Balayage dyeing technique: advantages and disadvantages

HJ Magazine often raises interesting questions and asks them to its leading industry experts. This time we have translated an article for you that will reveal the pros and cons of the currently popular balayage technique.

Is balayage an unprofitable salon technique?

Balayage gave clients the desired result - not having to touch up the roots every month and avoiding frequent bleaching of hair. Based on this fact, it can be argued that in some cases such a procedure may be somewhat unprofitable for salons.

The colorists we spoke to suggest doing your next color appointment no sooner than six weeks and within four months of your first color appointment. The term balayage can also create problems for salons. Balayage is a coloring technique, but clients mostly use it to describe a look.

“This trend is disappointing for our team,” admits Kerry Mather, owner of KJM, a Schwarzkopf Professional salon. “Balayage is a hair coloring technique, not the end result.” Thus, clients are confused or don't really know what balayage is and what path their hair needs to go through to achieve the desired effect.

“In the future, we may have to think about changing the price for clients based on the look of their hair after a full consultation and manipulation. After all, the desired result is different for everyone,” says Mather.

Almost all clients get inspiration and ideas for their new color scheme from Instagram, where images are often tagged with the wrong hashtags. For example, clients often confuse balayage and ombre. This means that their ideas about the result of hair coloring are often far from reality.

Business advantages of balayage technique

On the positive side, there are many business benefits to the balayage technique. The technique is suitable for a variety of lengths and most hair types, so it effectively opens up the color service to clients who, for various reasons, could not afford coloring in the past. Balayage is also ideal for clients who have previously been nervous about their hair color. Focus on this - and then you will be able to attract new clients for balayage dyeing in your salon.

Another plus is that each balayage is made to order. At a time when consumers are demanding personalized service, this technology is growing in popularity and thus you can charge a customized price. “Balayage is designed to suit each client's hair type and texture. It can look subtle or dramatic and accommodate different needs,” explains Luke Dawson Brown, regional technical consultant for Salon Success. “The perfect combination is that colorists keep the look simple, but behind it are hours of passionate practice and a ton of technical know-how.”

Adele from OSMO also notes that balayage is a technique that is very difficult to achieve at home. “The consequences of home dyeing, or what I call ‘home marriage,’ are catastrophic,” she explains. Clients can try different colors, but it takes a lot of courage or stupidity to try to replicate balayage at home.

How to increase equipment costs?

You must not only motivate your client's next visit. Encourage him to book treatments such as hair lamination or tinting to maintain the best balayage look and increase profits.

Luke Dawson Brown comments: “I always recommend lamination between balayage updates. This should be factored into the color maintenance program and redesigned before the guest leaves the salon. Doctors prescribe medications, personal trainers provide diet plans, and colorists must provide a home care kit that will protect your color.” Homemade skincare products are essential to both your salon's bottom line and the health of your clients' hair. Patrick Marrow, Crazy Color Ambassador, believes that if a colorist doesn't teach their clients how to care for their hair at home, they're not doing their job.

A better future for balayage

Like many other salon owners, Kerry Mather has found that balayage actually increases her clientele. “I would say the balayage trend has improved our overall color business,” she says. “We have started introducing babylights into the balayage technique, which is also bringing clients into the salon.” “This allowed customers to experience a sense of discretion in their color choices. With balayage, you can add new tones to the ends of your hair without worrying about the color being unsuitable or affecting your skin tone,” says Mather.

Balayage also gave room for experimentation. “It's definitely allowed us to be more creative with our color menu,” says Siobhan Jones, owner of Rose&Wild salon.

Healthy and beautiful hair will always be in demand, and with some know-how, you can improve your hairdressing business with the help of the balayage technique.