Breaking Down “The Money Piece”
Everyone knows the best balayage includes a “money piece”—a beautiful, face-framing effect offering a pop of light and dimension. Like balayage itself, this beach-inspired color placement is supposed to mimic natural, kissed-by-the-sun brightness.
Need some pointers on how to make it really pop? Here’s some advice from BTC Team Members Jenn Malone (@jmalonehair) and Maggie Hancock (@maggiemh), Redken Artist Sean Godard and BTC Instagram regular Briana Cisneros (@brianacisneros).
Start In The Front
“There is nothing worse than a brassy face frame highlight,” says BTC Team Member Jenn Malone (@jmalonehair). The key to achieving clear, clean blonde? Very thin foiled slices along the face!
The thinner you section the hair, the higher the lift you’ll achieve. Make sure you take your time with this step. You should be able to see through the sections.
The Money Piece Should Follow The Part
BTC Team Member Maggie Hancock (@maggiemh) applies the money piece following the client’s part. Here’s how she does it:
- Start by parting the hair and pulling the section apart to determine how thick the money piece should be.
- Once that’s determined, pull the hair up at a 90-degree angle and paint underneath.
- Place the hair in a foil and apply more lightener from the roots to the midlengths for a bold, bright blonde surface.
Four-Dimensional Color
Watch Redken Artist Sean Godard demonstrate his 4D balayage technique—which makes use of rectangular sectioning, diffusion and a twisting and pulling method to produce a perfect money piece.
Burst of Blonde
In this #btcQUICKIE from Briana Cisneros, she gives her client an edgier look with a burst of blonde at the hairline. She started with a Level 4 and worked her client’s way up over three visits!
