Balayage vs highlights, which colour service is right for you?
Janet Salon Owner
Published
Balayage and highlights are the two most requested colour services in almost every UK salon, and they are the two clients are most often confused between. Both lift the natural colour of the hair. Both can be tailored to almost any tone. They are applied very differently though, they grow out very differently, and they suit different people. Choosing between balayage vs highlights comes down to four things, the finish you are after, how often you want to be back in the chair, your hair type, and your budget.
At Park Row in Brighouse, we do plenty of both. This guide explains how each technique works, what they look like in the mirror, what they cost, and which one is likely to be right for you.
How balayage and highlights are applied
The headline difference is in the technique itself. Highlights are applied in sections, with lightener wrapped in foil from root to tip. The foil holds heat against the hair, which gives a brighter, more uniform lift and a clear line of contrast against the natural base.
Balayage is the opposite approach. The colourist hand paints lightener freehand onto the surface of the hair, focusing on the mid lengths and ends and leaving the roots untouched. There is no foil and no contact between the lightener and the scalp. The result is a soft graduation from your natural root colour to brighter tips.
Highlights tend to take less time in the chair, usually two to three hours including toner. Balayage usually takes between two and a half and four hours depending on length and density. Neither is harder on the hair than the other, the difference is mostly in placement and finish.
What they look like once finished
Highlights give a brighter, more obvious lift, and the pattern is more uniform across the head. They tend to suit clients who want a clear contrast against their natural colour, a polished, salon finished look, or who are working toward an overall lighter blonde over several appointments.
Balayage gives a softer, more lived in finish. The colour is brightest at the ends and graduates softly upward, similar to how hair lightens naturally in the sun. It suits clients who want a low maintenance look, who want depth at the roots, or who like the idea of colour that grows out gently rather than showing a hard line of regrowth.
Most clients pick balayage when they want a relaxed, natural finish, and highlights when they want something brighter and more defined. The two also combine well, a service often called foilyage, where the colourist paints the hair freehand but wraps each section in foil for a slightly stronger lift than traditional balayage.
How often you will need to be back
This is the most practical difference between the two services and worth thinking about before you book.
Highlights generally need refreshing every four to six weeks because the lift is uniform across the head, so any regrowth is visible at the parting and hairline. If you want to keep highlights looking sharp, you need to budget for the salon visit and the time as well as the cost.
Balayage comfortably stretches to eight to twelve weeks between appointments, sometimes longer with a toner refresh in between. The grow out is part of the design, so a few weeks of regrowth still looks intentional. If you would rather be back in the chair less often, balayage is almost always the better answer.
For more on stretching colour between appointments, see our guide to how to care for coloured hair between appointments.
Which suits which hair type
Both techniques work on most hair types, but each has a sweet spot.
Highlights tend to look brighter and more striking on light to mid brown bases, blonde bases, and finer hair where the contrast comes through cleanly. They work on dark hair too, but the lift sometimes takes more than one session to reach the level you want.
Balayage suits a wider range of natural bases, including dark brown and black hair, because the soft graduation looks intentional even when the lift is more subtle. It is also a good option for thicker, longer hair where the painted placement can be tailored to the way the hair falls. Balayage on textured or curly hair can look beautifully lived in, the curl pattern softens the placement and gives a sun kissed result.
If you are unsure which would suit your hair, we will look at your base, your face shape, and how you wear your hair day to day at your consultation, and recommend the one that will look best on you.
What they cost in Brighouse and Halifax
In the Brighouse and Halifax area, balayage and highlights sit in a similar price range, with the exact figure depending on hair length, density, and how much lift the colour needs.
A partial service of either is the lightest option and the most affordable entry point. A full head of either sits in the middle of the range. A full service with a toner and treatment is at the top. Balayage often comes out slightly more expensive than highlights of the same scope, because the freehand application takes longer and the toner is doing more work to give the soft finished tone.
You can see the current prices for both services on the Park Row hairdressing price list, and we will quote you a fixed price at your consultation before we start. For a deeper look at what is included in a balayage service in particular, see our guide to balayage in Halifax, what it is, how it works, and what it costs.
Making either last
Whichever service you choose, the aftercare is broadly the same. Wash less often, use a sulphate free shampoo, finish with a cool rinse, and use a weekly conditioning mask. We send most of our colour clients home with the Keune Care Color Brillianz range we use in the salon, because it locks in the toner and slows fade on both balayage and highlights equally well.
You can see the full range of colour services we offer, including balayage, highlights, root colour, and toners, on our hair colour page.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more expensive, balayage or highlights?
In the Brighouse and Halifax area they sit in a similar range, with the exact price depending on hair length and density. A full balayage usually comes out slightly higher than a full head of highlights because the freehand application takes longer. We will quote you a fixed price at your consultation so you know exactly what you are paying before we start.
Which lasts longer between appointments?
Balayage stretches further between appointments, usually eight to twelve weeks compared with four to six for highlights. The grow out on balayage is soft by design, so it does not show a hard line of regrowth. If you want to be in the salon less often, balayage is the better choice.
Can I have balayage if my hair is dark?
Yes, balayage works beautifully on dark hair, the result is usually a soft caramel, bronze, or honey through the mid lengths and ends rather than full blonde. The lift takes longer than on lighter bases, so the appointment is slightly longer, but the finish is one of the most flattering looks for dark hair.
Can I combine balayage and highlights?
You can, and a lot of clients do. The technique is sometimes called foilyage, where the colourist paints the hair freehand but wraps each section in foil for a slightly brighter lift. It gives you the soft placement of balayage with the lift of foiled highlights. We will recommend it at your consultation if it suits the look you are going for.
Which is less damaging to the hair?
Both lift the natural pigment, so both are demanding on the hair. The damage is mostly down to how the colour is applied and how the hair is looked after at home, rather than the technique itself. A well done balayage and a well done set of highlights, paired with sulphate free aftercare and a weekly mask, will both keep the hair in excellent condition between appointments.
Not sure which one suits you?
Book a colour consultation at Park Row and we will look at your hair, your routine, and the look you are going for, then recommend the service that fits you best.
