Ombre vs Balayage: Understanding the difference between the two
If you are new to the world of hair coloring, there will be certain terms that might sound Greek to you. Terms like balayage, ombre, highlights, babylights and more will leave you confused and spoilt for options. While the other hair coloring styles have a unique identity, it is noticed that the terms ombre and balayage are often overlapping. We understand your dilemma and are here to resolve it. Here is a detailed guide that will help you understand the difference between ombre hair and balayage -
What is an ombre?
Ombre is a popular hair coloring style that is loved and preferred by many. Ombre hair has a two-toned hair color effect that is darker on the top and gets lighter towards the roots. In ombre, the top section of your hair is your natural hair color and the bottom section of your hair is colored with a lighter shade. This creates a beautiful gradient that adds volume to your hair. This hair coloring style is best suited for people with medium to long hair, as the length of the hair makes it easy to create a colored gradient.
Getting an ombre done is extremely low maintenance as it doesn’t require any upkeep or root touch-ups. When it comes to choosing a hair color shade for your ombre, the world is your oyster. You can pick from classic shades of light brown hair color to deeper tones of red hair color. If you want to experiment even further, you can choose eccentric shades like pink, purple, blue, green and more!
What is a balayage?
This hair coloring style was popularized a few years ago and has been the prime choice of many ever since. A balayage is when highlights are hand-painted on your hair with the help of sweeping motions. This means there is a light application of color around your crown region, and it intensifies as you move downwards. This creates a beautiful blend of darker highlights at the roots that get lighter and more concentrated towards the ends.
A unique attribute about this hair coloring style is that while applying the color, each section of your hair is backcombed and teased. This way only the top portion of your hair is colored while the underside remains darker. This creates a beautiful sun-kissed look and adds dimension to your final hair. A balayage is also very low maintenance and cost-effective, this is because the hair at your roots is left darker. This results in lesser rounds to the salon and eliminates the need for frequent touch-ups.
While opting for a balayage, you can experiment with colors and also choose multiple options. You can create a blend of a few colors that complement each other like dark brown hair color along with highlights using burgundy hair color. If you have brunette hair naturally, you can opt for a blend of light brown hair color and red hair color. Light brown hair will create a beautiful base and red hair color will add a pop of color to your look.
Which is the right pick?
Now that you’ve cracked the code and understood the difference between a balayage and ombre hair, it is time for you to choose. If you want something that is well blended and super low maintenance, balayage is the choice for you. Balayage is also a great hair coloring choice if you have shoulder-length hair because the coloring process starts around the crown region. While for an ombre, it is best to have longer hair as the single color process will only be visible when you have medium to long length hair.
Now that you understand the difference between the two, which hair coloring style will you pick - Ombre or balayage? Whatever it is, Garnier’s wide range of hair colors is there to help you experiment with various colors.