Underlayering Is The Latest Revival Trend Bringing Dimension To Your Hair

Underlayer hair color is a gorgeous way to add a bit of color to your hair without committing to a full head of your new hue. Also known as peekaboo hair, it refers to the technique of dyeing the bottom layer of your hair a different color than the rest. As the name suggests, this creates a peekaboo effect where you'll see flashes of color underneath as your hair moves. You can even put your underlayer color on full display by wearing your hair up.

Underlayer color styles can be subtle or bold, ranging from natural blond and brunette tones to vivid hues. If you want to dip your toe into a new hair color, an underlayer style is one way to do a test run if you're unsure of dyeing your whole head. However, many people intentionally go for this partially-dyed style for its edgy look. Regardless of what color you choose, underlayer hair dye adds dimension to any hairstyle. It gives you the chance to play with bold shades, such as hot pink or neon green, while keeping some of your natural hair color. Plus, since most of the dyed section is hidden, it tends to be easier to grow out, making it a lower maintenance way to add a pop of personality. If you've been wanting to dye your hair, an underlayer hair color is one way to get a distinctive style. We've rounded up some underlayer hair dye inspiration to bring to your next styling session.

A blond underlayer is a classic choice. In fact, it's where most underlayer dye jobs need to start if you have dark hair (to get the underlayer look, the hair often needs to be bleached to get a vivid color). You can also stop at the bleaching stage for a more natural look. Of course, it's not "born this way" natural, but it's much more toned-down than many of the other options on this list. Paired with any hair color, a blond underlayer also brightens up your look.

A lot of underlayer color inspiration is available for the long-haired ladies out there, but we promise this style looks just as stunning on short hair. To get the look, your hair just needs to be long enough for the top layer to cover part (or all) of the colored underlayer section. This inspiration photo does a great job of demonstrating how you can show off your new color by wearing your hair in a half-up, half-down style.

Here's an example of go big or go home when it comes to an underlayer style. The polar opposite of small peekaboo strands, this style goes for a half-head dye on one side and a matching underlayer color on the other. This styling idea is one way to add a lot of color to your hair while avoiding dyeing all your locks. It's a little more distinctive and means you get to keep a whole lot of contrast and dimension in your finished look.

Take the underlayer color past your bottom layer to achieve a bolder look. Color a larger piece of your side strands and take the color up into your bangs to get a similar style as this photo. This type of underlayer look has less of a peekaboo effect. It's fully visible from the front and just slightly hidden from behind. You can color your whole bang the underlayer color, or, if you have thicker bangs, you can go for an underlayer bang by only dyeing some wispy pieces throughout.

If you're blond, it's super easy to achieve a subtle underlayer color look. Instead of going for a bright color like many of the other inspiration pics on our list, opt for a light wash of color instead. Any muted color can pair nicely with blond hair, so consider going for a tone that matches your current blond hue. For example, for a cool blond color, choose a shade of icy blue seen in this photo, and, for a warm blond, try a warmer pink or red.

Cherry red is a trending hair color for 2023, which means it's perfect for a fashionable underlayer color. A dark auburn color with reddish or purple tones, cherry cola hair is rich and looks particularly good paired with black hair. Together, these two colors create a dark and mysterious vibe that matches nicely with a goth-inspired wardrobe.

Why stop at one underlayer color? You can use as many colors as you have the space for, but two gives you a good amount of space to focus on each shade. This purple-and-blue look is bold, and the pairing reminds us of galaxy colors. When a two-toned underlayer peeks out from under a natural hair color, it creates an out-of-this world look.

Committing to a full head of pink hair is a big choice — it's a pretty out-there color and will take a fair bit of maintenance to keep its brightness. If you love pink and want to experiment with rosy locks, a pink underlayer is your answer. A muted pink goes with any natural hair color, be it black, brunette, or strawberry blond. The end result is a bit girly, a bit edgy, and very cute.

There's something about teal hair that reminds us of colorful side-swept emo cuts from the 2010s (in the best way possible, of course). This blue-green color is a bit punk but surprisingly bright, ideal if you like a grungier style but a vivid hue. This is another color that might take a bit of maintenance; like other blue shades, it requires some touching up to prevent it from washing out to green.

If you want to go blue, there are plenty of shades you can choose from, and an icy blue should be a top contender. This look is a bit chilly but very pretty, excellent if you want to hone an ice queen vibe for the colder months. Bright blue looks beautiful with black hair, and we'd argue it looks even better with cool-toned blond hair, as seen in this photo.