How To Transition Your Client’s Balayage In Multiple Sessions

Wet Balayage & Gray Coverage In Multiple Sessions
Dear clients, your dream balayage—that dimensional blend falling off a rich base—is going to take multiple appointments but it’s worth the wait. Why? Beautiful high-contrast blends call for different application methods, lightening sessions and blonding breaks in between. That’s why we’re sharing exactly how balayage specialist Amy McManus (@camouflageandbalayage) used several sessions to transition her client’s color over time, building highs and lows and covering gray. 

Scroll through each session below for the color formulas and steps! Plus, Amy’s best transitional tips and how she uses wet balayage for faster paint application.

Products Used

Demi-Permanent Color

IGORA VIBRANCE®

Schwarzkopf Professional

Hair Color

IGORA® VARIO BLOND PLUS POWDER LIGHTENER

Schwarzkopf Professional

Starting Level: Level 5 with 15 to 20 percent gray around the hairline and parting.

1. First Wet Balayage & Root Melt Session
“Several appointments led up to using my wet application technique for balayage and a root melt,” shares Amy. Why apply hair paint to wet strands? Amy prefers this technique because it’s more gentle, allows for faster application and a more natural-looking outgrowth

Get The Steps & Tap The Beaker For Color Formulas

1. On wet hair, apply Formula A to the regrowth.
2. While the regrowth develops, apply Formula B in 2-inch sections from mids to ends. Fully saturate each section to achieve full brightness.
3. Develop for 20 to 25 minutes, or visualize when you achieve the desired brightness, then rinse and shampoo.
4. Tone with Formula C on wet hair and develop for 4 minutes. “Her hair was essentially the color I wanted—I just like to close the cuticle with my toner for a few minutes,” shares Amy.

• Formula A

  Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA VIBRANCE® 6-12 + IGORA VIBRANCE® Activator Lotion 4% (13-volume)

• Formula B

  IGORA® VARIO BLOND PLUS POWDER LIGHTENER + 20-volume developer 

• Formula C

  IGORA VIBRANCE® 9.5-21 + IGORA VIBRANCE® 9.5-1 + IGORA VIBRANCE® Activator Gel 1.9% (6-volume)

Wet balayage? Tap here for HOW, WHY & WHEN to use it!

2. Second Session: Same Techniques, Brighter Impact
Amy waited four to five months in between the previous session and repeating the process, maintaining the color with root touch-ups and toners in between. Then, it was time to repeat the same root melt, wet balayage and toning techniques to wet hair…BUT for this session, Amy dropped down the balayage developer from 20-volume to 10-volume—tap the beaker below for the color formulas!

Pro Tip: “I used Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA VIBRANCE® 13-volume developer [on the root area] for a more opaque tone to blend out her gray hair,” shares Amy. “When she comes in for her next session, it fades true to tone and that makes it easier for the transition area to bring up the balayage without having to break through oxidative dyes.”

• Formula A (root melt)

  Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA VIBRANCE® 6-12 + IGORA VIBRANCE® Activator Lotion 4% (13-volume)

• Formula B (wet balayage)

  IGORA® VARIO BLOND PLUS POWDER LIGHTENER + 10-volume developer

• Formula C (toner)

  IGORA VIBRANCE® 9.5-21 + IGORA VIBRANCE® 9.5-1 + IGORA VIBRANCE® Activator Gel 1.9% (6-volume)

Instagram via @camouflageandbalayage

Straight or wavy?! This blended dimension pops with both textures. 

3. Next Session: Roots & Refresh
After two wet balayage and root melt processes, Amy was able to skip hair painting and toning during this refresh session. Instead, she focused on blending the root area and applied a purple shampoo for a blonde boost without applying professional lightener.

Get The Steps & Tap The Beaker For Color Formulas

1. On wet hair, apply Formula A to the regrowth.
2. Process until the root area has even, opaque coverage and rinse.
3. Apply purple shampoo all-over, process and rinse.
4. Blow-dry that fresh, beautiful blonde and style as desired.

• Formula A (root melt)

  Schwarzkopf Professional IGORA VIBRANCE® 6-12 + IGORA VIBRANCE® Activator Lotion 4% (13-volume)

Instagram via @camouflageandbalayage

PHOTO EVIDENCE: It’s Worth The Wait 😍