The Best Balayage Hair Salons in Cheltenham, Worcester & Hereford

 When it comes to hair colour; our team knows no bounds! We can create hairstyles and hair colours based on your #inspo, be it pastel tones, blonde highlights and lowlights, ash blonde hair, fashion grey hair colours or the most luxuriously glossy brunettes. We are also pretty awesome at balayage!

Balayage is the technique of freehand painting highlights on to the hair, creating soft and natural graduation of lightness towards the ends. The result is the look of summers spent at the beach, with lighter tones that frame your face.

We also specialise in express balayage where we focus on adding some lighter/darker pieces around the hairline to give that veil of colour, or adding a few slices of colour to get a little more coverage in a shorter space of time.

Please note:  Don't skip the skin test! All our salons are colour responsible which means we will require you to pop in for a quick skin test 48 hours prior to your hair colour appointment. This applies to those who are new to the salon, new to colour and those have coloured their hair at home in between appointments. We have to skin test every 6 months regardless of regular appointments due to guidelines.

What Is Balayage?

Balayage is French for ‘sweep’, which is pretty apt; the technique involves painting highlights freehand, to create a soft graduation of effortlessly sun-kissed blonde in a natural-looking effect. A freehand lightener, like Wella Professionals’ unique Freelights formula, is stroked through sections of the hair, with some parts in foils, to give a seamless sweep of colour.

Balayage has softer, less noticeable regrowth lines than traditional highlights - the principal idea being less is more when creating soft, natural looks. Balayage looks as if your hair has been naturally lightened in the sun.

When you ask for balayage at Avant Garde Hair Salons in Worcester and Hereford, your colourist will find the best shade to suit your base colour, often pairing brunettes with warm honey hues, and adding bright gold strands to blonder tones. The result? A low-maintenance look that features darker roots and lighter ends, as if you’ve tied your beach hair into a pony and let the sun brighten the tips. Dreamy.

But your balayage does not have to be blonde-based - we can also create a similar look using fashion shades including gorgeous pastel hair colours. Just make sure you book in for a complimentary colour consultation so we can discuss ideas.

Does Balayage Work On Short Hair?

Balayage will flatter almost any length and colour of hair, whether you’re flaunting a floaty waist-length style, or boasting a blunt, chin-skimming bob. It is less successful on short hair but don't let that stop you from changing your hair colour. Simply book in for a colour consultation and we can discuss the best ways to pep up your short hairstyle with colour.

More good news... balayage works on all textures. In some ways, curly hair is easier because you can pick out each curl you want to apply colour to. 

Balayage Consultations

We passionately believe that consultation is an essential part of the colour process. Please book a consultation with your colourist at least 48 hours before your appointment so that they can talk you through the options and give you an allergy test.

It's also the chance for you to show your stylist any hair inspo pics and chat through what is possible with your hair. We will also look at how long your balayage service is likely to take, give you a no-obligation quote.

Looking After Balayage Hair Colour 

Always ask your stylist about the best way to keep your hair colour looking fresh and beautiful. Even though balayage uses less bleach, it still uses bleach, so it's essential to condition, have regular trims and at-home treatments. 

We highly recommend our Wellaplex hair treatment which improves the condition of damaged, over-processed hair. Wellaplex can be added into your hair colouring process to strengthen and protect your hair, or used as a stand-alone hair conditioning treatment.   

Low Maintenance Balayage

Unlike traditional highlights, balayage highlights typically only require touch-ups every 8-12 weeks, saving you money and time. Regular highlights, on the other hand, may need to be touched up in as little as six weeks.

Because balayage highlights don’t involve completely saturating your hair in bleach or colour dye, you’ll enjoy healthier hair because of less process on the hair. As a result, you get to enjoy softer, silkier hair with less damage and dryness.

Balayage highlights are the most versatile option when it comes to hair colouring these days; you can have it done to create a stylish ombre look or achieve more natural-looking highlights. That’s because balayage highlights can be made as soft or as strong as you’d like.

Balayage Services - Safe For Pregnant Women & People With Allergies

Finally, since balayage highlights sit directly on the hair and not the scalp, they can be safely done on pregnant women and those with allergies to hair colour. This is truly the safest, most versatile, and lowest-maintenance option for women who want beautiful highlights in their hair.