50 Under Hair Color Ideas: Trendy Ways to Make Underlights Work

Underlights are currently having a moment. The good news is that there are plenty of under hair color ideas for you to choose from!

Naturally, you are going to need some help navigating this colorful landscape and I'm here to help. I have worked for many years as a colorist, learning how to create both natural and bold looks.

Check out the underlights ideas that are sure inspire your next look!

Can You Dye the Underside of Your Hair?

Yes, you can do this. It is actually a very popular trend at the moment. You can dye the bottom-most layers of your hair even if it is only an undercut.

When dying the underside of your hair, you can choose to just do the middle section at the back of your head. Or, you can have the colored strands all around the bottom layer.

It is up to you to decide how visible you want these strands to be. Some prefer them to be completely hidden while others prefer if at least the tips of the colored strands can be seen.

Keep in mind that when you curl your hair or style it in a similar manner, the colored underside of your hair can be viewed.

What Is It Called When You Color the Underside of Your Hair?

This style has a few different names. Some stylists may refer to it as underlights. In fact, this appears to be one of the most common terms.

However, these are just as likely to be known as peekaboo hair or peekaboo highlights.

It is important to describe this look to your stylist instead of just referring to it by its name. Terms such as these are often used interchangeably and, as such, your stylist may get the wrong idea.

To prevent this from happening, it is a good idea to be armed with some images as well.

Underneath Hair Color Ideas

Here are the under hair color styles that you should consider:

Subtle Underlights

If you are looking for an alternative to highlights but still want to keep the overall look quite natural, then subtle underlights are the way to go.

Here, the blonde highlights complement the natural brown hair perfectly. As such, the contrast is a lot more minimal, resulting in a softer and warmer look.

This is another great example. When the hair is curled, the natural hair shade and the underlights blend seamlessly together:

The key here is to ensure that the underlights are only a few shades lighter than your natural color. It is also a good idea to match cool tones with other cool shades and warm tones with other warm colors.

Think about the shade of highlights that you would get if you want a seamless look and use this color for the underlights.

High Contrast Underlights

If you're not the kind of person to play it safe, then high contrasting highlights are the way to go. Here, the two shades can be at opposite extremes of the color spectrum. As such, the underlights can be very dark or very light in contrast to the natural hair color.

Black hair with platinum blonde underlayer is certainly a bold look!

A hazelnut brown with white blonde hair can be just as much of a statement:

Here is a unique twist on this trend. The top layer is a fiery red and the bottom hair is a blend of blonde and brown underlights.

While this is quite a daring look, note that tips of the underlights are a brown that blend perfectly with the red. This ensures that while your hair is down that the underlights are practically invisible.

Red Underlights

Red is one of the more popular highlight colors so it is only natural for it to feature in underlights quite so often.

This is an absolutely stunning under hair color idea. You have shadow highlights followed by brandy and maple which have slight orange undertones. Thus, the red underlights blend in perfectly, adding just the right level of brightness to the look.

If you like a soft, natural look, here is an excellent idea. Not only does the red complement the dark hair beautifully, but the underlights are done in narrower sections. The overall effect is a lot more subtle.

Of course, when it comes to red hair, sometimes you just have to go big. If you are looking for bold underneath hair color ideas, check this out. This fiery shade offsets the brown in the natural hair color to perfection!

Purple Underlights

As with purple highlights, there are two options with purple underlights. You can choose a more understated look or go all out with something bold.

If you are looking for barely noticeable purple underlights, here are a couple of underneath hair color ideas to consider:

The trick is to choose shades of purple that blend in seamlessly with the natural brown tones and black hair color. It is also a good idea to ensure that the underlights are only a few shades lighter than your hair color. They stand out less this way.

This look is soft in a very different way. Although the lavender shade is in direct contrast to the black hair, it doesn't stand out as much as it is a pale, pastel hue:

In case you don't mind going all out, then here is some inspiration:

Blue Underlights

Blue underlights are most likely to be paired with black hair. This is because the colors pops so well against dark hair.

A darker blue creates a gorgeous stormy look:

Here, the color is both light and electric at the same time. If you want to go for a startling effect, this is a great look to go for:

Despite being a brighter color, the powdery hue still works incredibly well with the blackness of the natural hair color:

Of course, blondes can have just as much fun with blue underlights as any anyone else. If you do have lighter hair, though, it is best to go with a pastel blue. This creates a positively angelic effect:

Be aware that blue hair dye - particularly darker colors - has a tendency to fade out quickly. Due to this, it is a high-maintenance look.

To ensure that you don't need to go to your hair stylist every few weeks, look for a blue with undertones that suit your skin color. This way, even when the under hair dye fades, it will still work with your current style.

Pink Underlights

Pink is equal parts punk and pretty so it is a great underlights idea.

Want something soft to go with your baby blonde hair? Then consider a pale hue. This pink is so light that it practically blends into the rest of the hair:

Look at how beautiful these pink underlights go with this blonde do. What makes it work so well is that the ash blonde hair is balanced out by this dark yet vivid color.

Pink highlights and brown hair go so well together that it's only natural to make this color work as underlights too.

Here, the dark pink complements the dark brown hair color really well. At the same time, it's just light enough to brighten her skin tone:

This pink may not be as natural, but see how well it works with dark hair? If you look closely, you can see that the under hair dye closer to the roots is lighter and it gets darker towards the tips. This helps the ends blend in well with the natural hair color.

If you didn't think black hair and pastel pink worked well together, here are peekaboo highlights that prove you wrong!

If you are looking for pink hair shades to brighten up your look, here are some images to inspire you:

Green Underlights

Green is definitely one of the more unusual options for underlights. However, it is a great option if you want to take a break from safer shades.

If you have dark hair, a forest green is a beautiful shade to try. It blends in beautifully and pops especially well with shades of brown:

Of course, there is no harm in going a little lighter, particularly if you want to make a statement:

If you have lighter hair, this is still a look you can rock. In this case, an aquamarine green - a cross between blue and green - may be better suited to you:

Underlights on Short Hair

You can absolutely get underlights on short hair, but be aware that the effect can be a little different than with long hair.

If you have bob length hair or a little longer, your hair is likely one length. In this case, you can have hidden underlights like this style:

Many shorter hairstyles tend to be graduated though, which means that the layers underneath may be longer or simply more visible. In this case, you will get an effect such as this:

Of course, this is style is beautiful. However, if you have shorter hair, be aware that the underlights will be constantly visible.

Therefore, if you have school or work to consider, you may want to go for a more natural color.

Take this look, for example. The underlights are done up in a much darker shade than the original color. Despite this, the overall effect is quite natural. This trend is great if you want to add warmth to lighter tones as well.

Multiple Underlights

Who says you have to stick to just one color? You can use two or more colors or shades to take this look to the next level.

There are a few different ways you can do this. The simplest is to have parallel highlights, with one or more colors alternating with the others.

You can also have a gradient or ombre look. This is when you start with a dark or lighter shade at the base of the hair. Then, depending on the shade you have chosen, the colors get progressively lighter or darker going down the shaft.

Blue and purple are a popular combination. This jewel toned effect is absolutely gorgeous:

Here electric blue and blonde is thrown into the mix:

This is great inspiration for gray tinted hair

If you're looking for something a little punk, why not add some pink in as well:

These yellow and cherry red underlights really highlight the warmth of the natural hair color:

Peacock Hair Underlights

This is referred to as the mermaid look as well. It is typically a combination of different shades of blue, green, sometimes with a hint of purple.

Rainbow Underlights

Sometimes, just one or two colors won't do. No, you need the whole rainbow! If you are looking for rainbow hair color ideas, here are some options to check out:

Face Framing Highlights with Underlights

If having underneath hair color alone seems a bit too severe, you might want to consider pairing this look with face-framing highlights.

This way, the highlights create a link to the the hair underneath, making the transition seem a lot smoother.

Here are some of the ideas you can borrow from:

This is an absolutely gorgeous take on this idea. The hair framing the face is a beautiful citrus-y orange while the underlights are a fiery red. This is a great example of ensuring that the highlights and underlights work well together without them actually matching.

This is also a great way to add dimension to hairstyles and warmth to skin tones.

Two Tone Underlights

The underneath hair color trend isn't just for natural hair colors, though. It works just as well with colored hair, particularly pastel hues.

Needless to say, this is a pretty bold look - purple and neon green! At the same time, there is no denying that these shades work incredibly well together.

Check out this gorgeous, cotton candy look:

Want to kick things up a notch? This pastel pink is layered over blues, greens, and yellows

It doesn't matter if you have blonde hair, black hair, or a more unusual color - there are under hair dye ideas for everyone. Now you know exactly how to work this look. You also have the inspiration to come up with something completely unique.

All that's left is to pick a look and find a way to make it fit with your own unique style. Go ahead and get started!