Honey Blonde Curls: 3 Strategic Placement Tips To Create Brightness
How To Use Placement To Create A Bright, Blended Honey Blonde On Curly Clients
Brightening curls is a strategic process, but we’re here to make it easier. Try these three tips from Joico Global Technical Director Jeannetta Walker-Rodgers (@watchmyhairbounce) to maintain internal depth while creating brightness—plus, her formulas for controlling warmth for the perfect honey blonde.
Strategic Placement: 2 Different Ways To Section To Maintain Brightness
1. Use Zigzag Partings Near the Hairline
Before toning, Jeannetta will use a zigzag parting to section off the front hairline. Then, she will tone the rest of the head and save the hairline application for the last 15 minutes of processing. “Right around the face is usually where people have natural highlights, so when she pulls her hair back, it’s going to be lighter, and when she wears her hair, down it’s going to be lighter,” Jeannetta explains.


Watch Jeannetta’s placement techniques HERE!
2. Apply Toner Using A “V” Shape In The Back:
To create a focal point of brightness, Jeannetta will paint her toner deeper in the middle of the section; then, she will tap and feather the product to the outsides of the section on the prelightened portions. This customization will create brightness while maintaining internal depth, allowing the contrast to give those bright pieces some extra pop.
Pro Tip: When lifting the hair, apply lightener in the same pattern: “You can see her highlights are higher on the outside, drop in the middle, and are higher on the other side,” Jeannetta explains, adding that, “I’m being very purposeful where I’m placing everything.”
Check out her technique below:


Balance warm blondes by adding NEW Joico Lumishine Demi-Permanent NB Series—click here!
3. Consider Level of Lift When Toning
“Whenever you hear the term honey blonde, I hear balanced beige,” Jeannetta explains, adding that, “That’s what the new Lumishine NB Series is. A very beautiful, balanced beige.” When toning to our desired end result, it’s important to consider not just our toner formula, but also our level of lift. “You control how warm that balanced beige is with your underlying or contributing pigment,” she says.
That’s why Jeannetta lifted her client to a Level 9 versus a Level 10, leaving yellow pigment in the hair and allowing Jeannetta to control the underlying warmth with formulation. Click the beaker below to get her formulas!


Try the NEW NB Series in Joico Liquid Lumishine Demi-Permanent Color—click here!
To see Jeannetta’s technique in action, click here.
Products Used
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