Balayage & Highlights
Sun-kissed, lived-in, or bold your blonding service is tailored to your lifestyle and hair goals.
Balayage Highlights
At The Co-Artist Studio, Santa Cruz we believe blonding is an art form. Whether you’re looking for a subtle refresh or a full transformation, our custom balayage and highlight services are designed to give you effortless, natural-looking dimension with long-lasting results. Every service includes luxury treatments to protect your hair’s health and shine.
Balayage & Highlight Service Menu
Mini Custom Balayage / Highlight
A maintenance service designed for in-between full blonding appointments on already-lightened hair. This quick refresh focuses on the face frame — the area immediately surrounding your face — and a few foils along the top part line. The result is high-impact brightness that enhances your features and instantly lifts your complexion without the commitment of a full highlight.
** Includes gloss for shine and toning, metal detox shampoo service to remove impurities, protein treatment service for strength, and a polished blow-dry finish.
Geselle — Service Rate Starting at $190 + product
Marissa — Service Rate Starting at $175 + product
Partial Custom Balayage / Highlight
A step up from the mini, this service brightens the top and sides of your hair — the areas most visible when your hair is down or pulled back. Perfect if you want more noticeable dimension and brightness without committing to a full head of foils. Think of it as the “halfway” point between a face-framing refresh and a full transformation.
** Includes gloss for shine and toning, metal detox shampoo service to remove impurities, protein treatment service for strength, and a polished blow-dry finish.
Geselle — Service Rate Starting at $240 + product
Marissa — Service Rate Starting at $185 + product
Full Custom Balayage / Highlight
Our most complete blonding service, designed to give you brightness and dimension throughout whole head. This service lightens your hair throughout the entire head — including the top, sides, and underneath layers — for a dramatic, all-over transformation. Ideal if it’s your first time going lighter, if it’s been a long time since your last blonding session, or if you’re ready for a bold change.
** Includes gloss for shine and toning, metal detox shampoo service to remove impurities, protein treatment service for strength, and a polished blow-dry finish.
Geselle — Service Rate Starting at $380 + product
Marissa — Service Rate Starting at $275 + product
Transformation Blonde
A full blonding makeover designed for clients who want to be significantly lighter in just one appointment. This service focuses on creating a brighter, more uniform blonde with less dimension and more all-over lightness. Ideal if you’re looking for a big change, moving from brunette to blonde, or refreshing heavily grown-out color. Expect this appointment to take 4–6 hours depending on your starting point and hair length.
** Includes gloss for shine and toning, metal detox shampoo service to remove impurities, protein treatment service for strength, and a polished blow-dry finish.
Geselle — Custom pricing consultation needed
Marissa — Custom pricing consultation needed
Brunette Balayage / Highlight
Balayage isn’t just for blondes. Add soft caramel, toffee, or honey tones that enhance brunette hair with natural dimension and shine. Perfect for a warm, sun-kissed effect.
** Includes gloss for shine and toning, metal detox shampoo service to remove impurities, protein treatment service for strength, and a polished blow-dry finish.
Geselle — Custom pricing based on coverage + product
Marissa — Custom pricing based on coverage + product
Service Rate + Product Pricing
At The Co-Artist Studio, we believe in transparent, personalized pricing so you only pay for what your hair truly needs.
Service Rate (Labor): This covers your stylist’s time, skill, and artistry. It reflects the years of training, experience, and attention to detail that go into creating your look. Longer or more complex services may require more time, which is factored into the service rate.
Product Investment: This is a separate charge based on the exact amount of lightener, color, gloss, and treatments used for your hair. Because every head of hair is unique in length, thickness, and color history, product usage can vary.
Product charges typically range from $20–$100, ensuring fairness you’re never overpaying for product you don’t need.
Ready for your dream blonde?
Book your balayage or highlight today and let’s co-create your perfect shade.
FAQs
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Please arrive with freshly washed, clean, dry hair. We recommend using a clarifying shampoo the night before to remove any product buildup, oils, or residue, followed by a hydrating conditioner to keep your hair balanced. This helps ensure the lightener applies evenly for the best blonding results. Avoid any products after.
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Highlights: Foils are used for precise, even brightness throughout your hair.
Balayage: A hand-painted technique that creates softer, sun-kissed dimension with a natural grow-out.
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Mini: A quick refresh focused on the face frame and part line. Great for in-between appointments.
Partial: Brightens the top and sides of your hair — the areas most visible day to day.
Full: Covers your entire head, adding brightness and dimension from roots to ends.
Transformation Blonde: A major makeover for clients who want to go much lighter all over, with less dimension and more blonde.
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Every head of hair is unique. Our parts & labor pricing means you pay for stylist time (service) plus the exact amount of color used (product). Product charges range from $20–$100, depending on your hair’s needs.
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Many salons bundle product costs into their service pricing. That price is based on the average amount of product used across all clients — meaning some people pay more than their hair actually requires, while others pay less.
At The Co-Artist Studio, we believe in fairness and transparency. That’s why we separate labor (stylist time and artistry) from product (the exact amount of color, lightener, and treatments your hair needs). This way, you’re only paying for what is actually used on your hair nothing more, nothing less. It’s our way of keeping pricing honest, customized, and tailored to you.
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Your colorist will always perform the actual blonding application. We may work with an assistant to help with shampooing, treatments, toner application or blow-drying, but the artistry, placement & formulation of your highlights or balayage & gloss are done entirely by your stylist.
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Lightening hair can sometimes soften or slightly elongate curl patterns, especially on curly or wavy hair. This is a normal part of the blonding process because lifting pigment can affect the hair’s structure. That said, we do everything possible to protect the integrity of your hair with high-performing products, bond builders, and reconstructive conditioning treatments. Every service includes a metal detox shampoo, protein treatment, and a bond-building gloss to strengthen your hair and keep it feeling healthy, shiny, and resilient. With the right at-home care, your texture will stay beautiful while enjoying your new color.
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Book a consultation: A in-person visit allows us to look at your hair and talk through your goals.
Text us photos: Send current pictures of your hair along with any inspiration images. From there, we can recommend the right service and stylist. Text to 213-332-4177
This way, you’ll feel confident knowing you’re scheduled for the right service before you even walk in the door.
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Yes! Balayage is amazing for brunettes. Adding caramel, honey, or toffee tones gives richness and shine with a natural grow-out, while still making it low-maintenance.
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Mini: 1.5–2 hours
Partial: 2.5–3 hours
Full: 3–4 hours
Transformation Blonde: 4–6 hours
Timing varies depending on your hair’s length, thickness, and starting color.
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Most clients refresh their blonding every 8–12 weeks. In between, we recommend a gloss or toner every 6–8 weeks to maintain tone and shine.