Balayage has been serving gorgeous hair color since the 1970s, and the looks keep coming a half century later. In fact, balayage is as popular as ever thanks to its ability to melt colors in the dreamiest, most natural-looking way.
“Balayage is a hand-painted highlighting technique that creates a soft, natural gradient of color, mimicking the way the sun would naturally lighten your hair,” explains Chase Kusero, celebrity colorist and co-founder of IGK Hair Care. “It’s one of the most customizable techniques out there, which makes it perfect for playing with multiple tones and color dimensions.”
Whether you’re looking to add depth, brightness, or just something new, balayage is an easy way to blend shades together. Here are some of the most gorgeous balayage color combos you can try.
Cinnamon and Toffee
This balayage color combination fuses a rich cinnamon base with hand-painted ribbons of warm toffee blonde through the mid-lengths and ends. “It’s perfect for brunettes who want to add brightness without going overly blonde,” says Nick Arrojo, celebrity stylist based in New York City. “The cinnamon keeps it grounded, while the toffee adds glow and dimension.” He recommends this look for anyone with warm skin tones since it can make your complexion pop and hair shimmer.
Medium Brown and Caramel
This more tone on tone highlight is great for medium brunettes who want to add some sparkle to their hair without any high maintenance commitment. “Caramel-toned highlights are painted into the hair with a medium strength mixture to ensure the proper level of lift,” explains celebrity colorist Cassie Cohen. The result is a quiet luxury melt that grows out like a dream.
Copper and Brunette
Red tones are a definite do for summer, and this balayage color combo offers just enough. “Think warm espresso brunette roots melting into ribbons of copper and amber,” Kusero says. “The copper adds brightness without going blonde, and it enhances natural depth. It’s perfect for brunettes who want a seasonal shift or a bolder edge without going too light.” Plus, he adds that copper catches the light beautifully and warms up the complexion.
Smoky Lilac and Cool Platinum
Want to try an unexpected balayage look that plays with color? This could be it. A blend of icy platinum blonde with soft, smoky lavender tones woven throughout delivers a cool, futuristic finish without feeling over-the-top.
“This look is all about clean, high-impact color with a creative edge,” Arrojo says. “Platinum is hugely popular because it’s bold, bright, and surprisingly versatile; it makes any fashion-forward tone pop and gives a polished, editorial feel to the hair.” Meanwhile, sheer lilac adds softness and individuality, making this combo perfect for anyone who wants a modern, eye-catching look with a hint of personality.”
Cool Blonde and Beige
This combo blends soft champagne and beige tones with icy blonde pieces throughout. “It’s more modern than traditional platinum, and feels l sophisticated, dimensional, and wearable,” Kusero tells us. “It’s ideal for natural blondes or highlighted clients who want to soften their look while staying bright. The beige helps ground the cooler pieces and keeps the blend creamy, not stark.” He recommends using a purple toning product to keep the cool blonde bright.
Mocha and Caramel
Calling all dark brunettes. This look starts with a rich, chocolatey mocha base and infuses caramel balayage throughout for a beautiful, dimensional blend of warm tones. “The caramel pops without overpowering, and it gives an effortless glow,” Kusero says. “This look is universally flattering and works beautifully on deeper brunettes looking to add warmth and movement. The lived-in blend grows out beautifully, too.”
Champagne and Ash Blonde
For a cool toned blonde balayage, look no further than this divine color combo. “This blonde requires both a bleach mixture and a low light. The bleach power should be reflective of how bright and light the desired blonde is; and the low light is a mixture of a darker, neutral color that is in the same family as the client’s natural level,” Cohen says. “This combination is for a blonde that loves to see dimension and lots of varying tones and color throughout their blonde.”
Golden Honey and Peach
Here’s a medium blonde with a playful touch of warm peach tones. “Golden honey blonde with soft peachy tones melting through the mids and tips is a fresh take on warm balayage,” Arrojo says. “Peach is having a moment, and this combo gives you a fun, seasonal refresh without going full pastel.” He adds that it looks amazing on golden or neutral skin tones and is perfect for blondes looking to try something new while staying sunny and warm.
