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What to know if you’re thinking of going from foils to balayage, according to a celebrity colourist



Balayage is here to stay. That’s if the likes of Gisele Bündchen, Jessica Biel and Chrissy Teigen are anything to go by. But if you thought the colouring technique was reserved for the cascading locks of supermodels, think again, according to celebrity colourist and Schwarkopf global BlondeMe ambassador Jack Howard.

We caught up with him at the swanky Paul Edmonds salon in Battersea – which is so fancy it even has its own champagne and cappuccino bar. Howard began teaching balayage in the UK back in 2010 when it was relatively new, having learned the technique from balayage pioneer Nancy Braun across the pond in the States. 

Now, everyone has heard of balayage, but if anyone can persuade you to try it at your next hairdresser appointment, Howard can.

The French word balayage means “to paint” or “sweep” and it’s basically a freehand highlighting technique that can create that gorgeous natural sunkissed look for your tresses all year round. But, as Howard explains, there are much heavier versions of the technique possible too. 

The benefits of choosing balayage over classic foil highlights? For one, the process takes far less time. Howard can achieve a lifted, refreshed look with just 14 sweeps of his magic wand – so no more spending four hours in the chair, hurrah!

The technique is much lower maintenance as there are no harsh contrast lines to deal with when the dreaded regrowth starts. Best of all, the technique can achieve a far more personalised look which is tailored to each curve and wave of your hair shape. Win, win?

Here are a few things we learned from a morning spent with the man himself.

You don’t have to have long locks for balayage

As someone who has been having my hair highlighted with foils for over a decade, I always presumed the balayage technique was reserved for those with long glossy locks, à la Elle Macpherson. But Howard explains that the colouring technique can suit anyone with bob length hair or longer.

He created the look above which he calls “a cool girl blonde” using a much heavier application, a technique he calls “California balayage”. This requires more upkeep than the more lived-in classic balayage you might be more familiar with, but will still give a much softer look than foils, he says.

‘Negative space’ is as important as the light streaks

When Howard talks about balayage he uses the term “negative space” a lot. What is it? “It’s the darker pieces (either your natural hair colour or darker pieces created with colour) that run alongside the lighter pieces and allow them to pop and shine,” he says.

Negative space is key to adding depth and dimension to your colour, which can, in some cases, add volume to your look. “You need contrast to stop the colour looking solid,” he says, adding that you should think of it as a modern take on the old-fashioned lowlight.

Think less box blonde and more harmonious honeys and caramels.

If you’re going from foils to balayage, strong face-framers are key

If you’re going from foils to balayage, strong face-framing slices are particularly important so that you don’t suddenly feel much darker than you’re used to. You don’t want any negative space around the face, Howard says, instead you want lighter pieces “to highlight the eyes and cheekbones”.

Balayage is about flow rather than harsh contrast

“Balayage is about flow the whole way through rather than large sections of contrast,” Howard says. “When you’ve had lots of half heads, and not enough full heads it becomes darker underneath, if it’s very heavy blonde on top you have a regrowth line which makes it really hard [and expensive] to maintain.”

He likes to soften up the hairline through the back with “ponytail pieces” so that if, say, you’re at the gym and have your hair pulled back there’s still flow. “For me it’s very important that there’s a flow throughout, whether it becomes lived in or maintained on regular basis.”

You can use balayage to make fun shades like copper appear more 3D

If you’re after something a little more punchy than shades of blonde and brunette, copper is already proving one of the most popular colours of 2019, and Howard explains that you can elevate these kinds of colours using the balayage technique.

“Ask your colourist for copper balayage – balayage is the technique and copper is the glaze that goes over that. A global darker (all over) copper with a lighter copper glaze gives more definition as the colour will have negative space making it look more 3D.”





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