When it comes to hair color, balayage tends to last longer than highlights. This is because balayage is a freehand technique that involves painting lightening solution onto the surface of the hair, while highlights are added with aluminum foil to help saturate the precise locks of hair. The result is a much more subtle appearance with balayage, while highlights can give you a more dramatic look. On average, most people choose to have touch-ups every eight to twelve weeks to maintain a uniform color and prevent it from growing back in shape.
However, this can vary depending on personal preference and the contrast between natural hair color and highlights. The difference between wicks and balayage is that wicks almost always use sheets, while balayage is more of a hand-painted visual technique. This means that the balayage offers a very subtle way to add a touch of luminosity to the natural color of the hair. Traditional wicks are made with sheets, which create sudden changes in the color of the hair. Since the wicks are placed at the root and the sheets create an obvious demarcation (making new shoots more visible), they need to be retouched more often than balayage. Balayage is different from one client to another, but around three to six months it's quite normal.
With that said, we recommend coming at least every eight weeks for a tonic, as copper tones will begin to peak. It's common to have some darker locks that reach the ends of the hair. Ombre is rather a two-tone style with a clearer transition. It consists of bleaching the entire lower part of the hair and then gradually applying a lightener upwards to blend the two sections. The most common balayage is multitonal blonde highlights, but it can be achieved with any combination of colors.
Laminated locks can eliminate red and orange areas much more effectively than with balayage, and your stylist will have more control over the tone of your hair when it comes to laminated highlights. Traditional standout dishes should be taken out approximately every six to eight weeks, as growth can be very obvious. Since balayage consists of lightening certain sections of the hair, the effect is permanent, although the color may fade slightly after a few months if not properly cared for (see below for how to obtain a bright and long-lasting color). If you have naturally light hair and the balayage includes darker tones, you can opt for a semi-permanent color. In conclusion, while both balayage and highlights can give you beautiful results, balayage tends to last longer and require less maintenance than highlights. Balayage also offers a much more subtle look than traditional highlights, making it ideal for those who want a natural look.