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Fancy trying something different with your colored hair styling? Balayage is the perfect hairstyle to try, especially if you love being a brunette and want to keep your color but add a little spice!
Don’t worry if you have light hair or blond hair, as balayage can still add a little funkiness to your hair.
Balayage is for everyone. Even men may want to balayage it up now and then (as long as the hair isn’t too short). Balayage works on a variety of hair lengths and will suit all styles and all hair types.
Balayage Technique – What Is It & How do They Do It!
It’s a type of hair coloring technique that has been around since the 70s. It was developed in the European country of France.
France is well-known for producing many famous artists and paintings, and this is not much different. This is due to balayage being a technique where the hair color is painted onto the hair in a free-hand sweeping motion. No use of a head highlighting cap or foil!
Using this technique provides the hair with a more natural look; it lifts the color to provide a lovely highlight to it – and a bit of excitement.
This hair trend was an instant hit in the United States after it was discovered. It’s been around since, with hairstylists recommending this type of highlight to customers looking for something a little bit unique.
The balayage style blends in with your original hair color. One of the best reasons to style your hair this way is because you won’t notice the ‘roots’ as your hair grows. This is unlike other hair coloring techniques.
If you have sharp highlights from the root, you’ll notice that, after around six weeks (depending on how quickly your hair grows), you’ll have ‘roots.’ And if your hair is quite dark, this will be very noticeable. Due to this, you then have to go back to the salon to get these touched up! There’s no need to do this with balayage, as your hair highlight is subtle and blended in without a harsh line of color.
Another plus about balayage is that, if you’re new to coloring your hair, this allows you to try something different without it looking too sharp and ‘in your face.’ This is especially good if you feel a bit unsure if it’s for you.
If you are a unique person or like to have something a little bit special, balayage is 100% for you. Your stylist can adapt the way they do the strokes of color to suit your style. They can even accentuate certain features on your face, giving you that ‘wow’ factor.
So, it’s Exclusively Applied – Does This Mean it Takes Longer?
This depends on what type of balayage you are having done.
If you only want a few touches to add a little light to your hair, this can take between fifteen minutes to an hour. The time will also vary depending on the length of your hair, just like regular highlights.
It will take longer if you go for the 3-layered balayage technique. Again depending on hair length and the quality of your hairstylist’s work, it can be around the 3-hour mark – or even longer. But what’s the harm in that? Let yourself be pampered! On the plus side, you won’t require as frequent visits to the salon as you would with regular highlighted hair.
The perfect look can take time but please never allow that to put you off. It’s about the final result and how fabulous you are going to feel and look.
Can I Do the Balayage Styling Technique at Home?
Yes, you can. Many kits available on the market will allow you to do this type of color technique from the comfort of your own home.
If you haven’t colored your hair before, the great news is that balayage is unique, and it doesn’t matter if the color is spaced correctly, as sharp traditional highlights would require. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you mess up, as people will think that it is your intended look anyway!
The main tip here is that when selecting a hair dye color, ensure it’s no more than three tones lighter than your current hair color. You’re looking for a delicate splash of color.
It may take you a few goes to get this type of technique perfected. Don’t worry – that’s the same for everyone. Even professional hairstylists have to learn and develop. Your inner Picasso will soon emerge. Or should I say Monet, as it is a French originated technique after all!
Are There Different Types of Balayage?
There is a range of balayage types. This includes a look with only a few highlights applied to your hair, to a multi-layered effect to give you that ‘Oh là là’ factor.
If your hair is dark, you can get an amazing caramel look to your hair when using balayage techniques. Or you can create many other great looks, such as something more honey-colored. The types of end color results that can be achieved are endless. You can try a range of different colors. You may want a dark mahogany look in the fall compared to a lighter glow in the summer months.
Are you looking for something a bit more unique? Maybe it’s because all of the ladies in the office have been balayage-ing it up themselves. Well, a rose gold balayage or a purple balayage might work for you. You will surely get a lot of head turns if you go for these types. Plus, it will make you stand out from the rest.
Some stylists will be knowledgeable about various styles of balayage. There are even a few cleverly named types that determine the type of balayage you get. Think of it the same way as waxing types and the various names they have, like The Hollywood, The Brazilian, and many others.
If you fancy staying State Side, then you have The New Yorker, The California, and The LA. If you want to mix it up and go a little continental, you have The Londoner and The Rio to choose from.
The quickest style to get done in terms of the application is The New Yorker; the others will take a little longer. If you love to contour your face, then why not contour your hair with The Rio.
For the blond ladies, The LA will allow you to achieve an even more, blonder dazzle. If you’re looking for more coverage, then go for The California. But if you’re looking for chilled-out non-roots, then The Londoner is the one.
Is It Actually That Fashionable?
Yeah, it is! You will find many celebrities are now sporting this type of look, from singers, actresses, those reality TV ladies, and to any American women (or man)!
That’s right; you will find this style everywhere, from the city office to downtown. Any person, famous or not, can be part of the fashion movement, so what’s stopping you?
Is Balayage For You?
If you have been thinking about trying balayage for a while, don’t delay anymore. Treat yourself to this celebrity-loved type of hair coloring today. You will not be disappointed, and you will be 100% satisfied with the finished result. Plus, you are sure to receive compliments about how great your hair looks, so why not balayage yourself?
Even if you haven’t thought about this color styling technique before, I’m sure you are intrigued to see what it would look like on your hair and how it would feel. If you love low maintenance, this is the ideal solution for you.
It’s time to get your balayage on!
