Ombre and Balayage
Every time you dye your hair, the roots will become apparent a few weeks later. The ombre and balayage techniques require much less maintenance, and provide excellent alternatives for touching up and covering regrowth and traditional foil highlights.
Balayage
Balayage originated in France, was designed to sweep color onto your hair, and was created during the 1970’s. Balayage provides your hair with a much more natural coloring, and when finished gives the hair a sun-kissed look. The highlights resemble those received when spending time in the sun. The first time you receive a balayage coloring, it is split into three visits. Once your treatment has been completed, the look remains for however long you choose. Balayage makes the regrowth line in the hair subtler.
Balayage is applied by hand directly to the surface of the hair, and the saturation near the ends is minimal. Since this process does not require foil, the results last longer than the six weeks achieved with foil. Balayage coloring is effective on light or dark hair, and most lengths. The exception is very short hair because the results are not noticeable. Balayage provides excellent coverage for grey hair, and is simple to care for. It requires the same care as any color-treated hair. The most important aspect is the healthy and glowing finish balayage provides for your hair.
A professional stylist is recommended for a balayage treatment because the application must be precise. The treatment is incredibly difficult to do at home, and if done incorrectly, hair damage can result from overlapping applications. A professional stylist will also know which coloring technique and color will look best for your hair.
Ombre
Ombre is when your hair is gradually lightened, and means shading or shaded in French. The transition of the ombre hair color generally begins darker at the roots, then lightens as it reaches the ends of the hair. Unlike Balayage, the hair requires bleaching for an ombre treatment. This is dependent on how light you want your hair. Ombre can provide a striking contrast between the bottom and top halves of the hair, or be subtle depending on what you desire. One of the best parts of ombre is it will work on all hair lengths, including very short hair. The care ombre coloring requires is easy because tough-ups are only necessary a few times per year.
Just like for balayage, ombre coloring should be done by a professional stylist. Your hair can be badly damaged if the bleaching is not done correctly. Ombre is generally applied with a two-step process. The first is the base color, and the second is the highlights. Your hair should not be washed for 24 hours once the ombre has been applied by your stylist.
Both treatments are more effective if you have your hair cut before the treatment. This will prevent any of your hair’s new color from being lost. Both ombre and balayage look fantastic, and neither requires much maintenance. You simply can’t go wrong with either