Over my years as a beauty editor, I’ve learned that we beauty lovers consume media differently than most. For example, when I went to see the much-anticipated Twisters in theaters with my roommates, they couldn’t stop talking about the incredible force of the monster tornadoes, whereas I couldn’t stop talking about how perfectly blended Daisy Edgar Jones‘ warm blonde balayage was.
Hearing DEJ talk with a southern accent in her role as Oklahoma-native storm chaser Kate Carter in Twisters was shocking enough, but what I really couldn’t stop ogling was her blonde balayage. Usually a brunette, Jones’ hair in Twisters is a stark departure from her usual style. To feed my fascination with what I have deemed “cowboy balayage” (you heard it here first!), I tapped some celebrity hair experts to find out just what makes Jones’ cowboy blonde so cinematic.
Featured Experts
- Dimitris Giannetos is a celebrity hairstylist
- Rita Hazan is a celebrity colorist
- Paul Labrecque is the creative director, master stylist and colorist with Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spa
Cowboy Balayage: What Makes it Special
Celebrity hairstylist Dimtris Giannetos adds that “Cowboy balayage is so intriguing because we are always looking for the perfect, low-maintenance yet stunning hair look, and that’s exactly what this is. For those with dark hair, this look is so effortless and easy to achieve since you’re basically leaving the roots alone.“
Let’s be clear—the traditional balayage is nothing new. In fact, the first big hair change I ever made as a wee high schooler was the switch from brunette to a balayage blonde. But, with Jones’ cowboy balayage, something was different. According to creative director, master stylist and colorist with Paul Labrecque Salon and Skincare Spa, what makes Jones’ cowboy balayage so special is that it hones in on the warmth of her hair. “The cowboy balayage look is a progression of your own dark natural color with expertly placed hues of gold or even copper done in bolder strokes than a colorist would do using just foils.”
How to Ask for Cowboy Balayage
One of the most integral parts of a new hair look is ensuring you give your stylist the specifics on what you want, from tone to texture. When it comes to asking for cowboy balayage, celebrity colorist Rita Hazan explains, “Most typically what your stylist will do to achieve this look is an allover color first, followed by highlights or lowlights with balayage or plain foil highlights. Ask for a middle between a warm brown and copper look with balayage and/or highlights. Your stylist will most likely know what you mean when you ask for ‘cowboy copper’ or ‘cowboy balayage’.”
Giannetos continues on, explaining that “To recreate this look you should ask for a blended honey blonde balayage, and make sure to mention that you want a lot of face-framing highlights. You can also tailor this look to fit your shade preferences—if you want a more copper look you can finish off the balayage with a color corrector. For a honey shade, I recommend using the L’Oreal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step In-Shower Toning Gloss ($16) to finish the look.”
