What is balayage hair?

Balayage is a French term that refers to the way the color is applied, not the color itself. It is a technique where hair color is painted onto the hair to create a graduated, more natural-looking highlight effect.

Is balayage the right choice for my hair?

Great question. Here is the tricky part. While the term itself is meant for a description of how the color is applied, you may see a picture of balayage hair and desire the same end result. However, if your hair has been previously colored, or your natural hair is darker than the picture, then a balayage (gradual painting of highlights), will not give you the same end result.

So now what? Well, this is where we decide together if the technique of hand painting color without the use of foils (aka balayage), or the "balayage look" is what you are after.

How do you mean? To break it down without getting too scientific, lightener will dry when it is not in a foil. When lightener drys, it stops working, meaning it will only show a subtle highlight.

If the look you are after has a more bold blonde towards the bottom, with a natural more diffused highlight at the top, then we will most likely achieve this result with a specialty foil. This way the hair has a better chance of reaching a higher level of blonde.

THE MOST IMPORTANT tidbit to know is that most of the pictures you see on Instagram and Pinterest, etc. were not achieved in one hair appointment. These specialty looks can sometimes take a few hair appointments and require patience for your desired end result.

Once this is achieved, the upkeep is very low maintenance. It may be a bit costly in the beginning, but in the long run your upkeep will be less expensive than your basic highlights.