My balayage

[weAllSingAlongLikeBefore]

Posted on here for advice a while ago for my balayage (I was shitting myself about having it done). Got lots of horror stories but went ahead with it! Thought I would share my results for those interested!

My aim was to take all the warmth out of my blonde hair. Attached is the picture I took in. So she darkened my roots and bleached the ends, brushing the colour on and merging/blurring the lines somewhere in between. I also had a toner put on. The bleach lifted really well but she (and I) were disappointed with the root as it is still a warm colour. She knows what to do next time and had warned me it might take two appointments. So the colour isn't exactly what I want but I was warned and I've dyed my hair enough to know it can be unpredictable. So I will be going back again.

Her technique, I feel, was very good. I have inspected my hair and I cannot see any stripes or dots, it seems to merge naturally although will look nicer when the colour is darker.

Attached is the photo I took in and my hair before

The colour is nice but that's not balayage.

£80 including cut is cheap I'd say. An easy way to find a good hairdresser these days is to search Instagram. People who are keen will usually upload pics of recent cuts and colours and you can see what they're capable of.

You have had the balayage service
(Freehand painting). £80 is very reasonable for the skill involved. Agreed could be more broken up, through your mid lengths and ends. These things are a working progress in some cases. Go on Amazon and get yourself some fanola no yellow shampoo. It with make hair brighter but will keep brassy tones at bay.

You have had the balayage service
(Freehand painting). £80 is very reasonable for the skill involved. Agreed could be more broken up, through your mid lengths and ends. These things are a working progress in some cases

Thank you, my bubble was bursting lol. I agree it doesn't really look like balayage but I think the colour is nice and will be even nicer when I go back. The salon do have pictures on their Instagram for that stylist and they all looked lovely with nice colours etc. I'm not a balayage expert though. My main concern was ending up with orange hair or something.
I think when I go back I might ask her to drag down the darker colour a bit more to break up the mid lengths?

It looks lovely and different from the before pic. But it's nothing like the balyage photo and a different colour.
Maybe if your not really happy call them and see what they say.

I see only 2 photos from you OP, and a screenshot from Avocado which I can’t quite make out. It looks like one overall full head of the same colour to me?

same here, and I don't want to be unkind but that is the exact colour I had on dd's hair last time I did it, with el cheapo box dye.

What will happen at the second appointment to achieve what you asked for?

Just seen your last post where you say you want the darker colour dragged down. In your photos I can’t see the darker colour.

I can only see your two photos in the original post and avocado’s screen shot but in the screen shot the colour looks similar to before and not balayage. The colour is nice though but not £80 different.

Did she do a purple toner?

there's something odd going on here with the pics...I could see the first two and then the screen shot by a pp, and NOW they are all gone.

I don't think anything will happen at the next appointment...OP's roots will have grown in, presumably darker and it'll be CindyBeale Balayage :o

I CAN SEE THE AFTER PICS NOW.

It looks lovely now, OP. I thought the blonde straight hair in your first post was how it was AFTER the appointment.

I can see them now!

It’s nice but not balayage. That’s not to say it spent become balayage with further visits. And it’s a nice colour.

Spent= wont

I don't think anything will happen at the next appointment...OP's roots will have grown in, presumably darker and it'll be CindyBeale Balayage :o

Thanks!

Yeah I had a toner put on. Seeing as she is putting colour on my roots, it doesn't make any difference if they have grown through. But I'm happy to update with a pic in a few weeks time. I've been out and about and had some comments from the school mums about the lovely colour so I feel ok! Thanks all for the input, will take the criticism on the chin and give my hairdresser a chance to do her stuff. Not a disaster anyway!

It's a lovely colour but definitely not balayage. I wouldn't have anything else done to it to be honest.

Thank you to those who like it
It does honestly look better outside in daylight, so hard taking a decent photo when you won't shows your face!

I don’t think you can achieve the first photo (dark roots, almost white balayage) from your starting point without spending a lot of time and a lot of money.

The first photo is dark hair, bleached and stripped of colour almost to the root, then balayage with the correct colour.

You’re starting with a head of bleached and coloured hair to the root, hoping to go darker in some places, lighter/ashier in others.

First you would need to remove all the colour in your hair. Then you’d need to apply a dark colour. Then you’d need to apply a light colour.

All that would take ages, cost lots of money and bugger your hair. Also, it would require massive maintenance.

I get so so pissed off with hairdressers who don’t say “sorry, not appropriate for your hair, won’t do it”. They try, take your money then botch it.

£80 for basic balayage is fine. But what you were aiming for would cost nearer the £400/500 mark and would take multiple sessions.

That's fair enough. I will risk one more session and if it stays as it is then chalk it up to experience. I was never expecting the exact colour in the photo. If she had wrecked my hair and it looked terrible I would be more up in arms but, as it is, I like my hair. It could be improved, yes, but I'm not an idiot.

Hello all, I said I would update after the second visit!

So, went in with no expectations and fully accepting it might not happen. She was much braver with the root dye and I told her to slap it on as I didn't mind! So, dark ash blonde on the root took beautifully. In person the light blonde is not as warm as the pictures. I just can't seem to capture the colour and neither could the salon. It cost me a grand total of £165 and it took two visits.

Looks lovely after the second visit and i’d expect to pay £160 for one cut, blowdry, balyage, toner and olaplex type thing so not a rip off.

I have hair envy!

If it helps, here is the "journey"