4 Balayage + Toning Tips Every Colorist Should Know

Ask A BTC Expert: Balayage & Toning For Brighter Blends

Did you know the secret to avoiding orange pigment in warm blondes is lifting up to TWO levels higher than your end goal? Learn more juicy balayage and toning tips to paint hair like a pro in Ask A BTC Expert with Mickey Colón (@mickeycolonjr).

Keep scrollin’ for four tips, watch the full IGTV below and click here to watch Mickey’s 90-minute balayage course!

Tap here to watch Mickey’s hand touch balayage & toning techniques on BTC University + get 24/7 lifetime access!

#1: What are your best placement secrets for maximum brightness + money pieces?

Mickey’s secret is simple: Foiling thin sections is a MUST for max brightness. Finer sections will make it easy to achieve major lift FAST. Mickey’s go-to techniques for bright blends are AirTouch and teasylights, that both require working in thin sections.

To achieve a bold money piece, do back-to-back foils at the hairline without teasing or leaving any hair out. Mickey’s rule of thumb is painting at least three foils for that extra POP.

#2: How do you avoid spotty balayage?

While we’re talking thin sections for impact, this also helps Mickey avoid any spots in his balayage. Make sure the sectioning is clean and the saturation is even. To do this, Mickey loves working with hand touch balayage—literally, using your hands as a paint tool.

Hand touch balayage allows you to fully saturate each section and smooth out the lightener with your hands. Just remember to keep a towel nearby to clean off your hands in between sections.

Watch Mickey’s hand touch balayage technique below! 👀

 

 

 

 

 

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#3: When do you paint with your hands vs. a brush?

Every client is different, so you should customize your techniques for their hair length and type. For short hair, Mickey works with a brush. For long hair, he works with his hands. This helps with faster saturation and overall applications on extra long hair.

#4: How do you tone warm blondes without too much orange/brassiness?

Let’s talk lift. Mickey always lifts up to TWO levels higher than his desired end result. For example: If the goal is a Level 8, lift to a Level 10 and tone down for intentional warmth. If there’s not enough lift and there are yellow/orange pigments in the hair, when the toner fades, your client will see those colors.

Pro Tip: Think of the different yellows in a banana. You want to tone the hair to the color of the INSIDE of the banana, not the outside, says Mickey.

Watch now for only $24.95: Hand Touch Balayage + Toning with @mickeycolonjr on BTC-U!

Watch The Full Video: Ask A BTC Expert

 

 

 

 

 

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