Why You're Seeing the Money Piece Hair Trend Everywhere — And It's Not Going Away (2023)

Every once in a while, a hair color trend will come along that gains a foothold in beauty culture. A few years ago, it was balayage highlights, but more recently, a new trend has emerged that you might argue is even more popular — the money piece hair trend. Read on to learn more about this trend —plus, find out what hair products will help you keep your color-treated hair silky and frizz-free.

Explaining The Money Piece Hair Trend

So what is the money piece, and why are people so drawn to it? Hair expert Ben Clarkson of New Hairline explained. "The money piece highlighting technique is pretty similar to the balayage highlighting technique," Clarkson said. "It entails hand painting face-framing highlights from root to tip to brighten your hair and create a lived-in look."

While the popular balayage trend involves many highlighted strands throughout the head, The money piece highlighting technique highlights only the front section of your hair.

"The money piece is a trend that has been highly applied by many from the year 2019 to 2022 where one colors the hair framing the face," said beauty expert Alice Rawling. "This technique allows one to color their hair at a specific part only and consider it as fashion. The trend is achieved by use of hair bleaching agents."

So is this face-framing highlight something you could DIY at home? Clarkson doesn't think so. "If you want to add a money piece to your mane, you should go to a salon," he advised. "Your colorist will know exactly where to place your face-framing highlights and how to blend them in with the rest of your hair."

The color and depth of the highlights should be tailored to your existing hair style and color, depending on how bold you want the money piece to be. "The more closely the color matches the rest of your hair, the more subtle it will be, and vice versa," Clarkson explained.

Shop: HYDR-8 Collection

Different Color Options for the Money Piece Trend

Clarkson explained that the beauty of this technique is that it's truly unique to each person's hair color and style, and it can be as subtle or bold as you'd like. "If you have black hair and are hesitant to make a significant change to your dark strands, a navy blue money piece is a great way to ease into the world of hair color," he said. "Combining navy highlights with black hair will give your hairstyle a unique look without being too daring."

Similarly, he explained that if you have rich brown, coffee-colored hair, you might consider adding some sweetness with a lighter caramel-colored money piece. "The brown-toned combination is understated and sophisticated, and the lightness of your caramel money piece will provide just the right amount of contrast against your coffee strands."

Warm, cream-blonde hair can be dialed up by adding a platinum-blonde money piece. "[It] will brighten your face even more," Clarkson said. "Furthermore, adding a platinum hue to your already blonde hair will make your strands appear multidimensional."

Clarkson also said that the money piece is a great way to foray into the world of hair color without having to make too bold of a choice.

Related: How Often Can You Color Your Hair?

Why Is the Money Piece Hair Trend Popular?

It's well known that using color to frame your face is a tried and true beauty technique, but why is the money piece technique so popular and long-lasting?

"Money pieces aim at giving a glamorous and expensive look," Rawling said. "It's a [human] desire to look expensive. This trend is here to stay just as the need to look expensive is. Money pieces work on any hair type and texture and size and color. Minimum upkeep requirement is the highest benefit of having one." In other words, the money piece is an easy way to upgrade your hair color game without getting a full head of highlights done. Rawling explained that the money piece can consist of lightened hair only surrounding the face, or it can be combined with other highlights.

This trend is particularly perfect for those who love bold makeup and want to draw attention to their face.

See: Should I Bleach My Hair? 5 Things to Consider Before You Commit

How to Care for Your Money Piece

Because the money piece hair technique is a lightening technique, it will involve some bleaching, which is not great for your hair's strands. So what can you do to make sure those stressed hairs are taken care of? And how can you ensure that your hair color will last?

It All Starts in the Shower

While it can be easy to avoid heat styling or other harsh chemicals, washing your hair is something that you likely do regularly. That's why it's important to use high-quality, gentle products that contain nourishing ingredients when you shampoo and condition your hair.

Our HYDR-8 Shampoo and Conditioner Kitcan cleanse, hydrate and protect your color-treated hair without imparting any harsh chemicals, like sulfates and parabens. This is particularly helpful if your hair has already undergone some stress from bleaching. These formulas quench thirsty strands from root to tip by delivering 72 hours of hair hydration. Additionally, they're also enhanced with Karmatin™ (the first-of-its-kind vegan keratin), which will bond to hair, fortifying strands and leaving your hair 2.5x stronger after just one use!

To take hydration to the next level, forgo the conditioner once or twice per week and use our HYDR-8 Deep Moisture Repair Mask. Your hair will experience 15x hydration and 3x stronger strands after just one use!

Our HYDR-8 collection will leave your hair stronger and silkier every time you use it —and just like VEGAMOUR's other shampoos and conditioners, HYDR-8 is perfect for helping to safely preserve your hair color.

See: How to Moisturize Dry Hair

The Takeaway

If you're eager to try out the money piece hair trend, be sure to take good care of your hair before and after having it colored. Avoid excessive heat styling, protect your hair in the sun and use salon-quality products that will keep your colored hair hydrated and protected. With proper care, your hair and your new face-framing highlights will turn heads!

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