WHAT IS BALAYAGE

Balayage is a French word meaning to sweep or to paint. It allows for a sun-kissed natural looking hair color – similar to what nature gives us as children – with softer, less noticeable regrowth lines. The principal idea being less is more when creating soft, natural looks. Balayage is a freehand technique where the color is applied by hand rather than using the traditional foiling or cap highlighting techniques. Balayage can be used in even the shortest pixie crop however the best results are in hair below the shoulders.

THE APPEAL

You can achieve so many different effects from soft, natural highlights to something strong and punky. The fact it’s so low maintenance is such a draw for women too. People want to look fashionable and feel good about their appearance but in this day and age we don’t all have the time to be in the salon every few weeks for a touch up.

It’s also a very economical way to color your hair, as you never have a solid demarcation line or regrowth, so if you can’t afford to get it done for another month it won’t look atrocious. However, if your Balayage isn’t done correctly you can end up with excessive overlapping that can cause damage.

THE PROCESS

The process varies depending on the length of the hair and the desired result. You can expect to have individual strands colored with a brush and a backing board. Some colorists like to separate their sections with cotton wool or foil, others tease the hair in sections first then freehand color the ends.

I find that all my Balayage clients are going for different looks and need to maintain it at different rates. You will need to have a minimum of three appointments to really build up the color initially. These appointments are spaced six weeks apart. From there you could go up to four months without having more Balayage. You would just need to come in for a toner and a treatment to freshen up the color in between appointments.