A Guide to Blonding Techniques: Which one is right for you?
There are so many different hair color techniques, and it can be hard to know what to schedule. Here I am going to break down some of the more popular ones, tell you what to expect, what the results are like and who they are and are not for.
Balayage: This one is often misunderstood, people often ask for this when they want lived-in color or any color with dimension that is darker at the roots. The results from balayage is usually lived in and gets lighter towards the ends of the hair, but balayage is a French term that means “to sweep” and refers to a technique, not a look. This technique involves hand painting the lightener on the hair in a sweeping motion, and is best for a sunkissed look where the highlights are 2-3 levels lighter than the natural color. The results are often warm, not cool, and lower contrast. Balayage adds subtle dimension, and gives that “I just got back from summering in St. Tropez” look. You can expect a balayage appointment to take 3-4 hours and it needs to be redone about 2 times a year.
Lived- in color: This term refers to a look, and usually refers to color being done in foils then zone toned, where the roots are darker than the ends for a natural look. Lived in color can be high impact and high contrast, but grows out well because of the depth at the roots. It is great for anyone from a natural blonde to very dark brunettes. A full lived-in color can take 3-4 hours, and we recommend having the full service performed 2 times per year. However if you choose to have a “money piece” or bold piece by your face you may want that touched up once in between, and a toner refresh every 6 weeks helps keep hair from looking brassy.
Single process blonde: This is where a permanent haircolor is applied globally to the roots- results are usually up to 4 shades lighter than natural and typically on the warm side (they can be toned cool but that usually requires a double process). This is good for natural dark blondes to light brown hair and is also good for gray coverage. You can expect to be in the chair for 1 and half hours and be visiting the salon every 4-6 weeks to maintain this.
Double Process Blonding: This is the highest maintenance blonding service there is. We apply a global (all over the head) lightener and none of the natural color is left in the hair. If you want Platinum Blonde, this is what you want. The hair is lightened then the lightener is washed out and a separate toner is applied to neutralize any underlying warmth the lightener exposed. This service is what is needed for a dark brunette to become “all over blonde”. You can get results from Barbie blonde to Elsa white (depending on hair history and health) with this process. Expect to be in the chair several hours for your first visit and about 2 and a half hours for maintenance appointments. Retouches should be scheduled every 4-6 weeks to prevent gold bands.
Ombre: This is a look that was very popular during the 2000s recession. Hair is lightened from midlength through the ends but the first several inches of roots are left dark or natural. It looks like you let your summer hair grow out for 6 months. You can expect to be in the salon for 2 and half to 3 hours for this service and touch-ups are optional but a toner every 2 months can keep things from getting brassy.
Babylights: These are tiny highlights done in foil to the root. These give a soft natural looking blonde and are great for masking a bit of gray hair. They are good for people new to coloring because they are subtle and grow out well. They can also stacked liberally through the hair to create a more dramatic blonde transformation.
Traditional highlights: These are done in foils and have even lightness from root to end. They are typically offered in Full (entire head including nape and underneath) or Half (top of head, side and crown (excludes hair below the crown) and partial (top of head, front and side hairline). They are great for masking gray and brightening up your hair a couple of shades. You can expect they take up to 2 hours and you will be in the salon every 6-8 weeks doing touch ups.
Some blonding journeys don’t neatly fit into these packages. For example if you have been coloring your hair dark or have other chemical processes. In this case it is always best to schedule a consultation so a strand test can be performed and sessions can be booked to get the results you desire.
Schedule a free consultation with one our stylists to live your blonde era!
