Balayage is a free-hand colour technique that creates a graduated colour effect. Highlights are handpainted in to the midlengths to ends of the hair, so that the colour lightens gradually towards the ends of the hair.
Balayage varies from a gentle ‘sun-kissed’ look or a more dramatic dip dye look. As it is a free-hand colour application, there are infinite results and it all depends on what you ask for and the skill of your stylist.
Here are my top five celebrity balayage hairspiration
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| Gisele Bundchen |
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| Olivia Palermo |
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| Drew Barrymore |
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| Jessica Biel |
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| Rose Byrne |
So you love balayage – how do you get the look?
- Mention you want balayage when booking your appointment so the salon can allow enough time. Applying the colour by hand can take longer.
- Take a photo – hairdressers are visual people and it’s impossible to describe colour accurately in words
- Apply a treatment to the ends of your hair weekly. The lighter colour will be drier than your roots and will need a little more care.
Why balayage?
Balayage has been around for a long while now and the trend is hanging on as it’s a unique way of colouring that gives individual results.
It’s low maintenance hair – regrowth is barely noticeable so you don’t need to run to the hairdresser every six weeks.
It’s a fun way to experiment with colour. It can also be a subtle way to change your hair colour from dark to light gradually.
Balayage looks gorgeous in curled hairstyles and upstyles as it really emphasises the colour.
Have you had balayage in your hair? Would you try it?
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
i love this look! i would like to try it but i hate having dry ends.
I love this look! I would love to try it and now that I know what it's called and how to explain it to my hairstylist, I'm going to ask her about it when I book my next appointment. Thanks for the super advice
All such fine examples – could be a way to go from light to dark too maybe…am considering darkening maybe!!
I have seen this, I just didn't know the name of it. I like Drew's the best.
I've never had it on purpose, but the way my red hair dye fades, it ends up having that sort of appearance. I love the look and I get lots of compliments on it.
Is this different than the "ombre" trend? Looks very similar to me!
Hi- I love your blog! I've been following it for a couple of months now and have gotten some great ideas from it:) I have been a hairstylist for the last 15 years and specialized in color in NYC, and thought I'd let you know that while all the pictures you showed were indeed Balayage, they were also examples of ombre color- a specific technique where the ends are painted lighter. This typically involves backcombing the hair and just lightening the ends for a diffused look.
Gisele's color is the only example of classic balayage. I just wouldn't want your readers to not get what they really wanted:) Best of luck to you and again, I LOVE what you're doing!
I love this, unfortunately I'm growing henna out of my hair, so I won't be able to do this for some time, but I do plan to eventually.
xo Odette
http://osoinspired.blogspot.com
Oh it's so pretty! I was planning to go ombre, but now I want balayage instead
Hi Christina,
I have not had balayage myself but I know a few girls who have balayage and it looks gorgeous. I do love the look – so long as it is a really soft and subtle look because the heavy look just looks cheap. I am not even a Jess Biel fa yet I love how beautiful her balayage is! Great tips my dear.
Tammerly @ Pink Diva Beauty
I have been wanting to get this done. I have naturally medium to dark brown hair died blonde, what would be the easiest way to achieve any one of these looks? Would I be best dyeing my hair back to my natural color then going frome there?
Hi Kiera-lee, you would be able to achieve this easily by colouring the top part of your hair a colour close to your natural colour, that way as your blonde grows out it will blend easily. Consult with your hairdresser to get their recommendation as I don’t recommend DIY colour, especially over hair that has already been coloured.
I had this done to my hair about two weeks ago, I didnt like it at first because I thought it looked bad in my hair due to it being straight.. I have found ways to wear it though so I actually like it, I curlmy hair or tie it back in different styles.. My hair was already a caramal colour so I just dyed my ends blond, If you are going to get this I would sugest leaving your roots natural, getting a slightly lighter colour on your mid part and then the ends the lighest colour.. It will look more natural this way, If you just go staight from dark to light it seems very blocked and un natural.
Thanks Elenor. It takes a little while to get used to a new colour, curling really suits balayage.
hi there… i have this in my hair at the mo… it is truly beautiful… it doesnt take long to get the ends back into tip top condition as once they are done, u don’t have to dye them again. would definatley recommend curls, a soft wave or an up do to really pull off this look tho. particulary perfect for the girl who can’t decide wether to be blonde OR brunette, like myself!!
Thanks Lulu Rose – that’s such a good description! Perfect if you can’t decide to be blonde or brunette x
i have naturally curly hair, long and a medium brown colour, and i don’t know what to do with it! it always look so old fashioned i’d love to do something fun to it (not too crazy though!) for a more modern look, i’d like to keep the length though..any ideas?
balayage looks amazing but my only concern is would it damage the curls??
Hi Jane, your hair doesn’t sound old-fashioned at all. You could experiment with colour or maybe a new haircut? Or just try some different hairstyles. Make a consultation with your hairstylist but don’t feel you need to decide straight away. There’s nothing old fashioned about curls x
Hi, I love the way this hair looks on these women and I would like to give it a try. I have very wavy hair but the waves are not well defined, what do you recomend to shape them better. Also I am more of light olive complexion and have natural dark almost black hair and dark eyes, so when talking to the hairstylist about this look, is there a color tone that would fit me best? I am not sure if this is even a question when using this technique, what color blend would fit me the best?
A good haircut will help bring out your waves, and a mousse or curl cream wil encourage them further. Talk to your colourist, but it’s best to start with a few highlights 1-3 shades lighter than your hair colour, and place more around your face to give a more natural, sun-kissed colour.
I Love the look & have had balayage for over 8 months now and im never going back to one colour. I must admit it took about 3 tries to go platnuim blonde at the ends and dark black on the roots, but was so worth it. & yes it looks brillant tied up in a bun or curled but i wear mine down and dead straight which also looks mint. If i had to choose another colour i would go bright red ends and dark black roots that looks hot..
TRY IT GUYS YOU WONT REGRET IT
I think you would suit dark roots and light ends.. im similar complection and have dark eyebrows and eyes but i havent had any negative comments about my hair so go for it girl.
Just say you want light caramel to platnuim blonde ends and dark roots. pictures help the hairdresses so take one in
Thanks Olivia! Black and red would look fab, especially in a braid x