Foilayage either looks hella good or freakishly TERRIBLE. I’m here to make sure that your work fits under that “hella good” category.

Tip #1 USE A BOARD

Utilizing a balayage board helps to create a solid surface so that way you can paint exactly where you want to. A board also allows you to apply more pressure and get more even saturation; therefore, creating better lift!

Tip #2 SMALLER SECTIONS = SOFTER RESULTS

Thicker & wider sections are harder to achieve maximum lift as well as seamless blending. Because let's face it, if you have a thick section, you are primarily painting the top. For all you know that underneath may be poorly saturated and may create blotches & harsh lines. Thinner and smaller sections achieve higher and more even lift.

Tip #3 USE A SELF SECTIONING COMB

Self-sectioning combs are the fastest & most efficient way to achieve a seamless blend. Using a comb like this will help diffuse any lines of demarcation. These work extremely well especially on hair that doesn't contain lots of baby hair or it doesn't tease very well. I use the comb on the mids-ends of the hair and then separate the 2 sections. Take the top section and tease up the shorter hairs and then proceed to the painting process.

Tip #4 UTILIZE ANGLES WHILE PAINTING

Varying angles lead to a more natural and sunkissed placement. I rotate between deep "V" shapes & deep diagonal slants to create intentional highs and lows throughout the hair. Painting with these angles will help to avoid straight or harsh lines of any sort.

Tip #5 LIGHTENER & DEVELOPER CHOICES

You want to choose your products based on: How long the application will take you, How long it will process for, What level/state you're starting with & what level you're aiming for.

For most of my foilayage applications, I start with 7 or 10 vol through the back of the hair and gradually increase developer volumes as you progress through the hair. This will allow the hair to process more evenly, and odds are you won't have to pull/wipe any foils.

Remember that it is better to use lower volume developer and let it process longer. This will give you greater results. High volume developer lifts quickly but it stops after a while whereas Low volume will lift slower but has a much longer life span until it stops.

Tip #6 USE INFARED LIGHTS

Infared lights are the new and improved versions of the hooded dryers (at least in my opinion). They will help the hair process faster but aren't directly blowing hot hair to cause the hair cuticle to swell. When the hair cuticle swells, this will cause lots of excess damage. With Infared lights, you can only apply the light directly to the sections that need a boost. This will help you cut down on processing time & give your foilayage consistent lift throughout the entire head.

Tip #7 BRUSH IT OUT PRIOR TO GLOSSING

Everything may look flawless as you're pulling the foils, but the only way to be sure is to brush it out before glossing. I always shampoo then apply the Biolage Milk Rinse. The milk rinse will help soften the tease and make it easier to brush out + it will even out the porosity of the hair and allow the gloss to be more even!

Once you brush it out, you will be able to decipher if your guest's hair needs any form of root melting to provide additional blending.

Tip #8 GLOSS IS A PROCESS

Glossing is an extremely crucial aspect of the foilayage process & you need to trust in your formula! Most stylists see the color beginning to oxidize and freak out then proceed to rinse out too early. Glosses need to process for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 20 minutes to allow for long lasting results. Typically, the number of minutes your gloss processes is how many washes your guest will have before it is gone.

Practice these tips and you will notice that your foilayage work will be on another level so quick! Tag me in your photos, I would love to see your work!

xoxo,

Bec

The Ivory Hair Lounge