Balayage a French word meaning to sweep or paint. Your hairstylist will view your hair in much the same way as an artist would look at his canvass. Then in sweeping strokes color will be applied in sections to your hair.
Looking around you can see where the idea for this type of effect came from.
Mother Nature has many species of trees and plants that produce a natural balayage effect on their leaves. Or a strobe effect of different color veins running through their length.
The balayage technique has in fact been around for quite a long while. Having first emerged in Paris during the 1970’s before going underground for quite a while.
Although today balayage coloring has crept its way back with a bang. To be one of the most popular coloring techniques in hair salons today.
There are many words used for the freehand painting of hair.
Ombe, Sombe, Conturing and Strobe are some of the descriptive words used in salons today.
Therefore it is essential that you do know the difference between say an ombre and a dip dye or a balayage.
Because depending on the salon and stylist you go to. The names of the area’s painted may change.
What Is Meant By A Balayage Effect.
Balayage is using your hair like an artist’s canvas. Because your stylist or artist will use freehand techniques to apply the color or colors to your hair.
The color or colors chosen should look deeper closer to your root area yet lighter towards your hair ends.
Therefore creating a soft natural graduation of color down your hair strands.
The result. A subtle blending of colors.
Although should you prefer. There is nothing wrong about having a very bold effect.
Do keep in mind though that each balayage application is individual and will depend a lot upon the imagination of your hair stylist.
Meaning that each time you visit your stylist at the salon for your color.
The effect and the finished look will always come out slightly different.
The Balayage Application.
The hair color is mixed thick and then painted onto your hair in sections.
A sweeping hand movement of the brush applies the color. From the top third of your hair down to the tip of your hair strands.
Near the base of your head the color is applied lightly on the surface and only towards the edges of the strand of hair.
As the sweep of the brush descends down your hair shaft. Your stylist will increase the pressure of the brush slowly.
So as to push more color deeper into the individual section of your hair.
Finishing with a very heavy pressure so as to color all the way through by the tip of your hair.
Balayage Can Be Used On All Shades Of Hair.
On lighter hair a balayage effect creates a look of summers spent at the beach. Creating a soft sun kissed dimension to your hair.
Whilst auburn and reds do create a fantastic balayage effect on a head of dark hair.
Most important in creating a beautiful balayage finished effect.
Is a gradual natural blend of color from near the roots of your hair to a stronger more intense color at the ends.
Balayage v’s Foil Hi Lighting Pro’s and Con’s.
Foil Hi Lighting.
For. Better precision. Even tones. Able to remove foils at different times so no over processing.
Against. If heavily foiled a demarcation line as your hair grows out.
Balayage.
For. A free form color. Faster than foils. No lines of demarcation. Requires less maintenance as it grows out.
Against. To get subtle balayage affects you need to work with a very good hairstylist.
Because many of the so called balayage looks around today do tend to be far too heavy. And end up looking more like the hair has been dip dyed.
Over time the look can produce more of a Ombre effect. This will eventually need foils if you want to blend the look together.
Thank you for reading this post. If you liked it please share it.
