A Crash Course on Balayage

Have you heard of balayage? Derived from the French language meaning "to sweep," it's become an increasingly popular hair highlighting technique. It doesn't require the use of foils, allowing for a more natural-looking appearance. So, if you're thinking about getting highlights, you may want to consider balayage. Below, you'll learn more about this alternative highlighting technique and how it works.

What Is Balayage?

Balayage is a relatively new highlighting technique that involves brushing color onto parts of the hair. Upon reading this, you may assume that it's just another name for foiling. While foiling also involves brushing color onto parts of the hair, balayage is unique because it doesn't use foils.

With foiling, sections of hair are contained in foils. Color is then applied to each section. Balayage doesn't use foils, however. It's an alternative off-scalp highlighting technique that's similar to free-form painting. The stylist will manually brush the color onto your hair without placing it in foils or otherwise clumping it together.

The Benefits of Balayage

With balayage, you can rest assured knowing that your highlights will look natural. Traditional highlighting methods often look fake and artificial. Balayage, on the other hand, offers a natural sun-kissed tone that's all-but-guaranteed to improve the appearance of your hair. After getting your hair highlighted with balayage, it will look like you've been basking at the beach. Your hair will have subtle, natural-looking coloring throughout.

A common problem associated with traditional highlighting techniques is clumping. When hair is placed in foils, it tends to clump together. Each section of foiled hair will develop a clump, resulting in an unkempt appearance that's not particularly flattering. You can avoid clumping by choosing balayage. Since it doesn't use foils, there's little or no risk of clumping.

Balayage is also gentler on your hair than other highlighting techniques. Certain coloring products used in other highlighting techniques contain bleach. While effective at creating a lighter tone, bleach is highly damaging to hair. Thankfully, balayage doesn't use bleach or other harsh chemicals to achieve a lighter tone.

In Conclusion

There are numerous ways to highlight your hair. Balayage is a hair highlighting technique that involves brushing color onto your hair without the use of foils. Among other things, it offers a more natural-looking appearance, protects against clumping, and it's gentler on your hair than other highlighting techniques.