Salons Are Back, French Balayage Is In

With salons back in business, it’s time to ditch the box dye and head straight to your hair salon for the perfect French Balayage! Known as one of the most -opular and low-maintenance hair trends right now, French Balayage, a two-step colouring technique, perfectly blends colour, is never warm and always finishes with a nourishing glossy shine, which leaves a natural look that can be subtle, sexy or extreme—a result that only a pro can achieve! Victoria Hunter, a L’Oreal Professionnel Portfolio colourist, answers all of our French Balayage questions below! —Vita Daily

Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

My name is Victoria Hunter and I am a L’Oreal Professionnel Portfolio colourist in downtown Toronto. I have been specializing in colour for about eight years now, with a focus on blonding and colour correction. Colour has become my obsession and I am all about enhancing what my client’s are blessed with naturally, while maintaining the health and integrity of the hair.

We hear that French Balayage is trending in hair; can you tell us what it is, and why it’s so hot right now?

Balayage has been a term that has been thrown around for a while now, and has been used in many different ways. Traditionally, it refers to a specific technique of free hand painting to lighten the hair. Currently, it is being used to reference almost all forms of lightening for a natural, soft, blended Lived-in-Look (regardless of how you get there). As a global company, L’Oreal Professionnel has adopted the concept of French Balayage to streamline this concept.

What’s involved in achieving French Balayage? Can we do it at home ourselves, or is this an in-salon job?

At the heart of it, French Balayage is a customized service that can only be achieved by a professional in a salon. It consists of seamless lightening followed by a finishing gloss that is formulated to achieve the most desirable tone for that specific individual—whether that be a warm honey, a soft caramel or a bright beige. The possibilities are endless.

Your top maintenance tips for French Balayage?

This bespoke glossing is the service you will want to maintain with your professional every four to six weeks between lightening services. Our Dia Light glosses bring a stunning vinyl shine to the hair that you cannot achieve with purple shampoo at home (purple shampoo can easily dull the blonde if overused). And it is also formulated with conditioners that will leave the hair feeling nourished and full of life!

Any other hair colour trends on your radar for fall/winter?

In regards to what is trending for fall, I am not one to always follow trends for the sake of following celebrities or stars. I prefer to work on what will suit my client best. But overall I would say we can continue to expect warmth! Warm beiges, soft coppers and rich brunettes!

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