Single Process vs. Balayage: Which Color Service Do You Need?

These are the two most common ways to color hair, and they solve completely different problems. Booking the wrong one is the usual reason someone leaves a salon not quite getting what they pictured. Here’s how to tell them apart.

Single process: one color, all over

A single process applies one shade to all your hair in a single application. It’s what you want when the goal is coverage or an even tone, not dimension:

• Covering gray
• Going darker, richer, or a uniform new shade
• Refreshing an all-over color that has faded

It’s efficient and it’s the foundation of a lot of color work. At Red Market a Single Process is $190, or $240 with a gloss to finish. An All Over Color with gloss included is $250.

Balayage: dimension and brightness

Balayage doesn’t replace your base color — it paints lightness into it, freehand, for a sun-lit, dimensional effect. You want balayage when the goal is brightness, movement, and a lived-in look, not flat coverage. Our Signature Balayage is $500 with gloss and treatment included. (If the terminology is new, start with what French balayage is.)

They’re often better together

Here’s what surprises people: many clients need both. If you want to cover gray or even out your base and add bright, painted dimension, that’s a single process plus balayage. We price that as a combined service — $400 when both are done at the same appointment, $465 when done separately for a cleaner, brighter result.

A quick way to self-diagnose:

• “I want my whole color to be one even shade / cover my grays” → single process
• “I want bright, natural pieces and dimension” → balayage
• “Both” → the combined service

When in doubt, consult first

You don’t have to figure this out alone — that’s literally what the complimentary consultation is for. We look at your hair, hear what you’re after, and tell you which color service gets you there. If brassiness is the real issue rather than the color itself, you may just need a gloss, not a full service.

Not sure which one you need? Book a free color consultation at Red Market & Martial Vivot in West Palm Beach — reserve online.