How To Actually Keep Your Balayage Looking Good!

After we finish someone's balayage and turn them toward the mirror, there's always this moment.. They're staring at their hair, smiling, taking photos.. Then they look at us and say, "Okay, I love it! But how do I make sure it stays like this?".

That's the question we hear almost every time. And we get it! You just spent hours in the chair and good money on beautiful color.. The last thing you want is for it to look dull or brassy in just a couple of weeks. Keeping balayage looking fresh has its own challenges for everyone. SO many factors can affect how your color holds up! Let's walk you through some ways to actually help maintain your balayage!

The First Few Days

What you do right after you leave the salon sets you up for how your color is going to look for the next few months. Your hair cuticle gets opened up during the coloring process, and it needs time to close back down and seal in that color. If you wash your hair too soon, you're basically rinsing out the toner before it has a chance to set properly. Wait at least 48 hours before washing! We know that's hard for some people, but just let it settle for a couple of days. This is super important and it makes a HUGE difference in how long your color lasts!

Your At-Home Haircare Routine

Once you're past that initial window, it's about being consistent with a few basic things.

Don't wash your hair every day!

Every time you wash, a little bit of color comes out. Try to go two or three days between washes. Use dry shampoo if you need to! When you do wash, use cool or lukewarm water. Hot water opens your cuticle back up and can allow color to escape faster. We know a hot shower is one of the best practices for self-care, but it's unfortunately not the best for maintaining color.

Use color-safe shampoo!

This is a MUST! Shampoos that are not color-safe contain harsh ingredients that strip the color out of your hair. If you're using products like this, you are basically undoing all the hard work that we just put into your perfect look! Both the Oribe & Kérastase shampoos that we sell right here or in-salon are great options for you. They are formulated specifically to protect color and keep hair healthy. They do cost more upfront, however, they make your color last longer, which means you're spacing out appointments and actually saving money in the long run. That being said, if salon products are out of your budget right now, just make sure whatever you do buy is sulfate-free and designed for color-treated hair. That's what is most important. Just read the label!

Deep condition once a week!

Color-treated hair is drier than natural hair. You need to put some moisture back in! Use a hair mask or treatment once a week in place of your conditioner to keep your hair soft and healthy!

Use purple shampoo for blonde balayage!

If your balayage is blonde or light brown, you'll probably get some brassiness over time. Purple shampoo helps neutralize those yellow tones, but it can be easily over-used! You should only be using purple shampoo once a week, maybe twice if you're seeing a lot of brass.

Always use a heat protectant!

If you blow dry, flat iron, or curl your hair, use a heat protectant every single time. Heat can break down your color and damage your hair. If you use one thing on your hair, it should always be a good heat protectant!

Dealing With The Weather

The humidity here in South Carolina can be brutal. Humidity can cause your hair cuticle to open up, which lets moisture in and creates frizz. This also can cause your color to fade out quickly. Use smoothing products that help seal the cuticle to avoid the weather ruining your good hair day! Serums, oils, and anti-humidity sprays all create a barrier to protect your hair.

The sun (UV rays) can also play a role in your color fading. If you're outside a lot, wear a hat or add in a product with UV protection.

Chlorine is another big factor. Before you get in the pool, wet your hair with regular water and put in some leave-in conditioner (The Kérastase ones are our faves!). Your hair will absorb less of the chlorinated water this way, minimizing any possible stripping of color.

When Should I Come Back In For A Refresh?

With good at-home care, your balayage will grow out really nicely allowing you to go longer between appointments. The standard timing for a refresh is every 8-16 weeks, and depending on where you land, that appointment can look a little different! In 8-10 weeks, you may just need a quick toner refresh or gloss! That's where we would simply refresh your tone, canceling out that brassiness and adding in shine, without doing the full balayage again. A full balayage refresh is when we actually repaint the lighter pieces to bring back that overall brightness and dimension. That would be the longer appointment that typically would fall in that 12-16 week mark.

We Can't Wait To See You Again!

If you're ready for a refresh or you have questions about taking care of your color, come see us at one of our Hyde locations or give us a call. We are here to help!

Hyde Chapin: 803-723-2410

Hyde Vista: 803-667-9606

Book an appointment here!