Pink Highlights in Chicago: Why a Color and Full Highlight Is Worth It

If you’re in Lincoln Park or anywhere nearby like Lakeview, Old Town, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Andersonville, or Lincolnwood, this is the service we reach for when you want a “wow” that still grows out in a way that makes sense for real life. Just keep it real with yourself: a full highlight takes longer in the chair and you’ll maintain it more than partial highlights or a softer balayage.

What “Color + Full Highlight” actually means (and why it looks richer)

This appointment combines an all-over base color, permanent or semi-permanent depending on what we’re correcting or covering, with foiled highlights placed throughout your head. The base does the heavy lifting for depth, shine, and gray coverage. The full highlight creates brightness and contrast so your color doesn’t read flat in Chicago daylight.

Placement matters. We’re picky about where the brightness hits around your hairline and part, and we pay attention to how your hair falls when it’s styled. That’s the difference between “I got highlights” and “your hair looks expensive.” And yes, we tone. Clients tell us they love how we tone highlights to the exact shade they like, especially when they’re trying to avoid brass.

Dimension, gray blending, and that “flawless” finish people notice

A full highlight gives you dimension you can see across the room. That contrast makes hair look thicker and more textured, especially when light hits it. One of the biggest patterns we hear is compliments. People notice when color is placed cleanly and toned well, and our clients mention getting stopped for their red hair, their blonde, and the overall “how is it not brassy?” look.

1) Brightness without the “fried” feeling

If you’ve been bleach blonde and everywhere in between, you already know the fear: “Am I about to wreck my hair?” We take that seriously. Clients have shared that they’ve gotten beautiful results without damaging their hair, and that’s exactly the goal with our timing, formulas, and toner choices. Healthy hair holds color better, styles easier, and looks shinier for longer.

2) Gray coverage that doesn’t look like a helmet

Gray coverage doesn’t have to mean a solid, single-process wall of color. The base can cover, while highlights break it up so regrowth is softer and your overall finish looks more natural. This is especially helpful if you’re active and roots pop fast, workouts, lakefront weekends, and summer humidity tend to make everything show sooner.

3) Fashion tones like pink highlights that still look wearable

Pink highlights work best when they’re built on a clean canvas and supported by a base that makes them pop. We’ll talk through how bold you want it, how often you’re willing to tone, and what your workplace actually allows. For cooler statements, blue highlights can look amazing too, but they usually demand more toner love to keep them from going dull.

“Best salon I've been to in Chicago! Marlene does a wonderful job doing my highlights and toning them to the color I like. Also, the fastest I've ever gotten a full-highlight done (under two hours), which is hard to come by”

one of our regulars

Is a full highlight the right choice for your schedule and your hair?

You’ll love a Color and Full Highlight if you’ve been fighting brass, dealing with noticeable gray, or you’re ready to go lighter in a way that looks blended at the root. It’s also a great fit if you’ve had a color situation that got away from you. We’ve had people come in with brassy, too-orange blonde and leave with a vibrant color job that brought their confidence back.

It’s probably not your best match if you want the lowest maintenance possible. A full highlight looks amazing, but it does mean planning for toner or gloss visits and staying on top of at-home care. In Lincoln Park, a lot of clients like morning appointments so they can keep the rest of their day moving, and we’ll map out a maintenance rhythm that fits your commute and calendar.

• If you want bold pink highlights that stay crisp, plan on more frequent toning.
• If your main goal is gray blending, we’ll focus brightness where it softens the regrowth line.
• If you heat style a lot, protecting the hair cuticle usually makes your toner last longer.

Why Lincoln Park color clients stick with Eminere

We’ve been doing hair in Chicago for 7 years, and a lot of our color relationships are long-term. People come back because they like consistent results and a calm space. Our salon is bright, clean, and quiet, and clients mention they can actually relax without a TV blaring or a bunch of competing conversations.

And we’re detail people. We listen, we recommend, and we’re precise with placement. That’s why clients describe the color as rich, dimensional, and never brassy or flat. If you also wear extensions, you’re in the right place. We’re used to matching and blending color so it looks like it all belongs together.

“I’ve been coming to Marlene for over 5 years now, and I honestly wouldn’t trust anyone else with my hair!”

one of our long-time clients