Balayage & Toning Tips for Reds & Copper Hair Clients

Balayage is quite different from foil highlighting because the hairdresser paints colour directly onto the hair as opposed to wrapping it in foil. There are no stripes and it’s all about the seamless blends and future proof vibes for low maintenance colour that looks gorgeous as it grows out without any harsh lines or obvious roots.  

Show notes for Episode 171

Balayage and Zone Toning is a completely different strategy for Reds & Coppers to Blondes & Brunettes

I’ll be sharing with you in this podcast strategies for toning red hair and copper clients that request to go lighter because I want you to understand that it’s the complete opposite to everything you have been taught about zone toning for blondes and brunette hair.

I just know once you listen to this episode you’ll have an AHA moment and feel brave to start offering warm balayage and foiling packages with customised toners that enhance your work as opposed to getting unpredictable results with harsh blends of colour along the hair strand.

Toning or glossing the hair has become an industry terminology that is thrown around in the salon at the basin like the client should know what it is.

Some brands like the word gloss instead of toner because toners might make a client worry if they once had the experience of their hair turning blue or pink beige from a toner gone wrong in the past. Personally, I think the word gloss refers to shine only. Hi-gloss shine to be precise.

That’s why I like to be honest with clear explanations with clients around what a toner looks like and how I customise it for them. 

It’s important we geek out as hairdressers in our own tribes but we need to speak a different language with clients when we are talking about colour to our clients. Perhaps we could use words like colour enhancing toner or colour depositing gloss

How is toning reds and coppers different for reds than brunettes?

• Zone toning for Balayage is usually about dropping the roots and toning different areas on the head with colours ranging from Level 5 to a Level 9
• It could be as much as 4-5 levels in variation for brunettes or 2-3 levels variation for blondes on the one head of hair
• When you are working with reds and copper colours you don’t want to remove all the warmth because reds and coppers need warmth
• The levelling system for reds and coppers is very different from brunettes and blondes because every level of red and copper is a completely different tone
• I suggest you tone ½ -1 level lighter on any red or copper base if seeking blended balayage effects to avoid harsh blends of totally different tones
  Listen to Episode 171 to learn more about balayage and toning strategies for redheads and why they are so different to working with Blondes, Brondes and Brunettes.