What is Balayage?
Balayage is a hair coloring technique that involves painting or sweeping hair dye onto the hair to create a gradual natural-looking effect. A hair balayage creates highlights or lowlights in the hair, with a focus on creating a subtle, natural-looking effect.
The balayage technique allows for more customized and personalized hair color, as the color is applied by hand and tailored to the individual’s hair type, texture, and desired look. Balayage can be used on all hair colors and textures and is often used to create a sun-kissed effect or add depth and dimension to the hair.
Pro Tip: The correct pronunciation of “balayage” is “bah-lay-ahge” with the last syllable “ahge” pronounced with a soft “g” sound, like the “j” in the English word “garage. The word originates from French, so the pronunciation follows French phonetics.
How Much Does Balayage Cost?
Below are our prices for our balayage salon services. Prices as shown below are a starting point. During your complimentary consultation, your Bronde Blvd Salon specialist can give you a clearer idea of what your specific requirements will cost. See our pricing chart below:
Partial Highlight/Balayage — $125+
Full Highlight/Balayage — $155+
How Long Does a Balayage Last?
How long a balayage lasts depends on several factors such as hair texture, color, and aftercare. However, a balayage can typically last anywhere from 4 to 6 months before it starts to fade or lose its vibrancy.
Because of the way that the balayage technique creates a subtle, natural-looking effect, the color tends to fade gradually and blend in with the natural hair color as it grows out. This means that as the hair grows, the balayage will start to become less noticeable and will require a touch-up to maintain the original effect.
To extend the life of your balayage, it’s important to take proper care of your hair. This includes using color-safe shampoos and conditioners, avoiding excessive heat styling, and protecting your hair from UV damage. Additionally, you may want to consider getting regular toning or glossing treatments to refresh the color and maintain the vibrancy of your balayage.
How Long Does a Balayage Take?
The duration of a balayage application largely depends on the length and thickness of your hair and the look you are wanting. However, on average, a full balayage application can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours.
The process typically begins with a consultation to discuss the desired color and placement of the highlights, followed by sectioning and backcombing the hair to create a seamless transition between the natural and colored sections. The stylist then applies the color and once the color has been processed, the hair is rinsed, toned, shampooed, and conditioned before being blow-dried and styled.
Partial balayage applications, which focus on highlighting specific sections of the hair, take less time than a full balayage. Additionally, some stylists may choose to use a lightening product or toner to help the color develop more quickly, which can shorten the overall application time.
How to Maintain a Balayage
To maintain hair that has been colored with balayage, it’s important to take proper care of your hair and protect the color from fading. Here are some tips to help you maintain your balayage:
Use color-safe shampoo and conditioner
Use products specifically formulated for colored hair to help preserve the color and prevent fading.
Avoid excessive heat styling
Excessive heat styling can cause damage to your hair and fade the color more quickly. When you do style your hair with heat, use a heat protectant spray to help minimize damage.
Protect your hair from UV damage
Exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause your hair color to fade more quickly. Consider wearing a hat or using a leave-in conditioner with UV protection to help shield your hair from the sun.
Get regular touch-ups
Balayage color tends to grow out more naturally than other color techniques, but you’ll still need touch-ups to maintain the desired effect. How often you need touch-ups will depend on how fast your hair grows and how noticeable the grow-out is.
Use hair masks and deep conditioners
Balayage color can make your hair more prone to dryness and damage. To keep your hair healthy and vibrant, use hair masks and deep conditioners regularly to help moisturize and nourish your hair.
By following these tips, you can help extend the life of your balayage and keep your hair looking healthy and vibrant.
What is the Difference Between Balayage and Highlights?
Balayage and highlights are both hair coloring techniques that involve applying color to the hair, but they differ in how the color is applied and the final result.
The Balayage technique involves hand-painting the color onto the hair in a sweeping motion, starting from the mid-shaft of the hair and gradually blending it towards the ends resulting in a soft, natural-looking gradient of color that is seamlessly blended with the rest of the hair. Balayage is typically used to create a sun-kissed, lived-in look with a subtle, low-maintenance effect.
Highlights, on the other hand, involve using foil to separate strands of hair and applying the color to specific sections. This technique involves weaving or slicing small sections of hair and applying color to create more contrast and dimension in the hair. The end result is a more noticeable contrast in the hair, with brighter sections that stand out against the natural hair color.
In summary, balayage creates a more subtle, natural-looking effect, while highlights create a more noticeable, high-contrast effect. Balayage is typically lower maintenance, as it doesn’t require regular touch-ups, while highlights may require more frequent touch-ups to maintain the desired effect.
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