The start of a new year is the best time to start afresh with new goals and resolutions. Some start going to the gym to finally work on their fitness goals, while others pick up new hobbies and habits. If you’ve always wanted to change up your look, switching up your hair is one of the easiest ways to reset your whole appearance this year! 

Looking back at the trending hairstyles from the past couple of years, the one hair colouring trend that took over salons all over the globe by storm is definitely balayage, the more subtle and toned-down sister of Ombre. Balayage, (pronounced as bah-lee-ahj), is the easier way of adding some dimension to your natural shade that’s subtle yet noticeable. 

This French word which means ‘to paint’ or ‘to sweep’, which describes how this technique is applied. The traditional method uses a freehand painting technique by softly blending your natural colour into the shade of your choice, giving your hair a natural, sun-kissed look with depth and dimension. 

Apart from the freehand painting technique, at Black Hair Salon, we use a combination of different balayage techniques to achieve the look you desire. Some of our popular techniques include:

• Partial balayage –  Only certain strands of your hair are highlighted instead of your whole head. 
• Subtle balayage – A soft balayage technique where the colour is only applied to strands that would reflect the light beautifully or fade out naturally. 
• American balayage – A technique that is used to frame the face perfectly by applying foil highlights and then painting the remaining hair between the foils. 
• Foilage – A traditional highlighting technique where some pieces are painted freehand and placed in foils allowing the lighter tones to blend seamlessly into the balayage background. 
• Reverse balayage – This technique uses darker, contrasting colours at the ends to create a look that blends balayage and ombre perfectly. 
• Babylights – very fine, subtle highlights with the most long-lasting effect among all the other balayage techniques. 
• Non-bleach balayage – Instead of bleach, this technique utilises high-lift hair colour to lighten your hair by naturally lifting the pigments of your hair. 

Balayage in Singapore is perfect for anyone who wants to switch up their natural look by adding a little bit of edge to their strands without committing to a full-on colour transition. 

Our stylist would look at your hair as a whole and find the pieces to highlight which in turn would accentuate certain features or a specific haircut, giving our clients a makeover that is specifically tailored to their looks. 

As balayage hair is highly customisable, this effect works well on any type of hair, no matter if your hair is naturally straight, curly or wavy. In fact, Air Touch balayage or Partial balayage is often the best technique for natural curls or textured hair as this technique allows our stylist to follow your curl pattern and movement as we add colour to your strands. 

Some people may confuse balayage hair with highlights, but they are totally different. Hair highlights are a more structured, even technique where your hair is segmented and the colour is applied from the top roots through to the end. Balayage on the other hand is applied using a freehand technique for a more natural look. While highlights give you more root coverage, balayage gives your hair depth as it grows out naturally. These two techniques can also be combined together to create obvious highlights but without the obvious separation line when your hair starts to grow out. 

As one of the most defining hair trends that produce such beautiful, effortless looks, here are some balayage shades you can try out today! 

1. Cool Brown No Bleach Balayage

If you are looking to change up your dark hair in a subtle way, do ask your stylist for cool brown no bleach balayage, a classic shade that never goes out of style. This hue keeps your base dark but adds a pop of natural brown balayage highlights to give your hair some movement and depth. Because of its natural undertones, cool brown is perfect for most skin tones in Singapore. 

 2.   Air Touch Balayage

Unlike the traditional balayage technique which involves backcombing and teasing of the hair, air touch balayage separates the balayage sections with air using hair dryer to create a softer and seamless blend of colour for a more natural looking finish. Our stylist would part your hair into sections and highlight it with your desired shared in foils. This technique a perfect combination if you are looking for something between a balayage, sombre and highlights. 

3. Balayage Ends

Balayage ends concentrate on your ends and face-framing pieces with a few painted highlights in shades of your choice. This technique gives you an ombre illusion but without the harsh demarcation line that comes when your hair starts growing out. 

Looking to add some depth and dimension to your hair? You can get a balayage done professionally at Black Hair Salon. Contact us today to lock down your appointment date!