Balayage is a French term which means “to sweep”. It is the motion you use with your hand when you are, let’s say, doing a color wash on a canvas. We use this same motion when we are doing freehand techniques on the hair. By using this technique you get a very soft well blended natural transition of lighter color, rather than a harsh line of regrowth.
Clients love this technique because it has many benefits. Some of which are:
Balayage and highlights are very different and most people do not understand the difference between the two. We broke down the differences in this graph so you can see it for yourself.
Balayage
Highlights
If would like to know more about highlights, visit our “Complete guide to highlights” to learn more.
Balayage, if done properly can be a really nice technique for everyone.
Fine hair can be tricky to balayage. When you have fine hair a traditional balayage can look too chunky or spotty. One way to combat this is to add a technique that would diffuse the line even more (such as air touch, or a soft one stoke back comb) before you apply your balayage. This will allow for a beautiful, virtually seamless transition into your balayage and is perfect for fine hair types
Balayage can also work on thick hair if done properly. If not done properly it can look really chunky. With thick hair you need to make sure you change your sectioning from traditional bold triangle to a lofter, thinner horseshoe shape. Or you might also need to play around with over direction and diffusing techniques to create a softer look.
Balayage can be a fantastic way to create texture and dimensional color for curly girls. Often times traditional highlights affect the curl pattern and show up a bit too mixed in with the curl patterns and don’t actually give the brightness that is desired. With balayage you have the ability to hand select specific curls to add a pop of color that flows intentionally with the specific curl pattern of your client.
Straight hair is great for balayage. You can create a beautiful sun kissed natural look with straight hair. Although, if the hair is extremely straight, like fine hair, you will want to incorporate some additional techniques like air touch to diffuse the balayage even more. With straight hair you can see everything, so it is a good idea to take extra precautions to make the color as seamless and beautiful as possible,
Balayage is fantastic for people with darker hair because it allows them to keep their natural dark color and add a striking dimension of color which looks natural. The problem dark hair girlies have with highlights is it often looks too high contrast. A balayage technique will lift the hair only a few levels keeping the tone closer to their natural color, in a way which looks like they have been on holiday and not to the hairdresser.
Often times when people have been coloring their hair all over for a long time it becomes one flat solid color. Balayage is a wonderful way to break up that solid color and add dimension to the hair. It can also be a nice way to gently break up a line of demarcation if someone is trying to grow out their color and go back to natural.
Balayage is a fantastic way to blend your grey hair. Often times people feel like their grey hair is too dull. Grey hair lacks color and when highlighted it often ties does not show. Balayage is a nice way to add warmth to the hair making the hair appear more blonde than grey. It is also a really nice technique to use if you are grey and have decided to stop coloring. Balayage will break up that line of demarcation from you old color make it easier to grow out.
Balayage is a technique that, if done well, will not need maintenance at all. It will grow out seamlessly and if you do not want to redo it you can eventually just cut it out. If you are wanting to keep and maintain a bright sun kissed look, or go lighter with your balayage their are rules that I would follow.
If you want to maintain the look and tone you have I would recommend getting your balayage done every 6 months. Any earlier would end up lighter and brighter and any later you will start to lose the brightness and your balayage retouch will look less dimensional because the layering has waited too long.
If you want to go lighter with your balayage I would recommend not doing it all in one service, but stretching your appointments out every 3 months. This will build beautiful dimension. If done sooner you lose a bit of the dimension and you might not get a desirable effect.
If you are doing balayage to grow out old color or simply help you transition to your natural color, I would recommend doing balayage at first every 6-9 months and then stretching it to 9-12 months until you feel comfortable letting it grow out completely.
Because balayage doe not need to be refreshed so often, there are several things you can and should be doing in-between to help maintain the tone and health of the hair
When caring for your balayage at home you should be treating it the same as you would for highlights. The hair is still processed with a prelightner that has compromised the hair to an extend. Use these things at home to keep your balayage looking healthy and fresh.
I'd aim for around 20 FAQs, such as:
To an extent. Balayage only lifts the hair a few levels so it is not as damaging as a platinum blonde. The more you lift the color out of the hair, the more damaging it becomes. This is why home care is very important to keep the strength and integrity of your highlights or balayage.
Bayalage does not fade away. When you apply the balayage it is in the hair until you cut it all out. If you like the appearance of your balayage biyearly maintenance is recommended.
Balayage will not necessarily cover your grey hair, but it will blend it nicely. Balayage will lift the hair that is not grey and blend it beautifully with the hair which is grey adding warmth and brightness.
No. At Salon Wren, we don't charge by technique—we charge by artistry. Whether your color is achieved through balayage, highlights, or a combination of both, our pricing is transparent, all-inclusive, and reflects the expertise required to create beautifully customized results.
At Salon Wren we break highlights and balayage down by the surface area of the head. Each of these services takes a different amount of time. It varies between 1/4 head at two and 15 mins to a full head at 3 hours.
Yes you can! Balayage can be done on all hair colors and all hair types. You just have to keep in min the lift is only a couple levels, so the change might be subtle and warm.
Balayage is great for curly hair. I would always recommend balayage over highlights for curly girls because you are more able to follow the natural curl patter.
Like highlights, balayage can be toned. Because of the nature of the toners, you always need to go a bit darker than the lift. Often times when you tone balayage you lose a bit of the dimension and the color looks a bit more flat.
Balayage can give you the appearance of thicker hair. Because prelightners swell the hair any service which uses it will have the appearance of fuller hair.
Instead of talking only about technique, emphasize the experience:
At salon Wren we not only specialize in Balayage we create an inclusive VIP experience for every client who walks in the door. Every client will not only get Thoughtful, dimensional color designed to grow out beautifully, they will also receive
This differentiates Salon Wren from salons that focus solely on trends.
At Salon Wren, every balayage appointment begins with a personalized consultation to understand your vision, hair history, and lifestyle. Together, we'll create a customized color that complements your features, enhances your natural beauty, and grows out gracefully.
Located near Garfield Park in Indianapolis, Salon Wren specializes in modern balayage techniques, dimensional blonding, and healthy, low-maintenance hair color.
Book your consultation today and discover why so many Indianapolis clients choose Salon Wren for beautifully customized balayage.
