New Mexico Cosmetology Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Mastering Your Certification!

Highlighting is the technique that specifically involves applying bleach to sections of hair to lighten some strands while leaving others darker. This process creates contrast and dimension in the hair, allowing for a more vibrant and multi-tonal look. The highlighted sections reflect light differently compared to the unbleached sections, enhancing the overall hair appearance.

Balayage, while it also involves lightening hair, is a freehand technique where the bleach or color is painted onto the hair, giving a sun-kissed look that appears more natural and less uniform than traditional highlighting.

Color melting refers to the seamless blending of colors within the hair, often involving the application of multiple shades rather than the specific application of bleach to sections. This technique aims for a more blended and gradual transition between colors.

Ombre is characterized by a gradual transition from darker to lighter shades, where the ends of the hair are generally lightened significantly. While it may use bleach, the focus is less on individual section processing and more about the overall gradient effect from the roots to the ends.

Thus, highlighting is distinctly focused on sectioning off parts of the hair to apply bleach selectively, making it the correct answer in this context.