What is balayage anyway and should you get it

Oh boy, that’s not all of the crazy hair trends that have been flooding social media in recent months. As we approach summer, sun-kissed hairstyles are beginning to flood Instagram feeds around the world. We don’t blame you for feeling overwhelmed, which is why we’re here to explain the differences between ombre and sombre and balayage and flamboyage. No, that last one isn’t a dessert—you’re thinking of flambe.  

For starters, a sombre is simply a merging of the words “subtle” and “ombre.” That probably makes it a bit easier, but it can still be confusing to determine the differences between a sombre and a balayage. Just remember one, key thing that separates the two: balayage is hand painted, ombre is when your stylist colors (or bleaches, in many cases) the ends of your hair and blends it into the rest of the hair. Both can be beautiful, but understand what you’re looking for before you make a request so that you’re not disappointed.

Flamboyage, on the other hand, is a very specific way of applying color that was created by a hair tech company called Davines. It involves using transparent strips of adhesive material as a way of applying the color to get it to saturate deeply into the hair. It’s a little bit different than balayage in this way, because balayage doesn’t use any materials at all to saturate the color into the hair.

All in all, if you’re looking for a natural highlight that gives your hair a sunkissed look, ask for a balayage the next time you head to your stylist for a coloring session. If you’ve previously gotten ombre, though, they may not be able to do a lot. Talking with your stylist about what you’re looking for is the best way to come up with a way of applying color that will leave you pleased with the outcome, but we hope we were able to settle some of the confusion surrounding balayage once and for all.