flamboyage coloring technique on hair

Oh la la! Flamboyage Coloring Technique on Hair

The Highlight of Your Life is Here

It’s getting closer and closer to consistently warm weather, summertime! Do you know what that means? It is time to sunkissed nails, skin and especially the hair! Your hair is the one thing that should be glistening in the sunlight 24/7 when it is the summer. What is a better way to do this than to add highlights to your extensions? The best part about highlights is that they can be as subtle or as bold as you want them to be and it is all up to your personal preference! You can choose to have brown hair with blonde highlights or even have black hair with burgundy lowlights. At this point, it is whatever you prefer. Another significant part about highlights is that people do them in numerous ways. Over the years, stylists and hair experts have been adding new techniques to highlighting hair, and they have yet to end. So, what am I trying to say? Well, we know what the tactic of ombre hair is like, and we even do a little something about freehand work. Of course, if you don’t, we will be touching basis with that anyway. What I want to discuss today is a new form of highlighting that could soon be taking over mainstream attention in the next few months. So if you are not on the wave, I suggest you finish this article to know what I’m talking about most of the time. If you don’t already know what I’m talking about, the technique is called flamboyage. Sounds pretty delicious, right? Well, I don’t suggest you eat this. It is fantastic on your hair extensions, though.

No, It’s Not a Dessert

This new trend is taking over salons by storm. Have you ever avoided getting highlights out of fear that it would look way too bleached and dry? The Flamboyage technique was created to give you that sun-kissed hair you had always desired, without it looking like the color is taking away the clarity of your hair. This new technique is low maintenance, and a combination of two other pre-existing methods called ombre and balayage. The method includes using a transparent adhesive strip to color the hair. Although there are different techniques to achieve the soft peek-a-boo highlights, flamboyage seems to be the go-to method. Flamboyage uses an adhesive paper called Flamboyage Mech. The article is said to be versatile, easy to use, practical and everything else a stylist loves to hear. It is a large strip of self-stick paper where if you apply the right amount, it will create depth and dimension in the extensions. The stylist will stick the adhesive side of the strip to a layer of hair in then lift it up. A random selection of weave stays in place on the Meche, and then someone paints the sections. This method isn’t the balayage technique, which we will get into later. The hair gives a natural, polished and mixed-in result. If done on your natural hair, the method will still look good after some time of your hair growing out. The entire process is honestly creative and artistic! The whole idea behind the flamboyage technique is to create a natural look within your tresses. You would think with a name that has the word “flame” in it, that it would mean the process would make your hairs end up bold and possibly unnatural. It is the exact opposite. Even brighter colors tend to look natural, although, if you have a desire to get more of a bold look there are tactics you can do. Some of those tactics include using beautiful colors to highlight your hair and applying thicker highlights. Check out the video below to see how we do the Flamboyage technique! *video*

Thank You, Europe

We haven’t always been in love with the idea of highlights. That is hard to believe, but it is true! Back in the early 2000s, there weren’t many techniques that kept us from looking like raccoons. I am talking about the bleached over and block-like highlights that just weren’t attractive. But, everything has to have its start, right? When ombre and balayage techniques came to light, it was like an entire hair revolution started that helped us regain our trust and confidence back into highlighting. Flamboyage is here to redefine what it means to put beautiful highlights in the hair and has now opened many salon doors to the concept of subtle hair dying. Where did this thing even come from all of a sudden? The idea was created and coined by an Italian hair colorist, mega stylist and artistic director for Davines, named Angelo Seminara. Davines is also where anyone can purchase the Flamboyage adhesive strips out of their Italian product line. Stylists use this technique in all Blue Tit London Salons, where stylists are calling it the next significant trend!

How is it Done?

I told you the basics of how but what happens during the process? Allow me to explain. The selected hair you plan to highlight is placed on the adhesive paper, and it somehow removes excess hair so the hair left in the adhesive will be colored. This process happens while the paper strip becomes the surface. That is also the secret to getting the color to flow naturally down the hair shaft. After coloring, the hair stylist folds the panel in half, sealed and secured. This process is low maintenance as stated before because the paper strip is visible. That means the stylist can check for the color development from a simple glance at the paper, which gives the stylist more control over the process. What happens now is the blending takes place, while also minimizing the distinction between your roots and newly did hair. That is how the hair comes out to be more natural than other techniques. One of the greatest things about this technique is that no matter what type of hair you have it will work on any of them. It doesn’t matter whether your hair is short, long, thick, or thin. It works wonders for gray hair, as well.

Ways to take Care of It

Highlights from any technique, still need the proper care to flourish. It is important to remind you that your hair is especially sensitive when it has been bleached or dyed. Here are some tips you can use when you think your hair needs some TLC!
  • Trim every eight weeks or so to keep your hair looking healthy and your style fresh. Your hair will thank you later!
  • Keep heat styling to a minimum to avoid fried ends and color fading. When you do blow dry, curl or straighten, use low heat settings and always apply a heat protectant first. This time would be good to do some research on a good heat protectant.
  • When you go into the sun, shield your hair from damaging UV rays. The sun can break down hair’s cuticle, causing those highlights to wash out. Apply a sun-protection product.
  • Dry your hair gently. Traditional towels create frizz, so it’s best to cut down on friction by blotting fragile, wet hair with a T-Shirt of a microfiber towel. You do not want to mess up your highlights this quickly in the game! Take care of your locks!
  • Hair care never stops, not even while you sleep and especially when you have highlights. Try using a silk or satin pillowcase to tame frizz, preserve shine and extend your style.
  • Slay the day away with your new highlights and learn to accept a compliment!

Other Similar Hair Coloring Techniques

You have probably caught on by now that there are other techniques you can use to highlight your hair. Because the new method of Flamboyage came into the light, we will discuss its predecessors of how it happened.

Balayage

Balayage and ombre came out before flamboyage and practically birthed the entire concept. In French, it means “sweep.” It means to paint the hair, much like an artist, in a sweeping motion. This process is why balayage is also known as “free-handing.” The highlights will be in more significant chunks of the hair. That makes it seem like the sun naturally lighten the hair. Foils and Meche were not used to apply the product, which makes the highlighted sections seem less saturated than other typical highlights. Also, the regrowth lies are barely noticeable, which means your hair will look as trendy whether you got your highlights a week ago or three weeks ago. The process for doing this highlight technique is relatively quick and easy!

Ombre

Ombre is something I am sure most of us are familiar with these days. To ombre hair means to go darker at the root. Once you are dark at the source of the curls, then you gradually get lighter towards the ends of your hair. Ombre hair is great because it works for any hair color. If the hair already has highlights, you can fake dark roots to make it seem like your hair has grown out in the last few months. It is all a part of the illusion.

Sombre

Sombre is less frequent in mainstream attention, but it is still just as worked on especially in celebrities. This is a softer version of ombre that is very subtle, yet fashionable at the same time. This technique is perfect for most hair textures. It is subtle. But, it takes the same amount of time as ombre. There are no real lines of distinction or demarcation between the highlighted hair and non-highlighted hair. That means fewer touch-ups! This process makes the low technique maintenance and less expensive in the long run.

Baby lights

Baby lights are a relatively new trend as well. It is a mashup between brunette and blonde that attempts to look like the natural lightened caused by sun exposure. The highlights are very subtle. It works similar to how we do the balayage technique, but it uses smaller sections of hair. This tactic adds layers of contrast and more subtle color combining.

Splashlights

When you decide to bring on the bold hair color but stay with the blonde/brunette color combination they are called “splashlights.” New York-based colorist Aura Friedman from Sally Hershberger salon, created this technique “splashlights.” She did this with the intention to recreate the color lightening of artificial lights shining on hair in a full strip. It’s a low-maintenance way to make a confident statement and join the two-tone trend.

Écaille (Tortoiseshell)

Tortoiseshell brown/blonde marbling has made its way from retro eyewear rims to grace the strands of celebrities everywhere. Say goodbye to stark two-tone and hello to multidimensional color with three or more varying hues of honey, Auburn, and mocha. The bold and beautiful Tiegan sported the look on a sweet beach-wave lob before adding more length and honey hues at her ends.

This New Trend is HOT

If highlights were on a spectrum and ombré was the most extreme and balayage the most subtle then flamboyage would be right smack in the middle. Ombre and balayage birthed the term flamboyage right out of the air. It takes a little longer than the hand-painted technique, but the end effect is more sun-kissed, and we think it is worth it! Similar to balayage, it’s tailored to the customer and works on curly, cut, flowing, red and brown hair. The sticky strips allow the hairdresser to be extremely precise with which strands she colors. The end effect has depth and vibrancy with different color tones woven through the hair. From personal experience, I'd say it is enough for people to notice and say, ‘your hair looks nice,’ but not enough to feel the pressure of upkeep. If you are thinking about trying out the new trend flamboyage has to offer let us know! We want to hear all of your experiences and why you plan on doing this. Leave a comment and share!
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