Perfecting the art of hair colouring is a craft that takes years of dedication and practice to perfect.

Having spent some time with Not Another Salon salon owner Sophia Hilton discussing how she created a brand and a reputation, we’re back with Sophia this month to learn more about how her team execute the perfect balayage colour work on clients.

Balayage has become something of a cultural hair phenomenon over the past few years and it is a perfect low maintenance hair style that is requested by clients time and time again.

How do you create the perfect balayage look?

The perfect balayage is created by focusing on application and placement. When painting, moderating the amount of lightener you’re applying is key. As a tip, I use a balayage paddle as a pallet to control how much product I’m working with on each stroke!

For a softer, more gradient effect, I start with a small amount of lightener towards the root and work up to a heavier saturation as I work through the mid-lengths and ends. Allow the application to organically build throughout the length of the hair. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty blending the roots or working product through the ends – blending by hand works a treat.

What are your best tips for colour placement?

Where you paint is paramount – be sure to hit the sweet spots around the face. We’re seeing a focus on this in the media, and it’s being labelled ‘hair contouring’; stylists are pinpointing ‘sweet spots’ to lighten around the face, shifting focus and working to highlight the client’s face shape. Focusing on contouring the cheekbones and jawline will have your clients singing your name until their next appointment… The beauty of balayage is in the freedom to paint outside of conventional sectioning patterns, so get creative and experiment with painting.

If you’re looking for the perfect balayage essentials, we recommend discovering our Framar International range which includes foil, needle brushes and scales as loved by the likes of X-Factor stylist Jamie Stevens and, blogging influencer and hair stylist Aliona Davy.

Discover our spotlight on Framar

Looking for more useful SALONMANAGEMENT and SALONMARKETING hints and tips? The Salons Direct blog is the leading resource for this kind of content. 

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