Balayage & Babylights
Hand-painted lightness, freehand rather than in foils. Balayage is a soft, swept, sun-in-your-hair effect that grows out without a hard line. Babylights are very fine, delicate highlights that mimic the natural lightness children have — subtler, and closer to the root than balayage.
Placement and technique are chosen for your haircut, your natural colour and how much maintenance you actually want, so no two are the same.
Who it’s for
Anyone who wants to be lighter without committing to a strict regrowth schedule. If you can only get to a salon two or three times a year, this is the colour service that forgives that.
What you also need to book
- A toner. Lightening gets your hair light; a toner makes it the shade you want rather than raw yellow or orange. If we’re using lightener (bleach), that toner is the BlondorPlex Toner, which has bond-building built into it. Otherwise, add a toner to your booking.
- A cut or a blow-dry. This service is the colour only. Book a cut, wash and blow-dry or a wash and blow-dry alongside it so you leave finished.
What to know
- Grow-out is soft, so you can leave it longer between appointments than foils.
- It doesn’t cover grey. If you have greys through your parting, you’ll want a tint or Colour Touch alongside.
- Patch test: if you’re new to colour with us, or you haven’t had colour here in the last six months, we need to patch test you at least 48 hours before your appointment. You can come in any time during opening hours for it — no appointment needed.
Reviews
- I Iveta 5 star Treatwell review
“Lovely salon. Zowie is very talented. She gave me recommendations what to use for my damaged hair. I am very happy with the final colour of balayage.”
Read more of Iveta's review - V
Vanesa Salazar 5 star Google review
“Very attentive and kind, they will give advice if you want and also make the best effort to give you the hairstyle that you had in mind. I am very happy with my haircut and my balayage. I would recommend 100%.”
Read more of Vanesa Salazar's review - J Jennifer 5 star Treatwell review
“Absolutely loved the colour and the little wave that was added to my hair. I felt great when I left the salon and went to my birthday dinner. Thank you! :-)”
Read more of Jennifer's review - P Priscilla Dorio 5 star Google review
“I was visiting from overseas and usually quite pedantic with my foils. I found Zowie on instagram and I’m so glad I did! She made me the most perfect golden blonde that I’ve been trying to get hairdressers to achieve for a long time now. She was also very thorough and gentle and all around a good person. Hopefully my photos and videos do it justice. iPhone photos tend to make things more white/grey than they are.”
Read more of Priscilla Dorio's review - S Susan Wilson 5 star Google review
“I’m thrilled with the style and highlights James did on my hair today. The salon experience was really enjoyable, filled with great conversation and laughter. I felt warmly welcomed and am absolutely satisfied with the results. I highly recommend the salon and look forward to returning for more delightful chats.”
Read more of Susan Wilson's review - S Sara 5 star Treatwell review
“Absolutely love my haircut and colour”
Read more of Sara's review - N Noemi Dentice 5 star Google review
“I had the best experience at PeterJames! The staff is super lovely and highly experienced! they really listened to what i wanted and delivered the best results! i will forever be grateful to both James and Peter for how well they took care of my hair! and lastly, the range of products they use is the of the best quality and they’re so good at advising and explaining what’s best to use! will be coming back!”
Read more of Noemi Dentice's review - C catherine jones 5 star Google review
“Just had my hair done at PeterJames for the very first time. Went there on recommendation from my daughter. What can I say- I absolutely love my new cut and colour from James. The salon is spacious and modern, the staff are super welcoming and friendly and the 2 wee pups make the experience all the more enjoyable!! Would highly recommend and it will most definitely be my salon of choice from now on!”
Read more of catherine jones's review
What's the difference between balayage and babylights?
Both are hand-painted freehand rather than in foils. Balayage is a soft, swept, sun-in-your-hair effect; babylights are very fine, delicate highlights that mimic the natural lightness children have, subtler and closer to the root than balayage.
Is a toner included?
No. Lightening gets your hair light; a toner makes it the shade you want rather than raw yellow or orange. If we're using lightener (bleach), book the BlondorPlex Toner, which has bond-building built into it. Otherwise, add a toner to your booking.
How does it grow out compared with foil highlights?
Balayage grows out softly, without a hard line, so you can leave it longer between appointments than foils. If you can only get to a salon two or three times a year, this is the colour service that forgives that.
Will balayage cover my grey?
No, it doesn't cover grey. If you have greys through your parting, you'll want a Full Head Tint or Colour Touch alongside it.
Does it include a cut or blow-dry?
No, this service is the colour only. Book a cut, wash and blow-dry or a wash and blow-dry alongside it so you leave finished.