4 Secrets To Achieving Dimensional Balayage From @paintedhair

Balayage is one of the most requested services in the salon, but it’s also one of the easiest to get wrong. So, it’s super important to always be educating yourself with new hair painting techniques to slay sectioning, placement and application! That’s why we’re dishing out four secrets from @paintedhair—aka Patricia Nikole— to achieving dimensional balayage. Check them out below!

1. Too Much Damage? Skip The Lightener!
Intense damage and over-processed strands? Here’s a solution! Patricia paints lowlights and applies all-over color for a rich melt in between lightening appointments to maintain the hair’s integrity. Avoid too many lowlights, so the result is not darker than your client’s natural color if they want to eventually go lighter.

Watch Patricia’s color application below!

 

A post shared by Patricia Nikole (@paintedhair) on Mar 12, 2018 at 7:08pm PDT

2. Contrast & Lowlights Are Equally Important As Lightening
The most underrated and overlooked part of the lightening process? Knowing where to leave darkness. Every client contains their own “road map” for highs and lows, and color placement is key to achieving depth.

3. Break Up The Banding
Some color corrections require a change in strategy, so even as a balayage specialist, sometimes Patricia has to whip out the foils! For uneven areas, visible banding and damaged hair, Patricia uses foils to carefully lighten problem areas. Just make sure to be ultra-conservative with the amount of lightener in each foil, fully saturate and blend for an even application.

Watch this technique in action below!

 

A post shared by Patricia Nikole (@paintedhair) on Mar 20, 2018 at 7:02pm PDT

4. Take Your Time & Trust The Process
Consultation is key for a healthy lightening process, so communicate that dimension can only truly be achieved after multiple sessions ESPECIALLY when the client is a color correction. Then, it’s up to you to execute sectioning, placement and application skills for gorgeous depth.

OK, so this @paintedhair transformation was totally worth three four-hour sessions! Just look at that gorge dimension!