Balayage
What is it? How is it applied? Why do we love it?
“I would like to take the time to thank Amanda for the outstanding job she did yesterday with my Balayage.”
Balayage is a French word meaning to sweep or to paint. It allows for a sun-kissed natural looking hair colour – 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 applied on the surface and not saturated through the section until the very tips, otherwise you would have a streak of colour that isn’t very soft at all. It can also be called a freehand technique because no foil or meche are used to create the highlights.
It can be used to create a mulitude of looks. The photoshopped image below also displays how achieving the lightest and brightest looks can take several sessions. Taking the slow and steady approach to lightening the hair allows for the hair to maintain the best condition and integrity. We also suggest adding our Olaplex upgrade which massively reduces the amount of damage that lightening products can do to the hair.
Free hand balayage always gives a warmer (not brassy) result that can be tamed or embraced with a toner or two.
Foiliyage is a similar technique that encloses smaller sections in foil to give a brighter, potentially cooler and generally more striking result. This is usually paired with a root stretch toner to give more of a soft, balayage effect. This is more time consuming than free hand balayage and although carried out at all levels of stylist, is better suited to more senior technicians.
Babylights is a technique that can give the most contrasting and striking effects or can be the most subtle, baby fine highlights. How the process is carried out can vary from person to person as can the time required. this is why we price this service on consultation.
“I had a cut and Balayage by Ailsa on Wednesday. I absolutely love it.”