The word “balayage” is actually French for “sweeping,” Kim adds, which which is essentially how the color is applied: “By sweeping it onto the hair in a way that results in soft, blended ...

As for reverse balayage, rather than hand-painting the hair with a lighter color, a darker hue is utilized. The technique is used to soften existing balayage or foil highlights and adds contrast ...

While classic hair-color choices like dark balayage never go out of style, we like to keep it on the back burner until the weather starts to cool down because the warm brown and beige hues mixed ...

“French balayage is a freehand coloring technique that takes its historical roots from the Carita sisters in Paris in the 1970s,” explains Jack Howard, global hair color educator at L’Oréal ...

“Reverse balayage adds depth back at the root,” says Lauren Grummel, a hair colorist in NYC. “It lowers the contrast between highlights and root color, and pops the rest of the highlights.