Instagram @glamourbycee
#1: Stunning Grey Balayage for Thick Hair
Consider your natural hair color if you want to try a stunning grey balayage for thick hair. The color of your natural hair will determine how much maintenance this hair color will be to upkeep. Plus, it could be a long process to achieve the first time. One of the best ways to get a true tone of gray balayage on black hair is to use a blue or purple base color. This will cancel out the orange and yellow tones your hair will naturally lift to. I suggest finding a stylist that specializes in blonding. And be prepared for frequent visits to the salon for re-toning every 4-6 weeks.
Instagram @robinowensbeauty
#2: Black Balayage with Yellow Highlights
A yellow balayage with a black hair base is edgy and cool. When dyeing your hair lighter on a dark base, it may take a couple of visits to get it as light as you want. Ask for a foiliage technique. It mimics a balayage and gives better lift on darker bases because you can incubate in foils.
Instagram @hairbyelvisp
#3: Deep Black Balayage
The canvas naturally takes on many tones within one palette as hair grows longer. If the hair was previously lightened or lifted, a common service is a tint back. A form of staining and then painting the hair to fill in the missing colors while aiding the dimension of a balayage placement on a dark background.
Instagram @hairbykacie1
#4: Silver Balayage
Go for a high-contrast balayage ombré. It involves a dark root gradually blending seamlessly into a very icy blonde. The cut is long layered.
Expect high maintenance unless you are a natural dark brown. If you are a natural blonde, expect to come in every 6-8 weeks for a root touch-up and every third appointment for a balayage touch-up.
To maintain the silver look of the blonde, come in every 4 weeks to get a silver toner or invest in a silver toning shampoo to keep the color.
Instagram @malinatang
#5: Grey Balayage
Celebrate your long, thick, luscious hair with glamorous huge soft curls and this muted ash. Surely, this ash balayage on black hair is a perfect look for a carefree girl.
Instagram @jilldoesmyhair
#6: Burgundy Hair
Fall in love with this beautifully painted long burgundy hair styled with soft beach waves. The soft red hue in this burgundy balayage on black hair gives off a mysterious and sexy vibe.
Instagram @hairbyamybee
#7: Honey Balayage on Black Hair
Any fine, medium-length girl should try this honey-blonde partial balayage on black hair. Gorgeous beach waves paired with a honey-blonde balayage on black hair are perfect for a charming everyday look.
Instagram @constancerobbins
#8: Rose Gold Balayage on Black Hair
Have your soft strands emerge out of the darkness into a sweet, muted pink hue that mesmerizes on long waves!
Instagram @danielmbeauty
#9: Blonde Balayage Highlights
This is featured for women with black hair wanting balayage. Ask for more foil work to get your hair lighter during multiple sessions. You’ll never get light results like this on the first session with open-air balayage on black hair.
Instagram @niccamm
#10: Ash Blonde Balayage
This look is a lived-in cool ash blonde balayage on black hair. By using the technique of teasylighting (one of my favorites) and adding natural depth to a blonde, you can achieve the most natural blend from dark to light. The greatest thing about this look is its high contrast and the fact that you get the best of both worlds. You get a beautiful blonde without all of the maintenance. This is truly the best part about lived-in color!
I recommend this type of coloring to the majority of my clients. This technique has so many possibilities and tends to look different on every hair type. My main word of advice is that patience is a virtue! Sometimes this look takes a few sessions, but it’s worth it!
Instagram @hairwizardry
#11: Auburn Red on Black Hair
My client came in looking for an auburn balayage on her straight hair. We had previously colored her hair to a level 4/5, so I knew we would have to lift some of the old colors out to get an auburn tone. I chose to use a natural level 5 at her root and balayage the rest with a low volume. Use developer to keep her color from lifting too high to have that auburn last longer!
Balayage is meant to be a long-lasting color. However, auburn and red are so hard to keep vibrant! I always suggest a gloss to richen up that color halfway between her next appointment! Also, always use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. I personally love Color Proof for this balayage on straight black hair!
Instagram @hairgoddesstam
#12: Caramel Hair Color
This look is a warm caramel brown balayage on black hair with long shattered layers. One of my favorite things about coloring this technique on dark hair is that it gives that brighter look that many dark-haired guests want without many of the pitfalls that those same guests struggle with. By staying within 2-3 shades of their natural hair, a more gentle type of hair color can be used, preventing damage and ensuring gorgeous shiny, healthy hair. Also, the soft, warm color is usually lower maintenance and avoids the “brassy orange-y” result that is the arch nemesis of so many dark-haired guests.
I recommend maintaining this caramel balayage on black hair every 8-10 weeks. To keep the caramel tone and avoid slipping into an unwanted brassy tone, I highly recommend a sulfate-free blue-based shampoo and cooling conditioner (Pureology has an amazing bluing shampoo & conditioner called Strength Cure Best Blonde Line). Every other wash once that tone starts showing in the hair. This balayage for black hair is the perfect low-maintenance color that works for almost everyone.
Analyzing face shape is especially important when deciding where to start the face-framing layers in the front. If you are trying to emphasize eyes and cheekbones, starting those face-framing layers between the edge of the eye and the upper cheek is best. If you are concerned about drawing attention to the width of the face, it’s best to start those face-framing layers between the cheek and chin and ensure they angle away from the face rather than cupping towards it.
Instagram @spectrum_bycaramel
#13: Ash Brown Balayage
It’s an ash brown balayage. The modern blend of highlights and balayage of ash brown on black hair with beach waves on the client. The greatest part of this black hair balayage is the highlights which go well with the overall look.
The skin tone of the client is the most important criteria for color matching. Some waves on the completed colored hair would make the color choice stand out more.
Instagram @hairbyelaina_
#14: Platinum Balayage
This look is a rooted dimensional platinum balayage. I love this look for so many clients because those light-painted pieces with hints of their natural base give them. This is amazing because it’s low maintenance and extremely adjustable. Over time, you can add more light or dark pieces to change the entire look subtly. These colors look awesome on many cuts but especially layered ones, so when you style (especially curl) it, it shows all of that dimension and the dark and lightness throughout.
It will take a few sessions to achieve, depending on how dark your hair is. You always want to keep the integrity of your hair in mind. Getting someone super light in one session isn’t always possible, and doing it in stages will guarantee the health of your hair stays intact, and you get the look you’ve been dreaming of while keeping it healthy and shiny!
Instagram @annacaohairmakeup
#15: Purple Balayage
This violet balayage is great for dark hair. Whether a layered cut or one length, this violet tone blends beautifully and effortlessly with dark hair. Bold enough but not too loud. What I love the most about this purple balayage on black hair is that it also brightens skin tone.
Bleaching is required on dark hair to show the color. Preferably the hair has not been colored with dark dyes before. Olaplex is one of the best products to help strengthen, protect, and repair during and after color service. Regular violet color treatment is recommended for homecare to help keep the color fresh and bright.
Instagram @lucianefontanive
#16: Subtle Light Brown Balayage
This masterpiece is a light brown balayage on black hair. I find a woman’s eye wonderful when she’s with her hairdresser, and he says it’s possible to create lighting with strands of her hair. The colors of honey, hazelnut, and copper can enhance dark hair and the beauty of brown to black hair.
You can create a balayage color for each client regardless of skin tone. The health of the strands is always essential for the beauty of dark-lit hair. I always recommend a wick test, even for a subtle balayage on black hair, to evaluate the structure of the strands for the procedure. Also, pre and post-treatment wicks are very important.
Instagram @splittinwigz_
#17: Blue Balayage on Black Hair
It’s always better to start darker when doing a vivid color while naturally having dark hair. This blue balayage gave my client a clean yet trendy look while keeping the integrity of her dark hair strong and soft like it was before we started. Remember, start darker for balayage on black hair.
A dark blue balayage is fantastic if you like a more subtle color melt look. Styled with my 1″ curling iron to give lived-in waves for a more mermaid feel! I love a put-together mess! For some, this black hair with balayage is the best because you wash (maybe every 3 days or more) and go for the longest-lasting results! If you have dark hair, consider starting with a dark vivid color at first and work your way more pastel if that’s your end goal. Otherwise, you risk major hair damage!
Instagram @jessicamintonhair
#18: Golden Blonde Balayage
Just like the gods descended from up above! I love this blend of light and dark colors that came naturally.