Have you ever gone to book your hair color service and can’t decide if you should book Balayage or Highlights? A full or partial? What are the differences? I’m going to help you figure out what to book today.

So, what is Balayage? Traditionally, Balayage is a free-hand highlighting technique. Balayage is french for sweeping. This refers to the type of motion that the stylist uses to paint the lightener (bleach) on your hair. Typically this processes in open air, meaning no foil or other materials to cover the lightener. The reason for this is to give a very natural and subtle effect. It will also create a warmer result (think gold, copper, or caramel).

Now, with modern trends and new techniques coming out, balayage is no longer this strait forward. You can use the open-air technique, or you can use saran wrap, foils, cotton, etc. When you use material (foil, for example) to cover the lightener, you achieve lighter results. So, the more insulation, the more brightness.

This can create issues when choosing the right service. If you want a very subtle look, you probably want balayage. If you want super bright blonde with a dark root and a money piece, you probably want highlights. Even though it might look like Balayage, the technique used is primarily a foiling technique with some modern twists to give you a Balayage look.

To add to that, if you want to look super blonde all over, you definitely should not book a Balayage service. It's simply not a blonding technique.

When deciding if you should book a full or a partial service there's a couple of things to consider. If it’s your first service, or if it has been a year or longer since your previous service, you need to book a full service. Otherwise, you will have a very low impact. If you’re getting your regular maintenance, a partial might work. It all depends on your end goal.

The best choice is to schedule a consultation with your stylist so that you can decide what you’re looking for. Most stylists (including me) offer virtual consultations so that you don’t have to make an extra trip to the salon. If you can’t book a consultation, shoot a quick message asking what you should book. Most of my clients do this and it is totally fine!

I hope this clears things up for you. If not, feel free to reach out with your questions!

There is a common question that most people ask or at least think about before their salon appointment. For those stylists that have deep roots in the hair game, we continue to encounter this question REGULARLY. Should I have clean hair before my appointment? The answer is, YES! You should never show up to your hair appointment with dingy hair. This includes not only color but haircut appointments as well.

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to wash it the night before or the morning of your appointment, but as long as your hair isn’t greasy to the point of clumping together, you should be okay. Also, it is best to not show up with a messy top knot or bun as well.

There are a few reasons why clean and smooth hair is necessary before your appointment. If you’re getting your color done, i.e. highlights, root touch-up, gloss, etc., the layer of built-up oil and product residue could affect how the color processes. This means that if you are scheduled for highlights your hair could lift (lighten) either not as bright, or worse, spotty and uneven. This will create a host of problems for your hair stylist and could potentially cost you lots more money.

Another reason is that, if your hair is dirty, crimped, and creased from being worn up, it makes it harder for your stylist to analyze your hair. This is particularly important for a haircut. During my consultations for both haircuts and color, I like to see how the hair is going to naturally fall so that I can use certain cutting techniques or come up with specific highlighting and color placements for my clients. If your hair has been up in a bun all day, there’s no way that I’m going to be able to see how it naturally falls. I can either continue with the service and hope for the best, or wash and dry the hair, and as we all know—time is money.

The lesson here is to give your stylist the best possible canvas to work on. Both you and they will appreciate it and you’ll get optimal results when it comes to your hair service.

But of course, as I always say, when in doubt, reach out!