Regular vs. Chunky Highlights (And Why Your Booking Matters)

5/28/2026

Thinking about updating your look at Assort Melbourne? With 2026 hair trends leaning heavily into high-contrast aesthetics, “ribboning” techniques, and bold face-framing. You might find yourself choosing between classic, blended dimension and statement-making streaks.

While both techniques look incredible, they require completely different levels of time. As well as skill, and product. If you are eyeing those thick, high-contrast panels, booking the right service is the secret to getting exactly what you want.

Here is everything you need to know before you lock in your next appointment at our Melbourne salon.

Regular Highlights vs. Chunky Highlights: What is the Difference?

Feature	Regular Highlights	Chunky Highlights
Section Size	Micro-fine, woven strands	Thick, intentional panels
Contrast Level	Subtle, soft, and blended	High contrast and bold
Main Goal	Sun-kissed shimmer	Graphic, ribboned structure

Regular Highlights (The Classic Blend): Think soft, seamless, and sun-kissed. This technique weaves micro-fine strands of hair into foils to create a soft gradient that mimics natural light. It is designed to look effortlessly blended from root to tip.

Chunky Highlights (The 2026 Statement): Forget the harsh streaks of decades past—the modern chunky highlight is all about structural ribboning, graphic panels, and bold “skunk stripes” or dramatic “money pieces”. This look features thick, deliberate sections of high-contrast colour that sit proudly against a darker base to illuminate your skin tone and contour your haircut.

Why Chunky Highlights Require a “Double Process Creative Colour” Booking

If you try to book a standard highlight service for a chunky, high-contrast look, you won’t get the result you are looking for. To achieve those clean, bold 2026 ribbons, our stylists must use a Double Process Creative Colour approach rather than traditional foiling.

Here is why:

1. It Requires a Multi-Step Technique

To get a striking, clean contrast, your stylist usually needs to lift the chunky sections first, wash and dry the hair, and then meticulously apply a specific base tone or custom toner to the surrounding hair. A standard highlight service only accounts for a single round of foils and a quick glaze.

2. High-Contrast Placement Takes Time

Placing thick ribbons of colour so they look expensive, intentional, and perfectly tailored to your face shape requires serious architectural mapping. It isn’t a quick weave-and-go process.

3. Extra Product and Precision Formula Bleeding

Because chunky sections hold more hair density, they require more lightener and a highly specialized application to prevent “bleeding” or spotty patches. Booking a Double Process Creative Colour gives your stylist the extra time and resources required to make sure your thick panels turn out flawlessly clean.

Stylist Secret: Keeping it Fresh

Because chunky highlights feature higher contrast, maintaining the health of your hair is everything. To protect your structural ribbons, we highly recommend adding an Olaplex treatment into your colour service to keep the bonds strong, shiny, and bright.

Ready for a Change? Book Your Look 🖤

Don’t let the wrong booking get between you and your dream 2026 hair goals! If you are ready to embrace the high-contrast ribbon look, secure the proper creative time with our Melbourne team.

Book Your Session at Assort Melbourne

Location: 73/77 Wellington St, Collingwood VIC 3066

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