Hair Trends: L’Oréal Professionnel Formalizes Balayage Certification Program

The extremely popular ombré trend has led to a dramatic increase in interest and recognition of the Balayage technique, an age-old professional coloring technique that allows colorists to unleash their creativity and produce beautifully colored hair. Despite its growing popularity, however, the Balayage technique has still only been truly mastered by a few colorists across the country.

L’Oréal Professionnel has been offering Balayage classes of different levels since 1991, and each year sees a substantial increase in attendees, with classes consistently sold out as colorists seek to master Bayalage technique trends such as ombré hair color, dip-dyed ends, reverse ombré and the recent splashlights trend. In order to meet the growing and diversifying demand, L’Oréal Professionnel has recently announced its plans to formalize their training to salons across the country.

Nancy Braun, best known for her Balayage technique, is one of the most sought after colorists in the industry and has been with L’Oréal Professionnel training colorists in Balayage for over 20 years. Braun’s Balayage philosophy is to recreate and enhance the look that nature gave us as children, with an emphasis on expert training. According to Braun, “Balayage allows colorists to be more artistic in the hair coloring process. However, it’s not easy. If it were, the whole world would be doing it; this method of coloring hair results in amazing, natural-looking highlights that will always be in demand.”

In 2014, L’Oréal Professionnel is formalizing their Balayage offering into a full Balayage Certification Program. This will consist of four classes divided by levels: Balayge Foundations, Balayage Advanced, Balayage Creative and Balayage Live aken at the SOHO Academy. The first three courses are 2-day demonstrations with hands-on mannequin sessions, followed by the final course, which is a 3-day demonstration and hands-on session. After the completion of all four courses, colorists are officially “Balayage Certified.” Balayage Certification allows colorists to market themselves more aggressively in their community and in their salon, while bringing in new clientele.

To supplement the in-person classes, L’Oréal Professionnel offers online Balayage training through their online education courses, Academy on Demand.

According to Braun, she is excited in the growing interest in Balayage, stating that “Balayage is a technique that will only grow in demand from both the consumer and the stylists."

For more information, please visit www.LPUSAPro.com
To register for Balayage Certification, go to www.SOHONYCREGISTER.com

[Images courtesy of Bratskeir & Co.]