3 Tips For Painting The Hairline Near The Nape

@hellobalayage’s Tips For Painting The Hairline Near The Nape

It’s inevitable that your client will wear her hair up in a ponytail or topknot, which is why you can’t forget about the hairline near the nape when painting pops of sun-kissed dimension. BTC Team Member Mallery Share (@hellobalayage) consistently shares pics of what her balayage looks like pulled up in a bun, so below, we’re sharing three of her best tips that you need to know when painting the “hidden” sections underneath.

Products Used

Blonde

Miami Beach Bombshell Clay Lightening Powder

GKhair

Blonde

Juvexin Lightening Powder+

GKhair

Bond Builders

Shield Additive+

GKhair

1. Mallery’s Technique

Start by taking a V-shaped section from behind the ears that meets at the nape, then have the client look down to help with tension. Keeping the section taut, hold it straight up and out at a 180 degree angle. Then, using the area of the brush where the flat part and tip meet, gently swipe up using wispy strokes and swipe all the way up to the end of the section. Watch the video below to see how it’s done: 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Mallery Share (@hellobalayage) on Jan 31, 2019 at 5:57pm PST

2. Stay Away From The Root

One of the biggest mistakes colorists make when painting near the nape is getting too close to the scalp. Doing so could result in bleeding, splotching or hotspots, aka when the warmth of the scalp causes spots of brassy discoloration. To avoid this, Mallery says to stay ½ to 1 cm away from the scalp.

3. Sectioning, Saturation and Formulating

Sections will vary because painting the nape is extremely customizable, but Mallery says she’ll paint anywhere from two to four V-shaped sections total. The key is good saturation, which can be achieved by painting with a light hand and building layers on layers of lightener. As for her lightening formula, Mallery has two faves that she lets process for 30 to 55 minutes, depending on how long it takes the hair to lift:

• GKhair Miami Beach Bombshell Clay Lightening Powder + 40-volume developer (1:1.5) 

• GKhair Juvexin Lightening Powder+ + 30-volume developer + GKhair Shield Additive+ (1:1.5) 

Pro Tip: To avoid having to hold the section up while it processes, simply use film to create a barrier between the painted V-shaped section and your client’s neck.

Click through the slideshow below to see some of the dimensional balayage buns Mallery shared to her Insta!

Click here to get Mallery’s tips for painting brass-free, bright blonde hair!