The balayage technique emerged in the United States in the '70s, and in French, quite literally means to sweep, not paint (via The New York Times). It has grown increasingly popular in recent years as the color is expertly brushed across strands to look natural rather than uniform. According to colorist Matt Rez who spoke to the Ouai, balayage is a way to coat color onto hair sans aluminum foil. The result can be stunning as hair gradually appears lighter down the hair shaft. By going for this method, you can also experiment with lightening the hair with multiple hues of brown or blonde to add dimension to elevate your look beyond one hair color (via Glamour).
Additionally, this technique works best if you wear your hair in waves because they easily bounce the colored balayage strands and reflect them in the light. However, a huge plus of opting for the balayage look is that it requires way less upkeep since it's meant to give hair a lived-in look and blend with your natural hair color, not against it, explains hairdresser Richard Ward to Marie Claire. Something else to keep in mind is that since it does require more skill to achieve this look, get ready to drop some serious coin for balayage compared to highlights (via Hair.com from L'Oreal).
