Andy JonesHighlights can certainly be a fun way to spice up your hair, and balayage hairstyles, in particular, can give your ‘do a soft, natural look while still adding a new dimension of color. Many of us get bored with our hair color but don’t want to erase it completely. Highlights can be a fun way to add some dimension to your hair color, but what if you don’t want thick, chunky, noticeable streaks? What if you are just looking for cute easy hairstyles that find a way to enhance your color but still maintain a natural quality? Balayage hairstyles are a highlighting technique that accomplishes exactly that.
45+ Cute Balayage Hairstyles to Add Dimension to Your Hair Color
What is Balayage Hair?
When the balayage highlight is applied, they are put on in such a way so as to make them look as if they were native to your hair color. It results in a gradual, soft highlight which can really give you that “sun-kissed” look many of us desire in our hair color. It is a technique that blends the highlights seamlessly into your hair and is perfect if you’re looking to spice up your color without having noticeable, over-dramatic streaks in your hair.
What is the difference between balayage and ombre hair?
Many people confuse balayage hair with another similar style – ombre hairstyles. Ombre vs balayage a harder distinction to make than you might think. They both involve subtle gradient coloring that gradually fades one color into another, and to varying degrees. As a result, some balayage styles can be difficult to distinguish from some ombre styles. However, there are some major differences between these two styles.
Ombre, which are also cute hairstyles, are more of a color-blocking technique. By the time you reach the bottom sections of your hair, you’d be hard-pressed to find a single strand that is the same color as the top sections. It’s a total fade from one color to another. Balayage, on the other hand, focuses more on the sweeping technique (“Balayage” in fact, is French for “sweep”) of subtle highlights. There are still some sections of hair at the bottom that are left the same as the original color – intended to give the hair a more effortless look with more dimension.
Check out these 50 Balayage hairstyles below for ideas for your next cute hair colors and complement your ombre nails:
1. Blonde Balayage with Highlighted Front Tips Hair
This softly styled hair is the perfect idea for someone who already has blonde hair color and wants to add more depth or dimension for the summer months. Two pieces that are the size of an inch are taken from both sides of the face and highlighted. This helps to draw the eye to the face and softness the overall style.
2. Dark Rooted Blonde Silver Hair
Whether your roots are peaking through or you want to dye them darker, a dark root with lighter tips adds a lot of dimension to the hair and is a great style option for any length of hair, especially shoulder length hair. The dark root is then blended into the blonde hair and different shades of blonde, as well as silver, are laid out throughout the hair for dimension.
3. Reddish Brown Roots and Blonde Tips Hair
Having a dark red root is more complimentary than having a black root for certain skin tones. This reddish color generally blends into more orange toned blonde hair. In this style, the root is taken down longer, well past the eyebrows, and can even be seen under the top layer. This helps to add depth.
4. Grayish Root Balayage with Icy Blonde Hair
If you are nervous about going completely blonde with your hairstyle, then this hairstyle is an excellent option for you. This is because the root is still a darker gay color and extends down into the hair. Light blonde shades are then incorporated into the style with some pieces extending to the root. Go with french tip nails for maximum hotness!
5. Blonde Curled Curtain Bangs Hair
Do not be afraid to get side bangs. Bangs can add an impressive dimension and even help to shape your face. Curtain bangs are a unique hairstyle to have. A dark root with blonde highlights helps to add extra depth. If your hair is thin, adding a curl to your hair and bangs can help to add volume just like in this look.
6. Easy and Flirty Blonde Balayage Hairstyle
Looking for new fun hair ideas? These highlights heavily emphasize the blonde. This fun, beach-blonde color is introduced slowly out of dark brown roots. Mixed with darker highlights at the bottom, this is a fun summer look for anyone wanting the oxymoronic mix of subtlety and drama all at once.
7. Beautiful and Golden
For anyone who wants to maintain dark hair with highlights, this is a luscious combination of dark, golden, and nearly white blonde. This mix of balayage highlights is a little more reminiscent of the ombre style – it fades darker hair into a darker blonde towards the top and down into a generally lighter hue at the bottom.
8. Caramel-to-Blonde Flowing Balayage Beauty
When you have longer hair, a balayage style of hair highlights can even more beautifully emphasize your light brown hair. With coloring specifically like this style, there is plenty of room on a head of long hair to allow each shade to really shine. The caramel provides a flawless and simple transition between the dark roots and undertones and the platinum blonde highlights.
9. Frosty Blonde Textured Balayage Hair Highlights
Balayage can be so versatile in that you can introduce a wide variety of different shades into your hair and it will still look natural. In this style, there are much lighter shades of blonde that make for a more wintry look. Contrasted with the darker shades, this style is beautifully textured.
10. Soft-and-Subtle Blonde Hair
For a much more subtle balayage look that is still a unique hair color, this is a beautiful option. The blonde highlights are left a little darker to allow for a more easy look. There are so many shades blending seamlessly together to form a look so subtly textured that it is simply elegant. If you want to mix up your hair color without being bold, this is a simple and gorgeous style.
11. Bold Ombre Balayage Textured Hairstyle
Sometimes, the style of your color can be both balayage and ombre. The overall tones in this ultra cool short bob haircut look start with a clear dark tone, fading quietly into a bold and beautiful bleach-blonde color. The tips of the short blonde hair here are pretty much all blonde, but the mixing technique here has the clear sweeping effect that is the signature of the balayage highlight technique.
12. Ombre Balayge Beautiful Princess Locks
As another style containing a mixture of an ombre effect and balayage technique, this bold look is especially beautiful on long hair. As you can see here in this example, adding some curls to this look make it look beautiful and effortless – giving it that flawless princess-like quality we all desire.
13. Flawlessly Fading Blonde Look
This look is a perfect example of the exact definition of balayage – the highlights appear to be perfectly swept through the hair. This look, featuring brown hair with blonde highlights, weaves the blonde in from all points on the head. In the front, the blonde highlights reach all the way up to the top. This is a classic example of the sun-kissed look you can get from balayage style highlights.
14. Full Spectrum Blonde Hair
This look is a way to feature nearly every shade of blonde imaginable in your highlights. Each shade is meticulously placed to give it the signature natural appearance found in balayage highlight styles. Even those with darker hair originally can achieve a beautiful blonde look from this style. If you are tired of your purple hair you are currently rocking, consider giving this look a try!
15. Subtle Dark-to-Light Ombre Balayage Highlight
At first glance, it appears as though this is an entirely blonde hairstyle, as it’s easy to overlook the small amount of darker hair at the top. This subtlety is cute but also elegant and allows for each shade of blonde to shine through. The darker tones found at the top can still be found throughout as well. They’re just so flawlessly blended in that you don’t even know it.
16. Effortless Hairstyle for Light Hair
A balayage hair technique can work very well on naturally lighter hair as well. On this style, there is no dramatically darker portion of hair. This blending technique can work well if your hair is naturally on the lighter side but you still want to add the extra texture you get from a balayage style of hair.
17. Blonde Bombshell with Lowlights
In this style, the highlights are prominent enough that it’s the lowlights that stand out more. The darker strands woven immaculately throughout the hair elevate the blonde hair to a new level. This would be a very pretty route to go with your hair if you want blonde and want it to look natural.
18. Sunny Winter Frost
For a dramatic change between very dark and very light, this is a fun hairstyle good for any season. The frosty tips match well with an icy winter vibe, but also will shine and glow in the summer sun. The brightness of the blonde only stands out more when blended with the darker lowlights.
19. Golden Sunshine Gradual Bayalage Hairstyle Idea
To provide a softer and more gradual ombre shift between your naturally dark brown hair and some glowing blonde, take a look at these golden caramel-ly colored highlights swept throughout the hair. This inviting color combination is reminiscent of a perfectly toasted marshmallow – giving us a warm, cozy feeling in a richly unique hair color.
20. Golden Beach Wave
Another classic beachy, sun-kissed look, these classic blonde locks seem to flow endlessly down from darker tones up top. You would never even notice where the shift begins and ends in this style, making it appear your hair was lightened from an entire summer in the sun rather than a day at the salon.
21. All-Natural Blonde Highlights
These highlights are applied such that they sweep through the top layer of hair. Instead of gradually fading in an ombre style effect, these highlights begin from the very top but allow the naturally darker tones to peek through to make for many cute hair colors. Perfect for when you want to be blonde, but you don’t want to make it obvious that it’s fake.
22. Curly Effect
Adding dimension to your hair color and be particularly successful with curly hair. With your curly hair laying on your face in such a beautifully textured way, it can only be enhanced by the extra dimension that comes from having multiple shades of color. Curl and color can really complement each other!
23. Natural Tow-Head
Kids can have such beautiful white-blonde hair that can sadly fade darker as they get older. Here the balayage highlights are applied with a light blonde shade in such a way that it appears to naturally be that soft, innocent blonde almost as if it never faded away from your childhood head of hair. Orange nails complement this look in a really cool way.
24. Gradient Balayage Blonde Highlights
With hair color, sometimes you can have the best of both worlds. This adorable style proves that you can have beautiful platinum blonde and a more subtle golden blonde all at the same time. Each color is swept through a darker natural color for a nice gradient of color.
25. Flirty and Fun Blonde Highlights
Adding your balayage highlights to a shorter bob haircut can have amazing results as well. These frosty tips fading out from a naturally dark color on this shorter ‘do gives your overall look a fun and flirty look while still being unique as well as not being too bold.
26. Flirty All Season Balayage Hairstyle
This is another fantastic look that is extremely versatile. The darker highlights have a more golden tone to them, adding a sweet sun-kissed vibe to the style. However, this style also has those great frosty ends that are perfect for anyone looking to spice up their winter hair.
27. Ultra-Textured Summer Blonde Hair
There are a wide variety of blonde shades in this highlighted style. This is an effortlessly textured look that is applied in such a specific way to be perfect for your next summer look. The brighter highlights on the outer layers of your hair allow the golden tones to radiate through – perfectly sun-kissed and effortlessly cool.
28. Polarizing Dark-to-Light Hairstyle Idea
Who says a Balayage style of highlight can’t be bold when you want it to be? We might think of this style as being more of a way to add dimension while still looking natural, but it can absolutely be a good choice for a more bold look as well. This look polarizes very dark hair at the top with frosty white tips at the bottom for a more exuberant take on Balayage highlights.
29. Ash-Toned Blonde Balayage Look
For an overall darker balayage look, this is a beautiful look. The combination of more prominently displayed dark hair along with the platinum blonde tips at the bottom help to create an overall ashy feel to the color. It’s a beautifully textured style that looks gorgeous on any hair length or style of cut.
30. Easy, Creamy Caramel Hairstyle
For a hairstyle that is simple and effortlessly beautiful, these elegantly applied caramel highlights flow down into a lovely creamy blonde at the tips. All of this color blends together in a luxurious combination of different delicious tones and textures. A flawless way to blend dark to light!
31. Fun beach style
Another flirty and fun beach look, perfect for your summer style. This is another style that mixes the balayage highlight technique with the beloved ombre style. The blonde, not being incorporated into the top portion of the head, fades in nicely in the bottom half of the hair.
32. Golden Texture
The texture is really the main point of note with this luxurious color style. The dark lowlights are left more prominently throughout, adding so much depth to this hairstyle all around. This is a perfect example of how Balayage can differ from an ombre style. The darker hair towards the bottom as well as the blonde highlights singing at the top are a big departure from an ombre style.
33. Smooth as Silk Balayage Style Highlights
You would be hard-pressed to find a smoother transition from dark to light in this ombre style balayage highlight hairdo. There is no clear point where the hair begins to make the transition – it is scattered throughout, starting from the very top point. This results in a true gradient of color from dark to light.
34. Ash to Balayage Blonde Hairstyle
Beach blonde highlights are sprinkled lightly throughout the top portion of the hair in this easy hairstyle. This elevates the ombre effect of this style by adding a beautiful and elegant ash-like quality to the color of the hair. Fading down into platinum blonde at the bottom, this multi-dimensional style is great for a fresh look.
35. Elegant Caramel-Gold
This is another classically soft color style that is perfect for really anytime. Darker caramel tones fade down from the top into some golden blondes that mix with more platinum blonde highlights towards the bottom. All are blended in a soft and subtle way for a classically beautiful look.
36. Golden Sunshine
This is another unique hairstyle that uses a combination of ombre style and balayage technique to create a blend that radiates like sunshine. Its golden tones as it fades from dark to light give seem to give the hair its own special energy – a great look for anyone wanting a beautiful and luxurious new color.
37. Bombshell Blonde
For a balayage highlight look with lighter tones, this is a great option, especially for those with naturally darker hair. The overall color of the hair is more blonde from top to bottom, and dark lowlights peaking out throughout. This fades elegantly to some radiant platinum blonde tips.
38. Blonde Balayage for Longer Hair
This is a very similar look to the previous look, but for longer hair. The style of these highlights translates well between any length of hair, making this a truly versatile coloring technique. The hints of darker golden tones are more evidenced towards the tips, giving a slight caramel flavor to the overall look.
39. Full Blonde Spectrum Balayage Highlight Layered Hair
You can find just about any shade of blonde layered into this unique look. From near-silver all the way to dark caramel blonde, this is a truly multi-dimensional look perfect for anyone looking up to spice up their hairstyle. It’s blended perfectly in an ombre-style look and a great twist on the long layered hair.
40. Soft Sunshine Gold Look
The golden highlights stand out against the dark roots in this softly fading look. It’s yet another nice ombre-style look that starts its transition high up close to the roots to create a hair color effect that simply glows. The golden locks cascade down into some lighter, softer blonde tones. Simply stunning.
41. Ultra-light Blonde Hairstyle
This is a super stylish look for anyone looking to emphasize the lightest blonde tones possible. Mixed with darker tones to create an ash-like color quality, the extra light highlights really shine at the tips. Definitely, a gorgeously unique way to mix up your hairstyle!
42. Deluxe Platinum
This look features that special shade of blonde we all think of when we think of beautiful blonde bombshells. Slightly golden in tone, these blonde locks flow effortlessly down from darker roots with that extra special balayage technique that makes it look so easy. Definitely, a much more low maintenance way to go platinum!
43. Full Drama
The contrast between the extra dark roots and the golden blonde tips make for a more intense look loaded with drama. It’s a really fun look for anyone looking to go for a little bit bolder of a transformation with balayage style highlights. Ultimately a gorgeous look!
44. Caramel Beach Blonde Balayage Look
This stunning coloring is an extremely versatile look featuring a wide range of luscious tones. From the natural roots to the caramel colored mid-tones to the flirty beach blonde highlights, this gorgeous palette of hair color offers really the best of all worlds, color-wise.
45. Beautiful Luxury Blonde Balayage Elegance
All the tones of this amazing look are softly layered together in a perfect blend. Darker caramel colored lowlights peak subtly through waves of lighter platinum blonde highlights. This is a beautifully natural look that can compliment an extremely wide range of personal styles.
46. High Dynamic Range Highlights
When you want the darkest of darks and the lightest of lights present all at the same time, consider this unique and beautiful look. Light blonde highlights are swept through throughout the middle sections of the hair, fading down to a full white-blonde at the tips.
47. Butterscotch Caramel Splendor
This candy-sweet hairstyle shimmers down starting from a dark caramel tone into a lovely butterscotch color down to the platinum blonde tips. It’s a luxurious combination of colors that adds almost a red hue to the lowlights to add a wholly unique and fun dimension to the balayage technique.
48. Tall, Dark, and Light Hairsytle Look
Long hair balayage looks can take on their own personality. This one, which is mixed with an ombre effect style, fades from dark brown to platinum blonde in that classic balayage sweep look. The long hair featured here also gives this gradient room to fade beautifully and gradually.
49. Caramel Sprinkled Blonde Highlights
At first glance, you almost don’t even notice the very subtle hints of caramel colored tones mixed in with the blonde highlights on top of the naturally darker hair. But the small peak of this extra tone really adds a special new dynamic to this already elegant look.
50. Ashy White Balayage Blonde Look
This look is a luxurious combination of flirty and sweet. Darker lowlights are swept throughout the more dominating white blonde hair that makes for a delicate but gorgeous color combination. The dark contrast to the ultra-light blonde elevates it in quick fashion from super sweet to super chic.
51. Luxury Straw-Colored Blonde Hair
You usually wouldn’t think of straw-colored to sound sexy and fun, but this look is just that. The combination of the blonde highlights swept throughout the look on top of the darker base give the overall hue a straw-colored quality, and it looks absolutely amazing.
52. Full Caramel Balayage Creamy Highlight
Not everyone (especially those with extremely dark hair) will want to go full on blonde with their highlights. Dark hair with highlights can be tricky Here is a good look that fades to that beautiful reddish-brown we refer to as caramel hair color. These highlights work incredibly well with that balayage sweeping technique to make even the darkest of dark hair with highlights look naturally sun-kissed.
53. Soft and Velvety Blonde
This is an incredible and beautifully unique hairstyle that combines the different tones of blonde in a way to make the hair color appear in a gradient all around the head. The resulting texture looks luxuriously soft and chic that is almost a little reminiscent of velvet. This stunning hairstyle is perfect for anyone looking for something that is unique and classic all at the same time.
54. Superbly Natural
Here is a flawlessly gorgeous look for anyone who wants their highlights to be done in such a way so that they look as natural as possible. The blonde tones streak through gradually at the top working their way down to full coverage at the bottom in a beautiful golden blonde reminiscent of the sun’s glowing rays.
55. Full Toned Blonde Balayage Hair Color
The tones that can be found in this fun but chic hairstyle cover a wide range – from dark brown to caramel to ash blonde hair to strawberry blonde to platinum blonde. And yet, even with all of this color, the look does not appear to be overly bold or have an unnatural feel. It’s ultimately part of that balayage technique that blends these tones together so quick and flawlessly..
45+ Brilliant Blonde Balayage Hair Styles to Enhance Your Hair Color For a Cute Hairstyle
There is a huge variety of styles that can come out of a balayage hair color technique. There is an endless combination of tones and colors that can be applied and it looks amazing in any color, length, or hair type. It’s an elegantly simple way to add just a little something extra to your hairstyle. It also can provide a broader range of coloring textures than is offered by an ombre hairstyle, making it important to understand the differences between ombre vs balayage and specifically what is balayage hair. The ultimate characteristic of this special highlight technique is its sweeping effect – the subtle brushing through to gradually incorporate these newer, fresher tones. It is a perfect way to turn your brown hair into brown hair with blonde highlights – as bold as you’d like, or not! That’s how much of an easy hairstyle this can be, making it perfect for your 2018 hair.
