As a brunette with very dark eyebrows, over the years, I’ve felt a little limited in what I can actually do colour-wise with my long locks. I used to find that when I embraced my natural colour, I felt as though the cool dark-brown shade washed me out, yet going blonde was never an option, as I was so conscious of my jet-black brows. But that was a long time ago. In fact, it has been eight years since I last had to worry too much about my hair colour.
That is because, in a bid to try and find the right balance between dark and light, eight years ago I stepped foot into my local suburban salon with an inspiration picture that showcased a hair trend that made the stylist scrunch up his face. “Leave that picture with me and come back in an hour. I need to think about this one,” he said. I returned a little while later, sat down in the chair and watched on as one of the juniors rolled out a trolley full of different dyes. The stylist came over and explained to me that after a lot of research, he was convinced he could do something that was going to get me closer to my desired colour, but I was going to have to trust him because he was going freehand. Young and prepared for any hair disaster about to come my way, I accepted.
The result was everything I’d hoped for. Subtle hints of blonde shone through the lengths, blending seamlessly into my natural colour at the roots. A couple of years later, and it seemed this new hair colour trend had a name: balayage. While for decades, hair-colouring techniques in the UK had been based solely around a strict menu of block colour, full-head highlights, half-head highlights or T-section highlights, leading UK hairstylists were starting to adopt more tailored, international techniques, and balayage was the first big movement.
Since that moment, I’ve more or less stuck to my balayage roots (pun totally intended) and only really switched up my colour to experiment with other forms of balayage. And in all honesty, I’m not sure I’ll ever look back. When it comes to going to the hairdresser, I’m the worst and often it will be six months between visits. Luckily, balayage makes this all possible. I don’t have to worry about roots, and an impressive selection of purple conditioners (I’m obsessed with Redken Blondage Express Anti-Brass Mask) to keep the blonde cool and fresh along with nourishing treatments to keep bleach damage under control (Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair is my weapon of choice) makes balayage just about the most low-maintenance hair trend going.
Above all, balayage comes in a whole heap of different forms, each one as chic as the next. From thick highlights on already-blonde tresses to superfine caramel flecks through deep brunette lengths, there’s not a single variant I’m not on board with. Sound like something you might want to consider? Read on for everything you need to know, including all of the best inspiration out there.
Without getting too technical, balayage is actually a term that refers to the way in which a stylist applies colour. Rachel Todisco, lead colourist and balayage specialist at Aveda UK, reveals, “Balayage is a freehand technique that creates soft dimension, mimicking how the hair would naturally lighten in sun. The dye is applied to the mid-lengths and ends as opposed to directly to the roots like a full-head colour or foil highlights might.”
The most wonderful thing about it, however, is that how each and every stylist chooses to carry out the technique is totally up to them. “If you took to Instagram and typed in ‘balayage,’ you’d see so many artistic interpretations. Originally, it was a French technique that comes from the word ‘to sweep’ colour onto the hair,” says Todisco.
For lazy girls like me, the best thing is that you really don’t have to worry about regrowth. Although in some situations, the colour might be taken up close to the root, the idea is that any regrowth will blend in seamlessly.
“Choosing balayage really works with the hair. It creates a totally customisable, personalised colour finish compared to any other technique, and it looks natural,” explains Todisco. “The ability to dial up or down the colour has made it a popular choice for the ‘colour shy.’ You can be as subtle (or bold) as you like with the ability to curate a completely tailored finish that is low-commitment.”
If you’re waiting for the negatives, you’re going to be waiting for quite some time. Balayage more or less works for every hair type, every skin tone and every length. “That’s the magic of it,” says Todisco. “However, you will likely find that the longer your hair is, the more you’ll get out of the low-maintenance element compared to shorter, pixie styles.”
However, just because balayage suits everyone doesn’t mean it’s a one-size-fits-all situation. Because it requires a level of tailoring and personalisation, it’s important to know exactly the sort of style you want before you sit down in the salon chair.
Not sure where to start? Keep scrolling for all of the balayage inspiration you might need.
This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
Next up, 25 looks that might tempt you into having a pixie cut.
