In recent months, my long brunette hair has looked frazzled, lifeless and one-dimensional. This isn’t surprising considering it’s been over five years since my last balayage appointment and seven months since it was cut. It’s fair to say that I was long overdue a refresh and with fall right around the corner, it seemed like the perfect time to trawl TikTok and Pinterest for inspiration. Among the abundance of bold copper shades and brooding cherry hues, one trending hair color stood out to me — not least because of its unusual name.
Enter: “moonlighting”.
The moonlight hair technique — a speedy spin on traditional highlights or balayage — has gone so viral on TikTok that it has amassed tens of millions of views and climbing. In those videos, colorists appear to brush the hair back and hand-paint specific areas (such as the front and side sections underneath the hair) with bleach. Essentially, anywhere the light catches. The result? Imagine your natural hair color bathed in the incandescent glow of a super moon.
@anilmermerofficial How did you like the moonlight technique we recommended for hair that has not been dyed before? ⭐️ . . . #hair #explore #balayage #brushlight #themoonlyhairpalace ♬ original sound – overlays
To me, it’s a brighter nod to the “candlelit brunette” or “expensive brunette” shades that recently took over top London salons. Some liken it to “glow lights”, whereby bleach is applied strategically to illuminate very specific strands of hair. Asking around, I learned that colorists are also describing the technique as “vibrant brushlights”. This appealed to me because it seemed to be an easy way to revive my lackluster lengths while adding depth and shape in a natural way.
What is the “moonlighting” hair color technique — and how does it differ from balayage?
Keen to give the moonlight hair color trend a go, I headed along to Hershesons in Fitzrovia where I quickly learned that the trending technique is not all it seems. While the countless viral videos appear to show colorists mastering freehand balayage with a simple brushstroke here and there, Hershesons expert colorist John Alfred revealed that the moonlighting technique is likely all “smoke and mirrors”. To my surprise, he branded it “fake balayage”.
On closer inspection, Alfred noted that the “bleach” applied in the videos resembles hair mousse and suggested …read more
Source:: Refinery29
