Shoulder length hair is such a versatile and flattering length for most women.
Sitting right below the collarbones, shoulder length hair is easy to style but still long enough to experiment with different looks.
One of the best ways to add dimension, depth and style to shoulder length locks is with balayage highlighting.
Balayage is a hair painting technique that creates soft, natural looking highlights by hand-painting color directly onto sections of hair.
The result is beautiful sun-kissed strands that gradually get lighter towards the ends.
Balayage adds texture and movement to shoulder length cuts, allowing you to try out different colors and styles.
Bronde Balayage
The bronde hair color trend combines shades of brown and blonde to create a dimensional yet natural looking mane.
This balayage style is ideal for those with medium to dark brown hair wanting to lightly brighten up their shoulder length cut.
Ask your colorist for a brown base with golden blonde balayage focused on the mid-lengths and ends.
The bronde balayage will add shine and movement while giving hair a soft sun-kissed finish. To style, add some waves with a curling wand or flat iron for lots of volume and flow.
The best part about this look is that as the balayage grows out, it blends beautifully into your natural hair color.
Bronde balayage on shoulder length hair is perfect for those who want low maintenance highlights with lots of character.
Brown to Blonde Ombre
For a bolder transition, go for a brown to blonde ombre effect. Start with a rich brown base focused at the roots.
Then begin painting on beige and buttery blonde balayage moving down the mid-lengths and ends.
Blending darker roots into lighter ends will create a striking ombre contrast on shoulder length hair.
Make sure to tone the blonde pieces to avoid brassy orange hues. Finish with a moisturizing hair mask to keep colored locks healthy and shiny.
On straight shoulder length hair, the brown and blonde will really define the ombre.
For soft beachy waves, alternate curling the brown and blonde pieces away from the face.
This balayage ombre makes a statement and lets you rock blonde hair without the upkeep of full highlights.
Subtle Brown Balayage
For a more subtle sun-kissed effect, go for brown balayage on brown hair.
Add warmth to medium to dark brown hair by painting on caramel and golden brown highlights throughout the mid-lengths and ends.
Concentrate lighter pieces heavily around the face to frame your features.
The result is a natural looking boost of dimension that enlivens your brown shoulder length hair. Styling wavy or straight, this technique gives brown hair extra depth and shine.
Refresh the balayage every 4-6 months to maintain the beautiful highlighted effect.
Because the brown tones are so natural on brown hair, you can also be bold with the balayage placement.
Try doing heavier lighting throughout the bottom half for a blended ombre appearance.
No matter where you concentrate the brown highlights, they always look gorgeous on shoulder length cuts.
Baby lights for Blonde Hair
Babylights are a balayage technique using ultra-fine highlights to mimic natural sun-kissed hair.
The slim highlight strands blend in seamlessly, making hair look fuller and illuminated from within.
For blonde shoulder length hair, babylights are the perfect refresh.
Work with your colorist to paint on micro-thin buttery blonde babylights all throughout your medium length blonde hair.
Focus on creating scattered light pieces that frame the face and crown.
The closer the babylights are woven together, the more natural the results.
As the fine highlights subtly catch and reflect light, babylights boost vibrancy in blonde hair. Bouncy blown-out waves show off the dimensional color.
With minimal roots, babylights are low maintenance for blondes wanting a touch up.
Redhead Copper Balayage
Give red hair extra spice this season with coppery cinnamon balayage.
The warm tones complement natural red or auburn hair beautifully.
Ask your stylist to hand-paint copper lowlights starting at the mid-lengths and ends of your shoulder length cut, leaving your roots your natural color.
The painted coppery strands add excitement and a subtle ombre effect.
Enhance the glossy dimension by curling shoulder length hair in loose waves.
With the mix of natural red and creamy copper pieces, this balayage style brings new life to red locks.
The warm cinnamon hues in this look also minimize the appearance of grown out red roots. As your balayage grows out, the coppery ends blend into the red lengths seamlessly.
Easy to maintain, copper balayage keeps red hair looking salon-fresh.
Purple balayage on Dark Hair
For an edgy twist on traditional balayage, try complementing dark locks with purple highlights!
On shoulder length black or espresso brown hair, hand-painted streaks of violet and lilac balayage at the mid-lengths and ends make a bold statement.
When curled into soft waves, the pops of purple contrast beautifully with the dark lengths.
Or, show off the jewel tones against straight sleek black hair.
Keep roots darker for a striking ombre effect that looks kind of like a night sky.
The cool thing about vivid colors is they don’t require as much upkeep as blonde highlights. Purple balayage adds an unexpected pop of color and dimension to dark hair.
It’s an easy way to experiment with a trendy hue without fully committing.
Balayage for Curly Hair
Balayage is a game-changer for curly shoulder length hair.
Hand-painting highlights throughout curls helps shape and defines texture. Unlike foils, balayage placement isn’t as uniform, resulting in natural looking dimension.
Work with your stylist to add warmer golden and caramel highlights strategically throughout your curly locks. Concentrate brighter babylights on top to accentuate your spirals.
Tousle dry freshly highlighted curls for maximum bounce and movement.
The dimensional highlights along with the curly shape will make hair look even fuller.
Balayage also minimizes the appearance of grown out roots by blending new growth into curls seamlessly. Say goodbye to harsh regrowth lines!
Rooted Balayage with Shadow Roots
Instead of completely lifting your natural base to blonde, try a modern rooted balayage look.
The rooted effect retains darker roots that subtly blend into hand-painted highlights through the lengths.
This gives hair extra depth at the crown while still lightening up the mid-lengths and ends. On shoulder length cuts, it creates visual interest and a fun lived-in look.
Focus brighter babylights around the front and sides to frame the face.
The beauty of this technique is the low maintenance factor. With darker roots, you can go longer between full color appointments.
The shadow root also helps disguise new growth. Ask for rooted touches at your follow-up balayage appointments.
Balayage for Straight Hair
Sleek, glossy and straight shoulder length hair provides the perfect canvas for sweeping balayage.
Without waves or curls to blend pieces together, straight balayaged hair really shows off all the detailed highlights.
For fine or thinning straight hair, mix in plenty of babylights and face-framing pieces to add fullness and dimension.
If your straight hair is thick, go for bolder strips of lightened color to break things up.
No matter your texture, make sure to incorporate light balayage throughout the lengths.
Straight shoulder length cuts tend to fall flat. Strategic balayage placement lifts all the hair for movement and depth.
Partial Balayage Highlights
Not ready to commit to full balayage but want a subtle highlighted effect?
Go for partial balayage only at the mid-lengths and ends of your shoulder length hair.
Leaving your natural roots and crown color intact, ask your stylist to hand-paint soft brown, beige or blonde pieces on the bottom half of hair.
This will create delicate dimension just on the ends.
The partial balayage technique is perfect for slightly enhancing medium to dark brown hair colors.
Plus, only lightening the mid-lengths and ends keeps maintenance to a minimum while still giving your shoulder length cut a refresh.
Rainbow Balayage
Why choose just one balayage color when you can have all the hues of the rainbow?
Vivid primary shades like electric blue, fiery red and neon pink interwoven with blond and brown hair make for a seriously fun and daring look.
These vivid balayage highlights weaved throughout shoulder length hair are perfect for mermaids, festival-goers and free spirits.
The hand-painted coloring technique ensures the bright streaks blend beautifully with natural hair.
Rainbow balayage expresses your creative flair while instantly livening up your medium length locks.
Just be mindful that bold unnatural colors require more frequent gloss treatments to stay looking fresh. But the playful pops of color are totally worth the extra care.
Caramel Balayage for Brunettes
For brunettes seeking dimension with subtlety, balayage using various brown and caramel tones is gorgeous.
The multi-tonal highlights create natural movement and depth, playing up your rich brown color.
Ask your colorist for a mix of milk chocolate, honey and buttery caramel painted through the mid-lengths and ends of your shoulder length hair.
Focus lighter ribbons of color around the frame to spotlight your facial features.
This technique adds beautiful warmth and shine to brown hair. Styled straight or wavy, the balayage appears seamless and never harsh.
For smooth blended color, refresh your caramel highlights every 4-6 months.
Money Piece Highlights
Money piece highlights focus balayage lighting only around the face for maximum impact.
Strategically painting bright streaks near your part and face-framing sections makes hair instantly pop.
On shoulder length cuts, mixing lighter money piece highlights with an overall darker base color is incredibly flattering.
The bright accents near your eyes and cheekbones attract light and create a gorgeous contrast.
Go for eye-catching money pieces in sunny blonde or light brown a few shades lighter than your natural.
When shoulder length hair is styled sleek and straight, the money piece dimension steals the show. It’s balayage placement at its most strategic and chic.
Shoulder length hair is the ideal medium length for trying different highlighting techniques like balayage.
Hand-painted hair has a natural-looking luminosity that brings shoulder length cuts to life.
And shoulder grazing locks provide the perfect platform to show off gorgeous balayage.
Explore new hues or enhance your natural color—the options are endless!
