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Classic highlights are making a comeback.
Updated: Jan 9, 2019
The switch from highlights to balayage is reversing back. Now, highlights are making a big comeback!
First of all... What's the difference between highlights and balayage??
What Are Highlights?
A common misconception when it comes to highlights is that they are streaks of blonde hair running through brown base color. That could not be further from the truth. Highlights are small sections of hair that are lighter than the base color (which could be your natural hair color). More often than not, the color of your highlights will be a lighter shade of your base color. So someone with dark brown hair could get light brown highlights, golden blonde highlights would complement deep honey blonde hair, and so on.
When it comes to technique, highlights are done with the help of aluminum foils. The hair dye is applied to small sections of hair from the roots to tips and covered with aluminum foils that trap in heat and lighten your hair more intensely. The size, placement, and tone of the highlights can be planned out precisely when it comes to deciding the hair look you are going for.
What Is Balayage?
Balayage is a French word that means ‘to sweep.’ In this technique, the dye is swept or painted onto sections of your hair in a freehand manner. Usually, the dye is applied from the mid shafts to the ends of the hair. Another characteristic feature of a balayage highlights is the way it’s done in revolutions around the head. First, the dye is applied to the bottom most section (near the nape of your neck) of your head. Then, the midsection of your head is worked upon and then the top section of hair is colored right at the end. A cellophane is placed between each layer of hair.
Balayage ends up looking like thick highlights that are just a few shades lighter than your base color. Since the highlights are not very saturated and the bottom sections of hair are left dark, balayage highlights add tons of depth and dimension to your hair. The almost ombre effect and lighter tips also lend your hair that perfect naturally sunkissed look.
So What Is The Difference Between Balayage And Highlights?
When you really get down to the nitty-gritty of highlights and balayage, you will notice that the difference is basically what you would see between a Park Avenue Princess and an LA Beach Bum. Confused? Let me break it down for you:
Highlights follow a more structured pattern and more carefully placed than balayage. Balayage, on the other hand, is freehand painted onto the hair in large sections. Thus, balayage blends more seamlessly into your hair than highlights.While highlights are done by saturating the section of hair right from the roots to the ends, balayage is done by painting the dye from midshafts to the ends.If you want more intensely lightened highlights, then you should go for foil highlights as they make use of aluminum foils to saturate the color. Balayage, however, is just a few shades lighter than your base color and has a softer, more blended look to it.Since highlights are done right from the roots, you will need to keep touching them up every few weeks when they grow out. Since balayage is not done right from the roots, it grows out more naturally and requires lesser maintenance.Balayage adds depth and dimension to your mane while highlights focus on framing your face and accentuating the base color of your tresses.