Does balayage ruin your hair? Just like any chemical processing treatment, balayage does cause damage to your hair. Comparing balayage to traditional highlights, Matt Rez, celebrity colorist at LA's Mèche Salon believes balayage is slightly more damaging (via The Ouai).
Balayage works best on natural or virgin hair because it lifts much easier than previously color treated hair. But if you want to achieve the “balayage look” with higher levels of lift, your stylist may use a foilayage technique so that you can have the same look with a higher lift to remove warmth and brassy tones.
Balayage often allows some of my clients to go 4-5 months between appointments."
Because Balayage highlights don't involve completely saturating your hair in bleach or color dye, you'll enjoy healthier hair because of less process on the hair. As a result, you get to enjoy softer, silkier hair with less damage and dryness.
Because a balayage involves lightening certain sections of your hair, the effect is permanent, although the colour might fade slightly after a few months if not looked after properly (see further down for how to get long-lasting bright colour).
"Highlights are often placed much closer to the scalp and applied in specific sections while the balayage process includes a graduated painting the color onto the hair in random sections," says Rivera. If you are looking to add non-uniform chunks or sweeps of color, balayage is a better option.
Does balayage damage your hair? Most colourists would agree that balayage is arguably less damaging than conventional colouring techniques which use foils and heat to set the colour, meaning you're less likely to end up with brassy, over-processed hair.
The great thing about balayage highlights is that they grow out very naturally. That means that there's no regrowth line, so you don't have to worry about visiting the salon regularly for touch-ups. As with any dye job, there are certain things you can do to help maintain your color and keep your hair in tip-top shape.
"But true balayage, to me, does start closer to the root." What happens at the roots is one of the main differences between the two outcomes. With the ombre gradient going from typically darker roots to lightened ends, there isn't much color applied near the roots at all.
The average cost of balayage highlights starts at $70 for light, partial coverage on short hair, and from $150 to $200 for doing a full head of extra-long hair in several different tones. In comparison, a full-head of highlights may cost $60 to $150 in a salon.
But while the process may seem intimidating and complicated to do on your own, it's important to know that dyeing virgin hair for the first time is possible (even if you plan on going from dark to light) without completely ruining your strands.
If you are looking for subtle highlights to break up your hair, balayage is the way to go. It will create a more blended result, but deeper natural hair colors will often produce red undertones.
"If you're doing a single process or subtle highlights, the damage will be minimal, and you may not even notice, but if you are going platinum or heavily highlighting your hair, you can feel a lot of damage being done," she says.
Balayage. Hair grows fast — about an inch per month. So techniques, like balayage, which involve hand painting the hair and not going all the way to your roots, help you to get a gorgeous look with less maintenance. In general, we recommend scheduling a balayage touch up every 12-14 weeks.
Nikki says, “For traditional highlights, clients tend to come back between 6-8 weeks, but when balayage is done a client can go anywhere between 3-4 months.” Jessica tells us, “With balayage, you can go anywhere from 2-6 months without touching up.
Balayage highlights are great for just about everyone looking for dimension, a seamless melt, tasteful highlights, and an on-trend color design – an application that offers a truly modern ombre. Although many people refer to it as a style, balyage is not the result, but the technique.
Does it require a lot of maintenance? 'Typically balayage requires far less maintenance than traditional colour. It grows out beautifully and there are no strong regrowth lines,' says Richard Ward. It also means you can wait for longer between appointments so it's 'the perfect technique for a modern, busy woman.
Balayage is indeed a French word that means “sweeping.” The technique was developed in France in the 1970s and called balayage because of the long, sweeping strokes used to apply the lightener or color to hair.
“As we embark on 2022, you'll see a move away from balayage and over-bleached two-toned looks that can be damaging to hair. Instead, the trend will focus on keeping hair healthier with blended and customized natural hair colors that complement each person's individual skin undertones.
It makes your hair look thicker
Together with a Great Cut, balayage lends hair greater depth, giving the illusion of more fullness. Think of it like comparing a 2D drawing, with a painting that's in full perspective.
One of the greatest advantages of Balayage is how long it lasts. Traditional foil highlights require touch ups every few weeks, whereas Balayage will last 3-4 months on average.
As you can probably guess, a full balayage color service involves having your colorist hand-paint highlights throughout your entire mane. This is an ideal option for those who want an all-over lightened head of hair without the constant maintenance that comes with root grow out.