Changing the colour of your hair can be daunting. Highlights, Lowlights, Ombre, Balayage – hair colouring techniques can be quite confusing. But it doesn’t have to be!
This is your all-inclusive guide to hair colouring techniques and the effects that can be achieved when they are done correctly. Hopefully, this guide will help dispel any confusion about colouring your hair and will demystify myths surrounding some of the most popular colouring techniques.
First Up… Highlights
The Technique: Highlights are an oldie, but goodie! They are one of the most popular colouring techniques. When highlighting, hair dye is applied using a weaving technique to get a mixed coverage, meaning the stylist will weave a comb through your locks and select small sections of hair to apply the dye to. True highlights involve applying colour to the roots, lengths and ends of the hair so the colour coats the entire hair shaft. Foils and heat are used to encourage hair to lift to the desired colour.
Next …Lowlights
The Technique: Using natural base tone lowlights throughout the mid-lengths, lowlights add definition to the ends of your hair. Lowlights can be used to break up any blockiness that can appear with some other colouring techniques. This technique is ideal for anyone who wants a subtle difference that catches the light. It is also great for people with minimal greys who are looking for good coverage that can blend well with their natural colour.
What is Ombre?
The Technique: This colour fade technique has become very popular in recent years, it uses your natural hair colour at the roots and blends into your chosen colour at the ends of your hair. By keeping your roots your natural hair colour you won’t have to regularly get touch-ups and most people prefer to let this naturally grow out further towards the ends of the strand over time. This is great if you are looking for a colour lift but you don’t want something that is expensive to maintain. You can also switch it up by using two different shades of hair dye to create a look full of depth.
Dip – Dye … not quite what you think.
The Technique: Dip – Dyed hair can be bold and brave and surprisingly it doesn’t involve dipping the ends of your hair into a bucket of hair dye and hoping for the best. With dip-dyed hair there is usually no gradient in between the colours. So, from the root to the mid to lower point of your hair your natural colour will remain. Then usually from a few inches up your hair strand depending on the effect you are going for, the hair colour will be applied. This is a popular look for people who want to experiment with bright colours. Because there is a distinctive line where the colour begins it can create a really dramatic effect.
Colour Melt Please.
The Technique: The colour melt colouring technique creates a seamless transition between two colours, and it has a flawless gradient. To achieve this effect the stylist applies the dyes in such small sections that there are no chunks or blocks and as the name suggests the two colours simply melt into each other. This is great for a dramatic change. It can be expensive to maintain but it is worth it as this technique is a great way to flawlessly dye your hair and create a smooth finish.
This or That…
Ombre Highlights VS Sombre
Ombré highlights are a subtler option where the faded ombre colour technique is applied to only small sections of your hair. Sombre fades between two colours that are close in tone to create a subtle ombre effect.
Balayage VS Reverse Balayage
Balayage is a technique that can be used to get an ombré gradient. The stylist will paint freehand, directly to the tips of the hair towards the midpoint of your hair. There are no foils required because there doesn’t need to be any precision with this technique. Reverse Balayage involves the same technique but instead starts with a lighter colour at the base of your hair and fades to dark.
Baby Fine Highlights VS Chunky Highlights.
Depending on the thickness of your hair, you can have chunky highlights or baby fine highlights. Chunky highlights are bold and can be quite daring. Baby fine highlights can be subtle and less obvious – great for blending greys.
Permanent hair colour VS Semi-Permanent hair colour
In simple terms, permanent colour is one that doesn’t fade or leave the hair cuticle when you shampoo. If clients have fine hair permanent colour can be harsh on the hair and scalp and for those clients semi-permanent colour is preferable.
We hope that this guide has been helpful in helping you to decide which colour technique is the one for you. But if your head is still in a spin, don’t worry, you can still ask our experts. Pop into the salon for a chat and a consultation where we can discuss the best way to achieve your desired look.
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