Partial foils in Cardiff
Partial foils add a focused set of woven highlights around the face and parting - the quickest way to brighten and refresh your colour where it counts.
Ideal between fuller appointments, or as a first step if you want to test a lighter look before committing to more.
A toner can be added as an option to perfect your finished shade - just ask at consultation.
What's included
- A colour consultation to plan your placement and tone
- Foil highlights around the face and parting
- Optional toner to perfect the finished shade
- A professional finish and aftercare advice
Prices start from £52 and depend on your hair's length, thickness and how much lift is involved. Your exact price is confirmed at your consultation.
More information
What the service involves
- A consultation to check your starting colour, hair condition and desired level of lift
- Sectioning and weaving of strands, generally around the crown, parting and face-framing areas, using roughly 20 or fewer foils
- Lightener or colour applied to the woven strands and folded into foils to process
- A peptide-based protective product mixed into or applied alongside the lightener, working to support elasticity and reduce damage while the hair processes
- Toning at the basin (usually 10 to 20 minutes) to refine the shade and manage warmth
- A finishing cut or blow-dry to complete the look
Application typically takes up to an hour, with processing adding another 10 to 45 minutes depending on how much natural pigment needs to be lifted. The full appointment at Timba is booked for 75 to 90 minutes, though your stylist will always judge timing based on your hair on the day.
Who it suits
Partial foils create dimension at the top and front while leaving more depth underneath, giving a natural, lived-in brightness rather than uniform all-over lightness. It's a lower-maintenance option compared with a full head of highlights, with typical maintenance intervals of around 8 to 12 weeks.
This service may not be the right choice if you:
- Want global lightness through the whole head (a full head of foils would suit better)
- Prefer a seamless grow-out with no visible regrowth, in which case balayage or root-shadowing is worth discussing
- Regularly wear hair up and want brightness through the lower hairline too, which can be requested and planned for in consultation
Peptide protection and hair condition
Peptide treatments use short chains of amino acids to help reinforce hair's protein structure during chemical processing. Alongside partial foils, this can mean:
- Reduced breakage and better elasticity through the lightening process
- Hair that feels smoother and stronger afterwards compared to standard highlighting alone
- Support during processing, though it doesn't eliminate all structural change, especially on hair that's already compromised or previously treated with strong at-home protein products
Our colour specialists, including Ceri O'Brien and the wider Timba team in Cardiff, will talk through your hair history and any at-home treatments during consultation so the lightener and peptide product are used appropriately.
Aftercare
Simple aftercare helps keep both the colour and the hair's condition looking its best:
- Use a sulfate-free shampoo and moisturising or bond-repair conditioners and masks
- Apply heat protectant before styling and limit heat tool use where possible
- Use UV protection and avoid very hot water when washing
- Limit chlorine and saltwater exposure, and book in periodic conditioning treatments
- Plan a maintenance visit around 8 to 12 weeks, depending on regrowth and how much contrast you're comfortable with
