Balayage and Highlights Differences You Have To Know About

Balayage. Balay-what? If you’re looking for a new style to try out on your luscious locks, switching to balayage could change your hair forever. So, what exactly is balayage? Balayage is the new technique hairdressers use to highlight your hair, giving it more of a gradual and natural look rather than regular highlights. If you’ve ever gotten highlights, you know how fast and harsh your roots can get after they grow out. Nobody wants a strict line separating their roots from their dyed hair, so that’s were balayage saves the day. Let your hair naturally fade out allowing it to glow up your entire look. Check out what balayage can do for your hair that highlights just can’t seem to tackle.

So, What is the Balayage Technique?

Balayage allows hairdressers to paint color directly onto your hair without using foils. It gives hair a warmer feel to it, as it starts darker at the top and slowly gets lighter towards the bottom. With balayage, your hair will have multiple tones to it, making it look way more dimensional than it is. Your hair will look lighter and freshly sun-kissed thanks to balayage. In French, balayage even means “sweeping,” as the colors sweep across your hair. At the salon, this process can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours, depending on your hair length and thickness. The price varies but usually costs between $100 and $175.

Less Maintenance

With regular highlights, you’re forced to make an appointment every four to six weeks to keep up with the look. Since highlights have a much stricter root line, to keep up with your hair and maintain and an even color you must visit your hair salon every few weeks. Who has the time or money for that? With balayage, they set it up so your hair gradually grows in and the colored hair flows naturally instead of creating a clear division in hair color. Balayage only needs to be kept up with every four or so months. This is way more affordable and convenient for busy women! So save your money and time, while your hair looks the best it ever has!

Personalized Placement

Nobody wants a boring hairstyle. With balayage, your hairdresser can personalize the color to fit your head shape and hair cut. Unlike highlights that follow a strict pattern to follow on your head, balayage can be placed anywhere. Hairdressers find the perfect spots of where to place lighter colors vs. darker colors so that your hair compliments your head shape, your hair cut, and any facial features. This is beneficial for people with layers, angles or even a sleek and straight look. Putting lighter pieces right next to your face allows your face to glow and brightens your overall appearance. If you’re someone with very thin hair they can also place more color in thinner strips to give your hair a much thicker and dimensional look.

Sun-Kissed Look

Love the way your hair looks after long beach days spent out in the sun? Wish your hair could stay that warm and light all year long? With balayage, now it can! Balayage isn’t just for blondes, any hair color can achieve warmer tones with this technique. If you’re a brunette, mahogany or auburn tones can brighten up your hair. Black hair blends well with light brown or caramel balayage, and Blondes can turn to a whiter, more silvery color to blend into their already-light colored hair. Your hair will have that summer glow all year long, so what are you waiting for?

Ombré

Ombré is an outcome of balayage that creates a more two-toned, dramatic look. Similar to regular balayage techniques that make hair lighter at the bottom than the top, ombré does this but in a more dramatic way. With ombré, the top is usually significantly darker than the bottom, rather than a more gradual fade. This is often seen when people have naturally dark hair and lighten towards the bottom and down to the tips of their hair. This also works for blondes, being more golden at the roots then quickly changing to a whiter-blonde at the bottom. Ombré can be adjusted to any hair color or type, and usually costs around $80 to $150. The best part is when you no longer want ombre you can simply get just the colored bottom part chopped off.

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Less Streaks

Regular highlights can leave your hair looking cheap and streaky. With highlights beginning at the root, they’re one of the first things people notice when they look at you. If your hair looks way to bleached and full of streaky, poorly-done highlights, people will notice. Luckily, balayage doesn’t have that problem. Beginning in the middle of your hair, the color is painted directly on and brought down to the tips of your hair in a natural flow. Rather than a formal pattern like foiled highlights, balayage is applied free-handed and allows for brighter, natural-looking hair. Say goodbye to the days of fake, cheap-looking hair. Balayage will transform your head for the better!

Thicker Appearance

Does your hair tend to fall flat? Are you looking to add some dimension to your thin, fine hair? Balayage can be your new best friend. Due to the gradient of colors that are placed on the hair, your thin hair will instantly look deeper and thicker. The multiple shades of hair will make your head look like you have many more layers of hair than you actually do! With darker roots and lighter ends, your hair will look much more voluptuous and much thicker. With balayage and a good blow out, your hair will look much more dimensional than ever. This works best for healthy hair, fragile ends need to be chopped before wanting a fuller look!

Have you booked your balayage appointment yet? Don’t let your hair miss out any longer. Let us know your thoughts on this amazing hair technique in the comments below!