Whether you’re tired of stripy highlights, looking for a more natural look, or want to save money on touchups, balayage is the technique for you. Just use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner to preserve your balayage.
Bright around the face, blended at the roots and lighter ends—balayage creates a naturally lightened, sun-kissed effect that looks effortlessly cool. But what is it exactly?
What is Balayage?
Balayage is a highlighting technique that allows stylists to paint highlights into your hair in a freehand manner. The result is a natural-looking, sun-kissed look. It is sometimes confused with ombre or traditional highlights, but it is a different color technique.
Balayage also allows for more versatility than other highlighting techniques. You can achieve a subtle, soft look or a more dramatic, beachy effect. It’s also great for brunettes because it allows you to add mahogany or red tones.
What is the Balayage Technique?
Balayage is a hair coloring technique that involves applying color strategically to create a natural-looking sun-kissed effect. It’s been A Thing for some time, with celebrities like Chrissy Teigen and Kim Kardashian sporting it everywhere (just search #balayage on Instagram).
Unlike foils, where color is saturated over entire strands for a more uniform look, with balayage, your colorist “paints the bleach freehand on individual strands for a more blended, less striped appearance,” says Barbuto.
That means there’s no harsh line of demarcation between colors and a more natural look, which can help you go longer between touchup appointments.
It’s important to bring photos to your balayage Chesapeake VA appointment so your stylist can get an idea of the look you want.
How Does Balayage Work?
Balayage is a coloring technique that involves hand-painting highlights onto your hair rather than using foils. Your stylist will use a brush and strategically paint bleach onto individual strands of your hair, concentrating more on face-framing pieces and the ends to mimic how natural sunlight lightens your hair.
This allows your colorist to create a more natural-looking highlight effect and to prevent obvious grow-out between touchups, which can be a problem with foils or traditional highlights. Balayage is much easier on your hair than other types of highlights, especially regarding curls.
However, balayage can dry out your hair more than other highlights, so it’s important to maintain your look with nourishing shampoos and conditioners made for colored hair. You must also visit the salon for regular conditioning and salon treatments like toners to avoid brassiness and fading.
How Long Does Balayage Last?
Balayage is a natural-looking color technique perfect for those who want to avoid dealing with the maintenance of traditional highlights. However, this coloring technique takes time – the length of which will depend on how much hair your colorist is working with and how many tones are being introduced.
Balayage swipes are more fluid and less dense than traditional highlights, which are saturated with color. This creates a more free-flowing, untouched look that can last up to six months without obvious grow-out or the need for retouches.
To prolong the life of your balayage, make sure you use a good quality shampoo and conditioner to maintain the condition of your hair. And if you frequently swim, invest in a specialized pool/seawater hair cap to prevent your beautiful blonde balayage from becoming dull or brassy.
How to Maintain Balayage
Balayage is a great way to add natural-looking highlights to your hair, but it’s important to maintain it well to keep it looking its best. To help your color last longer, avoid sun exposure (especially when using a tanning bed) and use a hair care routine with a deep conditioner.
Also, don’t wash your hair more than once a week – washing it too often can strip the color out of your hair. If you need to wash your hair more frequently, use a dry shampoo that matches your color.
You’ll also need to touch up your roots every few months, which can be done at the salon or home with a root touchup product. And remember to stay away from chlorine and salt water, as they can damage your light hair and cause it to turn brassy.
