The primary difference between ombre and balayage is in how the hair color is applied. Balayage involves painting the hair in a way that creates a natural, gradual transition between darker and lighter sections. This technique typically leaves some of the ends untouched, resulting in a longer, more subtle transition.
On the other hand, ombre is a technique where all of the ends are colored, resulting in a shorter transition between the darker roots and lighter ends. The term ombre comes from the French word for "shaded or graduated in tone," and it creates a two-tone effect, with darker roots blending into a lighter shade. The distinction between the roots and the ends is more pronounced with ombre than with balayage.
To achieve balayage, the colorist takes small sections of hair and paints the color directly onto the surface. In contrast, ombre is typically done with horizontal sections of hair that are fully saturated with a lightener, and the color is blended upward to diffuse the line. The result is deliberate and more obvious than balayage.