Hair and Makeup by Shelly Bergner: November 2014

Balayage Highlights

Balayage, a French hair colouring technique originally developed in the 1970's, is the latest highlighting technique gaining popularity in salons all over the United States. This highly sought after, in-demand salon service is rapidly make it's way on soon replacing the traditional foil highlighting technique.

The balayage results are completely natural looking, creating ‘sun-kissed hues and dimensional tones to your hair. Also, the regrowth or outgrowth is much less obvious with the balayge highlights, so it requires less up-keep, in comparison to the traditional foil highlighting technique. Clients are able to go longer in between salon visits, which makes it a great maintainable color with our busy day to day lifestyles.

Balayage Highlighting Technique:This technique allows the colorist or stylist to have more creativity and freedom with the color placement for a completely customized look. No foil is used with this technique, but a clear plastic wrap and/or cotton my be applied to separate sections of the hair. A different lightener product is needed to properly achieve the balayage technique, than the lightener typically used with foil highlights. A lightener designed specifically for this procedure has a thicker consistency with the ability to adhere to the hair, preventing any spotting or bleeding onto other parts of the hair.

The application is a free-form, hair painting technique applied directly onto the hair with the use of a brush and a paddle in a downward sweeping motion. Where the lightener is applied depends on the desired effect or ending result that you are looking for or wishing to achieve. A common misconception with balayage is that the lightener doesn't get close to the scalp or root area, possibly due to the confusion of what the difference is between balayage and ombre. (see: below) This is completely untrue, in fact, with the balayage application, those thin, wispy baby hairs around the hairline that are many times unable to be foiled, they can be accomplished with this technique.

Bayalage highlights results on dark brunette, not just for blondes.

Balayage & Ombre: What's the difference?

A common question asked by many clients in the salons of today, is about how these hot hair color trends differ from each other? Many women are confused by the difference between the two and believe that they are one in the same. The best and simplest explanation is that Bayalage is a technique used for applying a lightener or a color to the hair and Ombre is the color effect that is created or achieved as a finished result of the hair coloring process.

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balayage

Syllabification: ba·lay·age Pronunciation: /ˌbalāˈyäZH / (also baliage, balliage)
Definition: BALAYAGE in English: noun A technique for highlighting the hair in which the dye is painted on in such a way as to create a graduated, natural-looking effect.
Origin: 1970s: French, literally 'sweeping', from balayer 'to sweep'.

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ombré
Syllabification: om·bré Pronunciation:\ˈäm-ˌbrā\
Definition: OMBRÉ adjective Shaded or graduated in tone: said of a color
Origin: First Known Use: 189. French past participle of ombrer, to shade ; from Classical Latin umbrare ; from umbra, shade

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Ombre Hair Color Effect:

The ombre hair color effect is a graduation from a darker shade at the root area or top of head to a lighter shade on the ends or bottom of the hair. The contrast of the ombre can range from a subtle, natural look to an extreme, more dramatic hair color or color melting effect. The ombre is frequently achieved using the balayage technique, but some colorist or stylists may opt to use a foil to achieve a higher level of lift on the ends, especially for the more dramatic and extreme ombré effects. The use of a toner or demi-permanent color may be applied after the initial process for obtaining the desired results or color effect.