Thinking of Balayage? Three techniques you NEED to consider!

Article by BR Natalie

images via Pinterest

If there's one hair colouring trend that I think is always going to be in style, whatever the season, whatever the decade, whomever the woman, whatever her age it's Balayage.  Those delicate sweeps of lightened hair giving the illusion of natural sun kisses might be simple, they might be subtle, but my oh my, are they just stunning.

Balayage is often confused with, or considered synonymous with Ombre.  Both techniques are a lightening of hair, but in very different ways.  Ombre involves a gradual shift from dark roots to lighter ends.  It's a banded look around the whole head, usually from just below ear-level.  

Balayage comes from the French meaning "to sweep".   In balayage, the colorist "sweeps" vertically with the tip of the brush and only to the front of the hair.  Thus creating natural, sun kissed highlights.  It's freehand painting with hair lightener, rather than colouring, if you will.

Now don't go thinking that because it's a simple technique, it's a boring one.  Balayage can be used to contour hair, as well as create several different looks.  You can even skip the lightening and use colours instead.  Red or purple accents in black hair for example. The possibilities are endless.

Here are three ways you can use balayage to further enhance your hair.

That's not a typo.  Sombre is 'soft ombre' or 'subtle ombre'.   With sombre, some sections are lightened from higher up and the lower lengths will have dark ribbons running through them - this will create a more gradual transition.  Like ombre, Sombre is the perfect 'worn-in' look, for low maintenance people who like to avoid the need for constant touch ups.  

Featherlights or Babylights are really, really fine highlights.  You know how kids have those gorgeous natural highlights, whatever their hair colour?  That's what we're talking about here.  To achive the look hair is lightened in tiny sections.  It's the most time consuming look, but the final result is multidimensional and really natural looking. 

You can technically balayage any length of hair, and any texture - short and choppy pixie or curly mermaid hair, balayage works the same in that you paint colour onto the top of the hair in sections.  

The looks balayage is famous for?  Flowing lines adding depth, movement and texture to the most plain of long locks.  This is because the freestyle technique allows the colour accents to be individually tailored to the haircut and texture.  Search #haircontouring for examples and an idea of what kind of placements will suit you.

So you now know the three types of balayage, but does this mean a trip to the salon to get the look?  Only if you want to - you can get the look at home.  You can even get the look at home easily thanks to Schwarzkopf Nordic Blonde Feather Balayage.  The kit can achieve 6 levels of lift enabling you to get subtle blonde contrasts at home.  The unique feather brush makes 'painting' the colour through your hair a breeze!

Do you love the balayage look?  Are you rocking it right now?  What's your favourite balayage style?  Get chatting below!