- The first thing you should do right after balayage is not washing your hair for at least three days. This will help the toner pigments, which is the last step of the balayage process, to settle.
- Then, change your hair washing routine. First, you should wash your hair every three to four days with sulfate-free shampoo to avoid degrading the color. Then, you should use toning shampoos and conditioners every twenty days to get rid of unwanted tones that may appear.
- You should also add nourishing and moisturizing treatments to maintain shine and depth in the balayage. Later, I’ll you which are the best treatments.
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Did you just get a balayage done?
Let me be clear from the start because you’re in time for your hair to retain all its shine and color.
When you leave the salon after a balayage, you start down a new path in your life. That path leads to proper balayage maintenance.
That maintenance doesn’t wait. You have no time to waste and you must take care of your balayage from the day after you get it.
Regardless of where you got the balayage, your experience will be disastrous if you don’t take care of it.
I know what you’re thinking. “I was told that balayage is low-maintenance. Did they lie to me?
No, they didn’t. Balayage is low maintenance in terms of in-salon color renewal compared to other coloring techniques like highlights.
However, you still need to take care of your balayage from day one.
Can you imagine what the first step of that balayage care routine might be?
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Don’t wash your hair for at least three days after getting the balayage
Why?
Because your hair is clean. After all, you’ve just left the salon and got your hair washed. What’s more, specific products to protect the color were used.
But also, your hair needs to recover. Don’t forget that specific strands are bleached for balayage. Bleaching dries out the hair.So, now that you have your dream balayage, let your scalp restore the oiliness it needs to protect itself and your hair. Sebum is nothing more, and nothing less than natural moisture. Your bleached hair needs it.
Also, pigments from the hair dye or toner used in the highlights have to settle in the cuticles.
So, for two to three days after balayage, keep your hair away from water and any type of hair product.
Three days after the balayage, you can wash your hair. Use sulfate-free shampoos
Okay, it’s been three days and you can’t take it anymore without washing your hair. But wait, what kind of shampoo do you have? Which one do you usually use?
Before you jump into the shower to wash your hair, read the shampoo label.
If it says something like “Sodium Lauryl Sulfate,” or “Sodium Laureth Sulfate,” you should throw it away.
It means that it contains sulfates, which are color-corrosive chemicals. They also dry out the hair. Remember that you previously bleached it.
Nobody likes to throw away things that could be useful but think about your balayage. In the end, if you use sulfate-free shampoos, you’ll make your balayage last longer and save a few dollars at the salon.
In addition to using sulfate-free shampoos, you have to reduce your hair’s washing frequency. I would recommend washing it every three days and limiting the use of heat tools.
If you need to use a blow dryer or flat iron, always use a heat protectant.
Eight to nine days after balayage, do an intensive nourishing treatment
Why is it important to keep your hair moisturized?
Firstly, for hair health reasons. Secondly, for aesthetic reasons.
After all, no one likes to look dull and lifeless with balayage. On the contrary, balayage gives hair a special luminosity, both on dark and light hair.
That’s why you should moisturize it. That way, your balayage will look radiant and healthy. Best of all, there are several options to suit all lifestyles.
- If you prefer to keep things simple, opt for nourishing ampoules.
They’re easy to apply, and you only need to leave them on your hair for two to three minutes. Then, rinse them out. Also, since they’re applied to wet hair, you can use them while you shower, wait those few minutes, and rinse.
It couldn’t be quicker or easier, could it? I recommend applying one ampoule per week.
- If you’re meticulous, use nourishing masks.
Personally, I recommend Kerastase masks to my clients. Of course, they’ll take a bit more of your time because they need at least twenty minutes to work. Use them once a week.
- If you like to leave everything in professional hands, go to the salon and ask for long-lasting nourishing treatment.
My recommendation? Hair Biotin. It nourishes your hair, adds shine and softness, and extends the duration of your balayage.
15 days after your balayage, start using a toning shampoo
Be careful. I say fifteen days simply as a reference. If you notice that ten or twelve days after the balayage the color becomes orange or yellowish, you can start using a toning shampoo.
It maintains the color and removes the orange or yellow shades that appear after balayage. Now, two important things.
- It’s not for daily or frequent use.
You can’t use toning shampoo every time you wash your hair. Only use it when you notice unwanted tones appearing, which is usually every fifteen to twenty days.
If you overuse the shampoo, your hair may end up with a gray or purple tint.
- You should leave it on for five to ten minutes according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Nowadays, there are many different brands of toning shampoos. There may be differences in their use and application. Read the instructions carefully, especially the information related to exposure times.
30 days after balayage, trim your ends
Although it is always advisable to trim the ends, it’s even more necessary if you have had a balayage. The trim oxygenates your hair and renews it.
When the ends are trimmed, the hair cuticles take between 48 and 72 hours to close. In the meantime, the hair absorbs all the nutrients.
Plus, lose your fear of scissors! You only need to trim half a centimeter to keep your balayage hair healthy and strong.
60 days after balayage, go back to the salon for a touch-up
One of the blessings of the balayage technique is that you don’t need to be a touch-up slave.
Unlike other coloring jobs, it doesn’t start at the root of your hair. So, after two months, you’ll notice that your balayage will have “gone down” quite a bit and will be halfway down your hair.
This is the moment when you should touch up the balayage. I advise you to go back to the salon because your stylist will not bleach the already bleached strands. Instead, he’ll choose new strands to bleach.
That’s what gives your balayage a natural look.
Conclusions
Now you know how to care for your balayage when you leave the salon until the next touch-up. That’ll ease color maintenance.
