Looking For a Balayage or Ombre in Houston?
What is a Balayage?
The word balayage comes from the French, meaning “to sweep”. It involves hand-painting soft highlights throughout your hair to give it a beautiful natural look, as though you have been out in the sun all day. The result is a unique individual look that can be adapted to your individual personality and style. Our hair salon in Houston specializes in colors like a Balayage and highlights.
What is an Ombre?
The French term means or “shadow,” and in the world of hair coloring, it refers to a dramatic two-toned hair color effect. Typically, the color is darker at the roots and lighter at the ends. The fantastic thing about ombres is that you can have literally any combination of color from blonde, browns, and reds to something more eccentric like purples, blues, and greens.
Bring a little French fashion to Houston with balayage color in Houston, Texas. Lush Hair Folk is your premiere luxury color studio for on-trend hair in the melting pot known as Houston. Full Balayage vs Partial Balayage
Imagine a master painter artfully weaving tones of light and brilliance through each strand of hair. The darkest shadow begins at the roots and blooms gradually into a vibrant, sun-kissed hue at the ends of the hair. This unique lightening technique requires delicate precision to achieve. Our expert balayage specialists in Houston, Texas, are trained in hand-painted highlights to bring out the best in balayage color. Learn more about the magic of this European inspired trend before you book your balayage color service with our professional hair color specialists.
Best hair types for Balayage?
Balayage color can be done on any length or color of hair. These factors do not dictate if you can or cannot have this modern yet low maintenance service. A proper consultation with our Houston hair stylists is a great way to get an idea for what can be done and how it can be executed. Talking about what shades would compliment the client’s features, what has previously been done to the hair, how often the client is willing or able to come in, and the hair product or products the client could use to help the process and prevent future damage, are all included in a standard consultation.
Why get a Balayage?
Balayage highlights are a wonderful option for those who are looking for a “low maintenance” hair color application. With the natural placement and gradual effect, it can last longer than a traditional foil or color, eliminating harsh lines. Many clients find that instead of needing a Balayage every visit to the salon, they may just need to do a haircut, toner, or conditioning treatment. Some clients only reserve salon appointments for a touch up service 2 to 3 times a year after the initial appointment.
The process of a Balayage
Balayage is typically a one or two-step process where the stylist hand paints color or lightner onto the hair. Certain techniques will use meche foils, cotton and cellophane, or even bricklaying techniques to create the perfect Balayage look.
The first step is usually to prelighten the hair to the desired level. If using hair color, you are able to get the desired level and tone in one step. The second step is to put a tonal value into the hair; tone is typically described as “Ash”, “Warm” or “Neutral”. When you lighten hair, you are removing all pigment or color, leaving it a bright yellow, orange, or red. Obviously, this is not a desired look. The desired final result may take two or more times utilizing this process. Things like previous color or box color(over the counter) can build up on the hair and make lifting the pigment out hard. Fragile, unhealthy hair may also cause a stylist to need to take it easy on a client’s hair. It is important not to do too much at once. What is hair made of?
Balayage hair can last up to 4 months with proper care and the correct hair products used. The benefit of balayage is that you aren’t left with visible roots once your natural colour starts to grow through, in fact that’s the whole point. Balayage was designed to seamlessly blend into your hair so that it looks utterly natural. That said, it’ll grow out just as quickly as any other colour would – at the same rate as your hair. Balayage hair 101
Techniques different than Balayage
Other techniques that are similar to Balayage Highlights that are popular which provide different effect include: Ombre, Sombre, Baby Lights, Bronde, and Dip Dye. Clients often ask about Balayage vs. Ombre. Here are a few of the different highlight services:
- Ombre is a French word that means to shade. It is a technique that is a solid graduation from dark to light.
- Sombre is a combination of both Ombre and Balayage where 3 processes may take place. First applying one technique, then the second, and finishing with adding in tonal value. Sombre vs Balayage
- Baby Lights are super fine strands of hair that may or may not start at the scalp to add in dimension.
- Bronde is for darker hair types who want dimension but are not able to have blonde due to skin tone and/or eye color or integrity of the hair itself.
- Dip Dye is a sharp contrast between dark and a color. Usually used with bright colors or fashion colors. Fashion colors are usually achieved with a direct dye or vegetable dye. This means that no chemical processes are taking place. The dye stains the outside of the hair shaft and can have a very unpredictable time of staying power. Things like not washing your hair everyday or using cold water temperature aid in prolonging the fashion color; however, a client may still need to come in every 4-8 weeks to have the fashion color reapplied to keep it up.
Where to get a Balayage in Houston?
Book your Balayage appointment with one of our Houston hairstylists at Lush Hair Folk today! If you’re a new client please book a consultation before booking a Balayage to discuss your wants and needs.