How to Make Your Balayage Last Longer
Guide
Good colour, looked after well
Balayage is designed to grow out softly, which is exactly why it's such a low-maintenance choice. But the colour itself still needs looking after if you want it staying bright and glossy rather than dulling down after a few weeks.
None of this is complicated. A handful of habits make a real difference to how long your colour looks its best.
Wash less often, and cooler
Every wash lifts a little colour, so stretching the time between washes is the single most effective thing you can do. Dry shampoo between washes helps more than most products aimed at colour protection.
When you do wash, keep the water cooler. Hot water opens the hair cuticle and lets colour escape faster, which is also why colour often fades quickest in the weeks after a holiday.
Use products made for coloured hair
Shampoos formulated for coloured hair are gentler and strip less. It's worth the switch, particularly in the first fortnight after your appointment when colour is at its most vulnerable.
If your balayage is on the blonde side, a toning product used occasionally keeps brassiness at bay between salon visits. Used too often it can go too cool, so ask us how frequently suits your particular colour.
New to balayage or thinking about it? See our balayage service.
The things that fade colour fastest
Worth knowing, because most of them are avoidable:
Colour's worst enemies:
- Very hot water and long showers
- Daily heat styling without protection
- Chlorinated pools and salt water
- Strong sun over several days
- Harsh clarifying or anti-dandruff shampoos
A heat protectant before straighteners or a dryer is a small habit that pays off over months.
Book your refresh at the right time
Because balayage grows out softly, most people go noticeably longer between appointments than with full-head colour. When to come back depends on your natural depth, how much lightening was done and how quickly your hair grows.
A toner or gloss between full appointments is often enough to bring the colour back to life without a full re-do, and it's a smaller commitment of time and cost.
Ready when you are
Ready for a colour refresh?
Book your balayage appointment online or contact our Canterbury salon and our colour specialists will talk through what your hair needs.
FAQs
Common Questions
Because it grows out softly, balayage tends to last longer between appointments than full-head colour. How long depends on your natural depth, how much lightening was done and how fast your hair grows, and we'll advise you at your appointment.
Less often is better. Every wash lifts a little colour, so stretching out washes, with dry shampoo in between, is the most effective way to keep it looking fresh.
A shampoo formulated for coloured hair is worth it. It's gentler and strips less colour, particularly in the first couple of weeks after your appointment.
Chlorine and salt water both fade colour and can affect tone on lighter hair. Rinsing your hair before and after swimming helps a lot.
Toning adjusts the tone of lightened hair, keeping blondes from going brassy. Whether you need it and how often depends on your colour, so ask us and we'll advise.
Yes. All colour services require a patch test at least 48 hours before your appointment.