Top 30 Brunette Balayage Hairstyles to Copy (2023)

FAQs

What are the best balayage colors for brunettes? ›

Many different balayage color palettes will look good on dark brown hair. However, some of the most popular options include honey blonde, caramel, and light chocolate brown. A professional hairstylist will be able to help you choose the right colors for your hair type and complexion.

​This technique gives better results on layered hair, so balayage with straight hair looks much better if the hair is cut in layers as it adds a bit of movement.

Balayage is not just for long-haired clients. The technique can work perfectly well on hair of all lengths, whether short, mid-length, or long.

Caramel Balayage

Adding caramel highlights can help to warm and soften facial features; and the balayage technique ensures your highlights grow out without a demarcation line. These things all lead to a more youthful appearance.

Why do you tease the hair? We tease the hair to create a seamless blend without any hint of a blunt line. The technique is somewhat unique. The idea is it pulls some hair out and away from the color so when everything comes backs together, there is a natural blend of highlights and base hair.

Balayage is a technique of applying color or lightener to the hair. An ombre is the look of having darker roots and transitioning to lighter ends. You can use the technique of balayage to achieve the look of an ombre.

Balayage is a smart solution for gray hair because it allows the colorist to specifically target gray strands without touching the scalp. And, because you don't need to do a single process to cancel out a few grays, it's easier on your hair overall.

Should I get half or full balayage? ›

Hair Styling – If someone is looking for subtle style changes then choose partial balayage, whereas full balayage is meant for more radical changes to your hair.

That said, Kenyon does suggest that for straight hair or smoothed-out hair, highlights that are finer and more "woven" with a brighter face frame are generally the most flattering. "A skillful balayage artist can paint lights to be fine, chunky, sun-kissed, ombré, sombre, or my color-melt method," he confirms.

Below, we outline three really important balayage application techniques that can help you step up your hair painting game: The C-Motion™, The Glide & Slide™, and The Backflip™.

Who Shouldn't Get Balayage. While balayage works with almost all hair types, colors and textures, it's not recommended for those with heavily highlighted hair. “This hair type will require the hair to be partially darkened and then highlighted,” says Papanikolis.

Balayage cons.

But it's not a very bold hair change, it doesn't create uniform root-to-tip color, and it may not be powerful enough to dramatically lighten darker hair (or hair that's been colored many times). It can also skew a little bit on the red side if your hair is dark.

There are many gorgeous hair colors for women over 50 – from blonde and gray to red and brunette, and those exquisite color blends in balayage and ombre solutions. And just being older doesn't mean you can't have fun with highlights and mix-ins.

If you want to experiment with looking younger, start out with reds, pinks, and purples. They all have a youthful vibrancy to them that is widely recognized." Don't just take his word for it, though. Up ahead, see how the chicest over-40 celebrities are putting these youthful colors to the test.

Sticking to the hair colour of your youth

'As we lose pigment in our hair, we also lose it in our skin' she explains. 'It's a gradual process, so our hair colour should reflect this. ' Basically, as your skin tone lightens with age, so should your hair colour.

Orangey-reds, gold, bark browns and deep forest greens are a terrific complement to brown hair. You also look great in a range of greens — mossy to olive and sage. Nature's best browns are universally flattering to brunettes, who can wear dark chocolate and creamy lighter tones, as well as browns with a reddish cast.

Caramel, honey, gold, copper, and strawberry give a healthy brightness that makes us look and feel younger. (Framing your face with lighter shades draws the eye away from any complexion concerns, as well.)

What hair color brings out brown eyes most? ›

The beauty of the color brown is that it's a neutral color, so it pairs beautifully with every color! If you really want to make your brown eyes pop, however, stick with vibrant hues like purple, green, and gold that will provide some much-needed contrast to your dazzling deep amber eyes.

Reverse balayage is when your colorist uses dark colors to add lowlights near the roots and throughout your strands to bring depth to your hue. If your blonde balayage has become too bright or brassy, reverse balayage can tone it down while maintaining the depth and dimension you've grown to love.

I would personally recommend you go for a balayage that doesn't need a lot of maintenance, such as brown or light brown. For example, if your hair is the shade 1 or 2 (black or dark brown), it is best to get a 4 or 5 shade (brown) balayage.

Balayage is a French word that means to sweep. It is a hair colouring technique where the Stylist will paint the hair to give golden reflects that the Sun naturally gives the hair in Summer.

The difference between the two techniques lies in the fact that teasy lights involve teasing the hair prior to applying color and that foils are used, which allows the highlights to lift to a brighter shade than traditional balayage.

"A good balayage is all about placement and blending. Having contrast between the light and dark tones is what creates natural looking, lived-in dimension," says Blais. "A good balayage blends seamlessly from dark hues to the lightest, leaving the color looking soft with no harsh lines."

“The reason why people charge more for balayage even though it is 'less work', is because it's not a service everyone offers. And the client can go longer between the retouch so you have to account for that too.” “You charge more because you know a technique that not everyone else does.

But, in case you want to experiment, start with a balayage or any other highlights. The coloring techniques involving a smooth transition from dark roots to bright ends is a great way to slim down the face shape.

This question is asked a lot, as many people are interested in whether they can get a balayage to cover grey hair or grey roots as they age. And the good news is, yes, you can! Balayage is a great solution to dealing with grey strands and making your hair look youthful again.

It makes your hair look thicker

Together with a Great Cut, balayage lends hair greater depth, giving the illusion of more fullness. Think of it like comparing a 2D drawing, with a painting that's in full perspective.

What color hair goes best with brunettes going gray? ›

Colors like butterscotch, light auburn and golden brown, or ash brown for those with a cool skin tone, are all versatile brunette shades that aren't too dark and are some of the best hair colors to hide gray.

For grey hair coverage, we generally recommend that you aim to color slightly lighter than the natural hair color level of your client. In this case we would suggest you go for a color starting in level 6 (Dark Blonde) or 7 (Blonde).

Neutral shades like soft blonde, mushroom brown, light copper, and caramel blonde balayage are the easiest to blend gray into (and maintain over time without wanting to shave your hair off).

Though balayage is expensive, the exact price depends on your particular salon and stylist. Typically, balayage costs between $70 to $300. By comparison, a full head of regular highlights only costs around $75 to $150.

What's the difference between balayage and highlights? Balayage is a form of highlighting. As previously mentioned, the balayage technique focuses the colour a couple inches from the roots.

How long does balayage last for? Because balayage highlights require less maintenance than traditional hair color, it's not necessary to go for touch-ups every month or 6 weeks. Depending on the style you go for, you can usually wait up to 4 months in between salon appointments.

An overall 2023 hair trend you'll be noticing? Light-to-medium brown shades. “People will be taking their color deeper this year,” says hairstylist Clariss Rubenstein, “even if it's just a darker, more blended shade of blonde, or a creamy mushroom brown.”

One of the greatest advantages of Balayage is how long it lasts. Traditional foil highlights require touch ups every few weeks, whereas Balayage will last 3-4 months on average.

Because Balayage highlights don't involve completely saturating your hair in bleach or color dye, you'll enjoy healthier hair because of less process on the hair. As a result, you get to enjoy softer, silkier hair with less damage and dryness.

The most popular highlights for dark hair are light brown or caramel balayage, but there are no limits on color for a balayage hairstyle.

What is the best placement for balayage? ›

V Placement

The V Placement (also called 2-Point Placement) is one of the most common balayage placement techniques, which you can use to give your client some lived-in depth at the root along with mid-interior ribbons of brightness.

Balayage is the technique of free-hand painting highlights onto the hair, creating a soft and natural gradation of lightness towards the ends. The result is the look of summers spent at the beach, or the fresh, unintentionally perfect highlights on a child.

The ideal candidate for a balayage service is someone looking for sunkissed and natural results. More specifically, this technique can be used on clients who want to achieve anywhere between 3 and 6 levels of lift.

How Should I Prepare For My Balayage Hair Colour Appointment? Make sure you have a patch test 48 hours before your appointment. Make sure your hair is clean and don't over use products before you come in. Bring photos of how you would like your Balayage to look so we know what effect you would like.

No, you should not wash your hair before a balayage treatment. You want to allow some natural oils to build up on your scalp and hair before the appointment. The oils soothe, moisturize, and protect your scalp. In addition, they help the balayage highlights to penetrate the hair shafts more effectively.

A balayage is a great low-maintenance hair color option if you're looking for a subtle refresh in your hair. Ask your stylist for their opinion on what highlight colors would best suit your natural color. A balayage with a deeper root color will grow out seamlessly without harsh lines.

It creates a more natural look

A balayage specialist will be looking to create the right contrast of light and dark tones, to create a natural looking and lived-in style for you. This will create a final look that blends dark and light hues seamlessly, while avoiding harsh lines or distinct blocks of colour.

More saturated shades are more flattering, so look for deep pinks, bright blues and greens with a yellow undertone, such as pear. Ruby red, burgundy, plum and claret are all winners for brunettes.

What hair color goes best with brown hair? ›

Brown hair and brown eyes are generally a winning combo. You can use the shade of your brown eyes to dictate which colour brown to go for, whether it be chocolate brown, dark brown or brown black. Those with lighter brown eyes and fairer skin should generally stick to lighter shades.