Highlights /balayage

[YearsofYears]

What's in these days in terms of subtle hair colour?
I have wavy shoulder length hair and have had highlights in the past. Have taken a break and have completely grown them out. My hair is naturally light brown and I get natural highlights in the summer. My ideal highlights would mimic this. I have a small amount of grey which I am not fussed about covering.

Balayage is technique where the stylist hand paints the hair. Highlights are where the stylist sections out bits of hair to be lightened. Both can give the look you're wanting. I used to get highlights right to the root but hated the harsh roots when they grew in and felt I was at the hairdressers every 8 weeks.

I now request a more lived in blonde which sounds like what your after. They don't highlight right to the root, the blend the highlights so when your hair grows there's no harsh lines. I also asked for "money pieces" at the front. It means I can go months between appointments. The low maintenance/lived in blonde is in just now.