Everything You Need to Know About Balayage Hair

‘Balayage’. You can’t pronounce it, but it’s one of the most popular words you’ll hear in the hair community these days. A simple balayage search on Pinterest will send you into a deep rabbit hole of multi-coloured hair searches all screaming your name.

So, the question becomes: Why is balayage popular and what else do you need to know about this trending hair style?

What is Balayage?

Balayage is essentially a technique used to apply colour or bleach onto the hair. Derived from the word ‘to sweep’ or ‘to paint’, the process involves painting the hair to create a gradual and natural-looking effect. The goal of balayage is to give a really blended result that doesn’t create harsh colour lines in the hair which can be a common occurrence with highlights.

Balayage vs. Highlights

A huge reason why balayage is so popular is because of how it stacks up compared to old-fashioned highlighting. Balayage, if done right, will provide you with ‘sun-kissed’ hair similar to how your hair would look after long periods of time in the sun.

When performing balayage, the stylist will target areas that the sun would typically hit to make it as seamless as possible. This is a drastic difference from highlights which are meant to provide an overall lighter look to the hair from root to tip. So for a client that is looking for a more toned-down look, balayage might be the answer.

Balayage and Regrowth

Another benefit to choosing balayage is being able to avoid the dreaded ‘regrowth’. Regrowth is probably one of the most frustrating aspects of hair colouring—the idea that it can’t last forever. With balayage you are able to create a gradual, lightened transition from the top of your hair to the bottom and avoid those harsh lines that come with colouring your whole head of hair.

Balayage is also one of the most economical choices when it comes to hair colouring because you are able wait longer periods of time between appointments. This longevity is great for clients for who don’t want to come into the salon every 4 weeks for a root touch-up.

No need to panic about regular root touch ups with balayage!

What Do I Need to Know Before I Get it Done?

It’s important to know that although balayage is a very healthy alternative to other hair colouring options, you are still lightening the hair. This means that depending on how dark your hair is (and how light you want to go) you need to be aware that balayage is a marathon and not a sprint. If you want to maintain the integrity of your hair, balayage might require multiple sessions to get your desired result.

Should I Get Balayage?

In order to achieve the best results, balayage is best done on natural hair. The reason for this because the effect of balayage will be lost on hair that already has multiple tones in it.

Having said that, if balayage is something you really want, your hair stylist should be able to provide you with a plan to eventually achieve that look. This can typically be done by starting off with foils.

If balayage is what you want, we’d be happy to take a look at your locks and provide you with all your options.

Balayage Maintenance Tips

There is nothing harsh about balayage. If done correctly, balayage will have the same effect on your hair as standard colour or highlighting. However, because balayage is a lightening process we always recommend using salon quality products to keep your hair healthy and conditioned. In addition to this, hair oils and masks are a great way to keep your locks from drying out.

For those who are looking for more ‘ashy’ tones, purple shampoo is always a must-have. The most common balayage look is light ribbons on darker hair. This means that when darker hair is bleached lighter, you are more susceptible to yellowish tones over time. Purple shampoo will keep your lighter pieces looking fresh, ashier, and prevent them from getting too brassy.

Styling & Inspiration

In terms of styling, balayage looks it’s best with ‘flowy’ hair styles. Put it this way, if balayage had a favourite outfit it would be loose, beachy waves. Styles like that will help to accentuate the colour variations throughout your hair.

If you’re looking for celebrity inspiration, we highly recommend looking up hair like Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Gisele Bündchen, or Lily Aldridge.

So now that you’re a balayage expert, let’s make it happen. No matter what your hair situation is, our stylists in Brantford will help you find the right colours to enhance your natural beauty. Book a balayge appointment today!