Skunk Stripe Hair: Everything You Need to Know

Skunk Stripe Hair: Everything You Need to Know About This Trend

Before you pass any judgments, we are here to tell you that skunk hair — while it may be exactly what you’re thinking of — is actually a really trendy and cute style. Every popular TikToker or “it” girl has sported the bold style that’s striking and goes against the norm of blended, subtly-colored hair.

Lately, skunk hair has been the must-have hairstyle! However, the style has been around since the ’90s, and maybe even earlier. Cindy Crawford was known for sporting the skunk style.

If you thought chunky highlights were out, we have news for you — the skunk stripe hairstyle is bringing chunky back.

What Is Skunk Stripe Hair?

So, what is skunk stripe hair? The style has a few different iterations and can be styled in many different ways. However, the style most commonly looks like two big and bold highlights that frame the face. This stripe or patch can either be lightened by using a salon developer or colored. The main point is to have a contrasting stripe of hair front and center. Typically, this will look like long platinum or lightened bangs parted down the center with the rest of the hair having a stark, dark contrast. Whether you have long hair or short hair, this is a trend that anyone can embrace — as long as you don’t mind the style being likened to a skunk.

Different Skunk Stripe Hairstyles

When you think about a skunk, you probably see black and white. Most commonly, with skunk stripe hair, the style is a play on dark brown hair or black hair paired against a platinum or blonde streak. However, the skunk stripe look can be applied with many different colors and patterns.

Here are some of our favorite takes on skunk stripe hair.

Bold Bang

Do you have bangs? Whether they are parted down the center and shorter or they are long and face-framing, your hair is prime for the skunk stripe trend. We love lightening these pieces and then applying a darker color to the rest of the hair to make the style pop. This is the most common take on the trend and it can be applied to many different hair colors and styles.

Pop of Color

If a bold bang isn’t your thing, you may try using professional hair color for your bangs rather than just leaving them blonde. This still allows you to embrace the skunk stripe hair trend while not having hair that’s reminiscent of an actual skunk. We love the way that purple, blue and pink look with this style.

Inverse Light and Dark

While the skunk stripe hair trend usually prioritizes dark hair all over while only having two bold and bright blonde pieces up front, if you have light hair and would rather add a dark skunk stripe, you could definitely do that! This is a very unique take on the trend and it also has a bunch of possibilities.

Subtle or Hidden Skunk Stripe

If bold and bright bangs aren’t your thing, but you love this idea of building contrast into your hair or having a unique stripe, you could try the more subtle version of this style. How do you accomplish this? There are a few ways. Some people like to have a chunky highlight toward the back of the hair and underneath most of the hair. This stripe could stay blonde or it could be a great place to add a pop of color.

Maintenance Required for Skunk Stripe Hair

There are many things you will need to keep in mind if you’re going to embrace the skunk stripe hairstyle. Depending on the kind of style you choose, each one has a different level of maintenance required. Here are some of the maintenance methods and techniques that we recommend for each style.

• Root Touch-Up – If you have a chunky highlight or stripe that is front and center, you may need to see your stylist more often to make sure you touch up your roots to keep the style looking fresh.
• Purple or Blue Shampoo – For skunk stripes that are platinum or blonde, you may need to refresh and brighten your color with blue or purple shampoo once a week.
• Color Touch-Up – If your skunk stripe boasts a color like purple, blue, red or pink, you may need to not only visit for a color touch-up as your color fades, but also a root touch-up to ensure the style continues to look bold.

Are you sold on the skunk stripe hair trend? We love this bold style. While it may take some getting used to, it’s a unique look that’s sure to turn heads.