Bright, beautiful hair isn’t just for the summer months anymore, thanks to balayage and similar hair trends. Whether you’re ready to commit to a completely new look or want something more subtle, we have gathered the following styles to inspire you.
What Is Balayage?
Balayage is a hair-coloring technique used to create soft, gradual, natural-looking highlights. Fittingly, balayage is a French term meaning “sweeping”; the highlights tend to have a swept-on appearance. A full head of balayage can feel like a huge commitment, but there are different levels of balayage that vary from dramatic to subtle. Here, we have listed some options.
Babylights
(image via beauty brands)
Babylights are thin, delicate highlights named for the way a child’s natural hair shines – brighter at the tips and crown of the head. They are meant to be subtle and work best on very fine hair.
Face-Framing Highlights
(image via the right hairstyles via @gustavomigli)
If you don’t color your hair or want to prevent it from damage, try face-framing highlights, which change your look without a huge color commitment to your entire head. Face-framing highlights can brighten your complexion, accentuate your eyes, and bring out the color in your face.
Tweed
(image via glamour via @hellobalayage)
A subtle step up from babylights and face-framing highlights is tweed balayage, where a stylist evenly distributes highlights throughout your hair. Typically, these highlights are earthy tones to give your hair a natural brightness. They are thicker than babylights but still subtle.
Sun-Kissed Hair
(image via simply organic beauty via brenda anguiano)
The sun gives your hair natural highlights. But when it’s not sunny outside, or you have very dark hair, you may want to give it some extra help. Ask your stylist for sun-kissed balayage to accentuate the naturally lighter streaks in your hair, giving it a pop of color and shine.
Bolder Balayage
(image via latest hairstyles via @jillpaintsdenver)
If you are bored of natural hair colors, good news: You can request balayage to your hair with different shades such as pink, lavender, or peach.
Have you tried balayage or any of the above hair looks? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!