The Money Piece: Why This Highlight Technique Is Everywhere
Scroll through any beauty feed on social media in 2019 and you will spot it immediately: a bold, bright frame of color around the face that lights up everything it touches. The money piece has become the single most talked-about highlighting technique of the year, and the demand at salons has been overwhelming. At Sofia Loren Salon in Boca Raton, the money piece has quickly become one of our most requested color services, and it is easy to understand why. It delivers dramatic, head-turning results with relatively minimal effort and maintenance.
What Is a Money Piece?
A money piece is a section of highlights concentrated on the front pieces of your hair, right at the face frame. Specifically, it refers to the chunks of lighter color placed on the strands that fall directly around your face when your hair is parted, typically starting at or very near the root. Unlike the subtle, blended face-framing highlights that have been popular for years, a money piece is bold, intentional, and unmistakable. It makes a statement.
The term itself is thought to have originated because these front pieces are the most visible part of your hair. They are the strands that show in selfies, peek out from ponytails and buns, and frame your face in every interaction. They are where you get the most visual impact for your investment, hence the name “money piece.”
The money piece can be customized in terms of width, brightness, and tone. Some clients want a narrow ribbon of light on each side of their face. Others want a chunky, attention-grabbing section that extends from temple to chin. The brightness can range from a subtle lift of two or three shades lighter than your base to a dramatic, platinum-blonde contrast against dark brunette hair. The tone can be cool, warm, or neutral depending on your skin tone and personal preference.
Why the Money Piece Took Off in 2019
The money piece hit at the perfect intersection of several ongoing trends. First, the continued demand for low-maintenance color. A money piece requires far less upkeep than a full head of highlights because you are only maintaining a small section of hair. Second, the 90s revival. Chunky, face-framing highlights were a hallmark of 90s hair, and the money piece is a modern, refined version of that aesthetic. Third, the selfie culture. In an era where faces are constantly photographed, having your most flattering color right where the camera can see it makes perfect sense.
Social media amplified the trend exponentially. The money piece is inherently photogenic. It creates visual contrast, draws the eye to the face, and looks dramatic in photos even when the rest of the hair is a single, solid color. Stylists who posted before-and-after photos of money piece transformations saw massive engagement, which drove even more clients through salon doors.
Who Looks Best With a Money Piece
The short answer is almost everyone. The money piece is remarkably versatile because it can be customized to suit any base color, skin tone, and hair type. However, some combinations are particularly stunning.
Brunettes get perhaps the most dramatic impact from a money piece. A rich chocolate or espresso base with bright, warm blonde pieces at the face creates a striking contrast that immediately draws attention. This combination has been enormously popular at our Boca Raton salon, partly because so many South Florida women have naturally dark hair and love the way a money piece brightens their face without requiring a full blonde transformation.
Blondes can also benefit from a money piece by going even lighter at the face. If your overall color is a warm, honey blonde, platinum money pieces at the front create a beautiful, dimensional effect. Alternatively, blondes can use a money piece to add a completely different tone, like a soft rose gold or an icy cool blonde, for a more creative look.
Redheads and women with auburn hair look stunning with a copper or golden money piece. The lighter, warmer tones at the face complement red hair beautifully and add a brightness that prevents auburn shades from looking too heavy or dark.
The Application Process
One of the reasons the money piece is so popular with stylists and clients alike is the simplicity of the application. A money piece appointment is typically shorter than a full highlight service because the colorist is only working on a small section of hair. Most appointments take about an hour to an hour and a half, including processing and toning.
The colorist isolates the front sections of hair on each side of your part. These sections are usually about one to two inches wide, though the exact width depends on the desired impact. The hair is lightened using foils or open-air balayage, depending on how much lift is needed and what kind of blend the client wants. If the goal is a bold, bright money piece with a clear transition from the base color, foils provide the most control. If the goal is a slightly softer, more graduated look, balayage painting creates a gentler blend.
After the lightener has processed and been rinsed, a toner is applied to achieve the exact desired shade. The toning step is crucial. It takes the raw, lifted hair and transforms it into a specific, flattering tone, whether that is an icy platinum, a creamy vanilla, a warm honey, or anything in between. The toner is what makes a money piece look polished and intentional rather than simply bleached.
Maintenance and Longevity
The money piece is one of the most low-maintenance color techniques you can choose. Because it only involves a small section of hair, touch-ups are quick and inexpensive. Most clients come in every eight to twelve weeks for a refresh, though some stretch it even longer because a slightly grown-out money piece simply transitions into a subtler face-framing highlight.
At home, the same rules that apply to any lightened hair apply here. Sulfate-free shampoo prevents premature color fading. Purple shampoo, used once a week, keeps blonde money pieces from turning brassy, which is especially important in the South Florida sun. Heat protection is essential if you use hot tools, as heat can shift the tone of lightened hair toward unwanted warmth.
One of the things our clients love most about the money piece is that it looks good at every stage of growth. When freshly done, it is bold and bright. As it grows out, the lighter pieces gradually move away from the face, creating a softer, more natural effect. There is never a point where it looks obviously overdue for maintenance.
Combining the Money Piece With Other Techniques
The money piece works beautifully as a standalone service, but it can also be combined with other color techniques for a more complex look. Many clients pair a bold money piece with subtle balayage through the rest of the hair, creating an overall look that has dimension and movement everywhere but is brightest and most impactful at the face.
A money piece can also be added to an existing balayage or highlight to refresh the look without doing a full color service. If your overall color is still looking good but you want a little extra brightness, adding or refreshing the money piece is a quick, affordable way to revive your look.
Book Your Appointment at Sofia Loren Salon
Ready to light up your face with the highlight technique everyone is obsessing over? Visit Sofia Loren Salon in Boca Raton for a money piece consultation. Our colorists will design the perfect placement, width, and tone to complement your base color and skin tone. Call us at (561) 444-0720 or book online at sofialorensalon.com.