Take your regular balayage a step further with our new Foilayage technique.

January 19, 2023

Love your balayage?, we don’t blame you. The freehand hair coloring technique taken from the French word for ‘sweeping’ gives a really blended, natural look with no harsh or obvious regrowth lines. But do you fancy learning a technique upgrade that was developed to work perfectly with our 2023 Hair Color Of the Year? Then it’s time to try Foilayage, a combination of balayage with the use of foils more often seen in the traditional application of highlights to create brighter, lighter sections throughout while retaining a natural-looking finish.

Foilayage is a technique that many hairdressers are already using, but thanks to a new take on the technique that has been created to take regular foilayage a step further and really showcase the best way to make our Revlonissimo Colorsmetique™ Color of the Year: 8.222 Virtual Mauve Blonde by Revlon Professional stand out, we have just what you need to put innovation at the spotlight of your salon! So, now you’re ready to learn how to recreate the new foilayage technique that creates definition and hi’s and lows to give extra lift to your style, it’s time to read on!

As a hairdresser you may not be aware that what you’ve been lovingly creating all these years even has a name! It’s time to take the credit for your creativity or to embrace a creative highlighting technique that will certainly gain you new business. Let’s make the new Foilayage technique come alive in every salon.

What Is the Foilayage Technique?

There are so many coloring trends and terms around but one that is key to know is the Foilayage technique! Like Balayage, this trend is an artistic freehand painting technique that uses the stylist’s artistic flair to recreate personalized color. It allows the lighter tones to melt seamlessly into a Balayage background that looks fresh but also ‘lived in’ thanks to the natural blend from the darker roots.

The difference with Foilayage (compared to balayage) is that these hand painted pieces are then wrapped in foil to help retain and produce heat, which ensures a lighter, brighter result. This can help stylists really make key areas pop and can produce dimension by simply using your favorite pre-lightener. We recommend the Magnet™ Blondes range, which has various options that beautifully lift and respect the hair. There’s an option available to you no matter your client’s natural base, condition, or technique. If you opt for Foilayage, you will see various levels are created between the pieces of hair in the foils and the slighter, darker, and warmer pieces that are painted on. The combination of these top techniques create Foilayage, the perfect choice for a bespoke color! Keep reading to learn how foils plus Balayage can help you get the color you’ve always dreamed of!

How to Apply Foilayage

Foilayage is generally created with a lightener, a paddle, and brush. However, as stylists, we like to adapt and evolve, so it can also be created by painting pre-lightener onto the back of the hand (please wear gloves!) or with actual paint brushes cut on an angle. Very arty, right? The equipment varies but of course health and safety should always be priority and really your technique and the products are what create the impact. Color is painted onto the hair using the Balayage technique, then all or certain sections are wrapped in foil to give more lift and brightness to create foilyage. This is usually done around the face for face framing and the top near the mids and ends, where the sunlight would naturally hit and lighten the hair, foil is used as it conducts heat better than the open air so the product is absorbed deeper in the fiber, giving more lift.

Foilayage is a technique that can be used in different ways depending on the level of lift and end result required. However, if you are inspired to get the new Foilayage technique and achieve the #ColorOfTheYear look follow the steps and use the products below!

Foilayage

So what makes our new foilayage technique different? Instead of hand-painting slices of hair throughout the head, we strategically prelightened curved sections around the frontal area to achieve virtual dimension. We combined foilayage with an intense permanent color (Revlonissimo Colorsmetique™Hair Color Of The Year 8.222) and utilized different levels of developer to achieve a dynamic and highly personalized result. Applying the pre-lightener in a different pattern avoids creating any obvious lines throughout the hair, adds dimension, and helps create a more natural grow out. Remember that any pieces you Balayage or Foilayage will lift more than an open-air Balayage so this is perfect for darker hair or for someone who wants a really drastic change. So don’t be afraid to go bold and bring a virtual dimension to your salon by offering 2023’s Hair Color of the Year: 8.222 Virtual Mauve Blonde Hair Color as a global color option. This intense shade by Revlonissimo Colorsmetique™ is perfect as part of your foilayage technique.

Why the Foilayage Technique Is Salon Friendly

Foilayage has increased in popularity on the runways and on the high street. The best part about this look is that it can be adapted to illuminate key areas and is fast to refresh and recreate each and every visit. What more could you want? It attracts a wide audience of clients no matter their preferred style, hair condition, or hair density because there is a variation of Foilyage to suit every hair type and color. To adapt to hair density, you can use thicker curved sections to create a stronger visual effect or reduce the curves on fine hair. You can also create lowlights and a shadow root effect by applying the pre-lightener as close or far from the roots as you wish. Once you have decided which strands of hair to lighten and which shade is best for your client’s needs, it’s time decide if you will apply a permanent base color such as Revlonissimo Colorsmetique™ for triple dimension reflect for more richness, more vibrancy and more tone expression or to rinse the hair and apply a toner once processed. You could also apply Color Excel Gloss by Revlonissimo™  in your selected tone and mix with the developer (which only requires 4 vol. developer) to help achieve the most complementary tone for your client. Our PRO Tip is to always remember that warmer or cooler tones work best with different skin tones and hair types but to also get creative and have fun!

 

Even though the Foilayage technique is relatively easy to maintain, you can keep your clients coming back in for toning services, root touch up’s or you could offer face framing foilayage top ups to keep your clients hair healthy. Also trending all year round with a shimmering gloss by Color Excel Gloss by Revlonissimo™ in-salon and offer icy tones such as Nutri Color™ Filters Metal-Ice Toning Filters – Revlon Professional for a home top range of semi-permanent hair dye in a conditioning mask for healthy radiant flawless shine and ultra luminous effects.

Our mission is to offer you new techniques and the latest color trends to help you empower all your clients so they can find the best version of themselves so now you know all about new Foilayage technique and the best way to achieve this sought after technique then we encourage you complete our online course revlonproalwayson.com and try it for yourself with our 2023 Hair Color of the Year: 8.222 Virtual Mauve Blonde. You can stock up at our Revlon Pro Shop.

 

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