It seems we can never escape the appeal of French-girl beauty, whether it\u2019s the signature featherlight wash of color on the lips<\/a> or the most famous bangs in the world<\/a>. Treehouse Studio<\/a> founder Travis Ogletree felt so energized by it during Paris Fashion Week that he invented a new hair-coloring technique to mimic what he saw: the French-girl highlight.<\/p>\n \u201cI was really inspired by the low-maintenance, less-is-more approach to color I kept seeing,\u201d he explains. The French-girl highlight is the low-maintenance take on his signature California highlight technique. (He is based in Los Angeles, after all.) \u201cIt felt effortless, softly grown out, and never overworked.\u201d<\/p>\n While colorists often use the hand-painting technique called balayage to achieve a subtler style<\/a> of highlight, Ogletree says it works best on clients who already have naturally light hair or are seeking noticeable warmth. Instead, French highlights are achieved with specifically placed foils.<\/p>\n \u201cIt still reads low maintenance, but it gives a cleaner, more even lift,\u201d Ogletree says. \u201cPeople don\u2019t want to be coming back in constantly for glosses<\/a> or chasing brightness. They want something that feels intentional from day one, and for me, foils consistently deliver that.\u201d<\/p>\n The overall goal of the French-inspired treatment? Subtle sophistication and a result, Ogletree says, that begs the question: Did she color her hair or not?<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are craving something that feels natural,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s an almost childlike softness to it that\u2019s universally flattering. It doesn\u2019t look overdone and doesn\u2019t demand constant upkeep. I often describe it this way\u2014we\u2019re not reshooting the campaign, we\u2019re just editing in post.\u201d<\/p>\n Treehouse Salon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n New York City\u2013based celebrity colorist Jeremy Cohen<\/a>, whose clients include Jennifer Lopez<\/a> and Michelle Williams, says his go-to highlighting technique shares the French highlight\u2019s laid-back vibe.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all about the placement of the highlight,\u201d he explains. \u201cLike those natural highlights<\/a> you get from the sun when you\u2019re a kid. They\u2019re subtle but impactful.\u201d Cohen adds that it\u2019s one of his favorite approaches for creating effortless dimension in brown hair: \u201cIt should feel glossy, elevated, and really expensive, like the best version of your natural color.\u201d<\/p>\n Ogletree says that the beauty of this kind of color is that it evolves with you rather than locking you into a strict maintenance schedule. Even better, almost anyone looking to add some light to their summertime strands is a good candidate for French highlights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/assets.vogue.com\/photos\/6a0230fe609f1aef3d32f80d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/IMG_5151.jpeg\"\/)
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