What is the Balayage Hair Technique?
Balayage is French for ‘ sweep or paint the hair’. Balayage is a style of hair colouring that has grown in popularity for its natural appearance of a sun-kissed look. It is also a low-maintenance hair dying style as it’s not an all-over one colour and has a softer grow-out. The subtle highlights are performed with freehand techniques to achieve multiple tones throughout your hair. The application of colour with Balayage techniques is bespoke to each client, meaning every hair type and colour can be personalised exactly how you like.
Is a Balayage the same as Ombre?
A trend that a lot of brunettes hopped onto was Ombre hair colouring, which is a gradual colour blend, with roots remaining darker and the ends of the hair becoming more blonde. Ombre (meaning shade or shadow) can be performed on all hair lengths, as can Balayage. The main difference between these hair colouring techniques is that Balayage appears more natural with highlights across the top layer of the hair, so that highlighted areas look a little like they’ve been bleached by the sun. Ombre hair, on the other hand, offers more of a contrast in colours and tones, with more of a visible blend in the length of the hair.
Why is Balayage Hair So Popular?
Balayage came about in the 1970s in France as a new technique as opposed to all-over foils for dying hair; the strands of hair were separated to achieve the sun kissed appearance. Balayage can be done on all hair shades and colours as it has various application methods, and you can create different looks depending on preferred techniques and highlight colours. This hair colouring technique is popular on blonde or ash blonde hair, and with brunette hair, where lighter browns are used to highlight throughout.
Perhaps what makes it so popular is that it can be made unique to every individual. No two Balayages look the same, as you keep your natural colours as well as adding new.
How Long Does a Balayage Last?
A Balayage can last 3-4 months, depending on your natural hair colour, the rate at which your hair grows and how you maintain it.
The Best Hair Type for a Balayage
As mentioned, a Balayage is ideal for all hair types as it's so unique and can be tailored to all hair lengths and colours; however, here is some guidance on the popular methods…
- Straight Hair: A softly blended balayage works beautifully, adding subtle dimension. It's best to avoid thick, chunky highlights, as they can appear too stark.
- Wavy Hair: A sun-kissed balayage, concentrated on the mid-lengths to ends, enhances dimension and creates a lovely beachy feel.
- Curly Hair: Chunkier, more defined highlights are ideal for curly hair. This ensures the colour remains visible and doesn't get lost within your curls' texture.
Caprio's Hair Studio is Kingswinford-based, and our award-winning hair salon delivers beautiful hair transformations that are sure to make you feel confident! All of our staff receive recurrent training so that they remain up to date with the latest trends and techniques, so you can be sure that your Balayage will look gorgeous.
Contact us To Book a Balayage Appointment
Book an appointment with us at Caprio’s Hair Studio today either through our website or by calling us on 01384 402 890.