Colour Specialists

Balayage in Canberra

Sun-kissed, dimensional colour that grows out beautifully. At Hair Avenue Braddon, our colourists hand-paint every balayage using Wella Blondor with built-in bond protection — up to 9 levels of lift with up to 97% less breakage — so your hair stays as healthy as it looks.

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★★★★★ 4.9 from 190+ Google reviews · 2026 Phorest Client Experience Award

Why choose balayage?

Balayage is a freehand colour technique where lightener is painted onto the surface of the hair for a soft, natural gradient — brighter through the ends, seamlessly blended at the root. Because there's no hard regrowth line, it's one of the lowest-maintenance colour services you can choose: most clients refresh every 3–4 months instead of every 6 weeks. It suits almost every base colour and length, and our stylists tailor placement to your face shape and how you wear your hair.

The Hair Avenue difference

Every balayage at Hair Avenue includes a personalised consultation, Wella Blondor lightening with Wellaplex bond protection, a custom toner to nail your exact tone — warm honey, beachy bronde or cool ash — and a polished blow wave finish. Our Braddon salon uses Wella Professionals exclusively, and our colourists are blonde specialists first and foremost.

Clients come to us for balayage from across Canberra — Civic, Turner, Reid, Ainslie, Dickson, Lyneham and O’Connor are minutes away, and many travel in from Gungahlin, Belconnen, Woden and Queanbeyan. Parking and the light rail are both close to the salon on Lonsdale Street.

Hand-woven foils being placed through a blonde client's hair at Hair Avenue Braddon

Types of balayage we do

“Balayage” covers a family of hand-painted techniques. Your stylist will recommend one, or blend two, based on your base colour, the brightness you want and how often you’d like to be back in the chair.

Classic & lived-in balayage

Soft, sun-kissed lightness painted through the mid-lengths and ends with a blurred root. Refresh every 12–16 weeks.

Blonde balayage

Bright, creamy or icy blonde ends over a natural base. The most popular balayage in the salon, paired with a custom toner.

Brunette, caramel & bronde

Warm caramel, honey or bronde ribbons that add dimension to dark hair without turning it blonde.

Foilyage

Hand-painted pieces wrapped in foil for extra lift — the softness of balayage with the brightness of foils.

Money piece & face-frame

Bold, bright pieces around the face for instant impact. A quick add-on or a standalone refresh.

Reverse balayage & root smudge

Depth painted back in for over-lightened hair, or a shadow root that makes any balayage grow out for months.

Prefer a lighter touch? A partial balayage concentrates the colour through the top and face-framing sections for a subtler change at a lower price — ask at your consultation.

Balayage vs foils vs foilyage

Balayage
  • Hand-painted, freehand placement
  • Soft, natural gradient with no regrowth line
  • Best for low maintenance: 12–16 weeks between visits
  • Brightness builds over one or two visits
  • From $395
Foils (highlights)
  • Lightener sealed in foil from close to the root
  • The brightest, most even blonde
  • Refresh every 8–12 weeks
  • Half head from $299, full head from $350
  • See our blonde specialists page
Foilyage
  • Painted like balayage, wrapped like foils
  • More lift than balayage, softer than foils
  • Refresh every 10–14 weeks
  • Ideal for darker bases wanting a brighter blonde
  • Priced as balayage — quoted at consultation

What to expect at your balayage appointment

  • Consultation — we look at your base colour, hair history and inspiration photos, then agree the placement, tone and price.
  • Sectioning and hand-painting — lightener is painted onto the surface of each section, heavier through the ends and feathered towards the root.
  • Processing with bond protection — Wella Blondor with Wellaplex works while you relax with a coffee.
  • Rinse, toner and treatment — a custom gloss or toner sets the exact shade, then a treatment restores softness.
  • Blow wave or iron finish — styled so you can see the movement, with a home-care plan to keep it bright.

Allow 2.5–4 hours in total. Arrive with clean, dry hair washed a day or two before, and bring a photo or two of the result you have in mind.

Balayage consultation with a colour swatch book at Hair Avenue Braddon Balayage toner being rinsed at the basin at Hair Avenue Braddon Freshly toned balayage blonde being blow waved at Hair Avenue Braddon, Canberra

Pricing

Balayage Packagefrom $395

Tailored hand-painted colour with custom toner, Wellaplex bond protection and a blow wave or iron-styled finish.

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Balayage Special Deal + 50% Off Haircut Tue–Frifrom $385

Our signature balayage package with a half-price haircut, midweek only.

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Balayage Ultra Blonde or Correctionfrom $599

Maximum lift or full colour correction by our Master Stylist. Approx. 2 hours.

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Full-Head Foils / Blonde Packagefrom $350

A complete head of hand-woven foils with toner and blow wave.

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Half-Head Foils Packagefrom $299

Face-framing and crown foils with toner, treatment and styled finish.

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Blonde Refresh — 20 foils$325

Blend regrowth and re-brighten between full appointments, with toner and blow wave. For hair coloured with us in the last 12 weeks.

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Toner / Gloss Maintenancefrom $165

Bleach-free colour over your balayage to refresh the tone and shine, finished with a blow wave. Ideal every 6–8 weeks.

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Grey Blendingfrom $420 to $650

Gentle highlights or demi-permanent colour to blend silver seamlessly.

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"From" prices vary with hair length and thickness — you'll get an exact quote at your consultation. Midweek offers (Tuesday to Friday) available on the homepage.

How to keep balayage looking fresh

  • First 48 hours — hold off washing so the toner settles, then switch to a sulphate-free shampoo and always use heat protection.
  • Every week — one purple or blue toning wash for blondes, a hydrating mask for everyone.
  • Every 6–8 weeks — a toner or gloss to keep the tone true and the shine high.
  • Every 8–12 weeks — optional Blonde Refresh of 20 foils if you like it brighter around the face.
  • Every 12–16 weeks — your balayage repainted to lift the new growth and rebalance the blend.

Read the full routine in our guide, How long does balayage last?, and if your blonde is drifting warm, how to stop blonde going brassy.

Your balayage colourists

KellyOwner & Creative Director

Colour transformation is Kelly’s passion — from balayage blends to head-turning blondes.

KrystleManager & Master Stylist

A blonde specialist from icy platinum to warm honey, and our go-to for bright balayage.

TrinMaster Stylist

Balayage that works with curls and waves, plus smoothing treatments in the same visit.

KaylaMaster Stylist

Beautiful blondes and rich all-over colour, finished with a great haircut.

Meet the whole team on our blonde specialists page.

What clients say on Google

★★★★★“I had a full head of foils and a bob cut and they did such an amazing job!! I was unsure about going to a new salon, however this one is so so good and I would highly recommend for blondes. I loved that I had a few different hairdressers working on my hair and seeing them all collaborate. Will definitely return 😊”— Jessica G.Google review
★★★★★“Hair Avenue is just so good. Kelly does my hair and she is such a talent — she cuts my hair (short) beautifully, is helping me grow it out and absolutely nails the colour every time. It’s clean, friendly and I couldn’t recommend it enough.”— Catherine M.Google review
★★★★★“Krystle was a hair wizard! She transformed my bleached home-job hair into a beautiful vanilla creamy blonde ♥️ You are amazing.”— Evangeline B.Google review

4.9 stars from 190+ Google reviews. Read them all on Google or leave your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does balayage take?

Allow 2.5–4 hours depending on hair length, thickness and how much lift we're creating. Ultra blonde and corrective work can take longer — we'll give you an accurate time at your free consultation.

How often do I need to redo balayage?

Most clients book a refresh every 12–16 weeks. Because the colour is hand-painted with a soft root blend, it grows out without a harsh line.

Will balayage damage my hair?

We use Wella Blondor with Wellaplex bond protection, which reduces breakage by up to 97% compared to traditional lightening. Your stylist will assess your hair's condition first and recommend the safest path to your goal.

Do you offer a free balayage consultation?

Yes — colour consultations are complimentary. We'll assess your hair, discuss tones and placement, and give you an exact quote before you commit.

How much does balayage cost in Canberra?

At Hair Avenue Braddon our Balayage Package is from $395 and includes a custom toner, Wellaplex bond protection and a blow wave. Ultra blonde or colour correction balayage is from $599. Midweek (Tuesday to Friday) the Balayage Special Deal is from $385 and includes 50% off a haircut. The final price depends on your hair's length, thickness and starting colour, and you'll get an exact quote at your free consultation.

Does balayage work on dark or brunette hair?

Beautifully. Caramel, honey and bronde balayage add dimension to dark hair without turning it blonde, and a shadow root keeps the grow-out soft. If you want a very light blonde result on a dark base, we may plan it over two visits so the hair stays healthy.

Can I have balayage on short hair?

Yes. Bobs and lobs suit balayage particularly well — we adjust the placement so the lightness sits where it frames your face and catches the light, rather than only on the ends.

Can I get balayage over box dye or previously coloured hair?

Usually, but it needs a careful assessment first. Box dye and old colour lift unevenly, so your stylist may recommend a colour-correction approach, a strand test or a two-step plan. Bring photos of your hair history to the consultation.

How should I prepare for my appointment?

Come with clean, dry hair washed a day or two before, wear your hair the way you normally do so we can see how it falls, and bring inspiration photos. If you're also booking a haircut, the colour goes first so the cut shows off the finished blend.

Can I add a haircut to my balayage?

Any day of the week you can add a cut and blow wave when you book. Tuesday to Friday, the Balayage Special Deal includes 50% off your haircut.

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Hair Avenue Braddon · Lonsdale St, Braddon · Walk-ins welcome

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