Hair Color Techniques Explained - A Quick Guide for Guests
Our pricing reflects the experience and expertise of each stylist on our team. Every guest receives the same Studio 285 standard of care, attention, and customization regardless of which level they book — the difference lies in years of training, advanced education, and demand.
Balayage Hair Color
Balayage (French for "to sweep") is a hand-painted highlighting technique where color is applied freehand to the surface of the hair, creating a soft, sun-kissed, natural-looking result with minimal regrowth lines. Unlike traditional foil highlights, balayage hair color doesn't follow a uniform pattern, which means it grows out gracefully — perfect for low-maintenance guests who only want to visit the salon every 3–4 months.
Foilage (Foil + Balayage)
Foilage combines balayage placement with the brightness power of foils. Color is hand-painted, then wrapped in foils to amplify lift and saturation. Ideal for guests who want balayage softness with a bit more punch.
Highlights and Lowlights
Hair highlight and lowlights add dimension by weaving lighter strands (highlights) and deeper strands (lowlights) throughout the hair. This classic technique creates contrast, depth, and movement — and works on virtually any hair type or starting color.
Full Foils / Full Blonding
A full head foil placement from front to back delivers the brightest, most complete blonde result. This is the technique behind our full blonding session and is the go-to for guests pursuing platinum blonde color or maximum, all-over brightness.
Root Touch Up
Maintenance color applied only to new growth — typically ¼ inch to 1 inch — to refresh permanent hair color and provide seamless gray coverage. Root touch up hair color is the most popular maintenance service for guests with consistent regrowth.
Root Melt
A softening technique where color is melted from the natural root down into the lightened lengths to blur the demarcation line, extending the life of highlights or balayage.
All-Over Color
Single-process color applied from root to tip. Often used for brown hair color transformations, gray coverage, deepening tones, or refreshing a faded base. A great option for first-time color guests.
Toning & Glossing
Toners and glosses neutralize unwanted warmth, add shine, and refine the final tone. Toning is included in all of our color services and is also bookable on its own through our Tone + Style service.
Double-Process / Vivid Color
The technique behind our vivid hair color services. The hair is first lightened, then a custom vivid shade (pink, purple, red, copper, etc.) is applied for maximum vibrancy. Requires more time and maintenance but delivers the boldest, most editorial results.
Color Correction
Hair color correction is advanced problem-solving for hair that's been damaged by box color, banding, brassiness, uneven application, or DIY mishaps. Corrective work is highly customized and may require multiple sessions to achieve the safest, healthiest result.