The most common question I get lately is... "What is balayage? And where did it come from"? I get this question from artists and clients alike....

Balayage comes from a French word meaning to sweep or to scoop. Balayage is a form of highlighting that is free form hair painting.

The big difference between balayage and other highlighting techniques, like foiling, is that balayage is about placing lightener on top of the hair strand for the majority of the length of hair (not penetrating through it). Only on the last third of the hair is it brought through and product applied to all sides of the hair.

By only having the lightener on one side of the hair shaft for the majority of the strand, promotes a healthy feel, look and movement to the hair - which is why a lot of hairdressers will state "balayage is healthier for your hair".

With foiling, you are weaving highlights and applying a heavy handed amount of product roots to ends - and penetrating that product through all the hair - inside and out. This creates swelling of the hair shaft and therefore creating " texture" roots to ends. A foiled head of hair moves differently then a balayaged head of hair.

Due to the open swelled cuticle, foiled hair moves as a unit. Balayaged highlight movement is piecier, and show more dimension just because of the way it's painted on throughout the hair.

Want to learn my Balayage secrets? Enroll in one of my upcoming classes!

Susie is a Parisian-trained Balayage and haircolor educator. She teaches Balayage, haircolor and business building classes for hairdressers looking to expand their haircolor skills and techniques. Susie has been in the hair industry for 27 years, and has taught thousands of colorists in the Seattle area and nationwide. Learn More about Susie >