What Is a Highlight Gun? How the Velion Hair Applicator Works
Professional hair highlighting is traditionally done with a brush and bowl, often combined with foils. Although this method works, colourists need to repeatedly dip the brush into the lightener while applying it section by section. A highlight gun offers a different way to apply lightener directly and continuously.
The Velion Hair Highlight Gun™ is a reusable applicator developed with professional hairdressers and colourists. It is designed to make the application process faster, more controlled and less messy.
What is a highlight gun?
A highlight gun is a handheld hair-colour applicator with a refillable reservoir. The reservoir holds the lightener or colour mixture, which is dispensed through an application nozzle directly onto a selected section of hair.
Instead of returning to a bowl after every section, the colourist can continue applying product from the tool. This can reduce repeated dipping and help create a smoother application workflow.
The Velion Hair Highlight Gun does not require proprietary cartridges or refills. It is designed to work with the professional bleach or colour mixture already used in the salon, provided the mixture has a suitable consistency for application.
How does the Velion Hair Highlight Gun work?
The basic process consists of three steps:
- Load the reservoir. Prepare the lightener or colour according to the product manufacturer’s instructions and fill the Highlight Gun.
- Apply it to the hair. Select the section and guide the applicator through the strand while dispensing the required amount of product.
- Clean the tool. Take the components apart immediately after use and rinse them thoroughly with warm water.
The continuous flow allows the colourist to focus on sectioning, placement and saturation without repeatedly switching between the hair and a mixing bowl.
What is included?
Each Velion Hair Highlight Gun comes with:
- The main applicator body and pusher
- One application nozzle
- Two interchangeable weaving tips
The weaving tips provide different options for selecting and working with sections. The tool can be disassembled after use, making the individual components easier to rinse and clean.
How is it different from a brush and bowl?
A brush and bowl remain useful professional tools, but the Highlight Gun changes how the mixture reaches the hair. The product is stored inside the applicator and released directly at the selected section.
This may provide several practical benefits:
- Less repeated dipping into a mixing bowl
- A continuous and controlled application flow
- Less mess around the workstation
- A reusable system without proprietary cartridges
- The option to create certain foil-free highlighting techniques
The Highlight Gun is not intended to dictate one specific highlighting method. Colourists can decide how to incorporate it into their existing techniques and whether additional separation materials are appropriate for the desired result.
Can a highlight gun replace foils?
That depends on the technique, placement and desired lift. The Highlight Gun can be used to create foil-free highlights in suitable applications, but it does not mean that foils must be removed from every colour service.
Some colourists may use the tool as an alternative application method, while others may combine it with their existing sectioning and separation techniques. Professional judgement remains important when choosing the best method for each client.
Who is the Highlight Gun designed for?
The Velion Hair Highlight Gun was developed primarily for professional hairdressers and colourists who regularly work with highlights, lightener and creative colour placement.
More than 100 prototypes were tested and refined during its development. Feedback from working colourists helped shape the applicator, grip, nozzle and interchangeable weaving tips.
How should it be cleaned?
Clean the Highlight Gun directly after every use. Disassemble the components and rinse them thoroughly with warm water before any remaining mixture can dry inside the tool. Do not leave the assembled tool soaking.
Always follow the instructions and safety requirements provided by the manufacturer of the bleach or colour product. The Highlight Gun is an application tool and does not change the chemical processing instructions of the product being used.
Developed and made in the Netherlands
Velion Hair is a Dutch professional hair-tool brand based in Schagen. The Highlight Gun was developed together with hairdressers and colourists and is manufactured in the Netherlands. Each tool is checked and packed by the Velion Hair team.
Explore the Velion Hair Highlight Gun™ and discover a new way to apply professional hair lightener.