How to do balayage on dark hair. For medium length hair. How to do light balayage on short hair

The fashionable type of coloring first won the hearts of Hollywood stars, and then took root in Russia, appealing to ordinary women. When highlights and ombre began to lose popularity, they simply needed a worthy replacement! Balayage coped with this task one hundred percent - today it is a popular service in the salon, and many girls even do it themselves.

What is balayage coloring?

The term “balayage” comes from the French word balayage (Russian stroke, stroke). This is a special fashionable coloring technology, also known as “star”, as it is very popular among Hollywood celebrities. Balayage is close to ombre and shatush, since it also represents a transition from one shade to another, but implies greater naturalness and carelessness.

The hairdresser applies the paint in strokes and makes a long stretch, so in the end there are no streaks or a “dirty color”. Light balayage on blonde hair often looks like it's just a little sun-bleached. The opportunity to get a natural shine and visually increase the volume of the hairstyle is what attracts lovers of this type of coloring. Another advantage is that the hair can grow back, but the hairstyle will still look neat.

When dyeing balayage, the master never touches the roots, and always completely processes the ends. For long hair, the stretch is greater, but there are no specific limits. You can paint at your discretion - very little or almost completely. This point is previously discussed before the procedure with the specialist (if done in the salon), or determined independently (if at home).

Who is it suitable for?

The balayage dyeing technique is considered gentle, so it is suitable even for those with thin and porous hair. Thanks to the effect of burnt strands, visual volume will appear. In addition, coloring will solve the problem of fragility and lack of shine (but also only visually, so additional care is still recommended). Balayage looks very good on short hair and is great for blondes.

Although this type of coloring does not impose strict requirements for cutting, the most advantageous options are considered to be a cascade or a ladder (of any length). A new hairstyle will look expressive if you do balayage not on straight hair, but on wavy hair (if nature didn’t make you curly, this can always be corrected with a perm). Highlights on a classic bob or bob will help you place the right accents.

Dyeing technique

Balayage is often confused with shatush or ombre techniques. To a layman's eye they look really similar, but there is a difference. Unlike shatush, when dyeing balayage, all ends of the hair are processed, and unlike ombre, the transition between shades should be smooth. To achieve the desired blur, the brightener is applied horizontally rather than vertically. In addition, naturalness is important in balayage, so the dye is selected in a shade that matches the natural hair color.

We can conclude that this method is something between shatush and ombre. What all three techniques have in common is that the master changes the color of only half of the hair. This can be done in different ways, even taking into account all the requirements for balayage. So, the strands are not only lightened, but also dyed in bright shades, dark or contrasting colors are chosen. For example, although the most popular option for brown hair is golden highlights, some people decide to go for wine-colored balayage, which looks incredibly beautiful.

Hair dyeing in balayage style

The paint for balayage should be of high quality and durable, but when choosing a color, girls rely on their own taste. However, there are recommended shades for natural brown-haired women, blondes and brunettes. Balayage refreshes old coloring surprisingly well. For example, if you lighten the ends of existing highlights, your hairstyle will become much more fashionable. The only thing is that in this case it is better not to consider color options and choose a dye that matches the bleached strands as closely as possible. All other dyeing tips also apply to highlighted hair.

For dark hair

For black hair, colored shades (including neon) are great, as well as an unusual gray or “ashy” color. For dark browns, as warmer ones, - wine, bronze and autumn foliage. Depending on the length and desire, you can highlight only the ends or dye most of the hair - in any case, the hairstyle will look extraordinarily beautiful.

Brown-haired women should take a closer look at honey and golden shades. This balayage for medium hair will look like a sunbeam on the strands. Consider the warmth of the color: brown goes well with caramel, and nut goes well with coffee or chocolate. Of the color options, violet (lilac, purple) is considered universal - it suits almost everyone, moreover, it is now at the peak of popularity.

For light ones

For blondes, balayage can significantly change the look only when choosing dark or bright colors for dyeing. Otherwise, it will be almost unnoticeable - even if you walk around in this situation, it can revive your hairstyle. Natural blonde is never completely light (albinos don’t count), so you can always discolor the ends a couple of tones. Such highlights will not be noticeable as obvious coloring, but will make the hair shiny and beautiful.

For redheads

Owners of this hair color naturally look bright, but the advantage of balayage is that when doing it, you can choose how radically to change the image. The choice of paint depends on what shade of red you have. A convenient option for most girls is a color a couple of tones darker or lighter than natural, but you can experiment. For example, paint the tips gold, lilac or mahogany.

For fair-haired

Natural colors are ideal for this shade: golden, wheat, light amber. Such options will look restrained and natural. More unusual solutions: copper, café au lait, caramel, silver ash. Owners of golden hair, in order to visually make their hair more voluminous, should take a closer look at platinum blonde or shades a couple of shades darker than the natural color.

Balayage at home

Coloring using this method is a simple procedure, so it can be done at home. To do everything correctly, you need to follow the step-by-step instructions exactly, but first check out the list of necessary tools and materials:

Coloring agent.
Brush for applying the substance.
Plastic or wooden container for mixing ingredients.
Comb with a sharp handle.
Clips (to secure hair, if not, replace with hairpins or small elastic bands).
Protective gloves (often sold complete with paint).
Peignoir (if not, replace it with an unnecessary sheet, another fabric or bag - you will need it to protect your clothes).
Thin cling film. It will need to be pre-cut into rectangles measuring 15x30 cm.

Instructions on how to do balayage coloring at home are below. Keep in mind that it does not include an exact scheme for treating hair with the product. For example, depending on the type of coloring, balayage affects the bangs or not. How much you lighten your hair is up to you. General process steps:

Wear a negligee and protective gloves.
Mix the ingredients to obtain a coloring agent (instructions on the package).
Secure part of the hair at the top with clips.
Divide the lower one into strands 2-4 cm wide.
Use quick up-and-down strokes to work through the strands.
Then paint the ends thickly.
Cover the strands with film.
Unpin the top section of hair.
Repeat steps 3-8 until you have treated your entire head.
Leave the dye on your hair for the required time (indicated on the package).
Rinse off.

Video

Today, almost all hairdressers know modern hair coloring techniques. But if such coloring as highlighting, coloring, ombre has long been heard, then many do not know what balayage is.

Balayage coloring technique

What is balayage?

Hair coloring in the balayage style is an increasingly popular type of coloring with partial hair lightening, which came to us from France.

In addition to its naturalness and beauty, balayage has one important advantage: it allows you to increase the time between successive colorings.

A smooth change of color softens the transition from the natural shade at the roots to the color along the length of the hair.

It also has other advantages:

This type of coloring is perfect for those who do not want to significantly change their hair color.
In addition, properly done balayage will highlight any hairstyle.
It has no age restrictions and is suitable not only for a young girl, but will also be an excellent solution for women who are struggling with gray hair.
For those with fine hair, this coloring will add shine and volume.

Features of the balayage coloring technique

Balayage differs from highlighting in that it does not have a clear boundary of color transition, gives a visual feeling of burnt hair, and does not have the effect of regrown roots. A similar technique is called shatush. We wrote about it earlier.

If we are talking about previously colored hair, then it is necessary to use a dye that allows you to make the bleaching as smooth and delicate as possible.

Balayage for medium length dark hair

The technique of applying the dye should allow you to create a soft transition of color from the roots to the ends of the hair without the risk of creating spots or completely bleached strands, which is typical with classic highlighting. For the smoothest transition, several shades of paint are used, which are mixed in the vertical direction.

One of the advantages of this coloring is that you do not need to use a cap, film or other accessories other than foil. The hairdresser manually applies the color with a brush from the tips to the base in a V shape.

Step-by-step hair coloring scheme in balayage style

The balayage technique is simple in appearance, but in reality it requires special preparation and skill. It is best if the coloring is done by a known and trusted artist. When coloring at home, it is better not to use many shades, but to limit yourself to one.

Hair dyeing in balayage style step by step

If you decide to paint at home, you will need:

comb with a pointed end for separating strands; dye, selected shade; bowl for paint; gloves; paint brush; hair balm; hairpins.

We put on gloves and prepare the paint in a bowl.
Using a comb, divide your hair into 4 parts and separate them from each other with bobby pins.
Next, start working with each of them.
Thin strands are taken one at a time, and using a brush, the paint is applied from the ends to the base of the hair in the form of the letter V. There is no need to bring the paint to the roots and it is not necessary to paint all the way through the strand.
Take the next strand and do the same with it. The strands do not have to be the same size; it is best if the strand taken is wider or narrower than the previous one.
It is also better to dye strands with different intensities and different lengths.
Repeat with the rest of your hair.
To prevent dye from getting onto undyed hair, you can use foil to separate the strands from each other.
Next, you need to wait the time specified in the instructions for the paint. After this time, rinse your hair well using shampoo and nourishing balm.

In order for the dye to cause less damage to the hair, dyeing must be done on an unwashed head. See photos of balayage hair coloring and a detailed hair division diagram.

Scheme of dividing hair into sections for balayage dyeing

Balayage on blonde hair

The effect of sun-bleached strands is best achieved on light hair and looks very natural and beautiful.

Photo of balayage dyeing on light hair

Balayage will help refresh your hair color and make it deeper. It is important that the dye contains a minimum percentage of oxidizing agent, otherwise it can damage or simply “burn” blond hair.

The choice of dye color should be determined by your hair type and skin tone. The most suitable tones are ash, pearl, wheat, caramel and honey.

Balayage dyeing for blonde hair

Balayage on dark hair can be divided into several types:

Contrast. In this case, the ends are lightened several tones, but the roots remain the same. For the most pronounced contrast, you can tint the crown a tone darker than the original color. The main thing is that there is a soft transition from dark to light color. This coloring will make you look very fresh and bright. See how balayage looks in the photo on medium-length dark hair with a contrast effect.

Photo of balayage dyeing on dark hair

Natural shine. It is suitable for those who have finally decided not to change their appearance. Allows you to achieve the effect of undyed hair that shimmers in the light. This coloring imitates the natural shine of hair, while the hairstyle will look more impressive.

Caramel balayage. For brunettes and brown-haired women, reddish and caramel shades look advantageous, smoothly blending into the hair at the roots. The advantage of caramel balayage is that it looks incredible on dark hair. You can choose a shade from light caramel to fiery red. You just need to decide to paint only the ends or distribute it along the entire length.

Colored balayage. Suitable for those who are not afraid to experiment with their appearance. A combination of a dark crown with red, burgundy, purple or blue will be effective. To ensure that the hairstyle does not look too provocative, the balayage technique is suitable. The color can be applied to the entire strand or just to the ends. Below is a photo of balayage dyeing on dark hair with colored curls.

What happens as a result

The balayage dyeing technique will visually increase the volume of your hairstyle. If you arrange the highlights correctly, you can rejuvenate your face and visually correct its shape.

As a result of dyeing, the beautiful texture of the hair is emphasized by partially bleached strands. The hair becomes lighter, especially at the ends, while it is possible to maintain the original quality of the hair, despite the lightening.

Over the past year, coloring "balayage" has managed to gain fame as the most popular and stylish way to dye your hair in a non-standard way. All fashionistas in the world have turned their attention to this method of changing hair color. When coloring their clients in the balayage style, stylists pursue the goal of recreating a natural look from childhood, when our hair faded slightly in the sun and acquired such a lovely naturalness, and natural-colored hairs interspersed with strands of sunny shades...

The main thing in the article

Balayage hair coloring technique

Balayage– a relatively gentle coloring that helps to achieve visible changes in hair color without causing significant harm to it. This is a separate type of highlighting, which is performed mainly on the ends of the hair, and the border between the transition to natural color is carefully blurred.

We owe the emergence of this trend in hair coloring to the scrupulous and sophisticated French, according to whose canons of style, dark roots in combination with lighter ends of the hair give the hairstyle a sophisticated look. Balayage is a more sophisticated coloring compared to the one everyone loves obmre, its implementation requires more subtle craftsmanship and well-honed skills.

The essence of the balayage technique is that the ends of the curls are shaded with a color different from the natural one, and in some cases not the entire mass of hair is worked on, but most of the strands.

For maximum naturalness of the image, different tones are used for this coloring:

caramel,
golden,
wheat,
honey,
ashy, trying to make the transitions between them as soft as possible. Even when the strands grow to a decent length, the overall appearance of the hairstyle remains well-groomed and natural, and those around you may not even realize that your hair is dyed, thinking that your curls were simply “kissed by the sun.”

10 undeniable benefits of balayage coloring

Creating a stylish image, “like from a magazine cover.”
It has a lot of types and techniques.
Versatility - suitable for women of all ages and statuses.
Looks equally natural and sophisticated on short, long, straight hair and curls.
Emphasizes the naturalness and natural beauty of hair;
Makes it possible to visit the salon less often, and, accordingly, save time and money: to maintain your hair in order, you only need 2-3 procedures per year.
Visually adds volume to the hairstyle.
Does not cause any noticeable harm to hair.
Without resorting to drastic changes in your appearance, it helps you stand out from the crowd.
The ability to preserve your natural color, but at the same time dilute it with new notes.

Balayage and shatush coloring: what is the difference?

Surely, along with the name balayage, you have also heard about such a hair coloring method as shatush. Both types of hair treatment involve creating the effect of sun-bleached strands, but differ in the technique of execution.

Both of these rather complex colorings share the peak of fashion, but there are noticeable differences in their technique:

Balayage implies complete lightening of curls , often coloring begins from the middle of the strands. At the same time, the master performs “sweeping” movements with a brush, applying the coloring composition with superficial strokes, the implementation of which requires precision and accuracy.
Shatush performed at the very ends, rarely reaching the middle of the strands. In this case it is carried out lightening some strands from the entire mass of hair, which creates the effect of careless, natural burnout in the sun. Shatush is also called French highlighting due to the similarity in technology.

Balayage dyeing for dark hair

This option looks quite contrasting, which does not prevent balayage from being preferred not only by ordinary fashion fans, but also by brunette stars from the red carpet. Balayage looks especially impressive on multi-level graduated haircuts and all kinds of cascades curled into curls.

Balayage for brown hair

This is probably the most popular version of balayage, which helps brown-haired women achieve that notorious effect of burnt strands . On light brown hair, balayage looks especially natural and organic, emphasizing all the beauty and naturalness of its owner.

How to do balayage coloring on blonde hair?

Do you think spectacular balayage is impossible on blonde hair? This is a misconception, because this technique involves the use of dozens of different shades! Thanks to this, even naturally light, seemingly “faceless” strands will acquire vitality and naturalness, and your image will become brighter, more multifaceted, but at the same time sophisticated.

To correctly apply balayage to blonde hair and harmoniously select color options, stylists recommend focusing on the color type of your appearance. Let's move on to recommendations for choosing balayage paint, depending on one or another color type of blonde's appearance.

It is important to make transitions between colors softly and smoothly, taking into account all halftones.

You will learn how to determine your appearance color type in the article:

If you want to bring your hair color closer to a platinum or ash shade, but do not dare to take such a risky step, balayage is just the thing for you. Apply the desired shade casually only to the ends of your hair: your blonde will become brighter, but the tone of the strands near your face will be warmer and softer than if you turned your entire hair platinum.

Also, for owners of naturally very light and pre-bleached hair, coloring will be a good transformation option. armoring.

Balayage dyeing for medium length hair

Long hair is not the only way to get sun-kissed highlights from balayage dyeing. This transformation method is ideal for you if:

you are the owner of a thick head of hair that is not too thin or brittle;
you are happy with the oval of your face, since balayage is amazingly capable of emphasizing its shape;
your hair is not oily, as the contrast between the bleached ends and greasy roots will be especially noticeable.

On medium hair, balayage is possible both at the ends of the hair and starting from the middle. In any case, to get a masterpiece of this coloring, as in our photos, ask an experienced master for advice.

Balayage for short hair

Short hair is not a hindrance to your desire to look stylish and fashionable. Having applied balayage coloring to short hair, its lucky owners radically change their appearance, adding zest and variety to it. In addition, this is a great way to “painlessly” grow your hair without having to worry about constantly refreshing your hair color or lightening your roots. And balayage looks especially extraordinary and vibrant on short hair, see for yourself.

What do you need to know when doing balayage coloring at home?

If you are planning to do balayage dyeing at home, but your hand is not “full” and you have not performed similar manipulations with your hair, it is better to consult with a specialist so that the result does not disappoint you.

If you finally decide to dye your hair balayage, then follow our recommendations to achieve the best effect.

Choice of colors

Balayage for blondes is best done in ash, pearl or natural beige tones.
If you are brown-haired or your hair is naturally brown, go for golden blonde or natural shades of ash.
Red-haired ladies look beautiful with amber or natural chestnut balayage;
Brunettes can decorate the ends of their hair with a bronze tone or a shade of cognac, and beauties with searing black hair often perform shocking red balayage.

For such hair coloring, foil is often not used, but the entire process, including preparation, takes no more than 30-40 minutes.

7 steps to perfect balayage at home

1. Balayage is performed on fresh, dry hair, but there is no need to wash and dry your hair immediately before dyeing. It is much easier to dye short hair, but on long curls, balayage looks more impressive, revealing all the undertones.

2. The hair is divided into strands, and if you do not plan to completely lighten the ends of your hair, select the strands to be dyed and fix them separately from the others. The strands can be of different widths for a more interesting effect, but don't make them too wide.
3. Prepare the coloring composition according to the instructions.
4. Using “sweeping” movements, apply the dye to the separated strands of hair from the ends to the middle of the curl, coloring both the top and bottom.

5. You can distribute the remaining paint over the entire length of your hair, but do it carefully, barely touching, with sharp movements. This should be done at the very end of dyeing so that the color cannot set as intensely as at the ends. This is how it is achieved “uneven burnout” effect hair.
6. Lightening dye is left on the hair for 20-30 minutes, depending on the original color.
7. Rinse off the paint with plenty of warm (not hot) water and dry with a moderately warm hairdryer. If your goal is to achieve a platinum or ashy shade at the ends of your hair, use special “purple” shampoos with an anti-yellow effect.

Loose hair, which is characterized by natural carelessness and dishevelment, looks much more interesting in balayage than strict styling and even, neat haircuts.

Balayage hair coloring: before and after photos

How much does balayage color cost?

The cost of performing balayage dyeing in a salon depends on:

qualifications of the master and reputation of the salon;
location of the salon - of course, for a procedure in a salon in the center of Moscow or St. Petersburg you will pay many times more than, for example, at the home of a specialist in a provincial town. For large cities, the current cost of balayage is considered to be from 3 to 9 thousand rubles (on average 5 thousand rubles), while in a small city the procedure can be performed for 2 thousand rubles.

Fashionable balayage coloring: video tutorials from the salon

Balayage for dark hair is a stylish coloring technique that emphasizes the originality and femininity of the image. There are several ways to perform balayage, depending on the length of your hair and style features.

Striving for attractiveness and originality, we often experiment with hairstyles, choosing the most daring variations of shades. The balayage technique is deservedly popular.

For owners of dark curls, our materials will be very useful. From them you will learn various options for performing balayage on dark hair, and also learn how to do it yourself.

The essence and features of balayage

Using this technique, the lower part of the hair is treated with one or two shades. This trend has some “kinship” with highlighting, the difference between them is in the plane.
Balayage is a horizontal treatment, while highlighting is a vertical treatment. The color scheme changes at the ends of the hair and curls, starting from the middle of the length.

The translation of balayage from French means “revenge”. If you watch a master at work, this meaning becomes clear. The paint is applied to the curls in the shape of the letter V: first on the sides, then on the ends of the strand.
At the same time, the master’s movements resemble a wave of a hand with a broom.

Benefits of balayage

Boring coloring in one tone has caused a surge of experiments, which are received with a bang not only by young girls, but also by middle-aged women.

The play of shades in the hair thanks to balayage inspires the creation of bold and unexpected images, imparts tenderness, and adds a certain “zest.”

Among the many advantages of balayage, we name the following:

Universal for curls of various lengths.
It harmonizes perfectly with any look, from the most extraordinary to the calm and gentle classics.
Visually makes the hair more voluminous and gives it a luxurious shine.
Allows you to forget about visiting beauty salons for a long time (as the hair grows, the roots do not stand out in a contrasting color (the only exception is a short haircut).
Hides some imperfections in appearance (for example, too wide cheekbones or rounded cheeks).

The main disadvantages of balayage are the long duration of the procedure and the difficulty of doing it yourself.

Ombre, shatush, balayage: similarities and differences

Similar coloring techniques are ombre and shatush. The similarity is determined by the effect of burning out the hair and the contrast between the root part and the ends of the curls.

Shatush is the lightening of some strands on the surface of the hair, starting from the middle of the length of the curls. The degree of smoothness of the transition from dark root hair to colored ends is very high. This trend is also known as French highlighting.

Balayage involves continuous lightening of the hair at the ends, and not processing individual strands, as in shatush(although there are some exceptions). The boundary between the two shades is also blurred.

Ombre is a more complicated option with several shades. Both ombre and balayage for dark hair are characterized by complete rather than selective lightening of the ends. The master moves from dark roots to colored ends gradually, coloring the middle part of the hair in two or more shades with smooth flows.
Such a “rainbow” can include up to eight intermediate colors.

Versatile balayage options

This technique is suitable for almost everyone, regardless of the length of the curls and their color. There is a huge variety of colors for the ends of hair.

Dark-haired beauties have the largest selection of shades. If you want to focus on naturalness, creating an interesting play of colors, choose a copper or coffee color, or a shade of chocolate.
To get a pronounced contrast of strands, you can use nutty and caramel tones. Regular lightening is also suitable (stylists advise creating a difference between the roots and ends of 4-5 tones, but for maximum contrast you can increase the difference to 8-10 tones).
For lovers of original, extravagant looks, we can offer bright purple, pink-red and bluish shades.
Light brown curls are “enlivened” with honey, wheat and ash tones, and a “golden blond” shade. The hair will retain its natural appearance, since the base color will not differ from the ends by more than two or three tones.
Platinum, pearl and ash tones fit perfectly on light strands. There is no color contrast here, but interesting tints will make the hairstyle unique and create visual volume. Those who like to experiment with their look can apply a soft pink tone to the ends of their strands.
Red-haired ladies should choose copper, amber, chestnut and caramel tones. They will emphasize the extravagance of the hairstyle and create colorful tints of hair.

Straight or curly hair, long or short, dyed or natural - Balayage will give beauty, shine and luxury to any hair. Thin curls with balayage will have visual volume.
Thick strands with shiny tints and color transitions will also look quite impressive.

Secrets of dyeing balayage on dark curls

Variations of the balayage technique

Any variety of this trend will suit dark-haired ladies. Stylists can offer several non-trivial ideas along with the classics:

Traditional balayage
Lightening the ends of curls in one tone with a shade of any contrast. Sometimes the roots of the hair are darkened for greater contrast, but girls with dark curls often skip this procedure.
Partial (selective) balayage
Coloring parts of the strands in certain areas (for example, near the face). This method helps to correct some appearance flaws or give the image originality.
An interesting version of partial balayage is a technique called “tongues of flame.” It is most preferable for girls with cascading haircuts or curly locks.
Colored gradient balayage
An excellent balayage color option for dark hair. Colored paint is applied to the ends. Blue and lilac tones, as well as all shades of red, are suitable for dark strands.
When performing red or red balayage on dark hair, it is important to ensure a smooth transition from the base color to the dyed ends.

Games with contrast

If you are a fan of natural shades, choose to lighten the ends by 2-3 tones. This will give the impression of gracefully bleached strands. The shade of the tips will not be “conspicuous”, so it will be very difficult to determine that they were previously painted.

High contrast - lightening by four or more tones. An example is ash balayage on dark hair. A smooth transition from one color to another is necessary, otherwise sharp lightening will look unnatural. The longer the curls, the greater the opportunity to stretch the color.

For contrasting balayage on dark long straight hair, two options are suitable: lighten the curls, starting from the middle of the length or near the roots. The first method, with an emphasis on the ends of the hair, is preferred by Russian young ladies. American women are more inclined to the second variation - more daring and expressive.

Balayage on dark hair: subtleties of technology

Hair length and the desired effect are the main criteria for choosing a dyeing method. Always follow two basic guidelines:

Cover the roots of the curls with foil, preventing paint from getting on them.
Comb your hair, making it thick and curly. This will achieve a more expressive effect.

Hair length dictates its own rules. Use the following tips from the experts:

For short hair
Before balayage on dark short hair, comb your hair well at the roots so that the ends point upward (use fixation with hairspray if necessary).
Apply the coloring composition to pieces of foil that are used to wrap the ends of the curls. After the required time, wash off the dye with shampoo.
For long and medium curls
Before balayage on dark straight hair of medium length or long curls, the hair is distributed into even strands, each of them is fixed with an elastic band.
Apply paint to the desired length and leave for 15-20 minutes.
The applied product is then blended down to the ends of the hair to create maximum color flow.

Based on the length of the colored ends, there are different types of balayage: balayage ends, full and medium types of coloring. Choose any of the variations of this technique:

Treatment of hair ends at one level (suitable for lovers of classic and business styles).
Chaotic coloring with an unclear boundary of the length of the colored ends (a youthful option that looks good on hair of any length).
Asymmetrical lightening of the ends (suitable for creative and model haircuts).

Coloring balayage at home

How to choose the right paint?

The first stage of self-dying is choosing the right product. It can be purchased at a cosmetic store. The consultant will help you choose the right shade.

For dark hair, choose an oxidizer with the correct percentage of hydrogen peroxide so as not to spoil your hair and achieve the desired shade of lightening the first time.
If you have already performed the procedure in a salon, remember what cosmetic products the master used. For curls that have already been dyed, you need to use products with a lower percentage of peroxide.

When choosing an oxidizer, use the following tips from cosmetologists:

For rich black strands that are difficult to etch out pigment, a 12% oxidizing agent is suitable.
Dark girls should give preference to the nine percent product.
Brown-haired, fair-haired and red-haired girls can choose a developer containing 3% peroxide.

In addition to the oxidizing agent, you need to purchase a bleaching powder. It is often sold together with a liquid developer.

Step-by-step staining procedure

Classic balayage is easy to do yourself. You will learn how to do balayage on dark hair at home from the algorithm given below.

Stock up on all the necessary means at hand: a cape for clothes, foil, rubber bands, protective gloves, a brush for applying cosmetic composition.
Divide all the curls into many thin strands (the thinner the strands, the more natural the hair color will be), secure them with elastic bands or clips. Secure all the elastic bands to the same length, from which you plan to start coloring.
Wrap some of the curls above the elastic bands with pre-prepared pieces of foil to prevent paint from getting on them.
Apply the pre-prepared paint to the ends of the strands from the point of fixation with rubber bands. The paint should be applied with light movements in a vertical direction.
After treating the lower part of your hair, wait 15 minutes. Then apply a second coat of paint 2-3 cm from the ends. Wait another 30 minutes.
Gently wash off the dye using shampoo without removing the foil from the top of your hair. After washing your hair, soften hair disturbed by chemicals with balm.

There is another variation of performing the balayage procedure on dark, straight, medium-length hair at home.
The coloring process is simplified to one step, with one or two more layers of paint applied to the ends of the hair. For the best effect, wrap the dyed strands in foil.

If you decide to try on a new look using the balayage technique on dark strands, remember the rules of hair care.
Frequent use of an oxidizing agent damages curls, so do not forget about regular nourishing and moisturizing masks, using conditioner or balm, as well as periodically cutting damaged ends.

Video: balayage on dark hair

Balayage is a modern coloring that helps you radically transform. You can learn about all the secrets of balayage in the first video, and about performing this technique at home in the second. Enjoy watching!

Everyone has heard that beauty requires sacrifice, and have long come to terms with these demands. But in practice, beauty in the general sense is much more indulgent than capricious fashion. That's who really requires constant expenses. If you hesitate, your ultra-trend hairstyle just yesterday is no longer so popular, and new styling and coloring trends are coming to the fore. For example, if recently everyone was interested in fashionable ombre hair coloring, today every true fashionista strives to dye her hair balayage. If this name in one word does not explain to you all the subtleties of the style and the difference between the balayage and ombre techniques, read this article quickly. In it we have collected the most relevant, and in addition, useful information about what balayage looks like, how it is done, and even how to dye balayage hair at home with your own hands.

What is balayage? Difference between balayage and ombre
Balayage is another word of French origin. Therefore, like ombre, it is not inclined. The meaning of the concept of “balayage” is revealed during translation: it is something between a stroke, a stroke of a brush, and smudging. Like ombre, balayage involves coloring in a blurred tone without obvious boundaries. No matter how many shades are used when coloring (from two or three to five), a beautiful result is impossible without a smooth transition and shading of color. But this is probably where the similarities between balayage and ombre end. But a competent stylist will tell you several differences between balayage and ombre:

No foil is used for balayage dyeing. They do not wrap part of the hair or individual strands with it, but apply the paint with a brush sliding over the surface (top layer) of the hair.
Unlike ombre, which has a blurred but horizontal gradation, shades in balayage are mixed in the vertical direction.
If ombre is the gradual lightening of the ends of the hair, then balayage is the lightening of the strands.
Balayage looks more natural than ombre. In the wake of the massive popularity of both styles, an astute friend will probably guess the presence of even professional ombre dyeing on your hair. High-quality balayage always leaves a mystery: the hair is dyed or naturally bleached.
Ombre looks more impressive on dark hair due to the contrast of color. Balayage is recommended for fair-haired girls and anyone whose hair is naturally soft, ashy in color.

To summarize, we can say that ombre imitates the effect of regrown hair, and balayage imitates the effect of sun-bleached hair. The technicality of ombre coloring depends mainly on the accuracy of the artist who performs it. But if you wish and have some skill, you can dye your hair in ombre style yourself so that the result will not differ from the salon one. But balayage is a more controversial technique. You could even say that balayage arose at the intersection of ombre, highlighting and the natural influence of ultraviolet radiation on hair pigment. So, repeating this complex combination beautifully is not an easy task. That's why people usually go to a hairdresser to dye their hair with balayage.

Is it possible to dye balayage hair at home?
As they say, nothing is impossible for a person with intelligence. And for a woman who has decided to dye her hair balayage at home at any cost, even more so. In addition, dyeing balayage hair with your own hands is a difficult task, but quite doable. True, a high-quality result, with which you will not be ashamed to appear in front of people, may not be obtained the first time. Or maybe from the first, if you follow the rules of balayage hair coloring:
And one more good news. You can dye balayage on both natural and already dyed hair. Balayage is surprisingly gentle on hair and does not noticeably dry out or damage it. After dyeing balayage, the strands remain vibrant, soft and elastic. This means that even a not-so-successful attempt to dye your balayage hair at home leaves you with at least two opportunities to correct the situation. Firstly, you can go to the master and finish the coloring you started with his help. Secondly, you can dye all your hair the same color or do an ombre on your hair. In general, balayage is not only beautiful. But also convenient.

Technique for dyeing balayage at home
One of the main advantages of balayage over other types of hair coloring is the ability to dye your hair very rarely. Without exaggeration, after successful balayage dyeing, you can afford not to dye your hair for six months, or even a whole year. And at the same time, the strands will still look cute and natural, the play of light and voluminous highlights in the hair will remain. But for this, of course, you need to try once and dye your balayage hair correctly:

Balayage is done on clean, dry hair. It is not necessary to wash and dry your hair immediately before starting coloring, but there should be no styling products on it. The length of the hair affects the dyeing procedure: it is easier to dye short hair with balayage than pancake hair. But on long hair, balayage looks more interesting.
Section your hair into sections or separate several strands that you want to lighten. You can dye your balayage hair all over your head or lighten just the part of the hair that frames your face.
Secure each strand or tuft of hair that you separated with clips so that they do not mix with other hair before dyeing is completed. Start coloring from the bottom up, from the face to the back of the head.
Prepare the coloring composition according to the instructions on the package. Do this no earlier than preparing your hair for coloring, so that chemical oxidation processes do not occur in vain.
Apply the dye to the hair strands, starting from the ends. Move along the strand from bottom to top, lightly touching the hair with the brush and, as it were, “pulling” the color. The easier and more casual your movements are, the better the balayage effect will be.
Dye each strand of hair on both sides: top and bottom (from the “wrong” side). This will make the highlights of a light shade more vibrant and voluminous, bringing the imitation closer to the appearance of sun-bleached hair.
You can and should dye strands of different widths, but at the same time, they should not be too wide. A sufficient thickness of strands of 1.5-2 cm over the entire head and no wider than 0.5-1 cm near the face and on the bangs.
The remaining paint can be distributed over the remaining area of the head, stretching it lengthwise with jerky movements. Since this is done at the very end of coloring, this part of the dye will not stay on the hair as long as what was applied first. Thus, the effect of uneven “burnout” will be more expressive.
Leave the dye on your hair for 20-30 minutes. There is no need to wrap your head in film or foil; natural oxidative processes in the open air make balayage dyeing more natural in appearance.
Rinse off the paint with plenty of running water. Dry your hair naturally or with a moderately hot hairdryer. If you used cool shades of dye, do not forget to use special anti-yellow hair shampoos and heat protectants during styling.

The result of balayage hair coloring at home or in a hair salon looks equally stylish. You can enhance the charm of balayage with a cascade haircut or thinning your hair, but it is better to leave your hair as natural as possible. This is easily explained by the origin of the balayage technique. Like everything French, it gravitates towards softness, naturalness, airy and light structure. Therefore, loose and slightly tousled hair looks more interesting in balayage coloring than neat and smooth haircuts and styling. But in any case, it’s worth dyeing your hair balayage and feeling like a Parisian, then certainly the owner of excellent taste and an expert on fashion trends.