Although balayage is all the rage, Celebrity Colorist Jason Backe still loves the magic of foil high and low lighting. MODERN caught up with him at the most recent Intercoiffure Altelier in NYC to get his take on the technique. In this video, he gives the details and formula for this finished look, and shares his top five tips for foil perfection right here:

  1. KEEP CLEAN AND PRECISE: Sloppy application leads to sloppy results.
  2. FOIL PLACEMENT: Place foils parallel to the hairline to prevent stripes.
  3. WEAVING: Vary your weave so it emulates natural color—the sun doesn't highlight in perfect 1/8th inch pieces.
  4. SECTIONING: Horizontal sections=maximum color, Diagonal sections = medium color. Vertical sections = minimal color.
  5. FOLDING FOILS: Don't crease the foils too hard when you fold them—it could remove the product from the hair creating banding or it could push the product out of the foil and cause bleeding.

Learn more at the Ted Gibson Academy: academy.tedgibson.com.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.