Achieving a Striking Balayage for Men's Hair

Balayage has moved beyond a trend and become a classic technique for creating dimensional, natural-looking hair color for both women and men. The soft, blended look of balayage is versatile enough for any guy's style. When tailored well, a men's balayage can enhance facial features, complement hair length and texture, and require less upkeep than traditional highlights. Here's how to get a striking balayage specifically for men's hair.

Determining If Balayage Is Right

The key advantage of balayage is its sheer versatility. It adapts well to any hair length, from short to long, and can be customized to enhance all face shapes and hair textures. The technique involves hand-painting color in a graduated, blended fashion rather than using foils. This imparts a soft, subtle look.

Men with straight fine hair can gain volume and flow with balayage. For wavy or curly hair, balayage adds shape and minimizes frizz. The dimensional color flatters men as it grows out since there are no obvious roots.

Balayage works for natural or colored hair and ranges from subtle to dramatic based on preferences. Overall, balayage offers a low-maintenance, modern look for men seeking to soften their features or add depth to their color.

Selecting Hues and Placement

A balayage specialist will evaluate hair color, texture, length, and facial features to suggest the most flattering hues and placement. Cool-toned guys tend to suit lighter, ashier babylights around the face while warmer complexions pair well with golden touches.

For a natural enhancement, balayage should lift hair 1-2 shades lighter than the base. Dramatic color contrasts better suit longer hairstyles. Keep the overall look cohesive.

Placement is also strategic. Babylights around the face brighten eyes and skin. Painting color higher at the crown and lower toward ends imparts a sun-kissed effect. Side-swept bangs or fringe should be softly blended at the hairline.

Achieving a Subtle Men's Balayage

For men seeking a subtle refresh, balayage imparts a soft highlight effect. The key is keeping hues close to the natural base color and concentrated around the face.

Men's blonde balayage works well for dark brunettes by lightening just 1-2 shades around the forehead, eyes, and cheeks. This brightens the complexion. For black hair, adding warm chocolate babylights adds depth without overwhelming contrast.

Painting in glossy chocolate hues along the mid-lengths of brown hair provides definition. Neutral beige and sand tones give a natural luminosity to dark brown locks.

For lighter brunettes and blondes, adding buttery streaks like caramel and honey around the face adds multidimensionality. The overall effect should be subtle and luminous.

Achieving a High-Contrast Balayage

For men with longer locks ready make a statement, high-contrast balayage imparts drama. The stylist will hand-paint slices of lightener through the mid-lengths and ends while leaving roots darker.

This balayage for curly hair enhances texture and shape. Light golden streaks woven through dark curly hair amplifies volume and flow. Curly types 3B and 3C suit touches of bright copper and cinnamon babylights painted throughout.

For straight fine hair, contrasting babylights in icy platinum, beige, and pale gold add loads of dimension. Painting higher contrasts along the perimeter gives the illusion of fuller locks.

Longer men's hairstyles allow for the most dramatic effects. Sweeping babylights in metallic pearl, champagne, sand, and caramel provide tons of depth and movement to long layers.

Aftercare and Maintenance

One of the benefits of balayage is its grow-out is seamless. Roots grow in softly and blends into the lightened ends. This allows men to go longer between salon visits.

Still, balayaged hair needs some TLC. Use a sulfate-free shampoo and mask 1-2 times per week. Limit washing to help the color last. Rinse with cool water.

Apply leave-in conditioner and oil-based products mid-lengths to ends. Avoid direct heat-styling when possible. Let hair air dry.

Book a balayage refresh around every 12 weeks. The stylist will retouch regrowth and reinforce the highlights. Schedule regular trims to prevent split ends in lightened sections.

Balayage requires some upkeep but imparts a modern, dimensional look for men. When tailored well, it enhances facial features and flatters hair texture beautifully. Consult a pro stylist to determine the right placement, depth of color, and aftercare regimen. Feel refreshed and confident with balayaged locks.

Book Your Appointment At Gusto Hair Salons In Soho, Oxford Street & Covent Garden

We love to make life easy for our clients so you can book your hair colour consultation or appointment by calling Gusto Hairdressing Soho on 020 7287 0015 or Gusto Covent Garden on 020 7836 9163 or Gusto Hairdressing Oxford Street on 0207 486 5044.  You can also book quickly, easily & securely online.

#Hair Summer Ideas Need more hair inspo? Check out our Instagram page which is packed full of the latest haircuts, colours and styles!