Balayage highlights are one of the easiest ways to liven up your hair color. Unlike traditional foil methods, the French sweeping technique is ideal for creating a color that’s naturally blended and flawless. The method has become a staple at salons for all-over sun-kissed looks, but it’s also ideal for accentuating your best facial features. Enter face-framing balayage. Precise and artful, the technique basically gives you a built-in halo filter, brightening your face and highlighting its shape. Ahead, we chatted with two colorists and balayage experts to find out how to get the look.
Featured experts
- TerraRose Puncerelli is a celebrity hairstylist and Hairapy Haircare brand ambassador
- Rae Ann Cotto is a colorist and balayage specialist
What is face-framing balayage?
For those who don’t know, balayage is a special highlighting technique designed to deliver seamless-looking color. The method involves free-hand painting the color onto strands of hair in a sweeping motion, resulting in a more natural blend. “The goal is to end up with highlights with a softer, more invisible line of demarcation during the grow-out period,” says celebrity hairstylist TerraRose Puncerelli. It’s typically used all over the head to create a sun-kissed look. However, in the case of face-framing balayage, colorist and balayage specialist Rae Ann Cotto notes that the technique is utilized more to highlight the best points of your face than just your hair. “Face-framing balayage is all about accentuating your bone structure and adding brightness to bring out contrasting elements— think contour but for your hair,” she says.
What to ask for at the salon
Placement is everything with this look, so you want to be sure your colorist understands your final vision. To adequately frame the face, Cotto notes that your highlights should be a shade that brightens without going overboard. She recommends asking for a slightly brighter color than the one used throughout the hair. “This will make the highlights around your face more defined and suitable to your unique bone structure,” she says. The condition of your hair can also play a role in the outcome. “If you’ve previously colored your hair, especially with box dye, it can affect how your hair lifts and how your face-framing balayage highlights turn out,” says Puncerelli.
How to maintain face-framing balayage
The balayage technique allows the color to grow out effortlessly, but the face-framing pieces will need to be touched up to live up to their name. Prepare for regular touch-ups that will keep them looking bright and well-placed. At home, the pros note that implementing color-safe and sulfate-free products into your hair-care routine will help maintain the vibrancy of the highlights. “You want something that cleanses your hair without stripping the color from it, while simultaneously providing all the nutrient benefits your hair needs,” says Puncerelli.
Face-framing balayage inspiration
