Is Balayage Better Than Highlights
We get that question almost everyday, for yearrssssss hightlights were the go to lightening treatment then out of nowhere (but not really) Balayage popped up and quickly became the most asked for colour treatment in salon. Here’s some important things to understand about Balayage:
Balayage is a technique (NOT A LOOK) where color is painted onto a select strand(s) or lock of hair without foils. The technique produces a warmer color outcome and is best used on base colors in the dark blonde world. Balayage will simulate clients natural hair’s lift in extreme sun for a long period of time but without the scorching sun drying the hair out.
Because Balayage is the technique and not the actual colour, the options regarding tones of the balayage are as individual as the person getting it.
With Balayage lighter pieces are blended throughout, starting very fine at the top of the hair and gradually getting thicker though the mid-lengths and ends. At STRND we love giving good face, meaning we will always paint lighter pieces of hair around the face making it appear as though you just returned from a great vacation.
Balayage is low maintenace, most of our clients come twice a year for a Full Balayage. Because the roots are melted into the balayage tones it can grow out gracefully. We do recommend coming in every 8 to 10 weeks for a toner. The blonder pieces of hair in the balayage will become warm and brassy over time just like if you were in the sun. A toner will cool the brassy pieces down to what they were when you first got your balayage.
Ok moving onto Highlights, for a long time highlights were the only lightening technique available but like any industry as time moves on so does the offerings within that industry.
Traditional highlights are when sections of hair are woven and lightened from the root through to the ends leaving some natural hair in between. That weave of hair being lightened is the highlight, meaning it will be the lighter than the strands not weaved into the foiled and/or wrapped hair.
Highlights are started right at the roots and the entire section of the hair is lightened. There isn’t a melt from the roots into the body of the hair like Balayage. We don’t typically do a very strong highlighted look, we will usually do babylights ( same as highlights but much finer pieces of hair are weaved out for lightening).
Highlights are more damaging over time than Balayage, highlights need to be touched up every 8 to 10 weeks meaning we are lifting the hair with lightener and that will cause damage. With our clients that getting highlights we will recommend Hair Botox every 6 months to repair that damage to avoid breakage.
In short both techniques have pros and cons, we’ve found that meeting in the middle with most clients is what works best. We often will do some highlights (baby lights) at the crown and around the hairline and melted into the root to create brightness while doing balayage on the rest of the hair to give it a sunkissed lived in look at requires less maintenace.