We all know that upkeep of colour can be expensive – so more often than not, clients are seeking the best results for their hair that require minimal upkeep and long-lasting effects. Traditional foils require a more demanding upkeep, and when your roots do start to appear, it often feels like a dramatic difference. Hair painting may be the answer to your problems – a hair painting colour technique which will give the hair a more natural and organic effect. So what are you waiting for? Start your journey to beautifully coloured hair today with the help of RUSH’s specialised expertise in haircare.
What is Hair Painting
Hair painting is a technique of painting colour on to the hair with a brush instead of using traditional foils. This technique creates a feathered, gradual look, as each highlight blends seamlessly with the base colour and the hair will grow without a line of demarcation – ultimately creating a more natural look that requires less maintenance.
Hair painting’s popularity has surged in recent years thanks to it’s low-maintenance upkeep, whilst also being similar to balayage. Hair painting creates depth and definition, by painting certain areas of the hair to create the illusion of thicker hair. In comparison to other techniques, hair painting can give the illusion of a full head of highlights, just without the foil. Traditional foils require a more demanding upkeep, and when your roots do start to appear, it often feels like a dramatic difference.
How Long Does Hair Painting Last?
Whilst hair painting has a more gradual regrowth than other methods of hair colouring, the colour will eventually grow out within 6 – 12 weeks. However, the difference between hair painting and other methods of colouring is that the regrowth will be less noticeable and you’ll not have a line of demarcation – the tell-tale sign that you need to get your colour redone. This means that you can go longer between salon visits, instead having hair that naturally grows out.
The most popular hand painted hairstyles are about keeping it natural, whilst adding dimension and depth to the hair. The process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on your hair type, and gives the stylist time to place the colour and allow it to be processed. As with any bleaching treatment, a certain level of damage can be caused to the hair. We’d recommend chatting with your stylist before proceeding if you suffer from thinning, damaged or fine hair.
Hair Painting Techniques
Free – Hand Painting |
Balayage |
Ombré |
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| Images | |||
| Sectioning | This method uses panels and triangles to section the hair. | This method uses thin panels and subsections to section the hair. | This method uses horiziontal and diagonal pieces to section the hair. |
| Application | Heavy application, vertical brush strokes. | Light application, sweeping the hair, vertical brush strokes. | Fully saturated from the mid-lengths to ends. |
| Tools | Foils, open-air processing | Open-air processing | Open-air processing |
| Final Results | Most like your traditional highlights. Strands of blonde which contrast the base colour. | The most natural of the three techniques. Seamlessly blends with the base colour. | Gradually blends with the base colour, beginning with a darker root and gradually becoming lighter |
Choosing the Right Hair Painting Technique
Hair Painting is one of the best techniques to use when you’re looking to frame the face, or if you’re looking for a more natural look. But before you delve into the world of hair painting it is essential to take into consideration your hair type, goals and how willing you are to maintain the colour. Balayage and Free Hand Painting are a great option for those with thin or fine hair as it offers a natural-looking dimension to the hair, enhancing the hair’s thickness thanks to the contrast between light and dark tones. Ombré and Free-Hand Painting are a better option for those with thicker hair as these techniques will create a more saturated look on the, whilst still giving the hair that ‘lived-in’ look that requires minimal maintenance.
DIY Hair Painting vs. Professional Salon Services
Behind every beautiful balayage or ombre is a skilled colourist who has taken the time to strategically hand paint their colour. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and trying out hand painting, we’d always recommend going to a salon and getting your hair professionally coloured. Especially when lightening the hair, the structure of the hair weakens, which leaves it more prone to damage and breakage.
Going blonde should be done with care, and ideally over a few visits to maintain the condition of the hair. With the different methods of hair painting, less bleach is used, but it will still cause a certain level of damage to your hair, so we’d always recommend leaving it to the professionals! Book your hair appointment with one of our skilled colourists at Rush.co to embark on a personalised coloured hair journey!
Getting Hair Painting at a Hair Salon
It’s the age old question, is it better to dye your hair when it’s dirty or clean? You’re in luck, we’ve got the answer. Hair dyes are more effective when used on hair that has not been freshly washed. So we’d recommend that before coming in for your hair painting treatment that you skip a wash, which will allow for sebum to build up on your scalp – combatting the irritation that can be caused when colouring. The process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on your hair type, whilst also giving the stylist time to place the colour and allow it to be processed.
Many clients are under the impression their hair dreams can be brought to life in only a session, and whilst that is sometimes true, hair painting is not an expedited process. A dramatic change, like lightening the hair, can result in the structure of the hair being weakened, leaving the hair more prone to breakage. We’d recommend chatting with your stylist before proceeding if you suffer from thinning, damaged or fine hair. Hair painting could cost you anywhere between £120 – £170, depending on location.
How to maintain your hair after hair painting
You’ve invested time and money into getting your hair looking, so it’s vital that you invest in an at-home routine that keeps things looking fresh. We’d recommend considering investing in a colour safe shampoo and conditioners that won’t pull colour from the hair, and try a colour toning conditioning mask; which is a great way to refresh your blonde hair in between salon visits.
Also, remember, healthy hair means hydrated hair! We’d recommend staying hydrated, keeping a balanced diet and finding alight hair oil that keeps ends looking neat and mid-lengths looking glossy.
Alternatives to Hair Painting
The most common alternative to hair painting is foil highlights, which is often used instead of the hair painting technique. However, if you’re after a more natural effect, then we’d recommend sticking to hand painting. If you’re still looking for another alternative to hair glossing, then we’d recommend using glosses and toners to give the hair that extra oomph!
Book Your Hair Appointment Now
Ready to start your journey to beautifully coloured hair? Book your hair appointment with our skilled stylists at Rush.co.uk or find a hairdresser near you to embark on a personalised coloured hair journey. Our experts are here to bring your hair dreams to life!
FAQ's
What is hair painting?
Hair painting is a technique of painting colour on to the hair with a brush instead of using traditional foils. This technique creates a feathered, gradual look, as each highlight blends seamlessly with the base colour and the hair will grow without a line of demarcation – ultimately creating a more natural look that requires less maintenance.
What is the difference between hair painting and highlights?
Hair painting is a lighter method of painting on the colour, and this is a method which also doesn’t require foils.
What is the difference between hair painting and balayage?
Hair painting is very similar to balayage, with the only major difference being the saturation of the product used throughout the hair. In comparison to balayage, hair-painting uses strategically placed pieces of hair which are heavily saturated with colour to contrast with base colour.
What is a full head of hair painting?
A full head of hair painting is similar to a full head of highlights, in which the colour is painted on to contrast with the base colour, adding depth and dimension. The main difference is that the colour is not as heavily painted on with a full head of hair painting.
Is hair painting suitable for all hair types?
Balayage and Free Hand Painting are a great option for those with thin or fine hair as it offers a natural-looking dimension to the hair, enhancing the hair’s thickness thanks to the contrast between light and dark tones. Ombré and Free-Hand Painting are a better option for those with thicker hair as these techniques will create a more saturated look on the, whilst still giving the hair that ‘lived-in’ look that requires minimal maintenance.
How long does hair painting typically last?
Whilst hair painting has a more gradual regrowth than other methods of colouring, the colour will eventually grow out within 6 – 12 weeks. However, the difference between hair painting and other methods of colouring is that the regrowth will be less noticeable and you’ll not have a line of demarcation – the tell-tale sign that you need to get your colour redone.
