How to Balayage Hair at Home

Last updated October 09, 2025

It wasn’t long ago that people began flocking to salons for balayage highlights. Not only did they look natural and carefree, but it was also a low-maintenance option for stylish yet hectic lifestyles. As with many highlight styles, its popularity took another leap when DIY kits came out that made balayage hair at home an easy weeknight activity with striking salon-worthy results.

For anyone who has gotten balayage hair color done and/or wants to try it at home, here’s the ultimate step-by-step guide complete with product recommendations and pro tips. Also consult our complementary hair color techniques guide to brush up on best at-home color practices.

What is Balayage?

Parlez-vous balayage? Originally a French highlighting technique, the name means to give your hair “a sweep” of light. More literally, it’s a freehand application method where you randomly brush highlights onto your hair so they look totally natural. The ultimate in personal expression, balayage at home works for all hair types and colors, plus you get to decide the amount and intensity of your own blonde streaks.

Bonus points: unlike clearly defined foil highlights, you can never apply too much lightener with DIY balayage, plus dark roots won’t show as it grows out. That means the endless root re-highlighting cycle is over!

What Does Balayage Look Like?

Balayage highlights softly flow with your hair because they seamlessly blend from the mid-lengths to the ends of your locks. Since these highlights create a low contrast with your base color, they add subtle depth and dimension that grows out gracefully. Speaking of colors, you don’t have to use a shade designated as a highlight. Some of the most popular shades for balayage hair are regular at-home hair dye colors like caramel, honey, and toffee that create different levels of contrast depending on the base color.

Garnier Balayage Hair Color

Our at-home kit for balayage highlights is formulated for base colors ranging from dark blonde to dark brown. For very dark brown or black hair, especially if it’s thick and/or coily, check out the three Caramelo Blondes. They can all be applied using the balayage technique.

Try an All-Over Base Color Before You Balayage

If your current hair color is uneven, faded or needs gray coverage, you can apply an all-over base color to create a consistent undertone. For best results, we recommend doing this one or two weeks before applying balayage hair color. Try our Shade Selector Tool to find the best Garnier shade for you.

What You Need for Balayage Hair at Home

Doing balayage at home is pretty simple, and you don’t need a ton of supplies. Here’s your checklist for prepping your DIY balayage:

Balayage kit: Nutrisse Ultra Color BY1 Ultra Balayage Kit (or other box color kit, see the Garnier Balayage Hair Color section above)
Inside the box: gloves, instructions, developer, dye, conditioner
Hair clips: plastic is the best option
Old towel or shirt you don’t mind staining
Mirror
Timer
Waterproof Micellar Water to remove any stains from skin

How to DIY Balayage Your Hair

Balayage hair looks so great that many people think it’s a complicated process. But with the right tools and a little patience, even beginners find it a snap.

Prep

Place a towel around your shoulders and remove any jewelry.

Brush out

Use a wide-toothed comb or detangling brush to get any snarls out of your hair.

Clip up

Especially if your mane is thick or long, divide up and pin back your hair into 4 to 6 sections. This makes it easier to keep track of where you brush on the highlights as you go.

Glove up and mix

Put on the gloves in the box. Open the color crème tube and screw the cap back on completely to pierce the tube. Squeeze the entire contents of the ampoule and color crème tube into the applicator bottle. Shake for 30 seconds to mix evenly, then break off the tip of the applicator. The mixture should look creamy, but not too runny.

Apply in sections

Unclip a bottom section of your hair to begin working on. You can apply the balayage hair color anywhere you want, for example just around your face or from the roots or mid-lengths downward.

Apply your color

• Load your brush with the lightening mixture and sweep it through your hair as if you’re doing a freehand painting. Once the ends are saturated in one section, reclip it and move to the next section above.
• When applying at the mid-lengths, lift up the strand you want to lighten and sweep the brush through, making sure it is fully saturated. Use a feathering motion in an upward sweep to create softness.
• Gently set the strand down and start the next one. Remember to move from left to right to create balance in the lightening.
• Reload the brush with lightening mixture as needed and complete all the sections.

Let the color process

Depending on the desired lightening you want and your base color, set your timer for between 25 and 45 minutes. You can check you hair every 10 minutes to customize your results.

Rinse thoroughly and style

Keep your gloves on and rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water, then apply the Nourishing Anti-Brass Conditioner. Let sit for 5 minutes and save the rest for follow-up applications. Discard the unused developer-dye mixture.

How to Maintain Balayage Hair

Maintaining your new highlights calls for regular use of balayage hair products to keep your highlights vibrant. They should be color-safe and free of sulfates that can dry out your hair and fade results.

Balayage hair care routine

Color Shield shampoo and conditioner are a specially formulated combo that protect and moisturize your new balayage for long-lasting shine. Our Whole Blends Argan Cranberry Color Care range also offers expert color care with Argan Cranberry shampoo and conditioner that revitalizes color-treated hair.

Moisture boosts

Color-treated hair really benefits from the extra moisture of a leave-in conditioner like 10-in-1 Miracle Nectar or a weekly Honey Treasures mask to help maintain color after lightening.

Touching up your balayage hair

By design, balayage hair color is a carefree style that keeps looking good as it grows out. If you want to touch it up, we recommend redoing your DIY balayage every 8 to 12 weeks, depending on how natural the grow-out looks.

Balayage at Home FAQ

Can you do balayage hair without bleaching first?
How long does a DIY balayage last?
How do I choose the right balayage shade for my hair?

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