The Fashionista’s Guide to Balayage

Balayage Hair Highlights for Sarah Jessica Parker

Balayage is a hot trend.  Instead of the typical foil process to highlight hair, celebrity hairdressers are using this newer technique called balayage highlighting, to give clients a natural sun-kissed look to strands.

• What is the balayage effect?

Balayage, meaning ‘to sweep’ in French, is a technique that the hair colorist uses a brush to hand paint lightener onto select strands of hair, applying the lightener in a sweeping motion going from thin sections at the root to thicker sections toward the ends of hair. This creates a unique look, giving your highlights that look like they were put there naturally by the sun.

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Balayage Brightens Jennifer Garner’s Skin Tone

As a hair stylist, I’d much prefer to see natural and subtle highlights on someone rather than unnatural and chunky pieces in the hair. This is why I love the balayage technique. If you have a one-tone all over hair color to your hair and want to try something new, this is for you. Jennifer Garner recently had balayage highlights put into her dark brown hair and the result is a skin brightening style that is really unique to her.

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Balayage Highlights for Gisele Bundchen

Don’t be afraid to try something new and break out of the ordinary. If you are always pining for highlights like the Victoria Secret models, then this look is definitely for you. Expect to spend slightly more than you would for foil hair highlighting since this is a  newer, more trendy and personalized technique, that isn’t offered everywhere.

Long term savings may be another reason to balayage! The balayage technique may cost a bit more up front, but since your hair will appear more naturally highlighted, you can go longer in between salon visits!!

Balayage highlights are a definite ‘do for the summer. Keep in mind that your hair stylist can also use the balayage technique to put lowlights into hair as well, but the technique is best used for highlighting.

To find a salon near you that uses that balayage technique, you can visit this site: Locate Balayage Hair High Lighting

Barb Quinn on Google+  

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