If you’re ready to switch up your hair color game and add dimension to your locks, consider the foilyage hair technique. It combines foiling and balayage to achieve a blonde, stunning, natural-looking effect.
Unlike traditional foils, this technique offers a softer look. Whether you’re aiming for a subtle color or a complete transform, these highlighted hair ideas like baby lights, lowlights, ombre, balayage, and foilyage are popular hair highlighting services but can be confusing.
Despite being a newer hair term, foilyage is not just about plants and leaves. Understanding the differences will help you choose the one that’s right for you.
What is balayage?
If you haven’t heard of balayage, you might be living under a rock. Originating from France, the term comes from the French word “balayer,” meaning “sweep.” Balayage involves using freehand to paint bleach or color onto the hair to create a seamless gradient from root to end. This technique allows for a creative, bespoke look without foils, resulting in an artist’s touch.
Foilyage vs Balayage: What’s the difference?
When comparing balayage vs foilyage side by side, you’ll notice a few differences. Foilyage appears brighter and closer to highlighting results.
The technique of balayage involves sweeping lightener through the mid-lengths and ends of the hair to create a blended look we all know and love. Foilyage, however, uses the same sweeping method but with sections of hair wrapped in foil instead of being left to air dry.
What is the foilyage technique?
Taking an in-depth look at foilyage, your stylist first paints bleach onto the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Once applied and left on, the bleach breaks down the pigment in your hair to reveal a lighter shade.
However, as the bleach dries, it becomes less active and may stop processing. For darker or stubborn hair, foils are used to keep the heat trapped, preventing the bleach from drying out too quickly, allowing the process to be quicker and last longer, achieving your desired lightness.
Pairing this with a Brazilian blowout can enhance the results, leaving you and your stylist happy.
Benefits of Foilyage Hair Technique
- The foilyage technique is a low-maintenance technique compared to other coloring techniques.
- It’s easy to maintain and cost-effective since you don’t need frequent salon visits for a retouch.
- The use of foils ensures a precise application on hair strands that are carefully coloured, providing a controlled, even, and consistent result.
- It doesn’t leave a foil line, giving natural-looking highlights that blend seamlessly with your hair color and adds depth and dimension.
- It’s ideal for darker hair, allowing your stylist to lift the color for a brighter, more vibrant result.
- With proper care, you’ll enjoy long-lasting color and long-lasting results that won’t fade like traditional highlights.
How Will It Look?
Balayage and foilyage both create similar effects with a natural look, darker roots, and lighter ends.
The highlighting method of balayage involves hand-painted techniques and air-dried hair, offering more subtlety on one side of the hair, which is great for blondes and light-haired brunettes seeking a sun-kissed effect. However, for darker hair, foilyage with foils intensifies the lightening process, creating a more dramatic look.
At our Fort Collins hair salon, we use these methods to produce the same results as other popular techniques like babylight vs highlight, giving your hair the perfect touch.
Application Process
The main difference between foilyage and balayage highlights lies in the process. The balayage technique creates highlights by sweeping color or lighter along the hair, keeping roots virtually untouched and applying more near the ends.
This focuses the majority of color on the surface, leaving the underside darker for a dimensional, natural effect. The entire process takes 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on hair length and density.
For darker brunettes, stylists combine this subtle, painterly technique with traditional highlighting foils. In the foilyage method, color is hand painted and wrapped in foils to increase heat, saturate all sides, and intensify lifting for a vibrant color transition.
Foilyage appointments can last up to 3 hours due to the longer foiling process. Comparing partial balayage vs full balayage, full balayage typically involves more time and product application, similar to foilyage, resulting in more dramatic transformations.
The Cost of Foilyage VS Balayage
When comparing foilyage and balayage services, you’ll typically pay about the same. At Facetté The Hair Experience, both services start at $125, but prices can vary depending on your hair’s length, volume, and the expert level of your Fort Collins hair stylist.
How Does it Work?
The process of foilyage is similar to traditional balayage. The stylist starts by sectioning your hair and applying lightener to the desired sections using a free-hand painting technique.
The lightener is then wrapped in foils to ensure the color processes evenly and doesn’t transfer to the surrounding hair.
This foilyage technique creates a more precise highlight compared to balayage, making it ideal for darker hair as it helps lift the hair color more effectively.
Which one is right for you?
When finding out which technique is right for you, consider the different techniques and how they work for your hair type. For dark or previously coloured hair, your stylist might advise using foilyage due to its effective lifting with bleach.
If you want light ends and a more highlighted look, foilyage is the suitable method. Balayage provides a natural look with subtle lightness at the roots and ends, which isn’t drastically different, making it ideal to elevate your style if you’re blonde, brunette, or ginger.
Your stylist will assess your hair when you sit down to determine the best option.
Conclusion
Foilyage offers a perfect blend of balayage and foils, ideal for achieving a natural, yet bold hair look. Whether you have dark or light hair, foilyage provides dimension and long-lasting results, making it a versatile choice for all hair types.
FAQ’s
Which is better, balayage or foilyage?
If you want a natural, low-maintenance hair color, choose balayage. For dark hair and a more intense, bold look, foilyage is the better option.
What’s the difference between foiling and balayage?
Hair foils offer a defined, controlled look, while balayage gives a more natural, painted appearance. Both are great, but one may suit you better than the other.
What is the main difference between foil lightening and balayage?
Foil highlights are a conventional method where hair is strategically sectioned, with bleach or dye applied to achieve a uniform and defined look. Balayage offers freedom with a free-hand coloring process, allowing hairstylists more creativity in the application.
What type of hair is balayage best on?
Balayage works beautifully on blonde and brunette hair. The vegan formula with violet pigments and blueberry extract enhances your color, adding shine and strength for bold and bright results that maintain dimension long after your appointment.
