Complete guide · Roma Norte
Color and smoothing: the complete guide
What people ask us most in the chair, written down: which color technique is which, how often to come back, and which smoothing service is yours.
Balayage, babylights and toner: which is which
These are the three we get asked about most, and they get confused constantly. Balayage is painted freehand, sweeping color from mid-length to ends: it leaves a soft transition and grows out without a hard line, which is why it holds for months between appointments. Babylights are very fine sections taken from the root, imitating the way sun naturally lightens a child's hair — more even and less contrasted than balayage. Both take three hours and start at $2,300.
Toner does not lighten — it neutralizes. It is what removes the yellow or orange that appears weeks after lightening, which is why it usually follows a balayage rather than replacing it. A color gloss deposits tone and shine without lifting the base. Both start at $900 and take an hour and fifteen.
How often to touch up your roots
Hair grows about a centimeter a month. With full color or a base, the root shows at four to six weeks, and that is when a root touch-up ($900) goes in. With balayage or babylights the grow-out is soft by design: you can stretch it to three or four months, and many clients only come in for a toner in between. That is the real advantage of freehand technique, and why it costs less over time.
The three smoothing services, compared
They are not the same, and choosing wrong is expensive. Here is the difference:
| Service | Price | Time | What it does | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanoplasty | $2,500 | 2 h | Genuinely straightens, formaldehyde-free. Restructures the fiber. | You want straight, glossy hair for several months. |
| Brazilian Blowout | $2,500 | 2 h | This is the keratin treatment. Seals the cuticle and cuts frizz while keeping movement. | You want frizz control without losing your natural wave. |
| Hair botox | $1,800 | 1 h | Does not straighten: it fills and repairs. | Your hair is porous or damaged from bleaching. |
If you are not sure which one applies, send us a photo on WhatsApp. Sometimes the honest answer is a $520 deep hydrating treatment rather than a $2,500 smoothing service — and we would rather tell you that than overcharge you.
Split Ender: cutting only the split end
The Split Ender (from $600, one hour) is a tool that trims only the split ends — millimeters — without taking length. It is for when you are growing your hair out but the ends are breaking and a regular cut would cost you several centimeters. It does not replace a haircut: it spaces them out.
Guarantee and payment
Every service carries a 72-hour guarantee: if something did not turn out the way we agreed, come back within that window and we will correct it at no cost. We take cash and debit and credit cards, and from $2,000 you can split the payment into 3 interest-free monthly instalments with any credit card — which is exactly the range balayage, nanoplasty and Brazilian Blowout fall into.
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