Get the Look of a Full Foilayage in Half the Time
Create the Illusion of a Full Foil With These Timesaving Tips
You don’t need stacks of foils or hours booked out to achieve the look of a full foilayage. Three-time #ONESHOT Winner and Moroccanoil® Global Color Ambassador Jessica Scott Santo (@jessicascotthair) shares the “fake-out” approach her beautiful transformations are known for. In this BTC University “Fake Out a Full Foilayage” course breakdown, we explore the foundations that make Jessica’s technique so effective. From her teasing techniques to timesaving foiling hacks and strategic placements, Jessica’s best-kept secrets are shared exclusively for you!
Master the Lived-In Gradient: How To Approach a “Fake-Out” Foilayage
Foilayage is all about tailoring your technique to your client’s unique canvas and desired outcome. For her “fake-out” method, Jessica begins the foil placement at the front of the head to concentrate brightness around the face using back-to-back foils. This approach not only enhances face-framing but also allows her to pull foils as they process, avoiding delays while ensuring the front achieves maximum brightness ahead of the back.
For clients seeking a lived-in look, a soft gradient from front to back is essential. Jessica suggests customizing the tease within each foil placement. In the back of the head, she deep-teases the hair to create depth, transitioning to a lighter tease as she works toward the face.
This technique results in a natural gradient with depth at the back and a seamless, lighter finish around the face, perfectly blending brightness with dimension.
See Jessica’s teasing tips in action here:
PRO TIP: When teasing, Jessica likes to use the Moroccanoil® Dry Texture Spray. It helps keep baby hairs out of the way and holds heavier teased pieces firmly in place. It’s buildable, easy to wash out and never feels sticky.
Products Used
Watch Jessica’s entire “fake-out” foilayage technique on BTC University.
Tailor Your Technique: Weave and Slice Placement for Maximum Impact
Strategic placement of weaves and slices ensures that Jessica’s highlights are tailored to the client’s hair type, desired outcome and level of contrast.
- Weaves for Depth and Softness: Weaves add depth and dimension by leaving some natural hair between the highlighted sections. Jessica uses fine weaves around the face for a natural look that is soft and seamless.
- Slices for Maximum Coverage and Boldness: Ideal for clients who want impactful brightness, especially those with virgin hair. Slices work well to maximize lift and saturation for dramatic results.
- When to Alternate Between Weaves and Slices For clients with virgin or darker hair, use slices to create more dramatic highlights. Then, go in with intentionally placed weaves to soften the overall look and balance the boldness created by the slices.
Clients not feeling bright enough? See Jessica’s high-impact foiling technique here:
Elevate Your Foilayage: How Tip-Outs Enhance Dimension and Brightness
Incorporating tip-outs into your foilayage technique is a game-changer for creating brightness and a seamless gradient, especially around the face. Jessica’s method involves revisiting the foil application to deep-tease selected sections and apply lightener to the ends. This approach ensures a balanced, high-impact finish. Here are three scenarios where tip-outs deliver stunning results:
- Virgin Hair: On clients with uniform, unprocessed hair, tip-outs add brightness to the ends, transforming the look into something more dimensional and lived-in.
- Previously Lightened Hair: For clients aiming to feel ultra-blonde, tip-outs are perfect for lifting through residual brassiness on the ends, giving a clean, refreshed result.
- Shags or Layered Haircuts: When working with layered cuts, tip-outs bridge the gap between the haircut and color application. This creates a harmonious blend that enhances the shape and movement of the cut, where it could otherwise look disconnected.
PRO TIP: Create even more depth and pops of brightness around the face by overdirecting your tip-outs.
Watch Jessica’s face-framing tip-out technique here:
Click here to watch the full class on BTC University.