have brown hair, go for money pieces that are dark blond. Doing this will lighten up your face and give your hair dimension without doing a classic head of highlights.
Blond money piece on dark brown hair
Those not afraid of a bigger contrast will love this blond money piece on dark brown hair. Since the difference between the shades is much more visible, the effect the money piece achieves is way more dramatic. Since this kind of money piece requires your full commitment, ask your hairstylist to bleach a thicker chunk of hair and not just a few thin highlights.
Platinum money piece on blond hair
If you're someone who always wanted to go platinum but the lightest you dared to dye your hair is a medium blond, getting a money piece is a perfect way to explore the lighter shade. After all, platinum blond is a huge commitment, and getting a couple of bleached face-framing pieces is a great way to see if ultra-light blond is a hair color you enjoy.
Pink money piece on dark brown hair with bangs
You might think that having blunt bangs means you can't hop onto this trend, but that couldn't be further from the truth. If anything, money pieces look even better with bangs, as there is slightly more hair to dye. To ensure you don't have to get your roots done too often, opt for a balayage-style money piece that will look great once it grows out too. And if you're brave — go for a pink shade!
Gray money piece on brown hair
Doing a money piece in gray is totally unexpected yet absolutely stunning. In particular, this shade looks lovely with a brown base. Not only does a gray money piece look cool, but if you have natural gray hairs, they will look even better as the money piece will blend seamlessly, achieving a more natural result.
Dark brown money piece on blond hair
Even though money pieces tend to be in a lighter shade than your actual hair, they also look incredibly cool if dyed darker. In fact, a dark brown or black money piece on blond hair gives your look an edgy punk-rock vibe without too much hassle. Besides being more unique, a darker money piece is also much easier to maintain, as no bleach is required.
Red money piece on dark brown hair
Red hair dye is known for washing out super quickly, so if you're looking for a way to add red to your hair without having to dye it often, a money piece is a great solution. The color will look super vibrant at first, but once it starts fading, it will become more pink, giving you a completely different look — which is definitely a bonus. Once you begin disliking the color of the money piece, all you have to do is dye it red again.
Pink money piece on ginger hair
Pink and orange might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the two colors look very funky and cool together. If you're a natural ginger, chances are everyone is telling you to never dye your hair — but if you're sick of hearing that, opting for a money piece is a great way to maintain your natural hair color while also having fun with hair dye.
White money piece on dark brown hair
Nothing is more contrasting than black and white, which is why this combo looks the most dramatic on hair. If you want to unleash your inner Cruella de Vil (we mean this style-wise — do NOT harm any puppies), opt for a white money piece on very dark brown or black hair.
Subtle gold blond money piece
If you prefer going the lower contrast route, we recommend that you opt for a chunkier highlight to ensure it doesn't blend too much into your base. Think of those late '90s and early aughts highlights that were around an inch wide. While this width might look too much with bold color contrast, if the color you picked is just a couple of shades lighter or darker than your base — it won't be overwhelming. Instead, it will be just the right amount of eye-catching.
Purple money piece on dark blond hair
Since doing a darker money piece on lighter hair is much easier, we encourage you to have more fun with it. If your current hair color is anywhere between platinum blond and light brown, you can totally experiment with fun money piece colors — especially if you do them in semi-temporary or temporary hair dye. One color that looks great with blond and brown is purple, so consider giving it a try!
Platinum money piece bangs on blond hair
As we already mentioned, bangs shouldn't stop you from exploring this hair trend, especially since they tend to enhance the money piece even more. If you have wispier curtain bangs, make sure you dye them and a couple of face-framing pieces in the desired color. Avoid dying just your bags as that can quickly end up looking as if you have clip-in bangs of a different color, and that is certainly not the look we're going for here.
Pastel pink and purple money piece on dark brown hair
Do you know what's even better than doing a money piece in one color? Doing it in two! If you already went through the hassle of bleaching the front pieces of your hair, you might as well allow yourself to have some fun with them. Since colors like pink, purple, and red tend to fade quickly, you can explore a new shade every few weeks. This way, you won't get tired of your money piece as quickly.
Blond money piece on curly brown hair
If you have naturally curly hair, you can still hop onto this trend. In fact, curly hair is much more forgiving, meaning that you can get away with not touching up the roots for longer. To get the best effect, ensure that pieces from around the nape of your neck are dyed as well since curly hair tends to shrink as it dries, and you don't want your money piece to end around your temples.
Teal money piece on dark brown balayage hair
Most of the time, this hair trend is done on hair that is all one shade, but if you already have classic highlights, balayage, or ombre hair, getting a money piece done will only add extra drama to your hair. This is especially true if you opt for a bold hair color, like teal.
Eggplant money piece on dark brown hair
If you have black or dark brown hair and are not ready to commit to too much contrast, picking an eggplant shade is a safe way to go. The money piece will be more prominent in sunlight due to its purple reflection, but it still won't be so out there that it's the first thing people notice about you.
Rainbow money piece on brown hair
You know we had to include a super funky money piece for all the brave and vibrant unicorns out there. If you're unable to choose a bold color for your money piece, why not go all out and make it rainbow? Yes, this takes more time to create, but it is so worth it. Just look at how stunning all of those colors look!
Black money piece on platinum blond hair
Even though a thick money piece tends to give a more dramatic change to your appearance, a thin money piece can also provide a similar effect if it is done in a very contrasting shade. The best part about going super thin with your money piece is that if you end up hating it, it can easily be changed back as soon as your hair recovers from the chemicals.
Pink money piece on red hair
Pink and red are a gorgeous hair combination, and if you already dye your hair red, getting a light pink money piece around your face is the perfect way to switch up your look for spring and summer. The pink highlight will slightly change whenever you wash it, revealing a new lighter shade every time.
White money piece on light brown hair
Getting a white money piece means you will have to heavily bleach a couple of strands of your hair, but the end result will be worth it. A white money piece looks great on any hair color that is darker than platinum blond, and the best part is that with a white money piece, you can easily experiment with temporary hair color at home. You can make it pink one day and opt for teal the next. The options are endless!