22 Celebrity-Inspired Balayage Tones for Straight Hair
Think balayage is reserved for wavy lengths? Think again. Balayage on straight hair is the chic, fresh-out-the-salon look that’s storming the red carpets right now.
Although the trend is nothing new, it’s still having a big moment in the hair world, with balayage hair videos generating over 195.5 million views on TikTok and more people opting for the low-maintenance, sun-kissed look.
So what exactly is it? Balayage is a freehand technique that blends one colour to another for a natural-looking finish. Unlike highlights, balayage doesn’t start at the roots and is instead placed throughout the lengths of your hair to help create a graduated finish.
The beauty of balayage on straight hair is that is adds dimension and shape. Trust us, once you try it, you’ll be hooked. Here are the top balayage tones we’re loving on straight hair right now…
Jessica Alba’s Toffee Balayage
Take hair cues from Jessica Alba ahead of your next colour appointment with this balayage on straight hair look.
As you can see, she’s kept the hair around her face and jawline largely the same – in a rich chocolate brown hue to match her eyes, while lightening just the ends to a warm, toffee tint.
Rosie Huntington Whiteley’s Honey Blonde
When Rosie Huntington-Whiteley went honey blonde, it was balayage’s most stunning look. Sleek and golden at the top and light and glossy at the ends, this is one of our favourite red carpet hair styles.
Editor’s tip: No need to panic about salon touch-ups. Keep your balayage vibrant for weeks with TRESemmé Revitalise Colour Shampoo, specially designed to keep coloured hair healthy and bright.
Rose Byrne’s Face-framing Balayage
Have a straight bob? Turn to Rose Byrne for inspiration and go for brown balayage with natural-looking blonde tones around your face. We must say, the contrast against Rose’s eyes is simply stunning.
Naomie Harris’ Subtle Balayage
Think balayage only suits light hair tones? Wrong. With dark brown and black hair, you can do like Naomie Harris and choose an ash-toned hue. The overall effect is an understated and barely there colour transition.
Mila Kunis’ Dark Brown Balayage
Notice how you really only see the balayage nearer the ends of Mila’s hair here. It makes for a beautifully elegant finish, courtesy of chestnut and caramel brown hues that are totally on trend right now.
Editor’s tip: Keep things glossy with the TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Oil. Helping to reduce frizz and banish flyaways, this is the perfect on-the-go companion in your handbag.
Margot Robbie’s Light Brown to Blonde Balayage
Her natural roots make for a dreamy balayage look. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock
Root stretch colour has become the latest buzzword in the hair industry and it’s ideal for creating light brown to blonde balayage like Margot Robbie’s. What is it? It’s a technique that blends the natural colour of your roots into highlights, giving you that balayage-esque look in the most natural way.
Editor’s tip: Get glossy hair like Margot’s with the SheaMoisture Miracle Hair Styler Leave-In Treatment. Helping to reduce frizz and banish flyaways, this is the perfect on-the-go companion in your handbag.
Lily Aldridge’s Caramel Balayage
Give your hair the ultimate glow up with caramel balayage just like Lily Aldridge’s. We love how her waved fringe and layered locks elevate the look even more. Perfection, huh?
Selena Gomez’s Auburn Brown Blend
Balayage doesn’t always mean going blonde. Here, Selena Gomez showed us how to rejuvenate mousy brown locks with auburn highlights, perfect for every season and occasion.
Combine it with an on-trend lob cut just like the star and there you have it – a chic and healthy-looking style.
Elizabeth Olsen’s Bronde Balayage
We have stars like Elizabeth Olsen to thank for our current bronde (blonde-brown) obsession. Not only does the look mean you can rock both shades at once, but it’s also a great way to avoid salon visits for regular root touch-ups. That’s because the regrowth won’t be as noticeable as it is on lighter shades, so you’ll be able to leave it longer between visits (yay!).
Heidi Klum’s Golden Brown Balayage
Yes, it’s actually possible to recreate that sun-kissed glow your hair gets on holiday in the salon. Keep your strands looking summery all year round with golden brown straight balayage hair (like supermodel Heidi Klum). The result? You’ll want to show off and swish your hair 24/7.
Ashley Benson’s Grown Out Roots
Grown out roots are the perfect excuse to stretch out your salon appointment. And for all you blonde beauties, it’s the perfect way to transition your colour to a cool dirty blonde shade (giving it a natural balayage look). Clever!
Chrissy Teigen’s Brunette Balayage
We love how Chrissy Teigen’s balayage sports many different tones here, from bold and brunette to icy ash. It’s certainly a standout look, giving her hair depth and radiance.
Eva Longoria’s Dark Hair Balayage
For a subtle balayage vibe on dark hair, follow in Eva Longoria’s footsteps and add a chestnut hue to the mid-length and ends of your dark hair. Notice how her straight hair naturally shines – divine!
Jennifer Aniston’s Bronde Balayage
You may already be familiar with Jennifer Aniston’s hair CV, but did you ever stop to notice how flawless her bronde balayage is? In our opinion, the star’s hair colour is an art form in itself, with blonde, brown and dark brown all appearing at once. Hair goals, right here.
Kaia Gerber’s Balayage on Brown Hair
A brown balayage on a tousled bob? It’s a yes from us. Kaia’s embraced her natural roots here, with light brown balayage around her face for a barely there look.
Khloe Kardashian’s Brown Blonde Balayage
Khloe Kardashian’s brown to blonde balayage is just the inspiration we need for our next hair appointment. Doesn’t her straight mane look absolutely stunning too? It’s the perfect style to sport those gorgeous blonde highlights around her face.
Sofia Vergara’s Toffee Balayage
Transform brown hair by adding dimension with toffee balayage strands, as seen on Sofia Vergara. This easy to maintain look is ideal for those who don’t want to go to the salon regularly, especially as the colour starts from your earline (so any fading will look natural).
Jennifer Lopez’s Honey Brown Hair
Jennifer Lopez is a big fan of honey brown balayage and we can see why. The contrast with her darker brown locks is striking and sassy (in the best way possible).
Suki Waterhouse’s Butterscotch Balayage
Always wanted to go blonde but afraid to commit? Ask your stylist to apply balayage to the mid-to-lower-lengths of your straight hair to create a beautiful butterscotch blonde shade.
The perfect middle ground between dark blonde and light brown, you’ll get a real feel for how you’d look with lighter locks if you ever wanted to go for a full balayage look.
Behati Prinsloo’s Honey Blonde Balayage
One thing to consider before hitting the salon is where you want your stylist to start your balayage, as this will impact how your overall look turns out. For the most natural-looking straight balayage hair, we recommend starting the colour transition from dark to light just below the eye level, like Behati Prinsloo with this beachy look.
Amber Le Bon’s Liquid Gold Balayage
For an adventurous (and fabulous) balayage look, go for a liquid gold hue. Here, Amber Le Bon’s grown-out brown roots flow into a striking gold shade and while it’s quite a dramatic contrast, it proves going for gold can actually look very, very chic.
Megan Fox’s Medium Chestnut Brown
You won’t regret getting subtle, lighter brown highlights through your ends. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock
For brunette beauties looking to dip their toe in the balayage trend, opt for a subtle graduation like Megan Fox. Her straight balayage hair blends seamlessly from a dark chocolate shade at the roots into a softer, medium chestnut brown at the ends. No-one has to know it’s not natural, right?
