Jack Howard, who trained me in my first Balayage class, is mentioned here.
Be sure to check out my hair coloring services in Boulder and Denver. -Lisa

by: Sara McCorquodale at My Daily

It all started when I saw Lily Aldridge in the latest issue of Tatler. My first thought was, “Gosh, those Victoria Secret models can even wear baskets and look hot”. My second was, “Her hair is beyond awesome”.

Because Aldridge’s colour looks properly natural – it’s a lovely deep brown at the roots but then has lighter highlights and tips. It’s like she spent all summer hanging out on the beach with Caleb Followill (swoon) and picked up some natural bleachyness at the same time. It’s sexy, relaxed and best of all doesn’t say “I spend two hours every four weeks with my hair in foils”.

So I take myself to ombre, balayage and general colouring expert Jack Howard at Rossano Ferretti and tell him all this. “All the girls love Lily’s hair,” he says. “It’s the way ombre hair should be. Rather than that harsh line you get with dip-dye, it’s more natural and the colour should ideally be three shades lighter than your own. It’s a mixture between brown and blond – it’s brond – and what’s really going to be on trend this summer.”

Jack applies the colour freehand and never goes anywhere near root. The point of this is to enhance what I’ve got – to add a little bit of summer to my hair. And the nice thing about Rossano Ferretti is you sit at a table in a comfy chair while your hair is coloured. You can be working while their colourists are sorting your hair out – it’s all the joy of a new look without worrying about how many emails you’ll have when the process is finished.

Anyway, in truth I do no work at all because Jack and I are having all the chat instead, but it’s nice to have the option. And within two hours my hair is being blow-dried into soft curls. It’s natural looking colour except it has a little bit more precision and zing. I love it. Instead of friends asking if I’ve had my hair coloured, they tell me I look “really well”.

“Have a fabulous time at festivals this summer,” says Jack, “and then come back in September and we’ll decide where to take it next.” I promise I will and mean it. I’m already looking forward to my next session and getting even more ombre-d.

Here are 3 easy ways to change your hair when you’re in that winter funk.

Balayage, which means for “to sweep” in French, is a custom technique typically done with cotton and saran wrap. The unique benefit of Balayage is that the sections are painted on visually in triangular shapes that at are thinner toward the root and wider toward the mid-shaft and ends. This creates a sun-kissed effect because highlights look like the ‘sweep’ out of nowhere.

Ombre, which means for “graduation of color” in French, is a fashion forward effect where the hair gradually fades from dark to light from roots to ends. Although this look can be very dramatic, it is considered a natural look because the new regrowth of hair tends to be darker then the ends since it has not had as much sun exposure as the older hair at the tips. This effect is often achieved by teasing the hair and then painting the hair below the tease, which makes for a blended color graduation as the un-painted hair brushed up into the tease later serves to breaks up to line of demarcation.

BEFORE Balayage / Ombre	PROCESS Balayage / Ombre
PROCESS Balayage / Ombre	AFTER Balayage / Ombre
AFTER Balayage / Ombre	AFTER Balayage / Ombre

Be sure to check out my Balayage Services in Denver.

I was the guest author and wrote this post for the Hair Style Blog. Enjoy! -Lisa

Balayage: brunettes are jumping on the sun-kissed look too!

Balayage is the French word meaning “to sweep” or paint. To balayage the hair is to use a brush and hand paint highlights on to the hair. This technique allows the hair to look more natural and sun-kissed . . . just like a child’s hair. I love Loreal’s concept of “Less is More,” it applies with the technique of balayage.

I began using the balayage technique on my clients in 2007 and it made me rethink how I previously thought of hair color. I fell in love with the technique and how it looked on my clients hair. And best of all, my clients fell in love with how their hair looked! It creates a more natural grow out. Balayage application creates highlights softer by the roots and bolder towards the ends, which looks more natural than highlights done with foil applications.The foil highlight application gets lost towards the ends.

Another big plus with going with a balayage technique is that you won’t need to come into the salon every 6 weeks for a touch-up as you would with regrowth from a foil application. You will get use to seeing more depth at your roots and the highlights from balayage pop out more, giving a more beachy effect.

The placement of balayage or ombre color is more artistic and more visual than a foil highlight application. You can balayage lowlights on to the hair, which also looks more natural and not as streaky or chunky as some highlights can become.

Most of my balayage clients come in every 3 months for a touch-up. Some clients wait up to 6 months, but most come in-between the 3 month period to get their roots touched up or a toner/gloss, or just face frame highlight. Those of you who are use to the foil application of highlights or lowlights, don’t freak out! Talk to your hair stylist about easing you into the transition. Your hair stylist can also balayage your hair heavier around your face and hairline for an easier transition. That way you won’t feel like you still have regrowth when you leave the salon.

So for new clients looking for that next best hair color trend . . . this is it. Remember the service will most likely cost you more because of the skill and technique level and the time involved. But in the long run, it won’t be as many trips to the salon. It’s the perfect time now to get your hair sun-kissed ready!

Guest author Lisa Amato has been a hair stylist for 21 years. Specializing in natural looking balayage hair color. She is certified in Loreal Professional hair color and INOA no-ammonia hair color. Lisa trained under Jack Howard and the “Queen of Balayage,” Nancy Braun at the Loreal Academy in New York. Lisa has worked under Kris Sorbie, Chris Baron and Sam Villa, along with Kaz Amor. Lisa is certified in Great Lengths Hair Extensions.