Colour · 4 min read
Balayage or highlights? How to choose
Both brighten. They grow out very differently. Here's how to decide which suits your hair, routine and budget.
It's the question we hear most at the colour consultation: should I go for balayage or highlights? The honest answer is that both lift and brighten. The difference is in how the colour is placed, and that changes how it looks on day one and on week twelve.
Highlights: precise and bright
Traditional highlights are woven through foils from root to tip. The result is even, bright and very controlled, which makes them perfect if you love a polished blonde, want to blend greys, or like your colour to look fresh all the time.
The trade-off is regrowth. Because the lightness starts right at the root, you'll see a line as your hair grows. Most highlight clients come back every 6–10 weeks.
Balayage: soft and lived-in
Balayage is hand-painted. Your colourist sweeps lightener onto the surface of each section, concentrating it towards the mid-lengths and ends and keeping the root soft. It mimics the way hair naturally lightens in the sun.
Because there's no harsh starting point, it grows out gracefully. Many balayage clients stretch to 12–16 weeks with a toner in between to keep the tone fresh.
Which one is right for you?
- Choose highlights for an all-over, bright, uniform blonde or for blending grey hair.
- Choose balayage if you want low maintenance, a softer root and dimension that looks natural.
- Can't decide? Many colourists combine the two: fine babylights around the face with a painted finish through the lengths.
Before you book
Every colour service starts with a skin test at least 48 hours before, plus a quick chat about your history: box dye, henna and previous lightening all change what's possible in one session. Bring photos of colour you love (and colour you don't). It's the fastest way for us to understand what you're picturing.
