Hand-painted balayage in Calgary
Hand-painted, lived-in colour from Sabine, Berta or Fariba, brighter toward the ends and soft at the root. Balayage is $289 and is booked for about three hours.
- Balayage
- $289
- Booked for
- About 3 hours
- Colourists
- Sabine, Berta & Fariba
Why Struktur
Sabine, Berta and Fariba
Clients come to Sabine, who has 38+ years behind the chair, for dimensional colour and lived-in styles. Berta has more than ten years in hairstyling and works in English and Spanish. Fariba, a master stylist with 25+ years behind the chair, is known for dimensional blondes, rich glossy brunettes and seamless balayage. Any of them can do your balayage.
A colour line made without PPD
We colour with La Biosthétique of Paris, a professional line made without PPD, a dye ingredient some people react to.
Add-ons planned in
A toner and an Olaplex or K18 treatment are separate services with their own prices. Ute's advice is to add both for the best finish, so mention them when you book and we plan the time.
What is balayage?
Balayage is French for “to sweep.” Your colourist paints lightener by hand onto the surface of each section of hair, heavier toward the ends and softer near the root. The brightness sits where the sun would naturally catch your hair, and the soft root means no hard line as it grows out.
People usually choose it for dimension without going all-over blonde, or when growing out a darker colour. How light you can go depends on where your hair starts and what has been done to it before, and your colourist will tell you what is realistic.
Balayage, foil highlights or all-over colour
Foil highlights are the other way to go lighter. The lightener is folded into foil near the root, so the brightness is crisp and the regrowth line shows sooner. Balayage is brushed on freehand, so it reads softer and grows out more gently. Our foil highlights page has the full, partial and face-frame options, with prices.
All-over colour is a different job: covering grey, retouching roots, refreshing faded ends or going vivid. See our hair colour page. Some looks combine the two methods, and your colourist can recommend the mix.
Balayage in Calgary: price, time and who does it
Balayage is $289 before GST and is booked for about three hours. On our menu it is hand-painted, lived-in colour, finished with a blow-dry. Long or very thick hair, colour corrections and big changes of shade need more time and product, so your colourist confirms the price before anything is applied.
Sabine, Berta and Fariba all do balayage. We colour with La Biosthétique of Paris, a professional line made without PPD.
A toner adjusts the tone once the hair has lightened. A partial is $28 and a full is $38, or from $78 with a blow-dry, and the toner itself takes about 30 minutes. Olaplex or K18 is a bond treatment, from $20, added to lightening services to protect the hair's structure. Ute recommends a toner and an Olaplex treatment for the best finish, and many guests add them. See Olaplex and K18.
Booking balayage and getting ready
Book online, where balayage is listed with highlights, or call or text 403-242-4230. Booking ahead is recommended for colour. A balayage appointment is long, so it has to start early enough to finish before we close. If you need to change your appointment, we ask for 48 hours' notice.
Tell your colourist your colour history: box dye, earlier lightening, anything done anywhere else. For a big colour correction, the first step is a free 30-minute consultation. Ute points out that you can have a pedicure in our private pedicure room while your colour is processing.
Looking after balayage at home
A few basics suit most hair. Use a colour-safe shampoo, keep heat tools on a lower setting with a heat protector, and ask about a toner between colour visits if your blonde turns warmer than you like.
We use Kevin Murphy styling products, and your colourist can suggest the ones that suit your shade. When to come back depends on your hair, your shade and how light you went.
Your balayage appointment
- ConsultationYour colourist looks at your hair's history and condition and at the look you want. Bring photos of colour you love, and of colour you do not.
- PaintingThe lightener is painted by hand onto each section. Olaplex or K18, if you add it, protects the hair's structure while it lightens.
- Toner, if you add oneA toner, from $28, adjusts the tone once the hair has lightened. It adds about 30 minutes.
- FinishOur menu lists balayage as finished with a blow-dry. Ask how to look after it at home and when to come back.
Balayage prices
Prices are before GST. Balayage is the first row; the rest are highlights and lowlights. Long or very thick hair, colour corrections and big changes in shade need more time and product, and your colourist will confirm the price before anything is applied. Prices checked against our till on 25 September 2026.
Work from the studio
Photos of our own clients' results. Every face, hair and skin type responds differently, so individual results vary.
Booked with someone who does this every day
In our clients' words
“Sabine was great! I had to change stylists after 20 years so it was a bit nerve wracking for Sabine and me but she did a great job on both my colour and cut. She had a high attention to the details and I am so happy!”
“Berta is a good hairstylist, who does not overprocess/ overdo the highlites.”
“I got my hair cut, highlighted, toner applied and a blowout from Berta. I highly recommend Berta at the salon.”
Balayage questions
Still wondering? Ask Bella in the chat, any time, or call 403-242-4230.
How much is balayage in Calgary?
Balayage at Struktur Studio is $289 before GST and is booked for about three hours. On our menu it is hand-painted, lived-in colour, finished with a blow-dry. A toner, from $28, and an Olaplex or K18 treatment, from $20, are priced separately. Your colourist confirms your price before starting.
How long does a balayage appointment take?
Plan on about three hours. Balayage is booked for 180 minutes, and a toner adds about 30 minutes. Long appointments need to start early enough to finish before we close, so ask for an earlier time.
How long does balayage last?
It depends on your hair, your shade and how light you went, so your colourist will suggest a rhythm for you. Because the root is soft, balayage grows out without a sharp regrowth line to fix on a set date. A toner can refresh the tone between visits.
What is the difference between balayage and highlights?
Balayage is painted on by hand, lighter toward the ends, for a softer grow-out. Foil highlights are set in foil from near the root for a brighter, more even lift. Many looks combine the two. Our highlights page has the options and prices, and your colourist can recommend the mix.
Does balayage damage your hair?
Any lightening changes the hair, and how much depends on where your hair starts and what it has been through. Your colourist looks at its history and condition first. We add Olaplex or K18, from $20, to protect the hair's structure while it is lightened.
Is your hair colour PPD-free?
The colour line we use, La Biosthétique of Paris, is made without PPD, a dye ingredient some people react to. If you have reacted to hair colour before, tell your colourist when you book so they can plan around it.
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