As we saw with the pandemic, having a hair color that lasts a few months without touch-ups helps when we cannot get into our salons. Or if funds get tight, and you need to space out appointments.

The longevity of hair color, particularly techniques like balayage, has grown in importance because you can’t easily touch up balayage at home.

So, I would like to share the longevity of different balayage treatments, based on my experience as a hairstylist.

How Long Does Balayage Hair Color Last? 

Balayage lasts for 8 to 14 weeks before fading. However, its longevity can vary based on factors like color choice, how you maintain it at home, hair texture and length, and the specific balayage technique used.

Here are some different factors affecting the longevity of balayage hair color on your hair.

Color Choice

Bold color choices will not last as long as more natural color choices. For example, if you choose to have a pink balayage with an all-over color choice of Mahogany. As soon as your roots grow in, you will see a distinct line.

The ribbons of pink will move down the head and not be close to the roots. This choice will only last 4–6 weeks before you will need it to be redone. 

More natural color choices will grow out seamlessly and last longer. You will be able to go months without re-touch if the lightened pieces in a balayage are only a few shades lighter than your natural base color.

For example, if a person’s natural color base color is dark blonde and they get a balayage that is only a few shades lighter than their base, being a light to medium blonde, it will last up to four months. 

Maintenance

Use professional products for color-treated hair to improve your balayage time. Regular moisture treatments at home will help to reduce fading.

Using a shampoo without sulfate and paraben as ingredients will fade your balayage a lot quicker color. So avoiding these ingredients in shampoo will make your balayage stay longer.

Your balayage can last four to six months with proper maintenance at home (except for balayage colors that are not close to your natural color base.)

Length and Texture of Hair

Your hair length and texture also determine how long your balayage will last. Balayage is more likely to fade quickly on fine hair than on thicker hair because color absorbs and fades faster on fine hair.

When you have longer hair, that is below your shoulders, your balayage will last longer purely because it doesn’t show regrowth as quickly as short hair.

Short hair above your shoulders shows regrowth as soon as your roots start to grow. Thus, your balayage will have to be redone sooner.

So, even if your balayage doesn’t fade, you have to get the balayage redone within 6 to 8 weeks since the regrowth is more visible on short hair.

Different Balayage Techniques

Certain techniques can alter the time the balayage will last. For example, a balayage technique that includes a money piece will show the regrowth quickly.

This is because a money piece is the bolder color choice. And it is right in front, where everyone can see. So, you will need your money piece to be redone every 4–6 weeks. 

We’ve already mentioned that all-over color with a balayage lasts up to four months when the color is closer to the person’s natural hair and 1-1.5 months with bold color. 

For the babylights balayage technique, you will see the regrowth sooner than a traditional balayage, but not as soon as a money piece would show. This puts your retouch timing right at 5-8 weeks.

Why Does Balayage Last So Long?

The technique of balayaging is meant to give you a natural look. When they apply the lightener, the stylist brushes it towards the roots. This gives a flawless blending of colored strands into your natural strands.

Stylists only surface-paint the sections. By applying only to the surface of the section at a backward angle, it also creates that sun-kissed effect. So, as it grows out, you can’t really distinguish where the highlight begins and the natural hair ends.

If you are getting a balayage that is with bold colors or the blonde is much lighter than your natural color, you will see re-growth quicker.

It will still be around two months but you will have less opportunity to stretch the time because of it being more noticeable.

However, by not covering the roots all over with highlights, you do not get that harsh regrowth line. The natural hair by the roots for the most part is left untouched and the highlighting is focused on the middle to ends of the hair. 

Your hair, on average, grows out half an inch a month. Since only a few strands would have color on the roots, it would take quite a few weeks for the majority of the highlights (which are middle to ends) to grow out enough to look old.

How To Get Balayage Last Even Longer

Just like it is with any colored hair, maintenance is key for your color-lasting longer. With no maintenance your color will change as free radicals in the air, the sun, and harsh products attack your hair. 

Maintain Your Vibrancy

Using sulfate-free and paraben-free shampoo and conditioners is a good start. This will prevent the washing from fading your color.

Yes, balayage is done with permanent color or lightener, but tones can change with the above-mentioned elements.

You will also want to use paraben-free and sulfate-free styling aides, like hairsprays, mousse, and pomades. Sulfate and parabens can cause your balayage color to go wrong.

One of the most common balayage hair colors is a multi-tonal blonde. Purple shampoo, and conditioner can make sure your blonde strands do not turn brassy and keep the tone you had in the salon.

Protect from External Factors

The longevity of your balayage also depends on some external factors. So, in addition to the right products, you need to protect your balayage hair from environmental factors. 

The sun can fade your color dramatically if you don’t use hair sunscreen. You can also wear a hat or scarf when going out on a hot summer day.

Chlorine is an enemy of balayage as it has bleaching properties. Put chlorine on a colored shirt, it will take the color right out or fade it to a weird version of the original color.

It does the same thing to our colored hair. That’s why it’s important to put a swimming cap and hair product on before jumping into the swimming pool. 

When your hair becomes dry, it can lose color as well. Always use a heat protectant spray before blow drying or using a hot iron on your hair.

So, keep those strands moisturized with a leave-in treatment, and once a week treat yourself to a hair mask. There are many deep conditioning treatments on the market. As long as they are sulfate and parabens-free, and are for your type of hair, you are good to go.

When to Get Your Balayage Re-done

You have followed all the rules, and it is four months after your initial visit to the salon where you received your balayage, you will see your highlights are about two inches lower than before. 

The color itself has faded a little. And your roots look like they are completely your natural color, with no hint of the sun-kissed pieces that were there.

If you had a money piece in the front, that would be around two inches from the scalp. It is now time to get your hair done again.

If you’re tight on budget you can stretch it another month or two. But after that, your balayage will look like it needs to be done again.  

If you don’t want to see any change in your color at all, you have to go back to the salon every 6-8 weeks. This is mandatory if you have medium to short hair length.

The shorter the hair the more frequent your salon trips will be. But ultimately, It’s up to you and how you want your hair to look. 

Balayage is great for its longevity. You have months instead of weeks like it is with traditional foils. But all things do come to an end, and it is true with balayage too.

So, now you know how long balayage lasts. Over time, you will need to have it redone, but at least you know exactly when.

The post How Long Does Balayage Last? Tips to Keep It Vibrant appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

Now you hate your hair color and ask your stylist, “How could my balayage go so wrong? Is there any way to fix it?”

Since it is a freehand coloring technique, there are some common mistakes that can be the reason behind balayage going wrong. But you can also take proper steps to fix it.

So, if you want to know the reasons and fix your bad balayage, read this article till the end.

Causes of Bad Balayage

It’s important to know the mistakes that frequently occur during the balayage hair coloring process. If you are well-informed about these causes, you can easily communicate with your stylist to ensure they stay careful.

1. Under-Processed Painted Sections

When a stylist starts to balayage it is all about the saturation and timing. It seems like an hour is too long to let the product stay on the hair.

But you must remember that balayage-specific lightener is designed to stay on the hair longer than most color formulations.

Generally, it is enough to leave regular color on for up to 45 minutes, possibly longer for stubborn grey hair. But, you need to leave the balayage lightener on for no less than an hour.

This is one of the reasons balayage appointments take so long. Usually at busy salons, they use the processing time to fit in another client for another color or haircut.

It is hard to leave the lightener on for that long. You will be tempted to continually check it. To get a good balayage, you need to lift past the brassy stage.

Having the hour mark in your head and setting it on your timer will help you leave it to lift. If you do not lift it enough it will be difficult to tone all the brassiness out.

A visual goal can be to have the color of the lightened hair look like the inside of a banana peel. Leaving a lightener on for that long makes it imperative to use an additive to protect the hair from breakage. Olaplex is widely used for such a task.

There are other products that advertise to do the same thing such as Truss Professional 8x powder. Whichever you use make sure they have great reviews that show impressive results.

2. Inadequate Saturation

Another reason for getting a bad balayage is the inadequate saturation of the hair with the lightening product.

This is a very common issue for new hairstylists. Proper saturation is the perfect balance of not too much but not too little product on the hair.

Here are some tips for proper saturation:

1. Always start the application in the middle of the section you are painting.
2. When you are painting close to the top, you want your saturation to be even but only on the surface of the section you are painting.
3. Feather up towards the roots for a gradient transition
4. As you apply the product towards the ends then you will want to build a heavier saturation.
5. There should be zero transparency and complete whiteness from the lightener on the ends.
6. Make sure that the sections underneath the painted hair stay untouched from the product to maintain depth.

3. Neglecting Consultation

This is a frequent reason for botched balayage. Not to get into the psyche of every stylist but it is important to have an in-depth consultation with your stylist.

Your hair grows half an inch in a month. So, if you have twelve inches of hair, the ends still have the color or treatment you did a year ago.

You could have been blonde and then went back to your natural color. That means you still have chemicals on the strand of that hair.

If your stylist knows about the treatments or hair colors you have used in the recent past, they can keep your hair’s integrity intact while giving you the desired result.

Water will also coat the hair and interfere with lifting to the proper lightness. The hair will have a rough texture if it has water build-up.

Most of the time the hair will have a brassy color to it. Chlorine will also create a film on the hair and in some cases have a green hue to the hair.

Information you should provide to your balayage stylist:

• When was the last time your hair had any color at home or at the salon?
• Has your hair been in contact with well water? When and for how long?
• Has your hair been in contact with chlorine? When and for how long?
• Are you on any medications? Especially, hormone medication?
• Thyroid medication and certain antibiotics can affect the coloring of the hair
• It is best to use a picture to make sure the stylist and the client are on the same page.

4. Using the Wrong Brush

When the balayage technique came to the States, stylists continued to use the tools that they used for traditional foils. And this is the most common mistake that causes bad balayage.

To paint like an artist, your stylist needs brushes that an artist would use. The stiff brushes that the hair industry produces in the masses are too stiff.

Balayage technique is to make sweeping motions. Depending on the type of hair, whether it is coarse or fine, straight or curly will determine which brush your stylist going to choose.

There are certain aspects of a brush that you want to ensure are present in the one they choose.

• Bristles should be soft with tapered edges to be able to apply color with precision and accuracy.
• Bristles being feathered help with the diffusion of the product near the top
• It is important to be able to put adequate product on the brush without straining the stylist’s wrist.
• Angled brushes are great for fine, delicate pieces and are ideal for specific color placement.
• Paint brushes with more bristles than usual and tapered are great to use on coarse hair.

5. Choosing Wrong Color

Selecting a color that is much different from your natural hair shade can lead to a bad balayage. This error can make the hair appear mismatched and can even affect how your skin tone appears.

If you show your stylist a picture of the balayage make sure it will complement your natural hues well.

It’s best to pick a color that is just a few shades lighter or darker than your original hair color to get a natural and appealing balayage.

This way, the highlights blend well with your base color, giving a smooth, sun-kissed effect instead of a harsh contrast.

These are the common reasons for bad balayage. There are also other maintenance-related issues like washing hair too soon after balayage, using sulfate shampoo and conditioner, excess sun exposure to hair, etc., that may lead to uneven balayage results.

How to Fix Balayage That Gone Wrong

What to do if you have made some mistake and the balayage has already gone wrong? You can fix it too! Here are your possible fixes:

1. Toning

The easiest way to fix a bad balayage hair color is by applying a toner. Depending on the balayage color and undertone, you can use toning shampoo or a toner.

The level of your hair toner depends on the lightness of the highlighted sections. For instance, if your highlight is a light blonde and is uneven, put a level 9 or darker shade on it.

And if you prefer your highlights to have a warm or cool look, you can use a gold or violet toner, respectively.

If your balayage is too brassy, your toner either needs to be an ashy toner or a violet toner. Ashy or green toners will counteract more red-to-orange undertones.

Violet toners will counteract lighter orange undertones. Natural brunettes can use purple toning shampoo on balayage to fix brassiness.

2. Re-Applying Lightener

Sometimes the best fix is to start over. In this case, you’d selectively reapply the lightener to the sections of hair with uneven balayage.

This step is necessary if the balayage has turned too orange to be corrected with toner alone. The goal is to lighten it beyond the orange stage. Then you can tone it to get a nice even balayage.

3. Apply a Semi-permanent Hair Color

When would you apply a semi-permanent hair color? It’s an excellent solution if you’re dealing with bleeding spots.

This happens when the lightener accidentally comes into contact with sections of hair that weren’t meant to be lightened, resulting in unwanted patterns that can resemble tiger stripes or uneven spots.

By applying a semi-permanent color, you can mask the areas affected by the lightener, as it will blend with the base color.

You will want to put this in a protective barrier of foil so that the semi-permanent hair color does not get on the balayage pieces.

Sometimes you will need to combine reapplying the lightener with applying a semipermanent to the base, especially if you are tackling issues like brassiness and uneven spots.

Always finish with a toner to blend processes. If you don’t want to darken the highlighted parts, use a level 10 Demi-permanent as your toner shade.

How to Get the Best Balayage Results

Now you know the reasons that caused your balayage to go wrong and how to fix them. But if you want to have perfect balayage that lasts longer, you have to remember bad balayage can be caused by the client’s or the stylist’s mistake.

For example, the client may not be able to provide the proper information required for the desired result, or stylists might misjudge the hair type or use the wrong brush.

Here are some tips for hairstylists and clients to achieve a good result.

As A Stylist

The best way to achieve a perfect balayage is knowledge and experience. There are many educational videos and classes on the subject of balayage. Take in as much as you can.

These stylists have gone through trial and error in using different products, tools, and techniques. Learn from their experience to avoid the pitfalls that balayage can have.

Use an actual lightener so you can see how the lightener works with the technique you use. Schools use manikins’ heads with real hair for a reason. They are great for trying out new techniques and tools. You can learn from the mistakes on the manikin and not have to worry about repercussions.

If you are in a salon setting, watch and learn from senior staff. If there is someone known for their remarkable results in balayage, study their technique.

Do not let pride prevent you from achieving the perfect balayage. For the stylist, you can become the top in your trade with knowledge and training.

Before you start the actual process of balayage have a detailed consultation with the client to understand their expectations and to give appropriate suggestions based on their hair type and condition

As A Client

If you want to avoid a bad balayage, consider factors like your skin’s undertone and eye color while choosing the shade of your balayage. Generally, staying within two to three shades of your natural color gives a flattering result.

For instance, if you have medium brown hair, adding soft caramel highlights might be a great choice. Natural balayage colors like blonde, ash blonde, or red are suitable for all skin tones and hair colors.

When doing a balayage if your stylist is lifting a previous color know that it will take multiple visits to get many levels lighter. It depends on the condition and darkness of the hair.

Your responsibility is to inform the stylist about any hair treatment or hair color you have used within a year. For those looking for a stylist who is trained to do balayage, look at their portfolio and reviews.

Balayage can be scary with the mistakes we have gone over. But you are now more prepared than you were yesterday.

So, now you can try out balayage more confidently because you know how to fix and prevent bad balayage and ensure a perfect result, whether you are the stylist or the client.

The post Bad Balayage: Common Causes and How to Fix It appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

Going from brown to blonde while still keeping things fuss-free was a dream too good to be true. But now, it’s absolutely doable with blonde balayage.

Ready to be wowed? We’re going to fill you in on brown-to-blonde balayage styles, offering you the best of both worlds with your hair color.

Let’s find out how this technique can turn brunette hair into a dazzling masterpiece.

Why Choose Balayage for Brown to Blonde Transformation?

We love balayage for brunettes going blonde for a few reasons.

#1. Lower Maintenance Than Traditional Highlights

Taking care of your balayage is easy. Traditional highlights (foils done right at the root) can easily take you from brunette to blonde but they will leave you with an obvious line of demarcation (aka visible roots) in just a few weeks. This means you’ll be back in the salon for a touch-up sooner than you wanted to. 

Because balayage starts off softer at the root and gives most of the lightness to the mids and ends of the hair, it grows out more naturally and leaves a more subtle root. You can go 3–4 months before having to touch up your balayage!

#2. Balayage is Gentle on the Hair 

If you haven’t touched your brunette hair with hair color in a while (or never!)The health of your hair is probably a top priority for you. 

Lightening with balayage keeps damage very minimal because it does not require the hair to be fully saturated in lightener from root to end or for hair to be tightly wrapped in foils to process.

Instead, the lightener is swept onto the hair’s surface, saturating only the ends (which get trimmed regularly) and then placed flat against a foil or saran wrap for processing. 

It’s also easier on hair because you’re able to have your hair colored less often making it harder for over-processing or overlapping which can cause breakage to occur. 

Pro Tip: Line up your hair trim appointments with your balayage appointments (every 3-4 months) to maintain ultimate hair health! 

#3. You Can Go Lighter Gradually or Do It All At Once 

We love the versatility of balayage. If you’ve never gone lighter before and prefer to take it slow with the blonding of your hair, balayage can make that happen.

If you’re ready to be blonde and walk out of the salon with a whole new look, balayage can do that too. 

Because balayage is hand-painted, your stylist can do as much or as little coverage as you would like with the lightener.

Balayage can also be used with many different strengths of lightener and can be processed in different ways (e.g., with or without heat, with foil or without foil), so your stylist can adjust how they apply and process your balayage according to your preferred blonde shade.

*Pro-tip: Do a color consultation with your hairstylist before your balayage appointment to determine what your brown to blonde balayage expectations are and what you’re hoping to achieve at your appointment.

Your stylist will be able to tell you whether or not you can go super blonde in one balayage session or if it will take 2-3 times.

A professional will take into account your starting hair color, your hair color goals, and your hair’s health to give you a great idea of what to expect out of your first balayage appointment.

#4. You’ll Still Feel Like Yourself only Blonder

Last but not least, one of our favorite reasons to choose balayage when going from brunette to blonde is because it won’t leave you in shock after going from brunette to blonde. 

Although you’ll be a lot lighter overall, balayage allows you to keep a good amount of brunette depth at the top of your hair and uses your natural brunette color for dimension throughout your hair’s mids and ends.

This takes away the shock factor of going root to end blonde with a heavy foil or bleach and tone. You’ll be able to keep your makeup routine the same and wear clothing colors that flatter your brunette hair. You’ll still feel like yourself only lighter and brighter! 

Brown to Blonde Balayage Style Ideas 

We can talk all day about how much we love brown to blonde balayage all day, but to truly inspire you to take the plunge into blonde balayage, we thought we’d share some of our favorite transformations.

Bring pictures of your favorite brown to blonde balayage photos to your hairstylist for inspiration. 

1. Brown to Honey Blonde 

This brown-to-blonde balayage is the perfect example of how adding even darker blonde pieces to brunette hair can completely transform your look without having to go super light. We love the honey-blonde pieces against the dark brunette base. 

2. Darkest Brown to Dimensional Blonde 

If you are an ultra-dark brunette (levels 3 or 4), you may be wondering if it’s possible for you to go blonde with balayage.

Take this before and after photo as proof that even the darkest brunettes can go lighter. This is a gorgeous example of how pretty ashy shades of blonde look against a dark brown base. 

Keep in mind that something like this may take 2-3 balayage sessions in order to achieve the cooler tones and most importantly to keep the hair healthy.

3. Light Brown to Subtle Blonde 

Maybe a huge transformation isn’t for you but you still want to change it up! We love how subtle this cool blonde balayage is.

Something like this could be a great way to test out if you want to go lighter and if you decide you love it and want more, you can always go blonder at your next appointment. 

4. Mousy Brown to Golden Blonde

This golden balayage is a dimensional dream! We love how the blonde really pops against the brunette hair that peeks out from underneath and at the root. Curling the hair helps to show off all the ribbony pieces of the balayage. 

5. Warm Brown to Cool Blonde Balayage 

Many brunettes have a lot of warmth in their hair but dream of icy blonde highlights. Don’t let the warmth in your hair keep you from exploring blonde balayage. This before and after is an amazing transformation from dark and warm to light and cool and stunning!

Again a transformation like this may take a little patience and 2-3 salon visits, but as you can see from this before and after, it’ll be well worth it.

So, check out these before and after photos of brown to blonde balayage to become inspired by the beautiful transformations! 

Key Things to Remember:

• Balayage can give your brown hair a big change while still keeping hair color maintenance to a minimum.
• Balayage is gentler on hair than traditional highlights and allows you to go gradually lighter over time or become a blonde in one salon appointment, depending on what you’re looking for. 
• It requires salon touch-ups every 3-4 months.

The post Brown To Blonde Balayage: 5 Stunning Styling Ideas appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

Now, you don’t want to do anything that might ruin your new, fabulous hair. You find yourself confused: should you wash my balayage or not? And what about curling it?

Let’s go over what a person should and should not do after they get a balayage. Because with a balayage, it does not end when you walk out the salon doors. You need to take care of your balayage to keep it looking fresh, both at the salon and at home.

How to Take Care of Your Balayage

Immediately After a Balayage

The obvious question that comes to mind after getting balayage hair is: What is the first thing you should do after your balayage?

It’s good to let your hair settle down for the first few days after a balayage so you don’t end up with bad balayage. The first thing you do is actually a “don’t.” Hold off washing your hair after balayage for two to three days.

With each wash, your color fades. Even if you use a sulfate-free shampoo, it will still fade, but it will be a fraction of what a shampoo with sulfate will do.

This advice becomes even more crucial if a toner is applied following the highlighting phase. Toners, which are typically either semi-permanent or demi-permanent, retain their color for about 28 washes.

When styling or drying, always put a protectant on the hair. Heat is damaging and can also fade the color. Make sure the protectant is appropriate for temperatures up to 450 degrees.

Stylist’s Tip For Second-Day Hair

To keep your hair in great shape for “second-day hair,” you want to wrap your hair in a silk cap. If the cap idea sounds too much, at least get a silk pillowcase.

The silk will let your hair strands move freely, thus keeping their shape and not causing friction. The cotton of regular pillowcases causes strands of your hair to not move as you unconsciously shift your head during your sleep.

If you are worried about oily hair on the second day, check out Dry Shampoo. This product will absorb extra oils on your scalp. They have even come up with dry shampoo for dry scalps.

Test some out before you make your final decision on which one to get because all dry shampoos are not equal.

Maintaining Your Balayage

The next step is maintaining how your hair feels and looks when you step out of the salon. You must take care of your balayage to keep it looking like it did at the salon.

Because of the lightening process, you will now need specific hair products. But first, let’s find out why you need to use good products when you lighten your hair.

When you do any kind of balayage, you are using a lightener, which is basically bleach. Lighteners open the cuticle of the hair shaft. It is like putting tiny explosives on the hair shaft. And once they explode, the lightener starts mining the natural or already-colored pigment out.

Hair color involves combinations of blue, red, and yellow tones. Dark hair tends to have more blue undertones, while lighter hair has less blue and red. These pigments are broken down during the lightening process, causing the hair to lighten over time until the desired shade. When it reaches the desired level or the time limit is up, you rinse it out.

The toner (which is put on after rinsing the lightener out) fills in all the holes the lightener has created. It does this with gloss and puts a tonal shade all over the hair. That’s why using a professional, reputable hair color line is extremely important.

Shampoo and Conditioners for Balayage

For that ashy blonde, they will put a purple-based shade on it. For brunettes, the most common toner could be a caramel tone or a reddish tone.

There are also color shampoos and color conditioners that can enhance the tone.

Purple and gold shampoos are for blondes. Red and brown shampoos are for brunettes. These shampoos and conditioners can be used every other wash to maintain the original tonal look.

In most cases, the stylist will want to put a deep conditioner on after the toner. This is to help fill in any cracks in the cuticle after the toner. I recommended doing a deep conditioning treatment once a week after a balayage.

Stylist’s Warning: If your hair is brittle, you will need to incorporate a protein treatment. Both deep conditioners and protein treatments can be done in a salon or at home. To find out if you have brittle hair, take a strand of hair and try to stretch it. If it breaks, then you have brittle hair if it stretches and bounces back, your hair is strong.

Make sure that you use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. The products need to penetrate the shaft and not just sit on top. It needs to help heal the hair. This will allow the hair to continue to get colored without ruining it.

Quality styling products are necessary. Products that contain parabens can cause discoloration and hair loss.

Spending the extra bucks and getting quality products pays off in the long run. Remember all that money you paid to get the wonderful balayage? Well, you can ruin it by using poor-quality products.

When to Re-Touch Balayage

The perk of balayage is that you do not need to go in as often for retouches. It is recommended to go every three to four months. Then, you can get the lightener reapplied.

Human hair, on average, grows half an inch a month. In four months, your balayage will be two inches lower from where it was initially applied.

If that amount of regrowth does not bother you, then stretch out your appointments a little longer in between.

But know that the toner will be washed out in about three to four months. It is recommended to have the toner redone, which is much cheaper than a full balayage.

You will also want to keep up with a regular trim to cut off the ends that begin to split.

When your hair starts to split at the bottom, it will continue to split up the hair shaft and weaken the hair. A regular trim will help the balayage look fresh in between services.

As you can see, the balayage technique is a great low-maintenance hair color choice. You do not need to get it done as often as traditional foils.

But you do need to do home maintenance. These maintenance tips will keep your balayage looking fabulous.

At home, maintenance is crucial. So keep admiring your hair in the rearview mirror as much as you want. But don’t forget that anything good in life takes continuous effort.

The effort you put into maintaining your balayage will also ensure that continuing to color your hair will not end up damaging it over time. Be brave, be bold. And go get that balayage!

How to Care for Balayage: A Quick Recap

• Avoid washing hair for the first 2-3 days after getting balayage to let the color settle.
• Use heat protectant when styling or drying to prevent color fading.
• Sleep with hair wrapped in a silk cap or on a silk pillowcase to maintain shape and reduce friction.
• Use dry shampoo to manage oily hair without washing.
• Invest in color shampoos and conditioners to maintain tone; blondes use purple, brunettes use red or brown.
• Do weekly deep conditioning treatments; incorporate protein treatments if hair is brittle.
• Use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner for better color retention.
• Avoid products containing parabens to prevent discoloration and hair loss.
• Plan re-touch appointments every 3-4 months; reapply toner separately as needed.
• Keep up with regular trims to prevent split ends and maintain the balayage look.

The post How to Maintain Balayage Hair and Keep It Looking Its Best appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

I’ve often seen many use these terms interchangeably when seeking services from hair experts, unaware of the differences between balayage and hair painting in the application process and the final result.

Stylists have been using hair color brushes when they highlight for years. But now they’ve started using actual paint brushes you buy at the local hardware store. And they would use them to be Picasso with your hair!

New is always scary at first, but once you know how to do it, balayage and/or hair painting is a fun, creative way to highlight.

There are many variations that you can make to the basic application. First, let’s dive in and find out the differences between balayage and hair painting.

This will help clients when they go to their stylist. At the same time, it will reinforce to stylists what exactly these two techniques are.

Balayage Vs. Hair Painting: A Quick Look

If you’re here to know the key differences between balayage and hair painting, here is a balayage vs hair painting comparison table for a quick look.

Balayage

Balayage is a French word that means “sweeping.” It’s a process where highlights are hand-painted onto the surface of the hair for a natural and gradual transition of lightness with or without using foils or caps.

History

balayage started in the 70’s in Paris, France, by a young man named Yvan. He worked in a Paris salon and would use cotton to separate the painted pieces that he applied freehand.

This created a soft, gradual effect that was very different from the harsh regrowth lines of traditional highlights.

At the end of the application, they had little ribbons of hair painted with tons of cotton stripes throughout their head. It came to the US in the 90’s but only got popular in the last few years.

Traditional Highlights vs. Balayage: The Contrast

Before balayage, highlighting meant using aluminum foils and weaving hair from sections to paint onto the foil. Many would use foils to achieve a heavy, highlighted look.

The grow-out from the traditional foil highlight is very distinct. You would have a line where the natural hair would be growing back, and then on the other side of that line would be the highlighted hair.

Why Pick A Balayage

The main reason people choose to try balayage is to achieve that natural, sun-kissed, beachy look. It blends the highlights so well into your natural waves that you can go months without retouching the color.

The Balayage Technique

The balayage process starts with a very soft bristle brush to apply the lightener. It is applied freehand where light would hit the hair, only saturating the surface of the hair.

It’s up to the individual stylist to choose which strands need to be lightened to accent your features. Your strokes are soft so as not to get too much lightener on the surface of the hair.

Holding the paintbrush at an angle is key to making sure the first stroke will be light. It is a very artistic and creative technique that requires the right training.

The Drying Process

To keep the painted pieces separate, use cotton strips. (Which were used for perms before.) With this technique, you are going to use the air drying process.

You should never be put under a dryer for a true balayage. The whole point of balayage is to make it look like you were born with some sun-kissed highlights.

It’s very subtle and reminds people of how their hair looked after a summer in the sun as a child.

Hair Painting

Hair Painting is a broad term that refers to the technique of applying hair color or lightener directly onto the hair without the use of foils.

According to the definition, it sounds like balayage is hair painting, right? This is technically correct but does that mean hair painting and balayage are the same? In this case, the answer is No.

Balayage is a specific hair painting technique characterized by freehand sweeping or brushing while hair painting refers to various methods of applying color or dye to the hair manually (including using brushes, hands, or other tools).

So, balayage can be considered a subset or a technique within the broader category of hair painting, aiming to provide a natural and gradual transition. Hair painting can also provide other highlighting effects such as ombre and sombre.

Here are some highlighting ideas with hair painting techniques:

• Balayage: This is a subset of hair painting. It focuses on subtle, gradual color transitions like the ombre color effect, avoiding harsh demarcation lines.
• Sombre: Sombre is the opposite of ombre (a softer or subtle Ombre), and focuses on a soft, gradual transition from a darker color at the roots to a lighter color at the ends. It typically involves a more noticeable yet still gradual color contrast compared to Balayage.
• Free Hand Painting: This refers to more vivid and artistic applications of color that can be achieved through hair painting. Stylists may use vibrant hues or pastels to create personalized looks. This category gives the stylist the most freedom to experiment with bold color combinations and placements.

Balayage or Hair Painting: Which One Is Right For You?

The world of hairdressing is constantly evolving. It keeps up with the latest trends while continuing to know the classics.

It takes time and practice to get to know how to achieve the “it” look, whether you’re doing a balayage or a hair painting.

As we have learned, both of these techniques require the stylist to choose the placement of the color, but the results are different.

Balayage is for the client that you only see twice a year. Hair Painting is for the client who wants a more noticeable look while keeping the grow-out blended and not so noticeable. Or for that client that says: “Do whatever you want, I want a new funky look.”

Each technique requires an artistic approach to the hair. Training is essential for both looks. There are many classes on how to balayage and how to do different hair painting techniques.

It may look easy, but I assure you it is not. Knowledge is key. You never stop learning when you are a hairstylist. These new techniques can humble a veteran stylist quickly.

The best-case scenario for the client and stylist will happen with an exceptional consultation. If the client has previously colored their hair or is naturally dark, it may take multiple visits to achieve the look they want.

In some cases, the stylist will refuse to perform a technique due to the condition of the client’s hair. If the hair is already damaged and more processing will break it, the stylist will refrain from doing more damage.

“Pictures tell a thousand words,” is so true with balayage and hair painting. Do your research before you pick a stylist.

Look at their social media accounts to see what they specialize in. Whether you choose balayage or hair painting, you are the one who will live with the result.

So choose wisely and if a stylist tries to tell you that balayage and hair painting are the same…run.

From these differences, we can say that balayage is for the client who wants to visit the salon only twice a year, and hair painting is for the client who wants a more noticeable look or for that client who says: “I want a new funky look no matter how much maintenance it takes.”

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The post Balayage Vs. Hair Painting: Comparisons appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

This free-style hair coloring approach is cheap, quick, and a must-try for ladies who are looking for something that’s less radical yet vivid enough to make a statement and involves minimal hair damage.

Although balayage and partial balayage mostly involve the intricate placement of blonde streaks, there are so many ways to customize your look, and we’ve got a few gathered below!

Inspiring Ideas for a Stunning Partial Balayage

Partial balayage is low-maintenance and gives you the freedom to choose your shades and the areas to be lightened.

1. Caramel Drizzle

Warm caramel blonde is the best hair color to brighten up any skin tone, especially olive and fair ones.

Ladies with light brown tresses can add a few streaks of caramel around the face to bring those gorgeous eyes under the spotlight. The best sun-kissed glow one can ever get!  

2. Classic Blonde Balayage

We love this blonde balayage look. Blonde shades are the most sought-after tones when it comes to both balayage and partial balayage.

Put your new hair color on full display with a classic top knot ballerina bun. Don’t worry about those emerging roots as they’ll add up the look.

3. Barely-There Highlights

The best thing about getting a semi balayage is its natural-looking low-key outcome that’s barely noticeable yet makes a huge difference.

Ask the hairstylist to paint the chunks around your face in a shade that’s a tone or two lighter than your natural hair color and that’s it!

4. Pretty in Pink

Make sure your hair color is one of a kind by opting for an unusual shade like this pretty pink.

Try money pieces and add subtle hints of light blonde in between to achieve a unique dimension. Finish off with soft layers and beach waves.

5. Vivid Copper Streaks

Dark-haired beauties can add streaks of copper all over the head limiting them to the top layer only to achieve the perfect dark and light interplay.

Go lighter to create a sharp color contrast or try darker tones of copper and auburn for a subtle outcome. The choice is yours!

6. Blue Beauty

The characteristic feature of any kind of balayage is highlights that concentrate/brighten towards the ends.

Express your wild side by playing around with a vibrant cobalt blue hair color that’s sure to pop against a black base. Set it on fire with loose waves and voila!

7. Multi-Tonal Partial Balayage

Ensure the uniqueness of your partial balayage by asking the hairdresser to incorporate two close-lying shades of blonde against a warm brown base.

The result will be a stunning color melt that won’t be ignored for sure. Toss those tresses in a loose bun and let the shades shine through all by themselves!

8. Seamless Color Melt

Talking about a color melt, ladies who prefer ombre hair shades can minimize the damage by restricting the highlights to the uppermost layer of their hair only.

A brown to blonde transition will never disappoint. Blending is the key!

9. Peachy Perfection

This peachy salmon hair shade is a must-have this season. Blonde beauties can try it without applying even a single drop of bleach to their mane.

Paint bigger chunks around the face to brighten it up instantly and finish off with some sexy beach waves.

10. Just a Hint

If you’re into short balayage looks, go for this. The subtleness of a partial balayage is what makes it popular among the low-key gals.

Ladies climbing the ladder of age can shed off a few years by adding the slightest hints of blonde to enlighten their faces and eyes. Small changes surely go a long way!

11. Flawless Face Frame

Can’t take off your eyes, right? Recreate this magical sun-kissed look with delicate babylights that blend in seamlessly with your natural shade creating the softest appeal.

Take things up a notch with subtle money pieces, curtain bangs, and a perfectly layered lob.

12. Frosted Rose Lob

Regular root touch-ups are the biggest hassle when getting frosted metallic hair colors. But not anymore if you’re trying them as a semi balayage!

Lighten those tresses in a shiny yet muted frosted rosy lilac hue and get ready to be amazed once your roots start growing!

13. Peekaboo Partial Balayage

Although partial balayage involves the placement of lighter streaks around the face or topmost layers only, you can also sport it as a peekaboo hairstyle.

Try a pastel orange hue to pop against your auburn tresses and paint the strands nearest to the hairline all the way to your nape!

14. Ashy Halo Highlights

Worried about those increasing greys on your head? No need to fret! Instead, embrace them with utmost confidence with some ash blonde highlights.

Accompany those chunky money pieces with delicate streaks all over the top layer and you won’t regret it!

15. Natural Brightening

Partial balayage techniques are all about creating a subtle natural-appealing brightness on the face.

Curly beauties can make their bouncy mane more noticeable by adding the slightest hints of any shade that’s a few tones lighter than their base shade. Gorgeous beyond words!

16. Auburn Glam

There’s no need to go for drastic changes when the slightest enhancements create the drama you wish for.

Achieve a color-blocked effect by dying the front of your cropped wolf cut in an auburn tinge to stand against a brown back. Unique!

17. Dark Dirty Blonde Semi Balayage

Those who wish to stay on the darker side can try a dirty blonde partial balayage without second thoughts.

The wheaty brown streaks concentrate toward the tips resulting in a stunning two-toned look that’s low-maintenance too. Put it on display with a classic half-up braided bun.

18. Funky Color Block

Set that shaggy wolf cut on fire by adding bright orange stripes unevenly all around the face.

Dye the ends of the longer strands at the back to match your bangs at the front. Finish off by adding several fine highlights all over the head and see eyes pop wherever you go!

19. Ravishing Red Tresses

Celebrate your womanhood by going all red this year. Opt for a dark mahogany red base shade and add lighter streaks of rust red, especially around the face.

Finish off with a soft U-shaped haircut, subtle layering at the front, and some gorgeous loose curls. Voila!

20. Warm Platinum Accents

Platinum blonde hair is still going strong! Minimize the hair damage by trying out a partial balayage instead of an all-over hair shade.

The highlights start thin near the roots and broaden toward the ends creating a seamless yet very noticeable transition of color.

21. Pink and Purple Play

Gone are the days when dark roots and light hair shades were considered a mismatch. Recreate this dreamy pastel look by choosing powdery shades of pink and purple and getting them hand-painted onto your mane.

Avoid a flat look by adding bouncy curls or brush them out into sexy beach waves.

22. Toffee Highlights

Toffee blonde is undoubtedly one of the best luminous hair shades you can ever get.

Senior ladies can brighten up their aging tresses by adding highlights around their faces at the front only or all over the uppermost layers. A fresh haircut will make a huge difference too!

23. Statement Money Pieces

Money pieces are the next closest thing you can get instead of a full balayage. The objective still remains the same; imparting a lived-in glow to that pretty face.

Choose the lightest shade of blonde to stand against those remaining dark tresses and you won’t be able to hate it!

24. Brown Balayage

Brown balayage is trendy in 2024. Women with dark hair who are looking for a very gentle change can skip blonde and other colorful tones by jumping directly onto the brown color spectrum.

Golden light to medium brown will be your best shot for sure and there will be no need to visit the hair salon for a long time!

25. Beige Blonde Mane

Beige blonde is another fantastic shade of blonde that’s neither too golden nor too ashy hence making it suitable for all skin tones.

Focus all the attention on the front with the careful placement of highlights. Curtain bangs and feathered layers are another must-try here!

26. Soft Cinnamon Stripes

Maintain a soft appeal by experimenting with a cinnamon-colored partial balayage making it appear as if you’ve got natural highlights.

The technique, however, remains the same; free-style painting of the lighter streaks all over the head with or without money pieces.

27. Vibrant Hidden Color Contrast

Partial balayage gives everyone the choice to place as many stripes of lighter colors in whatever region of their hair.

Take this look as an example where the highlights emerge from beneath the natural hair midway to the ends instead of placing them on the topmost layers. Distinctive!

28. Sandy Partial Balayage with Layers

Make your natural skin color pop by asking the hairstylist for a semi-balayage in any shade of sandy blonde including cool or warm tones.

Get the highlights blended in perfectly to end up with a gorgeous bronde mane that’s sure to drop jaws every day. Don’t skip the layers!

29. Green Glory

Enough of keeping it all natural and subtle! Why not go a little dramatic for a change?

Get your hands on a magical shade of jade green and paint it onto your raven black mane to look like an anime character straight out of the movies!

30. Yellow Drama

Talking about drama, here’s another wild partial balayage inspiration for all the groovy fashionistas out there.

Bring the bedazzling sun rays onto your head by getting balayage highlights in the brightest shade of yellow. Those money pieces are to die for!

Partial balayage ideas mentioned above include everything from bright and bold to soft and subtle. There are no harsh lines in between the colors and hence you can grow out your tresses without the need of any touch-ups. Just give it a go!

The post 30 Striking Partial Balayage Ideas for a Hair Glow-Up appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

If you’ve made a decision to change your color but don’t know how to go about it, a brown balayage comes highly recommended. This color is very natural. Sometimes it’s very hard to tell a brown balayage from a natural brown color with several sun-bleached strands. If you are not sure how this color will look on your hair, you can check out what other women did.

How to Get A Balayage Brown Hair

Balayage at home is possible if you have the right instructions. We recommend you to consult a professional hairstylist before performing the balayage hair coloring technique at home.

The greatest advantage of the balayage technique is that it’s hard to go wrong. There is no one special standard for the way the color should be applied. Below are the basic steps to help you get started:

1. Divide your hair into 4 equal sections. Start by combing down the center of your head and across from one ear to another. It’s easier to work with hair section by section.
2. Apply vaseline or another greasy cream to your hairline. This way you’ll avoid staining your skin when you dye your hair.
3. Start applying the dye to the length of your hair wherever you feel you need to brighten the hair up the most. Avoid touching the roots.
4. If you don’t have too much experience with dyeing, divide each of the four major sections into 2-4 more. This way you’ll achieve more precise dyeing.
5. Don’t rub the dye into your roots or your skin. Slightly brush the hair with your fingers to naturally blend in the color. Don’t forget to wear gloves.

How to Get a Balayage Tutorial

Best Hairstyles With Brown Balayage Hair Color Ideas

In order to make your choice of brown balayage hair a little easier, we came up with the most stunning examples. Take advantage of these samples to understand whether or not this coloring technique is right for you.

If your hair is or brown, this balayage can be a wonderful option. If you are tired of your blonde locks and want something darker, a brown balayage can become your hairstyle of choice. Don’t stop at the most popular balayage hairstyles with brown shade.

1. Caramel brown balayage

For a beautiful hair color that will match your personality, go with brown caramel balayage. This hair color will not only bring out your personality more beautiful but also give you the type of confidence you have always wanted.

2. Blend of brown and blonde balayage

If you are more blend type than mix and match type, then brown balayage is the best thing ever that you can do for your hair. The upper portion of the hair is darker while the lower portion of the hair melts down into brown shade to light blonde.

3. Chocolate maple brown

Not everyone loves chocolate, but maple chocolate brown hair is everyone’s favorite. Ask your stylist to put beautiful beach waves to your hair and then dye them a pretty shade of chocolate maple brown.

4. Drizzled brown hair

A little drizzling is always good. So, drizzled balayage brown hair can be your go-to look the next time you are thinking of going to a party or a regular stroll on the street.

With darker roots and drizzled brown shade on your lower hair,you are going to make everyone fall in love with your hair color.

5. Honey blonde brown

Honey is a beautiful color, but then blonde is also a classic color.So, it is best if you combine both the colors and give your hair a majestic look. Honey brown balayage hair will complete your look in an instant.

6. Dark ash roots with cold brown ends

If you are more of a gothic type and you are into a gothic subculture, you will like the sound of dark ash roots with cold brown ends. But if you decide to get this shade for your hair, it is guaranteed that you will fall in love with your hair.

7. Classic balayage

For a classic look, we suggest that you opt for classic brown balayage hairdos. Take the top section of your hair and tie them into a knot while leaving the lower hair flowing on your back. This classic hairdo will make you look elegant with the blink of an eye.

8. Subtle brown shade

If you want a subtle shade of brown to your hair, ask your stylist to put a lighter hue of brown to your blonde hair.

This is a pretty hair color that is trendy and is guaranteed to make you look stylish. You won’t ever regret getting this hair color.

9. Bronde hair

With bronde hair, you no longer have to go through the struggle of choosing between blonde and brunette shades.

You can easily get your hair dyed by mixing both blonde and brunette shades to get the perfect bronde hair color.

10. Black and brown

If you have got naturally black hair and you want a pop of color to them, but also, you don’t want to go too wild, then black and brown hair is the best hair that you can ask for.

Ask your stylist to give your natural black hair a pretty brown balayage to satisfy your hair color cravings.

11. Violet strands

There are many shades of brown you can play around with when you plan your balayage. Don’t stop at the most natural choices. A touch of violet can create an image you’ll truly love without too much dyeing.

Mahogany Brown Hair Color Ideas

12. Black and brown

Black hair is perfect for a balayage. You leave the top part naturally black and go on to dye the strands brown. The black and brown mix looks very interesting and appealing. You can add some blonde strands as well.

13. Raven black beauty

A brown balayage can easily start with the raven black hair. In fact, the contrast dark black and light brown create is priceless. You can achieve a blonde appearance without actually using any blonde dyes.

14. Dark chocolate brown

Use your dark chocolate brown locks to become a base for a striking balayage. Chocolate brown appears wonderful when combined with light brown. The transition looks natural and inviting.

Creative Light & Dark Auburn Hair Colors

15. Add some honey

Honey blonde or golden brown colors are all-purpose. They look amazing when coupled with dark brown or black hair. Use the golden or honey hues to brighten up your balayage and you can avoid blonde shades.

16. Auburn highlights

Use auburn highlights to prepare your locks for amazing brown balayage hair. You can darken your light mane with auburn shades in order to bring it closer to brown. This is a piece of advice for girls with dark blonde hair.

17. Three color mix

Use a mix of three shades of brown to create your amazing balayage. Using several colors on your own is complicated so you might want to consider professional assistance. Choose the colors and go for it!

Chestnut Brown Hair Colors You Want to Plagiarize

18. Light golden brown

If your natural hair is not too dark, you can enjoy a light golden brown balayage. Mousy brown hair is not exactly what all the girls wish for. Meanwhile, light golden brown is a rich color you’ll never regret taking advantage of.

19. Good transition

When you create a balayage at home, make sure to pay special attention to the soft color transition. Otherwise, you’ll get something closer to highlights rather than a classic balayage.

20. Wavy balayage

Balayage is harder to make on wavy hair, so you need to pay close attention to the color transition patterns. Don’t forget that wavy hair is straight when wet. Once it dries, the color effect will differ.

21. Auburn brown hair

Some love auburn, while others love brown.But if you are a fan of both the shades, then auburn brown is the hair color you have been looking for. So, on your next visit to the salon, don’t forget to ask your stylist to do balayage on your hair with an auburn brown shade.

22. Dark brown and light brown match

If mixing and matching is your style, then the dark brown and light brown match has got to be the perfect match you have gotten so far. It doesn’t require a lot of mess but gives you a super exquisite look.With upper hair a dark brown shade and lowerhair a light brown shade, you are going to rock your look.

23. Dark brown hair with babylights

If you want to do something unique with your hair, cut your hair into a short bob and put beautiful waves in it.Now, get your hair dyed a dark brown balayage which eventually melts into medium beige babylights. You are going to love this hair color so much!

24. Glossy balayage

Light brown hair is everyone’s favourite but adding a glossy brown color balayage to your hair will level up your game a notch. This hair colour is suitable if you have short hair or medium hair or even if you have got long hair.

25. Bronze hair

If you are tired up of your boring mono-tone hair, then dye your darker hair and put bronze balayage to get a pretty two-tone shade. This hair colour will successfully eliminate the element of boredom and dullness from your hair.

26. Majestic brown hair

For a brown balayage look, go with copper brown hair color. This hair color will perfectly suit your medium length straight hair and give them the illusion of beautiful texture and volume.This hair colour is going to add more perfection to your already perfect look.

27. Bleached brown balayage

If experimenting is your favourite thing, then it is time that you experiment with brown. Ask your stylist to colour your hair a beautiful brown shade which also gives the impression of bleached brown hair.Put subtle waves in your hair to bring out the colour even more.

28. Balayage highlights

If you’re looking for hair color for your short hair, then this elegant balayage  is the best color. Your short hair will look perfect while being trendy and classy. This balayage brown hairstyle will never disappoint you and will always come up to your expectations.

29. Brown and yellow balayage

For a funky yet classic look, go to your stylist and ask him to dye hair into two shades, which are brown and yellow. This brown and yellow balayage will not only make you look funky but will also add to your classic style.

With this hair colour, you can rest assured that everyone is going to turn their heads your way right after you step out on the street.

30. Brown balayage for long hair

Long hair can be a little difficult to handle. When combined with hair color, you can sometimes expect a mess. But if you go with brown balayage hair look, there is nothing that can go wrong. You are absolutely going to fall in love with your balayage hair color. Don’t forget to get this hair color on your next visit to the salon.

A brown balayage is a great idea for girls who don’t want to go for the classic blonde dyeing. Various shades of brown can give your image the extra oomph you can’t live without.

The post 30 Hottest Brown Balayage Hairstyles for 2024 appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

Since it involves adding color to the bottom portion of your hair, this coloring technique adds a splash of color to your dull-looking hair without unwanted damage and expensive costs.

If you want to give this trend a try, continue reading to find the best color ideas for balayage on black hair below.

Gorgeous Ideas for Balayage on Black Hair

Take a look at these trendy balayage for black hair ideas so you can add a pop of color to your hair in the most stylish way possible.

1. Peach Long Bob

For a look that’s both modern and feminine, give the peach balayage a try. These gorgeous shades will definitely bring out your skin’s rosy undertones which will give you that beautiful blushing effect.

2. Different Brown Shades

To maintain the classy look, you should stick to the shade that’s closest to black, and it’s no other than the rich brown hue. To keep things interesting, go for different kinds of brown for better depth and dimension.

3. Blonde Curls

A gorgeous shade of blonde is the perfect idea for balayage on black hair. The blonde balayage gives your hair that beautiful sunkissed look while your darker roots promote a more natural vibe. Go and add sexy beach waves to achieve that ultimate beach girl vibe.

4. Greens and Blues

Blues and greens are not popular hair colors, but these unique shades will give you a look you can’t easily get from your other options.

The combination of these vibrant hues creates an ethereal look and will help you achieve that’s both stylish and magical.

5. Vibrant Red Balayage

Adding a splash of vibrant red shade will give your black hair an instant makeover. This beautiful shade is edgy, bright, and just pure fun!

But, of course, it’s not the best option for everyone and will only look good on women with pale skin tones.

6. Bright Purple

Purple and black is a color combination that has stood the test of time, and it can be a great balayage idea if you’re bold enough to give it a try.

The best part about sporting a purple hair color is it can neutralize the unwanted green and yellow tones in your skin, giving you a brighter and better complexion.

7. Blonde Balayage + Moneypiece Highlights

Admit it, there’s no other balayage on black hair that can shine brighter than the blonde shade. If you want to milk its brightening benefits for all its worth, add money-piece highlights to the mix.

The highlighted strands can frame your face beautifully and emphasize your best facial features even more.

8. Light Brown Curls

A balayage won’t just add color to your black hair. It can also emphasize your curls and make them come to life, and a brown shade is the best candidate for it.

When choosing from various brown shades, go for one that’s closest to your skin tone to create a sophisticated look.

9. Rose Gold Face-Framing Balayage

No other hair color can look as sophisticated as this rose gold hue. Unfortunately, this perfect blend of blondes, reds, and pinks can be quite tricky, so it’s important to consider both your skin tone and eye color before you go for it.

This metallic shade, in particular, looks amazing on darker eyes and a yellow-based skin tone.

10. Caramel Blonde

Featuring a mix of different brown shades with hints of warm gold tones, caramel blonde is one of the most popular options for balayage on black hair.

After all, this hue gives black hair the warmth it desperately needs.

11. Green Balayage on Black Hair

For those who are looking for more high-fashion colors, green balayage on black hair might just be what you’re looking for. The green shade is a blissful update to boring black hair.

Keep in mind that bright colors come with a cost, so only go for this color if you’re ready for its high maintenance requirements.

12. Lavender Crimped Hair

This lavender shade is the perfect blend of icy silver shade and a rich purple hue. The result is a hair color that’s stylish yet mysterious and feminine yet edgy.

To maintain its silvery shade, it’s recommended that you get a glossing treatment every 3–4 weeks.

13. Orange Red Long Hair

If you love being in the spotlight, then a bright balayage on black hair is the right choice for you. Nothing can ever be brighter than the combination of vivid orange and red shades.

But just a heads up: this color fades easily, so be sure you’re ready to go to the salon for refresh sessions every few months.

14. Brown Highlights With Balayage

For women who love sticking with the classics, the black-and-brown duo is the perfect combination for you. If you wish to give your hair better depth and dimension, you may want to throw in a few highlighted strands into the mix.

15. Burgundy with Bangs

Burgundy is the perfect shade if you’re looking for a subtle contrast to your black hair. Since this red wine shade is made with deep purple and red, it looks strikingly beautiful against the light and is a lot more subdued than pure red or purple colors.

16. Ash Grey Layered Lob

For those who are already tired of warm hues, an ash-grey balayage is an excellent candidate. Coloring your hair a frosty shade will give your cool skin undertone a softer vibe. Not only that, it adds a touch of mystery to your overall look.

17. Old Rose Medium Waves

If you want the sophisticated vibe of rose gold but in a bit more subdued manner, an old rose is the best option for you. This deeper shade has more reds and pinks than golds, so has the same gorgeous look but with a more subtle approach.

18. Greyish Silver on Wavy Hair

Give your black hair both an ashy and metallic update with a greyish-silver balayage. This unique hair color has the softness and whimsy of grey hair and the metallic look of silver, so it will make your hair shine brighter than diamonds.

19. Pastel Purple With Brown Balayage

Why choose only one shade for your balayage when you can go for three? The blend of these purple, grey, and brown shades delivered a beautiful gradient of ashy shades that can turn black hair from drab to fab in an instant.

20. Braided Updo with Gold Balayage

Balayage doesn’t just look amazing on curls and waves. It would look extra fabulous on braids and updos too. Just take a look at how the play of colors made this updo more intriguing and interesting.

21. Chestnut Brown Curls

22. Auburn Wavy Hair

Going Auburn is one of the best ways to know what it feels like to be a redhead. Showing off a mix of browns, reds, and oranges, this gorgeous shade can give your hair a luscious feel and give pale skin tone a warm glow.

23. Ash Blonde Balayage

If you’re looking to add both a warm touch and an ashy twist to your black hair, you may want to try out the ash-blonde balayage. The best part about this hair color is that it’s so versatile that it would look amazing on almost all skin tones.

There’s no easier and faster way to update your hair color than with balayage on black hair. These examples show that a splash of color can go a long way when done right.

The post 23 Hottest Balayage on Black Hair Ideas in 2024 appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

Two very popular hair coloring techniques that have been trending for almost a decade are balayage and flamboyage. To make things even more confusing, these two techniques sound almost the same. So, knowing the differences between balayage and flamboyage is essential before you opt for one.

Key Differences Between Balayage and Flamboyage

Flamboyage and balayage can look very similar to the untrained eye. However, you’ll want to understand the subtle differences between the two techniques because getting one and not the other can make or break your hair color dreams.

First, let’s go over balayage vs flamboyage technique:

Balayage Technique

Balayage is a French term which means ‘to sweep’. Traditional balayage is done by painting (aka sweeping) hair color onto the hair, using a color brush and a paddle or the back of the hand for saturation.

It is a free-hand technique where the stylist uses their artistic creativity to choose where to paint the hair color. The stylist will normally paint the hair with a bleach or hair lightener in places where the sun would normally lighten hair naturally.

Using each client’s natural hair growth pattern as their guide. For balayage placement, think around your face, in the crown area and on the ends of the hair.

Balayage was started in the 1970s but has grown in popularity over the decades. People have been choosing balayage more often over traditional highlights because of its ultra-blended and sunkissed look.

Balayage grows out much more seamlessly than traditional highlights because the way the hand painting is done, it keeps the color the softest at the root and the brightest towards the ends. It requires less salon maintenance and can actually get even more beautiful and lived-in as you wear it.

Flamboyage Technique

Flamboyage is a much newer technique than balayage. Flamboyage is thought to have started in the 2010s when the popularity of balayage really took off into the mainstream.

Instead of using a free-hand painting technique like balayage, flamboyage uses adhesive strips in the hair (often called flamboyage strips or flamboyage mesh).

The adhesive strips are sticky, once the stylist places them in the hair, they lift up one side. The side that lifts up takes some hair with it while leaving some behind. The hair left behind is the hair the stylist will end up coloring. Using these strips is what gives flamboyage its soft blend.

These strips also allow the hair stylist to put color in strategic places in the hair instead of the free-hand technique. It also allows the hair stylist to use multiple colors (usually from darkest to lightest) in one strip, creating a soft color gradient.

Flamboyage has been described as a combination of a balayage and an ombre. In other words, it gives you the softness of a balayage with the gradation of an ombre.

How to Choose Between Balayage and Flamboyage

Now that we’ve gone over the techniques of Balayage and Flamboyage, you’re probably wondering how to know which one to choose. Here is some advice on how to pick the technique that will get you to the hair color of your dreams!

When to Choose Balayage?

• If you’ve done traditional highlights in the past and loved the look but are just wanting a little softer at the root
• If you’re looking for a hair color that is sun-kissed and very natural. You would love for people to think this is the hair color that grew out of your head!
• You don’t want to deal with any color fading. You love the idea of your hand-painted highlights to be all one color of blonde and use your natural hair color as the dimension.
• You don’t want a huge difference between the top of your hair and the bottom, balayage gives you a very subtle depth at the top of your hair and a very subtle pop of brightness on the ends

Examples of Balayage Hair Color

As you can see in these photos, the hair is very blended and the top has a subtle depth to it.

Balayage looks gorgeous on brunette hair. It’s so natural and sunkissed, leaving just a little pop of brightness on the ends.

The traditional blonde balayage look is a great example of the natural, lived-in color balayage can give you.

When to Choose Flamboyage?

• You want a softer ombre look aka a sombre! You love the gradient effect the ombre gives you but with softer colors and placement.
• You want to see different color shades and tones in your hair. Not just your natural hair color with a lighter highlight.
• You want to see a larger contrast between the top of your hair and the ends. You love the idea of a dark root with a bigger pop of brightness on the ends!
• You want a unique look and something super customizable to you.

Examples of Flamboyage Hair Color

You can see the way the hair color softly transitions from the dark root to the light ends in a flawless way.

If you want to incorporate colors into a subtle ombre, this is a perfect example of how flamboyage can be used for exactly that.

This is a beautiful example of how flamboyage can be really soft and graceful, giving you just that little bit of an ombre effect on the ends.

Balayage Vs. Flamboyage: A Quick Look

Whichever you end up choosing, whether it be Balayage or Flamboyage, your hair color will be absolutely beautiful. You now have all of the information to choose what will be best for your look and hair!

Key things to Remember:

• Balayage and Flamboyage have subtle, yet important differences.
• Balayage is a soft, hand-painted highlight that gives a sun-kissed effect.
• Flamboyage is done with adhesive strips and uses multiple colors, giving you a subtle ombre look.
• Both techniques are beautiful and you can’t go wrong with either! You’re choosing between sun-kissed beach babe and dimensional, soft ombre vibes!

Trending Topics

• Babylights Vs. Balayage
• Foilyage Vs. Balayage
• Shadow Root Vs. Balayage
• Balayage Vs. Hair Painting

The post Balayage Vs. Flamboyage: What’s The Difference? appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.

This time of year everyone heads to the salon to get their hair lightened, but they are disappointed when they realize how much time and money goes into maintaining that bleach-blonde hair.

Two gorgeous styles have emerged from the desire to have that “sunkissed” look without all the maintenance and hassle of re-lightening those dark roots as soon as they peep out (which is usually every few weeks). These styles/techniques are Shadow Root and Balayage.

Though most women are familiar with these two terms, very few know the actual differences between shadow root and balayage. We have listed a shadow root vs balayage comparison table below so that it’s easier for you to understand the key points.

Shadow Root Vs. Balayage: Quick Summary

Both shadow root and balayage are gorgeous, low-maintenance styles! However, they do have some differences as well. With the help of this article, you can make an informed decision about which style will suit you best!

Chances are, you have seen the hottest celebrities, or even the cashier at your supermarket rocking these styles! That’s because they look great on practically everyone!

That being said, Shadow Root and Balayage can get easily confused, so before you tell your hairstylist that you want one or the other, make sure you’re certain about which term refers to the style you really want.

After all, there’s nothing worse than sitting in the salon chair expecting to get one thing and then walking out with something completely different just because of a little miscommunication.

In the table below, I have compiled a table that summarizes all the similarities and differences between a shadow root and balayage!

What is “Shadow Root”?

According to one of the leading brands of professional hair care, Wella Professionals states this:

A shadow root is – quite simply – a darker and gently diffused root area, creating a contrast against the mid-lengths and ends of your client’s hair.

Wella Professionals

To put it in other terms, shadow root is a technique used by hairstylists to keep the roots of the hair darker than the rest of the hair. The darkness of the roots can contrast sharply with the rest of the hair, or it can be similar. Also, the length of the dark section of roots can vary.

But don’t worry, “shadow root” doesn’t mean that you have a harsh line between dark roots and lighter hair. As stated above, the darker section is “gently diffused” to transition into the lighter mid-lengths of the hair. 

What is “Balayage”?

Balayage is a technique for highlighting hair in which the colorist paints color onto a person’s hair freehand, using long, sweeping strokes. When done properly, it results in a more natural look”.

Miriam-Webster

In other words, your hairstylist will paint the lightener onto your hair section by section in order to create highlights throughout the hair. Balayage can be done subtly, or with more contrasting colors.

The roots of the hair remain their natural color, while highlights are simply added throughout the mid-lengths and ends of the hair to create a “sunkissed” look.

However, the natural color of the hair, or the color of the roots, will also be seen throughout the hair between the highlights.

Shadow Root Vs. Balayage: A Detailed Comparison

Let’s discuss the similarities and differences between Shadow Root and Balayage so that the next time you’re in the chair, you know exactly what you want and how to get it!

Similarities Between Shadow Root and Balayage

Dark Roots: The biggest similarity between shadow root and balayage is the fact that the roots are darker than the rest of the hair.

In a shadow root, the roots are colored to be darker than the rest of the hair. In a balayage, highlights are painted on throughout the mid-lengths and ends of the hair, leaving the roots naturally darker.

Low Maintenance: Another similarity between a shadow root and balayage is the level of maintenance required for these hairstyles. Because the roots are darker, or your natural color, they don’t have to be colored every few weeks. This can save a lot of time and money!

Versatility: Finally, a third similarity between these two styles is the fact that both of them are very versatile. In either a shadow root or balayage, there are so many options based on your personal preference.

You can go with more contrasting dark and light colors or more subtle variations. Your shadow roots can span farther down the length of the hair, or they can be shorter.

Your balayage can sport thicker, denser highlights throughout your head, or it can be applied subtly and lightly. Either way, there are lots of options!

Here is a table that summarizes the similarities between a shadow root and balayage:

Differences Between Shadow Root and Balayage

Now that we have discussed the similarities between shadow root and balayage, it’s important to analyze the differences as well. Being able to differentiate between these styles is critical to communicating exactly what you want to your stylist.

Technique: One difference between a shadow root and balayage is the technique by which they are applied. In a shadow root, a darker color is applied to the roots, and blended or feathered out to the mid-lengths of the hair, either abruptly or gradually.

In a balayage, highlights are added to the mid-lengths and ends of the hair, but the roots are left alone.

Appearance: Another difference between these two styles is the overall look. In a shadow root, you are dealing with more solid colors. A darker color transitions to a lighter color to create dark roots and light ends.

In a balayage, the dark and the light are more intertwined. Most of the darkness is of course at the roots, but it can also be present in the ends, between the highlights.

Product: A third difference in these styles is the product needed to achieve them. Of course, the product will differ slightly on a case-by-case basis, but for the most part, a shadow root requires a demi-permanent or permanent color, and a balayage requires a lightener such as bleach.

Here is a table that summarizes the differences between a shadow root and balayage:

The post Shadow Root Vs. Balayage: Similarities and Differences appeared first on Hairstyle Camp.