Established by Simon Constantinou in 1980, Simon Constantinou Salon is an award-winning salon and its team are specialists in advanced hair colouring and balayage. Balayage has been gaining more popularity in recent years, but what is it? The Simon Constantinou’s hair team have broken down everything you need to know about the colouring technique which seems to be taking over the hair styling world.
What is Balayage?
“Balayage is a freehand hair colouring technique which gives the client a blended natural look which grows out with no harsh or obvious regrowth lines.” Steph
“For those who have never coloured their hair, it’s amazing what we can achieve using just hi-lift tint (no bleach!), leaving you with an incredibly natural sun-kissed look. Whether you are brunette or blonde, this more subtle balayage can be perfect for those who are nervous about colouring their hair for the first time.”– Chelsea.
What are the benefits of Balayage?
“The biggest benefit of a balayage is that it is low-maintenance, so whilst this type of job seems more expensive, it means you can go longer between colours. Many of our clients just top up with a toner in between balayage refreshers” – Laura.
“For those who have never coloured their hair, it’s amazing what we can achieve using just hi-lift tint (no bleach!), leaving you [with] an incredibly natural sun-kissed look. Whether you are brunette or blonde, this more subtle balayage can be perfect for those who are nervous about colouring their hair for the first time.”– Chelsea.
How to maintain healthy hair through this Chemical Process?
Maintaining the health of your hair is of utmost importance to achieving gorgeous locks. We asked Simon what he would recommend doing to protect the hair during colouring.
He said: “We are big fans of Olaplex, which actually fixes broken disulphide sulphur bonds in the hair that occur during chemical processes or heat damage. So, we thoroughly recommend adding Olaplex to your colour service to help protect your hair and leave it feeling amazing. Regular Olaplex treatments can maintain the health of your hair and therefore keep the colour looking amazing for even longer!”
Stylist Karen added that “Both coloured and sun-damaged hair can have a knock-on effect as the months go on. The hair can get very thirsty, dry and brittle. We recommend clients have a trim every 6-8 weeks to seal the damaged ends.”
But achieving healthy hair doesn’t just happen in the salon. There’s a lot you can do to look after your hair at home as well.
Simon’s top tips for looking after your hair at home are:
- Use professional shampoo and conditioner that’s specifically formulated for coloured hair.
- Use a violet shampoo every so often to neutralize brassy tones in blonde hair.
- Try to go longer between washing your hair as this allows the natural oils your hair produces to protect the hair from drying out.
- Protect your hair during styling with a heat protection spray or serum as heat appliances really affect coloured hair.
So, is a Balayage worth the investment?
The short answer is YES!
- It lasts much longer. Rather than touching up color every 4 to 6 weeks, Balayage clients may opt to leave it longer, many leaving 6 to 9 months between colours.
- It uses way more product to achieve the multi-tonal dimension that makes this look so gorgeous!
- It takes more time. Your first Balayage appointment takes at least three hours on average. Depending on the original colour of your hair, you may expect to be in the salon longer than this (so remember to bring lunch!). Refreshes are quicker, once all the hard work is done in the first session.
- It requires more education. All of our Balayage experts are specially trained in this technique and have extensive experience in this hair service. You can expect absolute professional expertise.
To book a FREE colour consultation & skin test at Simon Constantinou, call02920 461191 or visit their website www.simonconstantinou.com.
