If we were a Hairstyle I have no doubt we would be a Balayage. Effortless, low maintenance, high reward — this sweeping Colouring style is an obsession of ours because it encompasses everything we want from our Hair Colour. As you know, we love highlights just not the traditional heavy block ones and balayage’s simple, hand-painted style offers a beautiful, light-reflecting dimension with a soft, grown out contrast.

But it’s the low maintenance, grown out style that really floats my boat. With fast-growing Hair, balayage gives my Colour longevity. I’m not constantly attending to Regrowth touch-ups as I have with my regular Blonde, while still keeping a highlight effect.

A good balayage creates a Natural looking contrast between Dark Tones (at the roots) and Light Tones (through the ends) that seamlessly blend, similar to the way the sun Naturally lightens Hair. A balayage gives your Colour dimension while keeping it looking flattering and Natural.

No real balayage is the same. It should be tailored specifically to you. Your Natural Regrowth Colour, highlight placement, Colour tones and how you style your Hair, are some of the things that need to be taken into consideration to create your perfect balayage.

Ultimately, nobody knows you better than you. You know what works for your Hair, what Colour shades you suit and how to best frame your face. For a seamless balayage, follow these rules below. Keep scrolling for 4 stunning examples and how you too can recreate them.

Rules of Balayage

It is important that the line where your Dark and Light Colours meet, blends seamlessly. Do not apply your Colour in a solid horizontal line. Taper the starting point to keep your Colour softer and Natural looking.

Your light Colour should take up most of your Colour, featuring in your mid-lengths and all the way down to your ends.

Begin with dry, combed Hair parted your favourite way.

Balayage highlights are very casual and should be lightly painted in with the smallest point of a Tint Brush. The starting point should never be the same or heavy with pigment.

Start applying your Highlights around your face, using them to accentuate your features.

Apply your Highlights on a row created using the tip of your Tint Brush.

You can leave out small pieces of Hair to create dimension and variety through the underneath of your Hair Colour.

If you are lightening your ends, choose a Hair Colour Shade with enough contrast from your Natural Hair Colour. To mimic a sun-kissed effect choose a Golden Shade. For cool, crisp ends use an Ash Shade. For dewy, creamy ends use a Beige Shade.

If you are bringing in-depth to your roots, choose a Hair Colour close to your Natural Regrowth.

When Lightening Ends of Naturally Dark Hair
Using the side of your Tint Brush, begin by lightly applying your Colour at the top of your Hair. Softly feather your Colour mixture up the Hair to ensure your Colour line is staggered and naturally uneven.

Continue to paint your Colour down, ensuring your application becomes heavier and more saturated as you move towards your ends.

When Darkening Regrowth of previously Lightened Hair
Beginning at your roots, apply your Darker base Colour. Bring the Colour down a few centimetres, softening your application where you want your Dark Roots to meet your Lightened ends. Turn your Tint Brush to the side, feathering your Colour mixture down for a softer, tapered meeting point.

Not everyone does balayage the same. These 4 examples may have different starting points, yet they use the same basics to create beautiful Hair Colours. Keep reading to see how to copy them yourself.

Look 1: Natural Hair

This fresh canvas is the easiest starting point, requiring only Lightening through your ends.

You will need:
A Light Blonde Hair Colour.
Developer.
Tint Bowl and Brush.
Wide Tooth Comb.

Application:
Using your Tint Brush, delicately paint thin Highlights around your face to frame. Then lightly feather your Colour mixture roughly from cheekbones down, adding more mixture through your ends. For a smoother blend, use your Wide Tooth Comb during the final 10 minutes of your Colours processing time, and comb from your roots down to soften any strong lines.

Look 2: Dark Coloured Hair

If you’ve been Colouring your Hair with a Dark Shade and want to lure some sun-kissed lightness back through your ends to break up the bulk Colour, use Colour Remover to create a balayage.

You will need:
Colour Remover.
Toner Kit or Cool Hair Colour + No Lift Developer.
Tint Bowl and Brush.

Application:
Using your Tint Brush, paint Colour Remover through the ends of your Hair where you want your Colour to be lighter. Ensure you taper the Colour Remover down, adjusting the starting point as if you were Colouring. Try to apply to your Hair as quickly as possible as Colour Remover works fast. (If you find you want to remove more Colour, Colour Remove again.)

If, after Colour Removing, your Hair is too brassy wait at least 48 hours before Toning your Colour Removed ends with the Toner Kit.

Look 3: Create a bigger contrast in Dark Coloured Hair

If you have been Colouring your Hair with a Dark Shade and want to break up the darkness through your ends with a stronger, lighter contrast — add a few more steps than Look 2 for a flawless finish.

You will need:
Colour Remover.
Dark Hair Colour + Developer. (Root Colour)
Light Hair Colour + Developer. (Ends Colour)
Toner Kit.
Tint Bowl and Brush.
Wide Tooth Comb.

Application:
Apply your Colour Remover to all your Coloured Hair. We recommend doing this at least 2 times to clean out as much of the darker pigment as possible. After your cleanse, allow your Hair to settle for at least 48 hours (a week would be best).

Now onto your Lightened ends. After Colour Removing, your Hair will have a lot of brassiness. Choose a Shade with a Cool pigment, that will still keep your Colours lightness. Start painting your Light Hair Colour mixture around eye height, using your Tint Brush to lightly feather your Colours starting point and then bringing it through your ends. Allow your Colour to develop and wash out according to instructions.

On dry Hair, it’s time to apply your Dark Root Colour (if needed). Choose a Hair Colour that is close to your Natural Regrowth. Apply your mixture to your roots, tapering your Colour down to the start of your Lightened ends, using your Tint Brush to lightly feather the contrast line so it is uneven and unpredictable.

If you need to Tone, apply it through your ends during the final 20 minutes of your Root Colours processing time. Use your Wide Tooth Comb to comb from your roots down to your ends to blend your entire Colour. If you are not using a Dark Root Colour, apply your Toner through your lightened ends.

Look 4: Already Lightened Hair

Creating a balayage over previously Lightened Hair will make that Blonde upkeep so much easier, giving you a softer more Natural Blonde by bringing in a Darker Colour base that matches your Natural Regrowth.

You will need:
Dark Hair Colour.
Developer.
Light Hair Colour + No Lift Developer (if needed).
Toner Kit (if needed).
Tint Bowl and Brush.
Wide Tooth Comb.

Application:
Starting at your Regrowth, paint in your Dark Colour fully covering your Regrowth. Taper the Colour down, feathering the line where the Dark and Light Colours meet. Do not clip or pull back your Hair, let it hang.

Whether you leave the lighter ends of your Hair as they are, is up to you. Some of you may need to Tone your ends, others may want to add some Warmth — that decision is yours. If you are going to apply a mixture to your ends, paint it through during the last 20 minutes of your Dark Colours development time. It is ok to overlap these Colours and once you have applied your mixture, use the Wide Tooth Comb and comb from your roots to ends to soften and blend your Hair Colour.