Balayage going blotchy, what did I do wrong?

[gryfiss]

So I did a friends hair last night and balayage hair I used blondor and 10/8 9% I used a paddle and then covered each section with cellophane. The bleached areas on random bits went blotchie I was so disappointed it looked a mess so I foiled those areas out and re bleached over the top please give me some pointers on what I've done wrong I'm never going to free had again foils all the way for me in future ! If anyone knows of any courses I could do I've seen the loreal one but I work with wella. Thanks in advance x:Scared:

 

[cassies97]

You really need to make sure your pressure is light and even all the way down the hairshaft.

 

[AcidPerm]

Aw, don't give up just yet. Like most things, practice is the key.
I bet the first time you learnt to foil, it wasn't perfectly neat and tidy?

Get yourself an old training head and keep practising.

Personally, I'd be inclined to do the Loreal course if it's local and soon. It's the techniques you want to learn about, after all. Also, if you pick up some loreal info, it might come in handy in the future if you want to move jobs or change your colour line.

In my book, you can never go on too many training courses. :wink2:

 

[gryfiss]

god I was so disappointed in myself it was more where the bleach had touched the unbleached hair and almost spotted on it looked such a mess I was mortified I did manage to sort in out and she text this morning to say she loved it but im not convinced it was perfect. just about to ring loreal now . also the bit that was 10/8 didn't lift great in areas with banding she had natural colour then a semi permanrt half way down her head( very very faint you couldn't see it until you lifted up to the light) I did do a test strand in a foil and it lifted perfectly it didn't under the clingfilm:Scared:

 

[RED STAR]

When 'painting', make sure you get the consistency right, and put enough on....
Also, choose the right product for the job, it's soooooo important.
I only ever use L'Oreal's PLATINIUM for this, it doesn't bleed, swell or transfer, so no need for film.

 

[satchel]

Agree with all the above. Practice is key! Make sure you mix it thick enough so it's not runny. Also agree, for this Platinum is amazing.

I rarely use cling wrap unless i feel the need for slight heat to lift. I have a huge box of cotton that is one large coil. I cut pieces off when I need one. This way I can make smaller pieces of cotton to put under the balayaged piece or a longer one.

You will get better! x I promise!

 

[dollface2305-x-]

Practice is key, just keep going with it, the first few I did were shocking, I think also we are our own worst critic! Don't let it get you down

 

[gryfiss]

Agree with all the above. Practice is key! Make sure you mix it thick enough so it's not runny. Also agree, for this Platinum is amazing.

I rarely use cling wrap unless i feel the need for slight heat to lift. I have a huge box of cotton that is one large coil. I cut pieces off when I need one. This way I can make smaller pieces of cotton to put under the balayaged piece or a longer one.

You will get better! x I promise!

I spoke to wella today and they said if the bleach touches the natural hair it will bleed on to it so to use foils I didn't do the bleach runny I weighed it out so it was 1:2 they did say the free lights didn't expand as much but I don't really want to go with that as I haven't read great reviews on here about it, im a little bit loathed to buy into another brand as im going to do the wella mce next year and would like to stop with one brand . Thankyou for all your help its really appreciated I love this site :Love:

 

[the hairmobile]

I spoke to wella today and they said if the bleach touches the natural hair it will bleed on to it so to use foils I didn't do the bleach runny I weighed it out so it was 1:2 they did say the free lights didn't expand as much but I don't really want to go with that as I haven't read great reviews on here about it, im a little bit loathed to buy into another brand as im going to do the wella mce next year and would like to stop with one brand . Thankyou for all your help its really appreciated I love this site :Love:

I have only used free lights for this. Even though it takes ages to lift it really doesn't swell or go blotchy so I trust it 100% maybe give it a try?

 

[snaz]

Glad I'm not the only one!!!
I have done odd ones in past
And came out lovely, but today's not happy with a all!!

Client just said it's light! She's a regular client so might ring her and ask her what she really thinks lol ..
Don't want to loose a client x

 

[cassies97]

Also it helps if you smooth the lightener down between your thumb and finger.

The blotches are from where you haven't got even pressure and you've gone through to the underneath in some places.

I used normal blondor today and was fine.

 

[*Tallulah*]

I started to use a lot of magma with free lights developer for my balayage works perfect when using free hand just up your developer buy one so if you want a result of a 6% use 9% x

 

[faerififi]

I use blondor for balayage it works fine, just gotta maybe mix it slightly thicker. Are you holding the hair really taught when you feather the lines/ the long v shape down? Tension is key for balayage, if there isnt enough thats when bleeding and patchiness occurs.

 

[rachy123]

Does anyone have any photos of their balayage as it is processing? I have done a bit of training with wella freelights but id like to see how everyone else does theirs too.

 

[adamlea87]

It is really a saturation issue with blotchyness, it can be from the product (too runny) or the application - pushing the product into the hair. Your tension on the hair needs to be tight to create a smooth section, but the bleach should be sweeped onto the hair with a very light touch to avoid pushing it though the section. The application should be consistant, areas with a thicker layer of bleach will lift more than those with less. I try and create a "icing" of bleach that you can't see the hair below.

I would take courses with any good balayage colourists, don't worry about the brand - i think you would be restricting yourself.