What’s the best way to keep the spirit of summer alive, even in a cold Calgary winter? Making sure that your hair has that sun-kissed, carefree look to accent your locks, curls, and waves! And as it turns out, nothing works quite as well for that as a balayage: a perfectly blended mix of light and dark that highlights your hair and gets heads turning. It’s a popular choice because it’s low-maintenance and works with almost any hair colour and style.

There are many different ways to modify this style, but today we’re going to talk about how a caramel balayage can really make brunette hair pop. Read on for more great balayage ideas for 2023 and beyond!

Getting Your Balayage Colour Right

Let’s start with the natural tone of your hair: is it jet black, or is it strawberry blonde? Either way, a caramel balayage can bring out the best of it. Here are some ways you can pull it off:

1. Brunette-to-Blonde Patterns - a tried-and-true classic, getting a glossy caramel balayage on your brunette tresses is sure to draw all eyes toward you. Bonus points if you get additional layers near the end of your hair, giving a nice, full appearance.

2. Highlights on Dark Hair - if your hair is very dark, adding in some lighter balayage colour is a great way to add the illusion of more volume and an intense contrast. Pair it with waves or curls for an even more striking effect or play around with the shade of the colouring – the possibilities are endless!

3. Caramel Highlights on Brown Hair - balayage doesn’t just look good on black or dark brown hair. A little bit of highlights on light brown locks can be very tempting, with a smooth transition and airy contrast that screams style without being too attention-grabbing.

4. Strawberry Blonde Balayage – it’s true: “dark roots” is no longer a dirty word, and you can embrace your natural colour up high. In fact, this works very well with a strawberry blonde balayage, as the blend of caramel lightness and natural darkness – with just a hint of playful red – adds a ton of personality to every strand.

5. Caramel Ash Balayages – a fearless blend of rich brown and “almost-white-but-not-quite” blonde, caramel ash balayages are a great choice for indecisive brunettes that want the best of all worlds. Mix it up with big, bouncy curls or waves for an alluring texture effect that’s impossible to miss.

Getting a Caramel Balayage for Different Hairstyles

1. Subtle Balayage on Curly Hair – an eye-catching balayage isn’t all about bold colours and extreme changes from the root to the end of your hair. Sometimes, all it takes is a subtle shift from one shade to the next, giving off a sense of volume and confidence. This works well if your hair is wavy or curly, too!

2. Balayage on Straight Hair – we’ve mentioned curly or wavy hair a lot here, but that doesn’t mean they have exclusive dibs on a good balayage. Caramel colouring can really shine through well when your hair falls straight down, so don’t be afraid to show off those locks, even if they don’t curve at all.

Balayage for Short and Long Hairstyles

1. Caramel Balayage on Shorter Hairstyles - you don’t need a lot of length to make a balayage look good, so even if your hair is relatively short, feel free to dive right in. You can make a confident and sexy statement by going from dark to light before your hair even touches your shoulder – how’s that for style?

2. Balayages on Bob Hairstyles - put a modern twist on your bob cut with some layered waves of caramel lightness, hanging free over your ears and shoulders. It blends the cute and sweet attitude of a bob that’s grown out with an inviting style all your own!

3. Balayage on Extra-Long Hair - of course, if you can put a splash of subtle colour on a short cut like a bob, why not on extra long hair, too? The rich caramel colour of a balayage can really shine through to full effect on extra-long hair, without coming across as extra-dramatic.

4. Medium-Length Blonde-Brown Balayage - you can make an overall caramel balayage really stand out on medium-length hair by choosing to drastically lighten just the tips of the strands. The transition from dark brown, to brown, to caramel, to blonde is bold and noticeable, but doesn’t seem overpowering to people passing by. What more could you ask for?

Balayages in South Calgary

If you’re inspired to get a balayage of your own, there’s always a chair open for you at Rush Salon in Calgary’s Silverado neighbourhood. Book your appointment online and you’ll have the caramel-coloured balayage you’ve been dreaming of, in no time at all!