9 Blonde Balayage Looks for Beachy Hair
Balayage can be weaved through locks in the full spectrum of hair colors, but it’s blonde balayage that catapulted the technique into the beauty trend sphere. We’re talking years back here, when a slew of sun-kissed highlights started cropping up on the red carpet, adorning the likes of Alexa Chung, Lily Aldridge and Gisele Bundchen. Each of them was seen working a scattering of soft, blonde tones through the mid-lengths and ends – and it wasn’t long before a deluge of blonde balayage requests hit hair salons.
Balayage hair allows you, the colorist, to embrace your creativity and place pre-lightener where you see fit, adding bespoke ‘lights to the hair for a brightening boost. Typically, it’s applied without foils, though you can add them to increase the level of lift. This is known on Instagram as ‘foilyage’.
So, are you ready to perfect your blonde balayage technique? Keep scrolling to discover nine formulas, whether you’re working with cool ash blonde or sweet strawberry blonde tones...
Blonde Balayage Ideas and Formulas
Ash Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @d.tailbeautybar
Ash blonde hair is one of the coolest hair hues out there - in more ways than one – and it pairs perfectly with the painterly finish of balayage. Take Lauren Metz’s creation, for example, which sees hair balayaged with our pre-lightener Blondor Freelights 20 vol., then pre-toned using Color Touch Relights /18 for 10 minutes. Once rinsed, hair was toned with demi-permanent Color Touch 7/89 + 10/81 on a 3:1 ratio for another 10 minutes, before Blondor Seal & Care Conditioner was applied to neutralize the hair’s pH.
Dark Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @danijelaaailic
This is the dark blonde balayage of dreams; a warm blonde shade that’s brimming with dimension, featuring ribbons of our Magma by Blondor lightener. /89 + 9% was used to paint in diagonal panels, before every other panel was toned using permanent Illumina Color 8/69 30g + 7/81 10g + 1.9%. The finishing touch? A shine-boosting gloss of 8/05 + 10/93 2:1.
Platinum Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @emmmbee
A pale blonde mane doesn’t have to be a one-tone wonder. Applying platinum blonde balayage adds endless depth to locks – especially when you leave a little bit of root shadow on show. For this particular multi-dimensional ‘do, Emily B painted locks in Blondor 6% then toned hair to platinum perfection using demi-permanent Color Touch 9/01 + 10/01. Dreamy.
Strawberry Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @jordanperry25
Get your technique sweet by applying a little strawberry blonde balayage. Think, copper base, blonde highlights and the kind of seamless blending that gives hair a born-with-it quality. For this sweet mane, Jordan Perry applied equal parts Illumina Color 7/43 + 7/7 with a small amount of 6/76 to the base, then through mid-lengths and ends used a combination of 9/43 with a small amount of 7/7 and 7/43 + 1.9% 1:2. Finally, pieces were painted in Blondor Freelights 12%, then glossed with alternating bands of Opal-Essence by Illumina Color in Copper Peach and Instamatic by Color Touch in Pink Dream.
Honey Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @coloristnat
Oh, honey. Just look at the depth and dimension in this balayage by Natalia Peacock. She took a natural level 7 base to honey blonde heights with clever placement of three key formulas. First up, she applied teasy lights with Blondor 4%, which is an ultra-subtle technique that sees pre-lightener painted through a few strands from the mid-shaft downwards. Next, she balayaged the ends using Blondor Freelights 9% then bumped up her client’s base with Koleston Perfect 9/8 + 9/01 with 6%. Honeyed hues, sorted.
Dirty Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @ashliemberlyn
Fact: dirty blonde balayage is way more covetable than it sounds, giving your clients the part-brown, part-blonde, beyond-sexy hair color they crave. It’s a little like dark blonde or bronde hair, but slightly deeper and with more contrast, inspired by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Chrissy Teigen. To create this look, lighten sections first with Blondor 1,9% 1:1.5 until you reach the right underlying tone. Next, tone with Color Touch 8/0 30g + 8/03 20g with 1,9% at a 1:2 mixing ratio.
Icy Blonde Balayage
Image Credit: @cecilie.wella
We’re getting chills from this icy blonde balayage. A little frostier than a platinum ‘do, it boasts a silvery sheen that reflects the light in the prettiest way. Want in? Wella Educator Cecilie worked with Color Touch for her client’s icy mane, glossing over a Blondor-ed base using 9/96.
Blonde Balayage on Brown Hair
Image Credit: @shabbychichairandbeauty
Looking to create a brown to blonde hair transformation? Adding balayage to a brown base is one of the easiest and most flattering ways for your clients to lighten their locks, offering softer re-growth than if you applied a block of root-to-tip highlights. Case in point: the seamless swathes of blonde created at Shabby Chic Hair & Beauty salon. This look was lightened using Blondor 9%, then toned using Koleston Perfect 9/03 with 1,9%.
Blonde Balayage on Dark Hair
Image Credit: @kai_sohn
When creating blonde balayage on dark hair, you don’t want the finished look to appear streaky. That’s why, usually, it’s best to go for caramel or toffee blonde highlights that won’t show as much contrast. For Kai Sohn, this meant freshening up balayaged sections with Koleston Perfect 8/96 + 9/7 on a 1:1 ratio. We’re getting Lily Aldridge vibes.
