Are You a Balayage Candidate?

Balayage is a technique used to lighten hair resulting in a natural, sunkissed look. The balayage look is reminiscent of youthful hair after a summer at the beach; golden and natural. Traditional Balayage uses a gentle, clay-based lightener to slowly lift the hair resulting in a seamless, highlighted result.

Balayage may be the service for you if:

• You like your natural color and want to accentuate it
• You are new to coloring your hair and don’t want an extreme look
• You like the idea of only coloring your hair a few times a year
• You enjoy a rooty, depthy, natural look
• You like to see warmth and golden tones in your hair
• You’ve only ever lightened your hair and want your lighter hair to look more natural

Balayage is not the ideal service for you if:

• You like to have your hair lightened all the way to the scalp and hate seeing any darkness or roots
• You like a very light, solid or cool toned blonde
• You have dark hair but want a blonde result. Traditional Balayage lighteners will likely leave your hair brassy. You can still achieve a nice, blended look but chances are your hairdresser will choose an alternate method to get you there
• You hate the idea of waiting a few months between lightening appointments
• You have existing color on your hair. Lightener is ok but color is not. The Balayage service requires a gentle lightener intended to work on natural or pre-lightened hair. It does not work well on top of colored hair. If you have color on your hair and you want the look of a Balayage, you are likely in color correction territory

Another factor to consider before choosing balayage is the time and price. Balayage typically takes longer to process and requires a finishing gloss, leading to a longer appointment time. Because of this, it tends to be a pricier service. But remember that you will not need the service as often as traditional highlighting – so the cost tends to equal out over time. Although Balayage may be a bit more of an investment, the lower overall maintenance of this technique makes it very worthwhile.