Balayage for curly hair is a contemporary coloring technique that adds chic dimension, perfectly accentuating the cut and the texture of curls. You can opt for a gentle sun-kissed effect or embrace a bolder look with more pronounced highlights. The decision is yours!
Recently, I had a chat with Lisa Amato, an independent stylist based in Denver, CO. She shared some balayage tips for those with curly locks.
💡 Important Points to Consider First
- Select a hairstylist who specializes in curly hair. Check their website or Instagram to view their portfolio. Arrange a consultation beforehand to ask questions.
- Make sure to discuss your daily routine and the amount of maintenance you’re willing to commit to with your stylist.
- L’oreal Professional Blond 7 Clay or Blonde Studio 9 – Bonder Inside are excellent products for your session. Both can gradually lift the base color while minimizing damage.
- The L’oreal Professional Curl Expression line is ideal for home care to nourish and hydrate your hair.
- Consider booking a gloss session six weeks after your initial visit for vibrant and healthy results.
- Inquire about adding fringe or bangs to your curly hairstyle.
Amato also recommended bringing along some visual inspiration to the consultation. Here are some images of the most stunning ways to embrace balayage for curly hair.
Rose Gold Balayage with Dark Roots
If you are searching for a more natural, contrasted style for your curly hair, a rooted ombré is the ideal option. The rooted ombré will provide you with stunning highlighted ends and deep roots. I recommend asking your colorist to achieve this effect by hand painting the highlights. For hair maintenance, use a sulfate-free shampoo and consistently trim your split ends. Finish off with a light serum or oil on your damp curls for added shine and manageability. Give my favorite product, Davines Ol Oil No 7, a shot!
Ash Brown with Strawberry Blonde Ringlets
Strawberry blonde balayage highlights enhance these ash-brown ringlets. They introduce the perfect touch of warmth to illuminate the waves. The ideal method for styling these curls is to apply a curl cream like Redken ringlet to damp hair. Then, scrunch with a microfiber towel to reduce frizz. Allow the curls to air dry completely before raking them out with your fingers. This technique ensures you achieve shiny, frizz-free ringlets.
Light Ash Blonde Curly Balayage
Thinking about a balayage? Let’s explore how light you desire your hair and what shade appeals to you. Keep in mind your natural hair color and readiness for maintenance. Hair that is lightened will inevitably fade to a warm hue. Discuss this aspect with your stylist prior to choosing a toner.
Mocha Caramel Waves on Dark Curls
Dark curls look stunning with mocha caramel waves throughout the locks. The curly hair highlights with warm tones look fantastic on individuals with deeper skin tones and brown eyes. And it will complement textured hair beautifully.
Textured and Layered Milk Chocolate Brown Hair
Achieve gorgeous strands with textured and layered milk chocolate brown hair. Balayage on wavy brown hair appears seamless and will enhance your color with depth. Rich caramel highlights will catch the light and give your hair a lustrous finish. Maintenance is minimal, and to maintain the look, you will only need to apply a partial highlight every few months.
Chocolate Balayage Highlights for Curls
Are you eager to enhance your curls with a chocolate balayage? This technique offers your curls a stunning, luminous highlight. A skilled stylist meticulously creates this look on your natural dark base. It involves a careful lightening method accompanied by a gloss to boost shine and harmonize the color tone. Best of all, it is gentle on your natural hair. To maintain the best effect, schedule a trim and a toner every 12 weeks. This will ensure your balayage stays looking fresh and lively.
Bold Curly Balayage with High Contrast
Every head of curly hair has its own character, so no single coloring technique suits everyone. From my extensive experience, high-contrast balayage remains the top choice for curly hair as it enhances depth and dimension.
Chestnut Brown Balayage on Lush Curly Hair
Elevate your hairstyle with chestnut brown balayage on your lush curly hair. Blended foil highlights will add plenty of dimension to your brown locks. You can style curly hair with highlights or ombre and make the ends stand out for a more natural look and easier upkeep.
Luxurious Long Sandy Blonde Curly Hair
Make everyone green with envy with luxurious long sandy blonde curly hair. Balayage highlights will offer your curly locks some much-needed depth. Swirling tones of icy blonde will make your curls stand out for stunning-looking tresses.
Brunette Balayage for Spiraled Curls
Curly-haired ladies, look no further for your next color inspiration! Balayage is an amazing fit when lightening spiraled curls—just hand paint where that lightness will lay to enhance your dark brown curly hair. Ask for a stylist well-versed in curls. It takes an expert eye to see where that hair will lay and live with a new color. The best color pairing for curly hair color ideas is rich and tone-on-tone. This will keep your hair healthy and shining in all the right ways.
Stunning Dirty Blonde Balayage for Curls
Consider an exquisite dirty blonde balayage to help your curls have a soft and effortless appearance. The subtle tones blend together to create a natural and sun-kissed look. This hair color is ideal for skin tones with warm undertones. It also looks stunning when contrasted against darker complexions. To achieve the balayage, ask your colorist to create a seamless blend of caramel and honey tones. These tones will brighten your hair gently without appearing too drastic. This style is perfect for those who desire a low-maintenance yet chic hair color.
Radiant Blonde Curls on Deep Brown Hair
Explore the ideal hue to illuminate your deep brown hair with radiant blonde curls. A blonde hair color infused with warmth will revive your dark locks. Curly hair adorned with a blonde balayage will appear effortlessly natural and possess richness. These balayage hair color inspirations for curly locks will enhance your tresses and impart a warm glow to your complexion.
Radiant Balayage with Long Loose Curls
When my clients with curly locks seek a color transformation, I suggest balayage. It offers a fresh look while maintaining a soft and natural appearance. When opting for balayage highlights on curly hair, each curl is beautifully enhanced. Thus, planning the placement of the color is essential. For instance, I always utilize a diagonal section for the front pieces to achieve more length visibility. Ensure that all hair remains healthy and lustrous with proper treatment, as there’s nothing worse than a dull curl at the tips.
Spiraled Curls with Medium Blonde Highlights
Medium blonde highlights elevate spiral curls beautifully. A warm hue like caramel will enhance blonde balayage on curly hair splendidly. Consult your stylist for light and dark creamy shades to highlight your skin tone and make your eyes stand out.
Related: Top medium blonde balayage ideas.
Stylish Mid-Length Curls with Ginger Brown Balayage Ombre
This is the ideal moment for ginger brown balayage ombre. Hair painting creates a stunning effect. Lighten towards the midshaft and through the ends. Balayage on naturally curly hair is a low-maintenance look. However, you will require additional appointments to maintain the gingery hue’s freshness.
Tight Curls Featuring a Blended Warm Blonde Hue
Consider a warm blonde gradient shifting from dark to light for your tight curls. Balayage on dark curly hair often results in a golden appearance. Therefore, hairstylists should neutralize any brassy tones using the appropriate toner. Kinky curls may require a foilyage method rather than a painted-on technique to achieve the desired degree of lightness.
Elegant & Bold Red Balayage Curls
A lively, multi-dimensional auburn color is ideal for your thick ringlet curls. The striking red shades accentuate your curls and help preserve a natural appearance. This hue is also effective for adding depth to thicker hair. The various tones of this color merge effortlessly with the hair’s natural shades, resulting in a chic look.
Shoulder-Length Kinky Hair with Lively Cinnamon Highlights
Cinnamon highlights create a cozy hue on shoulder-length kinky hair. Afro-textured hair should be lifted slowly and gently. That way, it stays healthy. Stylists should use 20 to 25 volume developers for the best results. Lift to a dark yellow to perfect the lively cinnamon highlights for curly hair. Or, for red or burgundy, lift to a light red.
Curly Reddish-Beige Blonde Hair
A gentle copper balayage on curly hair is so suitable. It could almost be mistaken for naturally sun-kissed locks, too. A deeper warmth will look more natural and give your skin tone a golden hue. For products, use a frizz cream, gel mousse, and oil for a soft, never-crunchy curl.
Short Layered Curly Hair with Gentle Honey Highlights
Gentle honey highlights make this short curly layered hair stand out. But it remains subtle and natural. The soft dimension brings out the movement of the curls. And it still maintains a sun-kissed look that you can wear.
V-Cut Bronde Waves on Dark Locks
Enjoy the perfect blend of style and vibrancy with V-cut bronde waves on dark locks. If you have dark hair, think about refreshing your look with a new hue. The natural balayage technique will add a stunning burst of color to your tresses. Curly balayage remains a timeless choice that beautifully integrates with your lovely curls.
Summer Essentials for Spiral Curly Hair
Nothing accentuates the beauty of spiral curly hair more than vibrant highlights. The luminous strands let you appreciate each curl and enhance their appearance. To preserve highlights like this on darker hair, it’s advisable to use a purple toning mask. Pravana has “the perfect blonde” toning mask to maintain the blonde icy and eliminate any brass.
Soft Auburn Hues on Curly Balayage Hair
Give your hair some attention and experiment with auburn hues on your highlighted curly hair. Balayage on curly locks appears seamless and enhances your hair’s shine. Additionally, it’s low-maintenance. Visit your salon every few months to maintain your vibrant tones.
Long Curly Hair with Beautiful Blonde Highlights
Look distinctly beautiful with long, naturally curly hair featuring blonde highlights. Give your natural dark brown color an upgrade with a seamless balayage. Ribbons of vibrant sandy blonde will add lots of dimension to your brunette locks. Curly blonde balayage never goes out of fashion and is an excellent low-maintenance color.
Related: Top ideas for long curly hair.
Balayaged Curls with a Rezo Cut
Consider a rezo cut with balayage highlights if you have long curly hair and want a refreshing change. Balayage is a hair color technique where highlights are painted onto your curls. This creates a natural, layered effect. Warm, caramel-toned highlights can provide you with a sun-kissed look. However, if you prefer a more subtle finish, opt for cooler, ash-toned highlights. The top benefit of balayage highlights is their low maintenance. As they grow out, the look remains smooth and seamless. Plus, they complement various skin tones and hair types. To further deepen the appearance of your curls, consider adding strategically placed lowlights. However, avoid overdoing the highlights, as this can result in an uneven texture for your curls.
Textured Highlights
Did you know this style is achieved by applying a lightener around the natural curl pattern of your hair? It’s an excellent way to enhance dimension while keeping your curls intact! To maintain long-lasting color, you should utilize a color-safe shampoo. Try Redken’s Color Extend Magnetics Shampoo. This helps to preserve vibrancy between salon visits. This is a specialized technique for curly hair; not all stylists are skilled in achieving this look. So inquire for recommendations and see who is well-regarded in your area!
Deep Curls with Touches of Blonde
If you wish to experiment with highlights but are uncertain about going fully blonde, you might consider dark hair with blonde highlights. Keep in mind that phrases like ‘accent highlight’ or ‘partial’ may vary in interpretation at each salon when you make an appointment. If you are unclear about the meaning of these terms at your salon, ask for additional time for a detailed consultation.
Rich Copper Highlights on Curly Dark Hair
Tendrils of tightly coiled dark hair needing a change in color should consider balayage. Balayage on dark curly hair softens your look while allowing for seamless grow out. The curl flows in circles. The color transitions from dark to light. For products, use a frizz cream and shine oil to maintain your color’s polished and hydrated appearance.
Gentle Blonde Highlights on Brown Hair
Curly hair adorned with balayage highlights is guaranteed to draw attention! Let your stylist choose a shade that complements your skin tone, helping you to appear stunning whether you’re wearing makeup or not. For those with an olive skin tone, consider a neutral to soft ash hue; it will illuminate your complexion without washing you out! Be cautious about going too light with your hair color. A natural shade adds depth and ensures your color remains vibrant for a longer duration!
Artfully Painted Honey Blonde Balayage with Flowing Curls
Fall in love with your flowing curls and explore hand-painted honey blonde balayage. A sun-kissed light brown balayage is the perfect choice if you desire a low-maintenance color. Incorporate golden tones for warmth and shine for a radiant glow when the sunlight shines.
Soft Curls with Ash Blonde Balayage Accents
Transform your hair with stunning soft curls and ash blonde balayage accents. Elevate your natural ash-brown hair with radiant blonde ashy highlights. The interplay of chocolate and vanilla tones creates a rich, multi-dimensional look and shine.
Radiant Sun-Kissed Balayage Hair
Sun-kissed curls may create the illusion that you’re in a perpetual vacation mode, but preserving the vitality of these highlighted strands is essential. Use a conditioner or masque that harmonizes moisture and protein to keep your hair nourished and resilient. Think about incorporating a thermal protectant into your haircare routine, particularly if you frequently style with heat.
Textured Light Brown and Blonde on Loose Curls
For an innovative approach to loose curls, consider a textured light brown and blonde blend of color. Ash blonde complements short curly hair beautifully with balayage. This style suits a variety of skin tones. Particularly advantageous for those with prominent pink undertones, to create this highlighted light brown curly hair, consult your stylist for a free-form painting to achieve a smooth gradient of color beginning at your natural roots.
Rich Caramel Balayage on Curly Brunette Hair
Curly brunette hair displays balayage stunningly, particularly in rich caramel shades. A caramel balayage on curly locks appears highly dimensional. There are various tones within the bronde spectrum. Honey and blonde blend seamlessly to create vibrant waves of color. Consider using Moroccan Oil’s Curl Creme for enhanced frizz control and definition.
Soft Blonde Balayage for Mid Back-Length Layered Hair
A mid-back-length layered haircut dazzles with a soft blonde balayage. Balayage helps to accentuate the beautiful curls. Curly hair always appears more dimensional when highlights are added. My favorite technique for a soft blonde on my clients is using the k18 molecular hair treatment. I apply it before and after highlighting. It preserves the integrity of the hair so the curls remain bouncy and radiant.
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