Hair Highlights in Toronto: Partial, Full, and Face-Framing — What to Know Before You Book

If you have been searching for highlights near you in Toronto and trying to figure out what type you actually need, this is a straightforward guide to the options, what each one involves, and what drives the price difference between them.

The Three Main Types of Highlights We Do at Calia Hair

Not all highlight appointments are the same, and the terminology can be confusing when you are looking at a price list or trying to describe what you want over the phone. Here is how we break it down.

Partial highlights target specific sections of the hair rather than the whole head. Most commonly, this means the top layer, the front sections, and the areas around the face where lightness is most visible. For clients who want brightness without significant colour throughout the back and underneath, partial highlights are a smart, lower-cost option. They are also faster than a full highlight appointment. At Calia Hair, partial highlights start from $110.

Full highlights are applied throughout the entire head, including the back sections and underneath layers. The result is more even, all-over brightness and dimension. Clients with thicker hair or those who want a more significant change tend to go full rather than partial. Full highlights at Calia Hair start from $155.

Face-framing highlights are a more targeted placement option, concentrating lighter pieces specifically around the face to brighten the complexion and create contrast. These are sometimes done as a standalone service or added to a cut and colour appointment. They are one of the most popular requests from our colour clients because the effect is impactful without requiring a full head of colour work.

What Affects the Final Price

A few things move the price beyond the base rate for partial or full highlights:

Your natural base colour and how much lift is required. Hair that is very dark or previously colour-treated may need pre-lightening before highlights can be placed, which adds time and product.

Hair length and density. Longer and thicker hair requires more product and more time. Your price is confirmed at the consultation.

Whether a toner is added afterward. At Calia Hair, toning is included in highlight services to refine the final colour, neutralise unwanted brassiness, and give the hair a polished finish. Some salons charge this separately.

Your stylist level. Pricing at Calia Hair varies by the stylist you book with. You can check individual pricing on our team page before booking.

Highlights vs Balayage — Which Is Right for You

This is one of the most common questions we get during colour consultations and it is worth answering honestly rather than giving you a vague answer.

Highlights are applied using foils, which gives the colourist precise control over placement and saturation. The result is a more uniform, defined brightness. Highlights generally need refreshing every 6 to 8 weeks to maintain the look, since root regrowth is more visible.

Balayage is painted freehand without foils, creating a softer, graduated colour that grows out more naturally. The maintenance interval is longer, typically 10 to 14 weeks, because the root area is intentionally left softer. You can read more about this in our detailed comparison at our balayage page.

For clients who want a cleaner, brighter result with more coverage, highlights tend to deliver that better. For clients who want a lived-in, low-maintenance look, balayage is usually the better fit.

What Happens at a Highlight Appointment

Your appointment starts with a consultation where your stylist looks at your current hair, your colour history, and discusses what result you are working toward. This part matters more than it might seem. A highlight applied in the wrong placement or at the wrong level for your base can look muddy or uneven. We take the time to figure out the right plan before any product is mixed.

The application itself involves sectioning the hair and weaving or slicing pieces into foils with lightener. Processing time varies depending on your base and the level of lift needed. After processing, the foils come out, the hair is washed, a toner is applied to refine the colour, and the appointment finishes with a blowdry.

Total time is typically two to three hours for partial highlights and closer to three hours for a full head, depending on hair length and density.

Book Your Highlight Appointment in Toronto

If you are ready to book or want to talk through which type of highlight makes sense for your hair, you can visit our colour and treatment page for full service details and pricing, explore our blonde specialist services if you are looking for a more platinum or significantly lifted result, or check our blog on balayage cost if you are still deciding between the two techniques.

We are at 3338 Yonge Street, Toronto, in the Yonge and Lawrence area of North York. Book online or call us at 416-440-2696.