Balayage for men could boost your colour business

While dip-dye and ombré-style colouring techniques may still be hugely popular amongst your female clients, it's possible that the concept of balayage for men may not have crossed your mind. Until, that is, Jared Leto started out on his winning spree during this year's award season. The actor well and truly stole the show in 2014 - and not just for his career-defining appearance in Dallas Buyers Club. Stepping out on the red carpet at ceremonies including the Oscars and Golden Globes, as well as on the cover of Vanity Fair, it was Jared's hair that had us all talking. How does he get those waves looking so natural? How does he it get so shiny? Does he ever have a bad-hair day? We may never know the secrets of Jared's hair - other than that Chase Kusero is the man behind it - but what we do know is that it has brought the concept of balayage for men firmly into the salon. Men's colour is potentially big business and with today's more image-conscious men happy to embrace salon services beyond the usual short back and sides, there's never been a better time to talk to your clients about the bringing a little colour into their lives. Balayage expert and international colour director for Neville Salons, Jack Howard, says:

Sporting his surfer-guy ombré hair during awards season, Jared Leto showed that the whole freehand highlight movement shows no sign of slowing down. While certainly very LA, his look is also extremely on trend and what's so great about it is that it requires very little upkeep. Within a salon, men's freehand services are a quick and effective option - either balayaging the ends on longer hair to give a sun-kissed look (and what guy doesn't want to look like he’s been on vacation for a month?) or if we're looking at quiffs and longer hair through the top, we can paint on some balayage highlights through the front giving us a much less obvious regrowth and a softer feel than with foils. In the States, balayage has been a service for men and women for a long time. Jared has just upped the game by going a little stronger with the contrast and that's just all down to taste levels. Men love this service because of its speed and also because they not sat there with a load of foils in, just a few hand-painted pieces."