Black Balayage Hair Is The Perfect Way To Lighten Up This Winter

If you’ve ever thought about lightening your black hair, you’re no stranger to the fact that it takes dedication. Aside from the knowing that typically multiple bleaching sessions are needed to reach your desired lightness, there’s also the issue of maintenance. That’s where the black balayage hair trend reigns supreme. This hand-painted highlighting technique is a low-commitment way to lighten up a black mane, which is just one of the reasons why it’s taking over this winter season. Ahead, we’re sharing all there is to know about black balayage, including five hair color ideas for giving the trend a try.

What Is Black Balayage Hair?

Black balayage hair is exactly what it sounds like—balayage on black hair. It’s all about adding lightness and dimension to an otherwise onyx mane. Since balayage involves your colorist hand-painting highlights for a natural, sun-kissed appearance, it’s ideal for those who love a low-maintenance ‘do, as there’s no need to worry about routine root touch-ups. Aside from its manageability, black balayage is a huge trend for winter, thanks to its dark yet dimensional aura. It’s no secret that the spring and summer months are generally filled with blonde and light brown hair color trends, whereas winter is all about going darker with your mane. Black balayage fulfills the dark hair requirement while still giving you the ability to play with lightness, which is why it’s considered the best of both worlds for the cold season.

How To Get Balayage On Black Hair

Like we mentioned, black balayage hair calls for a colorist, since balayage highlights are expertly hand-painted throughout your mane. That said, you can test drive black balayage with the help of some temporary hair color, like the L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color Spray or L’Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup Temporary 1-Day Hair Color. Both products wash out in just one shampoo, so you can experiment with adding different colors to your black strands without the long-term commitment.

5 Black Balayage Hair Color Ideas To Try

Sure, you know that black balayage is all about adding highlights to an onyx mane, but there’s more than one option when it comes to bringing this trend to life. To help give you some inspiration, here are five of our favorite ways to rock balayage on black hair.

1. Blonde Balayage On Black Hair

This is one of the most traditional and popular options for black balayage hair, specifically because it brings two colors on opposite ends of the spectrum together. Blonde balayage on black hair will leave you with light, blonde ends and scattered highlights throughout your mid-lengths on a black base. This means you won’t have to stress over a harsh line of demarcation between black roots and blonde highlights.

2. Caramel Balayage On Black Hair

If blonde is a little too light for your liking, consider caramel balayage on black hair. This blonde-meets-brown color pairs beautifully against pitch-black strands and is particularly flattering on those with dark skin tones. The caramel highlights will add the perfect amount of warmth to your locks.

3. Red Balayage On Black Hair

For those who love to play with color, red balayage may be the perfect take on the black balayage hair trend. As you can probably guess, this variation involves your colorist painting red balayage highlights throughout your mane. You can opt for a fire engine red to make a statement or go with a darker burgundy for a slightly subtler option. If you really want to play up the dimension, ask your colorist for a mix of different red highlight shades.

4. Silver Balayage On Black Hair

To take your trendy hue up a notch, opt for silver balayage on black hair. This is the ultimate smokey look, and one we’re especially fond of for winter. Bring on the metallic dimension!

5. Espresso Balayage On Black Hair

If you prefer a subtle change, espresso balayage on black hair will do the trick. This near-black brown highlight shade won’t create a harsh contrast against your onyx base, but rather add just the right amount of movement to your strands that will have people second guessing if it’s your natural color.

Next up: If you love the idea of lighting up black hair, here are 31 Ideas For Black Hair With Highlights.