3 Balayage Tips For Fall-Ready Brunettes
Balayage Education: 3 Hair-Painting Tips For Brunettes
Are some of your brunettes dealing with dull color, but over-foiling will result in random blonde streaks? LA colorist Bianca Hillier (@biancacolour) stopped by The BTC House to teach her ribbon balayage technique for creating rich, dimensional brunettes with sun-kissed highlights and bright ends. Scroll down for her formula breakdown, tips to avoid a splotchy balayage and a gorgeous before and after! Click here to learn Bianca’s entire technique on BTC University and have lifetime access to the course!
Takeaway Tips:
You can learn Bianca’s full technique in her 90-minute course, but we’re teasing these tips you need to know now!
Tip #1: Avoid Splotchy Balayage
“You don’t want to go in too heavy at the root because it will result in heavy lines of demarcation and really splotchy color. So, I like to use less product and reapply to ensure saturation but to also keep my highlights clean and blended,” Bianca explains.
First, she uses the side of the brush to grab a thin line of product. How she applies product depends on where she is painting.
Roots + Mids:
- Apply thin ribbons of lightener with a feathering motion.
- This application achieves built-in dimension by only painting the surface of each ribbon of hair.
Ends:
- Use a balayage board to fully saturate the ends of the hair for a fluid blend.
- This application achieves super-bright ends for the most sun-kissed look.
Pro Tip: To further ensure against splotches, Bianca is careful to pick up the same amount of product on the brush every time, and then re-applies it to the surface she is painting. This guarantees even product coverage and no splotches!
Tip #2: Create A Customized Placement Using The Natural Fall Of The Hair
To give each client a customized look, Bianca relies heavily on where the hair naturally falls when planning out placement. “I like to stagger my highlights to create a fluid ribbon from root to tip,” she explains. To achieve those precise ribbons, Bianca mixes her lightener with a 1:2 ratio (one part powder to two parts developer) resulting in a creamier consistency allowing her to glide the product easily onto the hair.
Pro Tip: If clients are looking for a fresh cut and color, Bianca always recommends that clients get a haircut first. That way, she can place highlights to accentuate any layers and fringe.
Tip #3: Keep Hair Healthy Before, During and After Highlights With This Treatment
To make sure her client’s hair is always healthy, Bianca uses Olaplex for every step of her service. Check it out below:
- Prep: She begins by applying a small amount of Olaplex No. 7 to dry hair. Not only does this nourish the ends, but it also creates a smooth canvas for painting.
- Formulas:
- Lightener: Bianca always mixes 1/16 of Olaplex No. 1 to all of her lightening formulas to help protect the hair from damage while processing.
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- Pre-Toner Treatment: Bianca will create a mixture of Olaplex No. 1 and water and apply it to damp hair, letting it penetrate for 10 minutes. Without rinsing, Bianca will apply her toner formula and let process.
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- After Toner Treatment: After rinsing, Bianca will apply Olaplex No. 2 to complete the full in-salon Olaplex treatment.
- At-Home Maintenance: To keep client’s hair healthy in between appointments, Bianca will send them home with Olaplex No. 3. which they can apply as a hair mask whenever their hair feels dry or needs some extra love. This will also help prevent damage at their next lightening appointment.
Slide For The Gorgeous Before & After!
Have Questions? Bianca Has Answers!
One of the benefits of watching a course on BTC University? Artists are able to answer your questions in REAL TIME! Here are some technical questions viewers had for Bianca during her livestream:
Question: Why do you choose to use cotton for this technique instead of foil or plastic?
Answer: “Foils or plastic wrap can work as a barrier to keep sections clean but they both conduct heat, so they instigate the chemicals to work faster. Cotton is great to use as a barrier because it does not conduct heat, so I can keep everything clean and avoid any bleed marks while still allowing the chemicals to work at their own pace. This is really important when working with a client who has previously existing highlights because you never want to blast the hair and create more damage.”
Q: “How would you alter this technique if your client needed grey coverage? Can you apply a base color and highlights all in one service?”
A: “If someone needs a base, whether it is for grey coverage or if they just want to switch it up, I can definitely do that all in one service. It does depend on what overall look the client is asking for, but typically I will apply the base color first and then while that is processing I will go in and place highlights using the natural fall of the hair and where the highlights will have the most impact. By applying both, this will save time and product—which is more money for you in the long run.”
Click On The Beaker Below For Bianca’s Formula Deets!
Products Used
