Brunette Balayage: 4 Common Mistakes + How To Avoid Making Them

If it feels like your brunette balayage results are a little lackluster compared to the ones you paint on blonde bases, you’re not alone. Below, we’ve got four tips from Jamie Sea (@prettylittleombre) that identify common mistakes colorists make when working our balayage magic on brown-haired beauties + her solution for each. Keep scrolling for Jamie’s advice!

How To Avoid Making These 4 Common Brunette Balayage Mistakes

1. Less Is More

   • Know this: Over-painting is one of the most common problems when hair painting a brunette balayage.
   • Do this: Leave remaining depth in the painting application to create dimension and softness on darker levels. (Need some new balayage brushes? Get Jamie’s balayage brushes and balayage formulas in the BTC Shop)

2. Find The Right Tone/Lightness Level

   • • Know this: A lot of brunettes will bring in photos of blondes as hair inspo.
     • Do this: Talk to clients about their complexion and how hair tonality can make or break their look, and then be sure to have photos on hand of enhanced brunette celebrities so you can give clients an appropriate visual representation.

3. Pay Close Attention To The Transition Area

   • Know this: The transition area, which is the area where color seamlessly blends from Zone 1 to 2 into Zone 3, is where most colorists struggle with hard lines.
   • Do this: Paint with an extremely light hand and move your hand in a C motion as you paint to ensure there’s an instant blur.
     
     
     

4. At-Home Care

   • Know this: Your client needs to be educated on how to protect her investment and keep her hair’s health strong, which sets you up for success at your next appointment.
   • Do this: Take advantage of a retail opportunity and recommend a reparative system like SEVEN® haircare KENTE® BOND. The three-step system (shampoo, conditioner and a leave-in spray) is designed to deliver sustained benefits to damaged hair by repairing disulphide bonds, optimizing moisture retention and delivering supple shine.
     
     

Products Used

The Paint Pack Brushes

Buy Now

Conditioners

KENTE® BOND

SEVEN haircare

Now that you know how to avoid making mistakes for your brunette balayage application techniques, discover these three mistakes that will ruin your balayage!