Today I’m sharing everything you need to know about balayage, including what is balayage, where to find a salon that does it (including the salon I went to in Omaha, Nebraska), how much it costs, and why you need to try it on your hair!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I’ve been rocking a brighter, bolder hair color lately. While I wish this red hair came natural (and am shocked at how many people think it does!!), it’s all thanks to professional coloring.
My latest look is my absolute favorite ever because it took my typical redhead color and amped it up by 10x. This is thanks to a process called balayage. Curious? Read on.
Balayage 101 – Everything you need to know about balayage
What is balayage?
Pronounced Bali (like the country) + age (like massage), balayage is the latest craze in the hair care industry. Balayage is essentially highlights painted freehand onto your hair to add depth and life to your color. The stylist blends highlights into sections of your hair (with a little paintbrush and palette!) in a way that makes it look much more natural than traditional highlights. (I have not gotten highlights in years because I cannot stand a chunky highlight!)
The technique mimics the natural type of highlights you may get during the summer from being out in the sun. These sunkissed highlights blend better and grow out better than traditional foil highlights, making for much lower-maintenance hair.
Where can I find a salon that offers balayage?
If you live in a metro area there should be at least a few salons that offer balayage. Try Googling “balayage” + “your city” (example: ” balayage Omaha”) to see which salons offer it near you. For Omaha gals, I went to Stephanie Moss Salon and could not be happier with my results.
How much does balayage cost?
Balayage is typically more expensive than traditional foil highlights, but it doesn’t require the same rigorous upkeep that highlights do. Because balayage blends and fades so much more naturally, you can go longer between visits instead of having to book an appointment as soon as you see that straight line of highlights growing out. (Yet another reason I normally don’t do highlights!)
If you’re in Omaha, here are Stephanie Moss’s prices.
What was your experience with balayage like?
I’m glad you asked! 😀 I first started off making an appointment with Stephanie Moss.
This woman is a true HBIC. (Sidenote: Does anyone else use this term for women who are absolutely killing it in business? I learned it from this Daya song, and fell in love with the term, but as someone who is not current with the latest Gen Z trends I thought I’d check. 😉 )
Stephanie is amazing at what she does, so amazing in fact that L’Oreal flies her all around the country to teach other stylists how to properly do balayage. Suffice it to say, I was in good hands!
I had never been to the Stephanie Moss Salon before, mostly because it’s out West. (For those of you not native to Omaha, the city runs East to West, with people living either downtown or “out West” and not really traveling much in between. This is why we have like eighty billion Targets and Starbucks in Omaha.)
This salon was totally worth the trip for me, and one I’d happily make again. Although soon I won’t have to, because Stephanie is opening a second salon in the area Josh and I are house hunting! (District 66 for all you Omaha peeps.)
Oh, did I mention that the salon has a Gold Bar and that you get a complimentary drink with service? Why is this not a thing for all services?! I’d love to get a facial and then be greeted by a bellini afterwards, or go and get my oil changed and have some ciders to choose from while I wait. A drink or two makes everyone happier! 😀
As for the balayage process itself, it wasn’t much different than a traditional color appointment. I sat in a chair like this one and chatted about my house hunting woes while Stephanie worked her magic. She is so warm and personable and made the process so much fun.
First Stephanie colored my hair, then she got out her paintbrush and painted on the highlights using cotton balls and the salon version of Saran Wrap. Then I sat underneath a little spaceship looking heater that rotated around my head for a few minutes, and then I was done! It didn’t take any longer than a traditional coloring appointment, but the results were so much better.
Like so. much. better. Do you see all that depth?
Oh, and if you’re wondering why my makeup looks so much better than it usually does (#lowmaintenance), it’s thanks to Kallie at the Stephanie Moss Salon. She made my pale skin look alive with her airbrushing magic. I love how she made by brows so bold. I’m really itching to try microblading. I feel like when your brows are on point your life is on point.
Here’s a back shot of Stephanie’s work. This really shows off all the colors and layers. She called my color an Irish sunset, and I could not love a color description more!
Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Purse
Stephanie introduced me to (and subsequently got me hooked on) this shampoo and this conditioning treatment for color-treated hair. They’re so affordable and make my hair feel so good!
Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Purse
The timing of my hair cut and color could not have been more perfect, because Josh and I had a date night planned at the College World Series.
Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Purse
Thanks to Stephanie and her fabulous team, I went to that baseball game feeling like a million bucks. A good cut and color really do give you confidence!
Questions of the Day: Have you tried balayage before? If so, what did you think of it? Does anyone use the term HBIC? Is that just me?
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I use the term HBIC all the time with my sister and girl cousins! We love following strong women. Your hair looks fabulous! I started getting balayage awhile ago and love how it adds a little bit of lightness to my dark hair.
The first time I remember hearing the term was in a hair salon in Germany. They said it a bit differently, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what they were talking about :D. And what you say about on point eyebrows means one’s life is on point, is totally… on point. 🙂 By the way, you definitely are rocking the balayage!!!
I’m still so obsessed with your hair. It looks AMAZING!
Your hair looks great!
I am obsessed with balayage! This look is amazing, the studio is amazing and your hair dresser clearly knows what shes doing!
I love the look! I never knew the official definition of balayage, and I love the idea! It looks great on you, and is such a subtle update.
Your hair looks gorgeous! I am really hoping that I could get blonder balayage and dye it with silver tone! 🙂
I had a balyage a while ago…need to get it touched up again! I actually used both dark and light colors which looked amazing! I totally reccommend
Your hair looks gorgeous.
Looks great! I love balayage— I haven’t been able to go back to highlights since first doing it two years ago. 🙂
Your hair looks amazing – definitely worth the trip to the salon! )
I really like your dress too, a nice print and the bow detail on the back is beautiful. Hope you had a fun date night!
I’ve been contemplating balayage! Great to see it worked out for you–looks amazing!
Your hair looks just beautiful! It turned out perfectly, and yes, it does look like your natural hair color. I definitely would have thought you were a natural redhead.
I love balyage! Your hair looks great and your stylist did an amazing job! Thanks for sharing!
The color looks incredible!
This looks so natural! I’ve been wanting to do this!
I’ve never had balayage but this is such a helpful post! The end product is great on you!
I have been wanting to know what balayage is for the longest time and I love how you explained it in your article. I might have to try this next time I get my hair done, but that might be a while since it just happened a few days ago. I will definitely check with my colorist.
your hair looks so amazing!!
your hair is fabulous!
I love balayage, your hair looks fabulous!
Your hair color looks amazing! I also colored my hair red about 3 years ago and I am never going back.
Wow! I never heard about Balayage! But your hair looks great! I love it! Thanks so much for sharing!
LOOKS AMAZING!! I would love to do balayage but not sure it would look good on short hair lol
Wow you hair looks amazing, I really love the colour!!
I get a balayage done and I LOVE it, so easy to maintain
I’ll have to tell my BFF about balayage, she’s always getting highlights. This process looks seamless! Haven’t used HBIC but it’s still def a term thrown around 🙂
Your hair looks amazing and so natural!
Thanks for sharing! So good to know!
You hair looks amazing girl!
My stylist uses this technique on my hair and I love it so much! Your hair looks beautiful
I need to look into this, definitely! Your hair looks absolutely amazing!
Your hair looks amazing lady! Love that balayage on you!
I love the depth that bayalage gives! I definitely need to try it!
I need to try balayage!
It looks awesome! I just got balayage done for the first time last month and I love mine!
I looove your balayage! So pretty, it’s such a gorgeous hair look!
The salon is stunning, and your hair turned out gorgeous. Balayage is so much fun!
That color is beautiful on you! I love the balayage effect too 🙂
omg your hair look incredible girl- i love balayage and so thankful that you shared a bit about your hair journey and more on the topic!
your hair came out great! I love the way balayage looks – it’s so much more natural looking. Thanks for sharing all your info 🙂
I love a good balayage! Had one a couple of years ago, and I was so happy with it. I needed inspiration for something new, maybe I’ll try it again!
I’d heard of the term balayage but I had no idea what it was! Very informative, and your hair looks fantastic 🙂
This looks amazing! I have blonde hair and always think it would be fun to try something new. This might be just the thing! Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely LOVE your hair! I want to try bayalage, but I’m a little afraid of the cost and maintenance.
This looks amazing! Your hair is perfect.
Okay, I had absolutely no idea what this was, lol. BUT IT LOOKS GORGEOUS! I love that your appointment didn’t take longer than a typical hair coloring (because really, who has time to wait around all day) and that you got a drink while you were getting colored. That happened the last time I had my hair did and I swear it made all the difference in the world (perhaps because I hate hair appointments).
It looks so pretty! I love it!
I’ve been planning to get balayage color the next time I hit the salon! Thanks so much for this post. Your hair looks great!! My favorite aspect about it is like you said…it’s not obviously fake, chunky highlights. The best part to me is how it seems to grow out naturally, too. That’s totally important for someone like me who rarely has time to go to the salon! 🙂
You look gorgeous doll! I just got balayage in my shoulder length hair and I’m in love! I love the grown out style.
I love your hair color! Thanks for the primer — my local salon does it, but I haven’t tried it myself. I only started coloring my hair a year ago, so I’m easing in slowly!
A friend of mine is a hairdresser so I had heard of balayage. Your hair looks great, love the colors.
Your hair looks gorgeous! I love this look. I think a balayage is so much more natural looking than highlights!
I really want to try bayalage! Thanks for this info. Im going to give it a try.
I love balayage and had it once. but right now i stacked with highlights 😉
I think I would like to do this to my own hair! Thanks for the info!
You look GORGEOUS! This makes me miss my balyage so much ?
I love the balayage look. My hair currently looks so boring because I’m trying to grow it out after bleaching it so many times!