A typical balayage treatment takes three to five hours and a good amount of money so you would want to care for your balayage hair the best you can. If you know anything about hair treatments, you already know that you should prepare your hair for the treatment for the best results, and then aftercare is what will determine how long your treatment lasts. So, be sure to follow these dos and don’ts of balayage.
Dos And Don’ts Of Balayage Before The Treatment
Do Wash Your Hair 12 Hours Prior To The Balayage Appointment
Your hair should be clean from dust, dirt, or oil. This ensures that the dyeing process goes smoothly. However, you do need some of your hair’s natural oils for the balayage process because they will soothe and moisturize your hair. They will act as a barrier against chemicals and prevent your hair from getting damaged. But washing hair removes the oils from hair so what you should do?
You should ensure a balance between not washing hair and washing hair right before the treatment. Therefore, choose to wash your hair 12 hours before the treatment.
Don’t Avoid Conditioning Your Hair
Any hair coloring treatment is a chemical treatment that can take a toll on your hair so you need to keep your hair strong. For this, keeping your hair moisturized is a perfect solution.
To moisturize your hair, use a conditioner every day starting from the countdown of seven days from the appointment. You should use a clarifying shampoo to remove product buildup and then apply a conditioner for moisture and strength.
This hair care routine is essential if you don’t want to end up with dry, brittle, and damaged hair after the hair dyeing treatment. But make sure to avoid using a conditioner 24 hours before the treatment otherwise, the hair dye might not reach the hair shaft due to the protection layer formed by the conditioner.
Wear Your Preferred Hairstyle
Balayage treatment is about natural highlights. Therefore, your stylist should see you in the hairstyle you would most commonly wear in the next 4 months so they can slightly change the hair painting style to suit your hairstyle.
If you have wavy hair but wear straight hair, show up with straight hair so the balayage is done with straight hair as the canvas. Similarly, if you have curly hair and you typically embrace the curls, avoid visiting the salon with straight hair for balayage treatment.
Dos And Don’ts Of Balayage After The Treatment
Don’t Wash Your Hair For 3 Days After The Balayage Treatment
If you don’t want your balayage hair color treatment to fade away within a few days then avoid washing hair for 3 days after the treatment. This is because the color pigments require time to settle into your hair and washing hair with water or any shampoo or conditioner will interfere with the quantity of the toner on your hair. A lot of the toner will be washed away and your balayage will look faded.
Do Wash Your Hair After 3 Days But Don’t Wash It Every Day
Even when you can wash your hair after 3 days, you should make sure that you’re not washing your hair too much. Although the toner in your hair may have settled in 3 days, shampooing and conditioning every day will still fade away the color quickly forcing you to visit the salon for a retouch sooner than expected.
If your hair becomes greasy without cleaning, wash your hair every 2 days. But if you can spend some days without washing your hair, then shampoo and condition your hair only 2-3 times a week.
Don’t Use Hair Products Containing Sulfate
Many hair products contain sulfate as a cleaning agent. However, it can strip away color from hair if you have dyed hair. Moreover, sulfate removes the natural oils from your hair. It can be helpful for oily hair and scalp, but for anyone who has dyed hair, removal of natural oils from hair is a problem.
This is because hair exposed to color becomes dryer than before and they require natural oils to avoid damage. Therefore, look for products that are sulfate-free so your hair doesn’t get brassy tones.
Do Use A Purple Shampoo
Even if you stay with sulfate-free shampoos, brassiness can still ruin your balayage. To keep your balayage looking fresh, use a purple shampoo that will remove brassiness. You don’t need to overuse it though. Use it only once when you notice warm or brassy tones. Follow the directions mentioned on the bottle and never leave it more than instructed. If brassiness goes away, you don’t need to use purple shampoo again.
Don’t Forget To Moisturize Your Hair
We can’t stress this enough. Moisturization is critical for your hair before and after any coloring treatment. We already suggested using a conditioner every time you shampoo your hair. However, don’t leave everything to the conditioner.
You should also use moisturizing hair masks in moderation. You can purchase a hair mask or prepare one yourself as there are many hair masks that can be made with common items like bananas, eggs, and yogurt.
Moreover, once a week, apply a natural oil you like to your hair for preventing your balayage hair from appearing dull and dry. Look into almond oil, coconut oil, marula oil, argan oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and more. However, in case your hair becomes too oily, apply a natural oil only to the ends of your hair when they appear dry.
Do Use A Dry Shampoo Between Washings
You’re restricted to washing your hair after every 2-3 days. So, if your hair become greasy and you need a wash, turn to a dry shampoo. It will absorb oil from hair and refresh it. You only need to spray the dry shampoo on the parts of the hair that become oily the most like the hairline, the crown of the head, etc., and massage your hair so the dry shampoo can absorb oil from your hair.
Don’t Heat Style Your Hair Often
Heat styling tools make things easier for you but not for your hair. Heat can damage your hair whether colored or “virgin”. They can cause more damage to colored hair because dyed hair become dry with the treatment and then heat further deteriorates the health of your hair.
So, minimizing exposure to flat irons and blow dryers will help you keep your hair healthy and shiny. If you use a heat styling tool, apply a heat protectant on your hair before the process.
Do Get Touch-Ups From The Salon
Balayage is low maintenance so after getting a treatment, you can flaunt your pretty hair for 3-4 months. However, after this time, you will need a visit to a salon for a touch-up. The stylist will move up the highlights close to the roots where you started. Moreover, your hair may get a trim if you want a better appearance.
Conclusion
Keeping your balayage fresh is easier than most other hair coloring treatments. However, make sure you follow the above-mentioned before and after tips for making the most of your balayage. And always visit a balayage salon Potomac that you trust for a hair dyeing treatment.