Balayage vs. Highlights: How They Differ and How to Pick One

For those looking for more of a subtle change rather than a full-color makeover, the options often come down to highlights or balayage. Both techniques are wildly popular, and although they can be customized to be more dramatic or subdued, the way they're applied and the effect they can have are wildly different.

To better understand the differences between highlights and balayage and how to decide which is best for you, we tapped three leading hair colorists—Abby Haliti, George Papanikolas, and Gina Rivera—and asked them all about these techniques. Below, they outline what they both entail, how often they require touch-ups, who they best suit, and how to maintain their results for as long as possible.

Read on to learn about the differences between balayage and traditional highlights—and which is better for your hair.

What Is Balayage?

Originating from the French word meaning "to sweep," balayage is a freehand technique where a lightening solution is hand-painted on the surface of random portions of hair. "Typically, balayage colors are shades that are slightly lighter than your base color, and the color is applied to create a more natural look," adds Rivera. "The end goal is to provide a lightened look while creating depth and dimension in a way that appears to be natural."

What Are Highlights?

"Hair highlighting is changing the hair color, using a lightener or hair color to lift the level or brightness of the hair strands," says Rivera, noting that there are four basic types of highlight application, which include foil highlights, hair painting, frosting, and chunking.

In a similar vein, babylights are very subtle and lightly applied highlights that are meant to look natural, much like a child's hair (hence the name). Since they are done so delicately, babylights tend to look best on those with finer hair. And you can also consider getting lowlights, a color that's about two shades darker than your highlights. When lowlights are woven into the hair, they add dimension and depth—resulting in some fabulous-looking locks.

Highlights vs. Balayage: What's the Difference?

Your colorist will likely recommend highlight foils if you want a big color shift. Foils tend to work best when taking dark hair four or more shades lighter. The same is true if you want hair with a lot of contrast (with both highlights and lowlights) or prefer an even distribution of color. "Highlights are often placed much closer to the scalp and applied in specific sections while the balayage process includes a graduated painting of the color onto the hair in random sections," adds Rivera.

If you are looking to add non-uniform streaks or subtle sweeps of color, balayage is a better option. The method offers your stylist more freedom to add color that fits and flatters your cut, face shape, and, of course, your personal style. So, if you have more of a carefree attitude, you can give your colorist the opportunity to stretch their artistic muscles with balayage.

Balayage is also great for face-framing highlights. Where foils often target the full shaft of the hair, including the roots, balayage is frequently used to highlight from mid-length to ends, leaving more natural-looking roots.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Balayage?

People looking for a soft, sun-kissed look should opt for balayage. "Typically, it is hand painted on the hair with a bleach lightener, allowing the placement to look more natural since you can start soft and delicate at the root area, gradually getting thicker and heavier as you move down the hair shaft—similar to what the sun would do, " explains Papanikolas.

Furthermore, balayage is completely customizable and suitable for all. "It's suitable for a range of hair colors and textures, and it can be tailored to complement different skin tones and achieve desired results," confirms Haliti. She says that whether you want a bold or subtle pop of color, balayage can be customized to suit your preferences.

It's also a gentle, subtle way to cover grays because the stylist can paint just the gray strands rather than color your entire head. Likewise, if you're in a transition phase and want to grow out your roots without making it obvious, balayage can be a natural-looking and temporary solution.

Balayage is a wonderful option for those with a more low-maintenance approach to beauty, as it doesn't need frequent touch-ups. "The retouch frequency for balayage can range from three to six months, depending on the desired level of contrast and the individual's hair growth rate," expands Haliti. "Some may choose to refresh their balayage more frequently for a bolder look, while others may prefer a more subtle regrowth."

Who Is a Good Candidate for Highlights?

Haliti says highlights are a great option for those looking to add dimension and brightness to their hair. As with balayage, highlights are suitable for all hair types and textures. "This is a more traditional approach, giving the hair a more uniform root-to-ends look," adds Papanikolas.

"Foil highlights allow you to use either permanent color or a bleach lightener to lift the hair," he continues. "By isolating the lightener in a foil, you can get more lift than you would with balayage. This allows darker hair to lift to a pale blonde giving a more uniform finish. Depending on how thick of a weave or slice, plus the direction of the foil placement the colorist takes, the end result can range from soft and delicate to strong and chunky."

Since highlights are placed at the root and foils create an obvious demarcation (making new growth more noticeable), they need to be retouched more often than balayage. "On average, most people opt for touch-ups every eight to 12 weeks to maintain consistent color and prevent noticeable regrowth. However, it can vary based on personal preference and the contrast between the natural hair color and highlights," says Haliti.

How to Pick the Best One For You

While the method of color application will largely rely on the results that a person is attempting to achieve, there are some thoughts to consider. "How dramatic you want the look to be, the hair texture, and the length of the hair are some things to consider," says Rivera.

She also says that hair length may come into play when deciding between techniques. "Those with longer hair may opt more towards balayage as the length will allow for easier sweeping on of the color, while those with shorter hair may opt for a highlight as the process allows for the color to be applied much closer to the scalp," Rivera explains.

Some stylists use a combination of balayage and foils. One technique, known as "American tailoring," begins with foils, after which balayage highlights are painted in between the new highlights to soften and blend the color. Another popular approach is "foilyage," and it's just the opposite: Starting with painted color and finishing up with foil accents.

Ultimately, pick the technique that works best for your lifestyle and the look you wish to achieve.

How to Maintain Highlights and Balayage

Regardless of which hair coloring technique you choose, if you go through the process of getting your hair dyed, you want to keep it looking its best for as long as possible. To do this, Haliti recommends getting a gloss every six to eight weeks. While an in-salon treatment will definitely make your hair look very shiny and will keep your color on point, there are a ton of at-home hair glosses and glazes you can use as well.

For daily maintenance, she and Rivera recommend using sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner as this will prevent color fading. You can also prevent your color from becoming dull and brassy by touching it up with toning shampoos and conditioners. For blondes, Papanikolas recommends the Matrix So Silver Purple Shampoo ($20) and Conditioner ($20). For brunettes, opt for blue toning products, such as Joico's Color Balance Blue Shampoo ($23) and Conditioner.

Lastly, Haliti says to protect your hair from excessive heat styling and sun exposure by using heat protectants or UV protection products and wearing hats. 

The Final Takeaway

While some stylists use the two techniques together, determining if you are best suited for highlights or balayage is up to you. However, taking into account your hair color, length, texture, and lifestyle could help make your decision a bit easier before you hop in the chair.