Balayage vs Highlights vs Lowlights: Which Suits Your Hair

Most people who walk in asking for balayage or highlights are picturing the same thing: lighter, brighter, more dimension. The trouble is that the two techniques, and lowlights alongside them, get you there in different ways and leave you with different hair months later. At Salon 695, our colorists would rather you leave with the result you pictured than the technique you named, so here is a plain guide to the difference.

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What is the difference between balayage and highlights?#

Highlights are foiled in sections from root to tip, while balayage is painted by hand without foils, with most of the color placed through the mid-lengths and ends. Both lighten sections of hair. What changes is where the lightener goes and how crisp the result looks.

How balayage is applied#

Your colorist sweeps lightener onto the surface of each section freehand, deciding placement as they go. Because the brightest pieces start below the root, the finish is soft and blended, and the shape is customized to your face and your part. Our guide to balayage in Denver covers that technique in depth.

How foil highlights are applied#

Your colorist takes a fine section, applies lightener and folds it into a foil packet so the lift stays contained and even. That gives you brighter, more defined pieces from the root outward. Foils suit anyone who wants a clear, noticeable brightness, or who needs more lift than a painted look gives.

Where do lowlights fit in?#

Lowlights are the opposite move: instead of lightening strands, your colorist weaves in deeper shades of caramel, honey-brown or chestnut. They bring back depth when hair has gone flat, or when highlights have built up and the whole head looks one bright shade.

Lowlights are not a separate camp. They work alongside either technique, and many of the most natural blonde and brunette looks are a mix of lighter and deeper pieces. If your color looks bright but somehow flat, depth is probably what is missing, and that is a lowlight conversation. It also answers the common question of highlights vs lowlights: one adds brightness, the other adds shadow, and most hair looks best with some of both.

How do balayage, highlights and lowlights compare?#

Balayage grows out softly, foil highlights show a clearer regrowth line sooner, and lowlights depend on how far they sit from your natural shade. This table sums up the differences.

	Balayage	Highlights	Lowlights
How it is applied	Painted by hand	Foiled from root to tip	Foiled or painted, with deeper shades
Look	Soft, blended, lived-in	Bright, defined pieces	Depth and contrast
Grow-out	Soft, no hard line	Clearer regrowth line	Gentle when close to your natural color
Consultation first	Yes	Yes	Yes
Salon 695 price	From $220	Color + highlights $180–$210	Not on the price list; ask your colorist

How often do you come back for each?#

Balayage tends to grow out more softly because color does not start at the scalp, so most people can stretch the time between visits. Foil highlights start at the root, which means a regrowth line shows sooner. Your colorist sets the schedule for your hair, your starting color and your tone, so ask at your consultation instead of guessing.

A gloss between visits can refresh tone on any of the three. We explain how that works in our guide to hair gloss, including why it is priced when you book.

If your hair runs dry, Denver’s dry climate is a fair reason to keep a gentler routine at home. Lightened hair is more fragile, and the American Academy of Dermatology advises coloring within a few shades of your natural color to limit stress on the strands.

Which one suits your hair color and texture?#

The right choice depends on your starting color, your texture and how much you want to think about your hair. A short consultation settles it better than any chart, and these are the patterns we see most.

• Dark hair. It can be lightened with either technique. Going noticeably lighter usually takes more steps, so your colorist will plan the lift and the tone before anything is mixed.
• Curly hair. Painted placement follows the curl pattern, so balayage often looks natural on curls. Foils can work too when your colorist places them with the curl in mind.
• Gray hair. Fine foiled pieces can blend gray in with surrounding color, and balayage grows out softly. Your colorist will look at how much gray you have and where it sits.
• Already lightened hair. Lowlights can bring back depth without another full lift.

Hair color at Salon 695 covers all three, and a haircut after color can sharpen the shape so the dimension reads the way you intended.

How much do balayage and highlights cost?#

On our color menu, balayage is priced from $220 and color with highlights runs $180 to $210. All-over color is $100 to $120, and gloss is priced when you book. Because each stylist sets their own rate, your exact price is confirmed when you book, and your colorist gives you the range before any product is mixed.

Length, thickness and how much lightening your goal needs all shape the final number, which is another reason the consultation comes first. You can see the full list on our color services page.

How do you ask your colorist for the one you want?#

Bring two or three photos, including one of a look you do not want, and describe the finish in words rather than just naming a technique. “Soft and blended near the root” and “bright from the root” lead to different results, even though both might be called highlights by someone.

Then be honest about upkeep. Tell your colorist how often you realistically want to be in the chair, and they will choose the technique that fits. A good colorist will say if balayage, highlights, lowlights or a mix is the better route for your starting color. Our guide to the hair color consultation walks through what to bring and what we will ask you.

How do I book color at Salon 695?#

Start with a consultation, because it sets the plan. Choose your colorist from the in-house 695 Squad or from our independent beauty pros, and tell them what you picture. If you are weighing longer or fuller hair alongside color, ask about hair extensions in the same visit so the whole look is planned together.

Use the booking button on this page to reserve your visit, or read more of our stylists’ advice in the hair services section of the site.