There are many options available when it comes to modern hair techniques. Each client will have their own preferences. There are many different colouring techniques that can be used to achieve the desired hair goals, such as foilyage, root-smudging, and even balayage. Understanding the differences and when to use each technique is an important part of being a great stylist.
Colouring Melting or Balayage
Balayage and colour melting are two techniques that can sometimes be confused. Both can be used to produce similar results but they are fundamentally distinct techniques. We will explain both methods, go through the process, and then highlight the key differences to help you feel more confident about your understanding. Briefly, the key difference between colour melting or balayage is that one uses a depositing tones technique to create tone, while the other uses lightening techniques. Both can achieve very similar results but the mechanisms by which they work are quite different and should not be used in the same situation.
What is Colour Melting?
The technique of colour melting is used for blending highlights and balayage into the root colour of a client’s roots as they grow out. The final result is natural and lived-in, without any harsh demarcation lines that may otherwise appear naturally. As mentioned, the key difference between colour melting and balayage is that for colouring melting, the colourist will deposit tone to create a harmonious colouring blending without any involvement of lightener. Melting is a beautiful colouring technique because it gives the appearance of a lived-in gradient colour, while still offering complete tonal changes of the raw lift.
What is Balayage?
While colour melting involves application of tones to result in the correct colour, balayage is about employing of clay lightener to achieve the lightening effect. Balayage is a method of applying dyes to your hair to entail a natural appearance (quite literally, painting it on). This gives you a natural, sun-kissed and lived-in look. Although it has been around for many years, it has now become one of the most requested services.
Balayage has a gentle, natural type of lightening process. All of us adore the end of summer hair with natural sun lightening effect. This is the hair you grew up during your childhood with after a day at the beach. Balayage is a different technique to traditional foil highlights. It avoids harsh demarcation lines. Balayage aims to replicate that look by lightening any areas where the sun touches. There are many reasons to have a balayage but the sun-kissed lived-in look is what balayage was originally meant for.
Tips for Colour Melting
Colour melting is usually performed on cleaned, damped hair. The colour melt will be done after you have finished a lightening treatment. The shampooing on your hair will be thorough to ensure the removal any lightener. If failed to do so, a shifted base can be disastrous and no one wants that. A light conditioner can be applied to the ends to prevent darker colours from getting on the ends. Porous hair can absorb anything, so a barrier of conditioner on the ends will keep it in check. The colourist will ensure to keep your hair neatly sectioned, as colour can easily be diffused to other areas. For a seamless blend, it is essential for colourist to brush the area where the melt meets the lighter end. Formulation is one of the most difficult parts of colour theory. This is why many colourists have difficulty with it and it is critical for colourist to have a constantly improve their colouring skill in order to be more confident and communicate with their clients better. This will make it easier to deliver better results.
Tips for Balayage
Balayage is an art form, and each colourist has their own style. It’s important to try different techniques in order to find the best one for you. For a good application, Balayage needs completely different sections and placements. Multi-dimensional colour can also be created by using different sections. The size of each section is adjustable to achieve multi-dimensional effects. The colourist typically will use zig-zag, U-shaped, V-shaped, horizontal, and diagonal sections to their advantage. Bleeding, banding, and other errors are common in balayage. There are many causes of balayage problems, but the most common is using the wrong balayage lightener or the lightener with wrong consistency. The education and experience of colourist are important to prevent all of these common mistakes. Balayage can be frustrating for colourists who don’t have the confidence to tackle their problems. To become a great specialist in balayage, it is essential for the colourist to seek help and invest in themselves. They shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes. This is how the colourists will learn and grow and nowadays many of them can improve their skills by taking an online balayage class or attending an in-person workshop.
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