Spring is in full swing and with summer right around the corner, you might be thinking it’s time to lighten up…your hair, that is. But when you sit in the salon chair, do you know what to ask for? As a stylist, which technique is your specialty? Balayage has been a big trend for a while now and because of its beautiful results, we don’t think it’s going anywhere soon. So, what’s the difference between balayage and a traditional highlight?
Balayage
Balayage come from the French word “balayer”, which means “to sweep”. This is fitting for balayage, as it is a free form highlighting technique, allowing the stylist to paint (or sweep!) the lightener directly onto hair. When using the balayage technique, strands that have been swept with lightener can be separated to process by cotton, plastic wrap, foil, or sometimes, nothing at all. Typically, lightener is placed lower than the root of the hair, creating a lived-in, natural look. Thanks to the technique’s lower placement of lightener, the style is also easier to maintain. Hair regrowth actually enhances the look, rather than making you look like you’re due for a trip to the salon. Depending on hair growth, a 12-to-14-week touch up is all you need.
Traditional Highlights
Traditional highlights are typically done using foils. Hair is sectioned, then pieces of sectioned hair are weaved or sliced into smaller sections, placed against foil, applied lightener, and then wrapped in foil to process. Foils and lightener are placed close to the root of the hair. Traditional highlights using the foil technique creates a bolder look. Taking care of this bolder more uniform highlight does require a bit more maintenance than balayage. With lightener being placed so close to the root, hair regrowth becomes very obvious, making a trip to the salon on a regularly scheduled 6-to-8-week basis important to keeping this style looking fresh.
The difference between balayage and traditional highlights is the technique. Both techniques will “highlight”, producing beautiful, bright, summer ready hair. Deciding which one is best for you all depends on your personal preference and style. Are you a perfectionist? Do you like your highlights to be uniformly placed, giving you root to tip color? Then traditional highlights with foils are for you! Are you laid back? Do you like your highlights to look lived in and leave people wondering if you might have just been out in the sun? Balayage highlights are for you!
Interested in learning more about hair styling, highlighting techniques, and all things beauty? Check out our Cosmetology program at Coba Academy today and start your journey to becoming a licensed professional in California!
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