For balayage to look great, your straight hair should be at least shoulder length. If you have shorter, straight hair, it may not be a good idea. If you are seeking to accentuate your natural hair colour with a lighter style of balayage, it will be better if your hair is more than sixteen inches long as application on finer sections of hair nearer to the roots is required to achieve a lighter balayage. If your hair falls to your shoulders and consider short length, the best technique is to perform a balayage using thicker hair sections closer to the ends and blend them with your base colour.

balayage on straight and curly hair

Balayage is often associated with long curly hair and beach waves. However, this is a common stereotype. Make sure when you choose a reference photo of your hair goal, it has to be of similar style to the hair you are wearing it daily. Do not propose a reference with curly hair texture to your colourist if your natural hair is normally kept straight all the time especially during your routine activities.

Most women would think that balayage will look great on curled or wavy hair but not straight hair. The hair curls tend to blend the colours by marring them in combine with pops of beautiful colour dimension through the curls. Due to the twisting and turning of the twirls and swirls, wavy and curly hair will reflect light in different directions than straight hair. Straighter hair will allow you to see all details and give it a bolder look.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, provided it’s done correctly. However, it is important to know what you are asking for.

Balayage can still looks great in straight or curly hair. However, there is one rule to remember when doing a straight hair balayage. This rule states that your hair should be longer than the shoulder.

If you want perfect balayage for your straight hair, it is important to see a hair colour professional. To achieve that amazing combination and blending of colours, the transition between each colour must be flawless.

Most people may not be able to notice an imperfect balayage in curly or wavy hair due to the flow and motion of curls that may help to conceal any such balayage issues, flaws or imperfections.

However, balayage mistakes in straight hair will certainly be more obvious and noticeable.

If you want to do a balayage you should consult a professional and experience hair colourist. It’s an effortless style that does not need alot of time and efforts to maintain. Hence it is just a one time investment that will make you look great for at least several months before you need any touch up.

You now know you can do a balayage with straight hair. We would like to provide you some more information that is also very important.

  • What are the differences between balayage for short and long straight hair?
  • The ideal haircut for balayage on straight hair

balayage on straight and curly hair

Is there a Difference Between Balayage on Long and Short Hair?

Balayage can look great on both short and long straight hair. The key technique to perfection is to blur the exact point where the colour transition begins.

As we all know, the Balayage technique is a French method of bleaching hair that has increasingly turned popular in the 1990s. The artistic technique allows colourists to lighten your hair in different ways and create shadowy and light areas by just handpainting with a brush like an artist.

The key technique of Balayage lies in the process of blending colours from your roots to your ends to create a natural, bright end finishing. However, how does length of hair and whether straight or curly texturing affect the balayage effects the colourist can achieve?

It does, of course!

You won’t get the same effect with long hair as compared with short hair for certain hair colours. Besides, for Balayage to looks best in straight hair, it is better to have your hair fall at least to your shoulders. Balayage can be done in many different techniques and it suits best if the hair is shoulder-length or longer.

Moreover, when it comes to deciding the technique and style of balayage for you, your hair length is one important factor.

If you have shorter hair, a soft and subtle balayage will suit and complement better. However, for a more multi-dimensional and lighter highlights, your hair must be at least 18 inches in length.

Hence it is important to know that your colourist will use different balayage approaches and techniques in accordance to your hair length.

balayage on straight and curly hair

Balayage on Long Straight Hair

For balayage, the ideal or standard technique for colourist is to start by lightening your hair close to your roots in finer lines that will become wider when near the mid areas of the hair. These lines then merge to form one uniform colour at your hair ends.

Balayage on Shorter Straight Hair

If your hair is straight and short?

It would be best to have your hair ends with a chunky section that isn’t completely blonde to blend with your base colour.

If your hair is truly short, you should opt for a balayage that is well-defined and fully lightened hair ends. This will increase the chance of your hair looking choppy or stepped.

To prevent this risk, your stylist may recommend that you do your balayage in 2-3 sessions so that the colours blend naturally and not create a choppy effect.

We’ve now seen the importance of length that will affect balayage style. It’s important to consider which haircuts flatter your style.

balayage on long and short hair

The Perfect Haircuts for Balayage with Straight Hair

When it comes to choosing a balayage hair colour, your haircut style is very important. Balayage is well-known for having an appearance that doesn’t have much structure. Hence it’s best to go for textured or classic layers that are not too structured.

Balayage is a flowy style that allows you to create different texture and lengths. This can often mean classic layers that are most well loved by many. A textured bob is another inspiration haircut for balayage with straight hair. This gives the illusion of layers or steps in your hair. This is a great inspiration as it will give your straight hair much natural movement. The different colours in your balayage will add more dimension.

You should pamper your hair after you have done a balayage. A hydrating and nutrition treatment should be done weekly. Make sure to use a shampoo that is sulfate-free suitable for coloured hair.

balayage for short hair 3

Conclusions

To achieve a balayage for straight hair, you should have hair that is at least shoulder length.

The length of your hair will determine the techniques of balayage suitable for you.

  • You can choose to have fine and thinner streaks that start closer to the roots if your hair is long and straight.
  • It is best to have chunkier and thicker highlights on your hair ends if your hair is short and straight.

Last but not least, please remember that textured and layered hairstyles are best for straight hair with balayage. Now tell us: Which balayage style do you prefer?