How-To: Honey Blonde Balayage and Frozen Hand-Painted Blonde

It’s true—two blonde color formulas are better than one. Especially when one of them is a warm honey bronde and the other is a frozen blonde that’s hand-painted to perfection. Created by Australian-based colorist Michael Kelly (@michaelkellycolourist), here are the color formulas and how-tos for these stunnas!

How-To: Honey Blonde Balayage

Redken Color Formulas
Formula A: 3/4 Pearl + 1/4 Titanium + 40-volume Pro-Oxide Cream Developer

Formula B: Flash Lift + 10-volume Pro-Oxide Cream Developer

Formula C: Shades EQ Cream 07NGR + 07WN + 000 Crystal Clear

Formula D: Flash Lift + 30-volume Pro-Oxide Cream Developer

Formula E: Shades EQ Gloss 07NW

Formula F: Shades EQ Gloss 09NW

Formula G: Shades EQ Gloss 09NW + 000 Crystal Clear

Application
1. Starting at the hairline in the nape, apply Formula A. Work diagonally through the interior and above the ear on the left and right side by adding a mock-balayage highlight of Formula B and a babylight of Formula A.

Pro Tip: Spacing the highlights out and allowing the natural hair to still be visible will give depth and dimension to the overall color.

2. As you work toward the crown, apply Formula C throughout Zones 1 and 2, fading out at Zone 3 to create lighter tips.

Pro Tip: Apply babylights around the crown area to keep the depth.

3. Apply Formula B around the hairline to frame the face and add a pop of color. Let process for 30 to 45 minutes for each zone. The lightest pieces should be pale yellow.

4. Then, go through and apply Formula D around the hairline and through the midlengths using a basin-balayage technique. Process for 15 minutes. The hair is already light and this will ensure color is bright without being over-processed or damaged.

5. Create a root shadow using Formula E. Leave out the hairline and process for 15 minutes. Then rinse and towel-dry the hair.

6. Tone with Formula F at the hairline and throughout Zone 1. Then tone with Formula G in Zone 2 for 10 minutes. Finish by adding Formula G to the ends and the rest of the hair for 5 minutes.

7. Use pH-Bonder Pro Treatment for the final look.

How-To: Frozen Hand-Painted Blonde

Redken Color Formulas
Formula A: Flash Lift + 40-volume Pro-Oxide Cream Developer + pH-Bonder

Formula B: Shades EQ Gloss 06N

Formula C: Shades EQ Equalizing Conditioning Color Gloss 09NB

Formula D: Shades EQ 000 Crystal Clear

Application
1. Starting in the nape, take horizontal, zigzag sections and paint Formula A with the Parisian balayage technique. Use the high point of the triangle in your zigzag section as a guide to place your lightener.

2. Taking large sections, tip out the ends heavily and saturate with a healthy amount of Formula A for maximum lift. Between each section, place cling wrap to help process and ensure that you’re lifting to the lightest level.

3. Continue moving up the head toward the hairline and painting in your zigzag sections. Leave the hairline out around the face and continue to layer the cling wrap on top of each section.

Pro Tip: Working in this sectioning pattern allows for different levels of graduation.

4. Once painting is complete (with the hairline still left untouched), let process for 45 minutes at room temperature.

5. After 45 minutes, paint Formula A along the hairline. Paint back off the face in large sections with heavy saturation to create a bright pop of blonde. Cover the remaining hair with cling wrap and process for 15 minutes, lifting to pale yellow.

6. Rinse, cleanse and apply pH-Bonder Stage 2 Post Service Perfector Treatment for 10 minutes. Then cleanse and prepare for zone toning and glossing. 

7. Leaving the bright hairline, paint Formula B onto Zone 1 and process for 5 minutes.

8. After 5 minutes, apply Formula C to Zone 2 and only at the hairline in Zone 1.

9. Lastly, apply Formula D to all ends to create an untouched and bleached look.

Loving these shades? Get the details
on the product behind the color!

When we saw these two gorge colors Michael posted on his Instagram account, we felt we had to share his amazing work with our members. Hello—wintry blondes are hotter than ever right now! So, what’s his secret? Along with an impressive background and long career as a stylist behind the chair, he attributes some of his creations to Redken’s new pH-Bonder.

“I’m a big lover of Redken, from the color and the lighteners to the education and chemistry/science behind it all. So, when I found out that Redken was releasing its own version of a bond perfecting and enhancing product, it was a no brainier for me to organically want to try it out,” Michael told us. “It’s simple to use, there are no issues with lift or adjusting developers, there is no wasted time by adding it to your colors and the Stage 2 Treatment only needs to stay on for 10 minutes! To say I’m obsessed would be an understatement!”