17 Peekaboo Highlight Ideas For a Surprise Pop of Color

woman wearing a black turtleneck with lavender peekaboo highlights on a short bleach blonde bob — @bleachlondon / Instagram

Highlights are a classic foundation for many of our hair color goals. Whether you are hoping for a naturally blended blonde or a bold color change, artfully placed dye can deliver a full-blown hair transformation. If you're looking to elevate your hair game without committing to a total overhaul, peekaboo highlights are the perfect solution.

The trend allows you to sneak in unexpected pops of color that you can show off in surprising ways. This essentially gives you two (or more) looks for the price of a single salon appointment. Ahead, we tapped three hair experts to explain the basics of peekaboo highlights, what to consider before committing to the style, and 17 ways to sport the trend.

Meet the Experts

Priscilla Choi is a colorist at NYC THE TEAM.
Guy Tang is an influencer, Hollywood hairstylist, and founder of #myDenity hair color products.
Rachel Bodt is a celebrity hair colorist.

What Are Peekaboo Highlights?

"Peekaboo highlights are [strands of dyed hair] typically hidden when the hair is down. They become visible only when the hair moves, is styled in certain ways, or intentionally parted to reveal them," says Priscilla Choi, a colorist at NYC The Team. "This style allows for a pop of color that can be as subtle or bold as desired, without being as immediately noticeable as traditional highlights."

Peekaboo Highlights

Choosing a Shade: Tang suggests picking a fun, vibrant color or a contrasting color. "This will make the peekaboo highlights pop!"

Maintenance Level: Low. Tang and Bodt both agree that with hidden color placement, touch-ups can be done at your leisure.

Goes Great With: Choppy Bangs, Long Layers, and A-Line Bobs

Similar Shades: Contrast Color, Skunk Hair

Price: This all depends on how much contrast you're looking for. It may be the same as the cost of full or partial highlights at your salon, so consult with your colorist first.

The Benefits

The obvious benefit of peekaboo highlights is that they give you the best of both worlds in a "business on top, party on the bottom" kind of way. They allow you to rock totally different vibes depending on how your hair is styled—wear it down for a classic chestnut look, throw it up into a bun to reveal shocking streaks of pink underneath. "They're a low-maintenance way to add hair color without fully committing to a drastic change," says Choi. Better yet? "Peekaboo highlights can make thin hair look thicker," she adds.

What to Consider

1. Color Choice

Peekaboo highlights can be achieved using a full spectrum of colors—from natural to neon hues—and different combos deliver different vibes. "Fashion shades like blues, purples, or reds create a striking contrast for a more edgy look, while more subtle tones like caramel, blonde, or pastels are recommended for a more understated look that's lower maintenance," says Choi. Regardless of which avenue you choose, try to opt for tones that will complement the undertones in your base shade and complexion.

2. Placement

As far as the placement for your peekaboo highlights goes, there are no rules. "Peekaboo highlights are usually on the nape of the neck, under the crown, or near the sides," says Choi. Adding that, of course, "the placement will affect how and when the color is visible when the hair moves." With that in mind, you'll want to choose your placement based on your lifestyle. If there are situations you may want to hide your bold highlights (like at a work event or formal function), consider how you'll do that and place your streaks accordingly.

3. Maintenance

As with any type of hair color, different peekaboo highlight shades and styles will require different types of maintenance. "Bright or fashion colors will fade more quickly and require more frequent touch-ups and toners," says Choi. "Softer hues are generally recommended for being lower maintenance because they can grow in naturally. Consider whether you're ready for the maintenance that comes with keeping the highlights vibrant."

17 Ways To Wear Peekaboo Highlights

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Rainbow Brights

Woman with rainbow highlights — @ajaonyourmane / Instagram

Why settle on one shade when you can decorate your strands with an entire rainbow's worth of peekaboo highlights? Just keep in mind that if you're working with a dark base shade, you'll need to bleach it blonde before adding in those brights. Be sure to go to a stylist who knows what they're doing to help you get the look.

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Barbie Burst

Pink peekaboo highlights — @ajaonyourmane / Instagram

While peekaboo highlights work on pretty much all hair lengths and textures, their effects can vary. "They're more visible in layered or wavy hair than in straight, blunt cuts," says Choi. This burst of Barbie pink from mid-lengths to ends is a great example of how these types of streaks can shine on long, wavy strands.

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Face-Framing Spectrum

Mermaid peekaboo highlights — @ajaonyourmane / Instagram

"Chunky, face-framing peekaboo highlights—which draw inspiration from the '90s with bold, contrasting colors—continue to be popular," says Choi. This grunge-inspired take that features shades of pink, purple, yellow, and green feels equal parts retro and modern.

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Purple Peek-A-Boo Party

Purple peekaboo highlights — @ajaonyourmane / Instagram

If you're interested in a multi-colored look, like this one, Choi recommends leaving it to the professionals. While it's possible to do peekaboo highlights at home, getting them done by a professional ensures better placement and color blending, "especially if you're going for a complex look or using multiple colors," she says. "Doing any hair coloring at home is hard and never comes out exactly like how you would expect. DIY also is prone to damage in the hair."

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Bold Cool-Toned Streak

blue and purple peekaboo highlights — @ajaonyourmane / Instagram

If you're planning to try bold peek-a-boo highlights on dark hair (like this gorgeous blue gradient set onto an onyx base), you'll want to be sure your strands are healthy enough to stand up to the process. "Bleaching or coloring can be damaging, especially if you're going for a dramatic change," says Choi. "Ensure your hair is healthy enough for the process and consider deep conditioning treatments before and after coloring. With any coloring, home maintenance is key."

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Color-Blocked Braids

Rainbow peekaboo braids — @therealbraidvixen / Instagram

Surprise! Hidden underneath these classic box braids is an entire rainbow's worth of color. This is definitely an easy way to sport every color under the sun (get it?) while minimizing damage to your hair.

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Peekaboo Pumpkin

Pumpkin spice peekaboo highlights — @haircolorkilla / Instagram

"For fall 2024, peekaboo highlights are evolving with some exciting and vibrant styles that are trending this season," says Choi. "One of the most popular trends includes the use of rich, warm tones like burgundy, scarlet, and copper, which align perfectly with the autumnal palette." These pumpkin spice curls are a perfect example.

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Ombré Underneath

Choose a single color—in this case, purple. Then play around with different tones to create a peekaboo gradient that fades from bold to natural with every highlighted layer.

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Pink Tinted Bangs

Pink peekaboo highlights on coils — @bleachlondon / Instagram

These rose-colored coils are front and center, infusing a touch of romance into these classically dark, natural curls. Pairing the peekaboo highlights with complementary rose gold makeup creates a look that feels enchanting.

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Purple and Gold

What's great about peekaboo highlights is that they allow you to play with fun colors without having to show them off all the time. Copy this single-streak placement at the nape of your neck for a look that's easy to hide and will seriously surprise people any time you whip it out.

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Pink Bottoms

pink peekaboo highlights under brown hair — @xcellentbeautysalon / Instagram

These hidden highlights are only visible when your hair is pulled up, allowing you to rock two different color vibes depending on your mood. The bubblegum pink shade looks especially shocking (in the best possible way) set against espresso strands.

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Purple Peek-A-Bangs

lavender peekaboo highlights — @bleachlondon / Instagram

"Another trend we're seeing involves the use of cool-toned shades, such as icy blues and lilac," says Choi. "These shades provide a fresh contrast to the warm tones typical of fall, offering a modern and edgy look." He recommends pairing these frosty shades with cooler, ash blonde bases, a la this choppy purple-streaked bob.

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Bold With Brows

Green peekaboo highlights — @bleachlondon / Instagram

To make your peekaboo accent shade feel like the star of the show, dye your brows to match. The combo looks unquestionably cool in a bold color (like this kelly green), but also works well with more natural shades, like blonde and auburn.

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A Hint of Gold

Chestnut peekaboo highlights — @nikkilee901 / Instagram

This is a great example of how peekaboo highlights can pack a major punch in natural tones, too. "I highly suggest balayage technique will suit best for this type of style," says Choi. "Balayage helps place the highlights in certain areas as the painting can be focused based on where the hair falls." Case in point? The way these under-layer highlights stunningly catch the light.

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Peek-A-Blue

Peekaboo blue — @hairbynigella / Instagram

The beauty of adding peekaboo color into natural textures—especially when they're brushed out, as seen here—is that those little color moments will spread out as each curl separates. The result? The illusion that larger chunks of hair have been painted.

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Braided Highlights

Peekaboo braid highlight — @therealbraidvixen / Instagram

For an understated (and low-commitment) take on peekaboo highlights, try accenting a set of darker braids with a few blonde additions. Instead of the back of the neck, add color to one side of your head for a different angle of pop of color.

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Black and Blonde Remix

Skunk hair had a major moment in 2022, but a gray-and-black-toned dye job has proven to be timeless. This look gives the trend a peekaboo twist. Flip the stark shades in reverse for an even more daring take on the color combo.

FAQ

Where is the best placement of peekaboo highlights?

Traditional peekaboo highlights are under the top layer of your hair. Your colorist may pin the top layer of your hair up, and apply the color to the underneath portion so it “peeks” out. You can also apply delicate or “baby” highlights for pops of color around your face or at the ends of your hair for a subtle peek of color.
Are peekaboo highlights high maintenance?

If you opt for bright peekaboo highlights, be prepared to touch up the color as it starts to fade. Some shades of color will fade faster than other shades. You will also need to make sure you use color-safe shampoo to keep your color bright.
What peekaboo hair color fades the fastest?

Due to its large molecule size, red hair color fades the fastest and will often start to fade in two weeks. Purple also fades fairly fast, and it may turn to a pink before it fades completely. To maintain your bright color, use a shampoo for color-safe hair and don’t wash your hair every day.