30 Balayage Hair Ideas to Save for Your Next Salon Visit (2024)

30 Balayage Hair Ideas to Save for Your Next Salon Visit (1)

Not to be confused with hair coloring techniques like ombré, babylights, sombré, and highlights, balayage is a technique in a category of its own when it comes to popularity—and for good reason. Originating from the French word meaning "to sweep,"balayageis a freehand brush technique where a lightener is hand-painted onto the hair to create a soft and natural gradation of lightness towards the ends. The result? A soft, multi-dimensional look that allows your natural color to grow out without a harsh demarcation. Completely customizable to your aesthetic and shade preferences, balayage is perfect for coloring first-timers and dye job lovers alike. To provide inspiration for your next salon visit, we've rounded up the best balayage hair ideas for every hair color, from blonde to brunette, silver to red.

Keep scrolling for 30 screenshot-worthy balayage looks that are sure to wow.

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Warm Blonde

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Lived-in, melted blonde balayage creates a look that has a natural regrowth with no noticeable grow-out line since the darker regrowth blends seamlessly into the lighter hair. As seen on Maude Apatow, this classic, warm butter blonde is the perfect example of that technique.

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Dark and Milk Chocolate

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The dark-to-milk chocolate balayage is for you if you prefer soft dye jobs over high-contrast ones. To replicate Keke Palmer's hair color, keep the roots dark brown or black before painting subtle highlights down through the mid-lengths and ends.

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Platinum Balayage

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One can never go wrong with a classic chin-length bob and cool-toned balayage. Subtly wavy styling really shows off this masterpiece of handpainted bronde, cool blonde, and platinum as the colors catch the light with each bend.

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Ruby Red

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Bright red hair is (and will always be) a popular choice for those looking to make a statement. We adore the touch of plum that fades in from where the natural color meets the red, adding an extra level of dimension and intrigue to these springy curls.

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Pixie Balayage

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Who says that balayage is reserved for long haircuts only? Certainly not Evangeline Lilly, who is rocking a cool bronde-to-blonde gradient with her touseled, grown-out pixie.

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Mixed Balayage

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Lily Aldridge is a big fan of balayage and has tried many iterations over the years. But we must admit—this mix of alternating bronde color and wheat blonde shade is one of our favorites.

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Strawberry Blonde Balayage

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If you're looking for a unique balayage take that's close to being blonde (but not quite), consider pale strawberry blonde. We love how this color skews further towards platinum as it moves towards her ends.

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Candied Ginger

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The candied ginger balayage looks as delicious as it sounds. A fusion of both carrot and blonde shades, this color adds a dose of warmth to the skin while allowing you to dip your toe into the red hair color waters.

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Honey Blonde

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Balayage midlights—as seen in the gorgeous honey hue—are a great way to grow out old colors. Think of this technique as using an "in-between" shade to connect your root color to your highlights.

Balayage vs. Highlights: How They Differ and How to Pick One

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Rose Gold

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This cotton candy-coated light brunette fade has satisfied our sweet tooth. It's a great way to dabble in the world of non-natural hair colors without fully committing to an all-over dye.

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Bronde Balayage

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Bronde is one of the most versatile balayage shades out there. It can brighten up brunette hair, tone down blonde, and offer a subtler change for those who are new to coloring.

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Balayage Locs

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Vivid, rich, and dimensional are just a few words we'd use to describe Kerry Washington's brownie batter-hued locks that fade softly into a vibrant carrot color.

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Cool Wheat Blonde

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Is it cold in here, or is that just your new color? If you're trying to avoid warm tones, draw inspiration from Ciara's balayage. The cool undertones of the wheat shade help keep the overall look from skewing too brassy over time.

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Light Brown Balayage

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If you want to break up your brunette without making a major change, try barely-there brown balayage. Keep your base dark, but ask for some soft, glossy balayage highlights.

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Beach-Blonde Balayage

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Jennifer Aniston's hair color will always be at the top of our list of most iconic beachy blondes. Keep your look low maintenance by asking for shadow roots or root smudging.

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Smokey Balayage

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Natural brunettes—keep your roots dark while "smoking out" your cascading ends (in traditional balayage fashion) for a super-cool, silvery masterpiece. It's also a great option for those transitioning into their gray hair era, with natural gray streaks and strands blending into the look seamlessly.

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Red Velvet

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If you want to go red but can't decide whether to lean ginger or velvet, try this rich merlot hue à la Zendaya, which fades into a true red velvet shade.

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Cream Soda

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Rihanna's cream soda tones work to bring soft, lighter brown hues to naturally dark hair. It's a stunning example of how balayage can bring dimension and impact to hair.

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Copper Balayage

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The copper cowgirl trend meets balayage in Camila Morrone's subtly eye-catching color. Of course, texture makes a major impact on this look, too, so don’t underestimate the power of tousled waves tucked behind the ears.

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Money Piece Balayage

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Balayage money pieces are a signature look for Beyoncé. These face-framing waves instantly illuminate her skin, offering a lit-from-within glow.

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Box Braid Balayage

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Showcase a cool ombré style by tossing your box braids into a high bun like Storm Reid. We really love how her own hair color mixes with this cool-toned ash blonde.

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Sunkissed Bronde Balayage

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Opt for face-framing balayage like Sophia Bush. Here, her warm chestnut hair shade is mixed with sun-kissed bronde highlights, opening up her face and giving it a natural glow.

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Auburn Balayage

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For brunettes who don't want to go the high-contrast route with blonde highlights, there's always the option to choose auburn brown streaks, as seen here on Selena Gomez.

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Pastel Balayage

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Baby pink and light blue get a new lease on life when paired with a melted rose gold balayage blonde hue.

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Coffee Tones

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Jessica Biel's balayage is a bolder take on balayage, leaning more into the ombré spectrum. The caramel coffee blend is emphasized with the blend starting at varying points rather than just at one uniform length.

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Extended Money Piece

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Much like the traditional money piece trend, the extended style, which includes highlights just a tad farther back of the bangs, brings an extra dose of light and attention to the face. It's exceptionally exemplified here with Miranda Cosgrove's golden-tinged curls.

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Fire Orange

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Bold and bright is the name of the game with FKA Twigs' wavy locks. The added highlights at the temples emphasize the pop of orange color choice, drawing your eyes from up to down.

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Amber Balayage

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You can never go wrong with classic face-framing highlights like these seen on Jasmine Tookes. Even if you go for higher-contrast shades like amber, the placement feels natural since the sun is most likely to lighten the thinner pieces by your face.

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Deep Plum

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Balayage can start as high or low as you want, though the higher you start, like with this deep plum purple balayage shade on Justine Skye, the more drastic a change you’ll notice (and feel).

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Silver Balayage

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Silver-blue balayage with dark roots is a stunning and unique way to lighten up brunette hair without heading down the blonde route. To keep the ashy tones looking bright, add a blue or purple shampoo to your haircare routine.

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