Meaning & use
balayage
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Meanings
noununcountable
A hair-coloring method where color is painted onto the surface of the hair in soft, natural-looking streaks.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun: 'She asked for balayage.' You can say 'a balayage' only when referring to a single treatment.
Patterns
- have balayage done
- get balayage
- a balayage technique
She decided to try balayage instead of full highlights.
The salon specializes in balayage for a sun-kissed look.
Balayage gives a softer grow-out than traditional foils.
adjectivebefore a noun
Describing hair that has been colored using the balayage method.
Grammar: Comes before a noun: 'balayage hair', 'a balayage look'.
Patterns
- balayage hair
- a balayage look
She showed the stylist a photo of balayage hair.
His balayage highlights looked very natural.
Common combinations
- balayage highlights
- She wanted subtle balayage highlights, not chunky streaks.
- do balayage
- The stylist will do balayage on my long hair.
- balayage technique
- The balayage technique requires a steady hand.
Synonyms and how they differ
- highlights
- Highlights usually means strands of hair lightened with foils; balayage is a specific freehand painting method.
- hair painting
- A general term for any freehand color application; balayage is one style of hair painting.
Commonly confused: balayage or balaclava?
balayage vs balaclava
A balaclava is a close-fitting woolen hat covering the head and neck; balayage is a hair-coloring technique. They sound somewhat similar but are unrelated.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'balayage' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Balayage is a hair-coloring technique, so it fits with a stylist and hair. The first option confuses it with 'balaclava' (a hat), the second and fourth use it as if it were a food or paint, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “balayage”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.