As a London stylist I have been offering Balayage treatments for some time now and wanted to answer a few of the most common questions my clients ask about this fabulous 'pandemic-friendly' style.
What is Balayage?
This hair lightening technique takes its name from the “sweep” or “sweeping” manner in which product is painted on to the hair, freehand, with a brush.
It is not, strictly speaking, a colour in its own right, so much as it is a way of applying lightening and colouring agents to produce a more blended and dynamic lift, following the natural contours of your hair, while maintaining your original tones and healthy gloss.
It is a hand painted french colouring style with a gradient transition between the base and the balayage colour below. Balayage in London can be pricey in the salon, but as a mobile hairdresser I can work with you to your schedule, wherever suits you best, and keep your costs to a minimum.
How is Balayage different from highlights?
Highlights are most often produced by sectioning off the hair, and then slickly coating each area with peroxide, separated by foils, which can be heated to speed up the lightening process.
This however produces demarcation lines, which do not take long to become visible as the hair grows out, often requiring a touch up within weeks. The Balayage technique is a more refined and organic method, blending with your hair, and applying lightening agents, which do their work more slowly, and so avoid much of the drying and fundamental damage that can be caused by quicker acting bleaches.
When Bayalage is employed the hair grows out much more naturally, with
several months being possible between treatments to keep the look refreshed.
Is Balayage the same as bleaching?
Strictly speaking, no.
There are bleaching agents involved, however most bleaching techniques centre on immersing selected sections of hair in the lightening agents.
When Balayage is employed these agents are painted on to the top lair of the hair, in a much gentler manner, with more time taken on the hair to instead produce a longer lasting lighter colour that follows the natural flow of the style the client is seeking to achieve, without the stark demarcation that happens with other methods. The style grows out very naturally.
How long does a Balayage last?
A good Balayage treatment could last up to six months, though it is recommended that you see your colourist every 3-4 months if you want to maintain a healthy uniform look.
How much does Balayage hair colour cost?
Prices can vary depending on hair length, original colour and condition of the hair and procedures like colour correction, and Balayage, but on average £65 - £160 should cover basic maintenance through to a full treatment.
Is Balayage hard to maintain?
Well known as one of the easiest styles to maintain, there is no special care required other then perhaps a bit of extra nourishment for your hair, by way of oils or conditioners, both before and after the treatment, to help give the hair strength.