Hair Color Maintenance Between Salon Visits

Let’s talk about something we all know too well — hair color maintenance.

One moment, you’re walking on sunshine out of the salon with vibrant, freshly-colored hair. The next, you’re standing in front of the bathroom mirror with worn-in, faded locks looking back at you.

“How does this happen so quickly? How can I prevent my hair color from fading?,” you wonder.

If your pondering has led you here, Salon Jaylee has some solutions for your hair color maintenance curiosities.

We love creating beautiful, customized colors for our guests, but we also know that maintaining the perfect shade between salon visits can sometimes feel like solving a puzzle.

Rather than counting down the days until your next hair appointment, keep reading for professional tips on how-to best maintain your hair color in the mean time!

The Science Behind Hair Color Fade

Before getting into the maintenance advice, let’s understand why hair color fades in the first place.

When you color your hair, the dye molecules penetrate the hair shaft through a process that temporarily opens up your hair’s cuticle layer. In laymen’s terms, when you color your hair, the dye finds its way inside the hair strands by opening up the outer layer (cuticle).

Over time, the hair cuticle closes and these molecules naturally begin to wash out, leading to that dreaded fade.

Various factors can speed up the hair color fading process:

– Hot water exposure

– Harsh sulfate-based shampoos

– UV rays from the sun

– Chlorine and salt water

– Heat styling tools

– Environmental pollutants

Recognizing these culprits is the first step to prolonging the vibrancy of your hair color. Even though this list may seem at odds with the Florida lifestyle, there are plenty of ways to maintain your gorgeous mane between salon visits (while still making the most of the sunshine state)!

Your Hair Color Maintenance Game Plan

1. Start with Professional Products

You’ve invested in professional color service, now it’s time to protect that investment.

At Salon Jaylee, we’re huge fans of color-safe, professional-grade products that deliver science-backed results with animal and environmental safety in mind.

Based on your hair needs, our stylists recommend products from our trusted partners like Schwarzkopf Professional, TENAJ Hair Care, R+Co, and L’ANZA, which are formulated to protect and enhance your color.

These products might cost a tad more than drugstore alternatives, but trust us — they’re worth every penny when it comes to hair color maintenance!

Think of it as insurance for your hair color investment. Girl math, right?

2. Master Your Hair Washing Routine

How often one should wash their hair is a hot topic. You either cringe at the thought of going a day without washing your hair, or you feel a sense of relief that you only have to wash your hair once a week.

Here’s the truth about washing colored hair: less is more!

Every time you wash your hair, you’re giving those precious color molecules a chance to escape from your hair cuticle.

Imagine it’s like a door that opens to let the hair color in and, with every wash, it opens a bit again, gradually letting some hair color molecules out.

Stick to the following to wash your hair like one of the pros:

– Wait 48-72 hours after your color service before the first wash

– Use lukewarm or cool water (hot water is color’s worst enemy!)

– Invest in a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner

– Consider dry shampoo for in-between wash days

– Use a clarifying shampoo sparingly, only when needed

3. Be Smart with Heat Styling

We get it, if you’ve spent the time and money to color your hair, you want to style it… and you want to style it with heat! Heat styling can be tough on color-treated hair, but there are work-arounds.

Follow these tips on how-to style your colored hair without compromise:

– Always use a heat protectant product before styling (no exceptions!)

– Keep your tools at medium heat when possible

– Invest in high-quality styling tools

– Give your hair regular breaks from heat styling

– Consider heat-free styling alternatives (sock curls are on the rise!)

4. Shield Your Hair from the Sun

It may seem like a foreign concept, but your hair needs SPF protection just as much as your skin needs sunscreen.

Sun exposure can fade your color and dry out your hair faster than you can say “balayage.”

Below are our favorite sun-protection strategies:

– Use products with UV filters

– Wear a hat or scarf when spending time outdoors

– Try protective hairstyles for beach days

– Apply a leave-in conditioner with UV protection

5. Protect Your Hair While Swimming

It’s nearly impossible to steer clear of swimming opportunities in Florida. When choosing between a pool, ocean, lake, or spring, you want to ensure your hair will be preserved, without preventing you from having fun.

Our hair should next never inhibit us but encourage us!

For all the water lovers out there, different types of water can affect your color-treated hair in various ways:

• Chlorinated pools can fade color and cause unwanted green tones
• Salt water can be drying and fade color more quickly
• Natural springs can contain minerals that impact your color
• Lakes may have tannins (natural materials) that could slightly alter your shade

Here’s your complete guide to protecting your hair color while not missing out on all that Florida has to offer:

Before Taking a Dip:

– Pack a leave-in conditioner and hair ties in your beach bag
– Style your hair in a protective braid or bun to minimize exposure
– Wet your hair thoroughly with regular water first (keep a water bottle handy for this!)
– Apply a leave-in conditioner or hair oil as a protective barrier
– Consider using specialized swimmers’ products with added UV protection
– Wear a swimming cap for serious swimming sessions

After Swimming Care:

– Rinse hair thoroughly immediately after swimming
– Use a clarifying shampoo once every few weeks to remove mineral buildup
– Deep condition after swimming to restore moisture
– Consider using a chelating treatment to remove minerals and metals
– Use a bond-building treatment, like L’ANZA’s Rapid Bond Reconstructor, if swimming frequently
– Keep an after-swim spray or leave-in treatment in your bag for immediate care

Hair Color-Specific Care Tips

For Our Blonde Bombshells

Thanks to our recent masterclass with Carly Zanoni from The Blonde Chronicles, we’re more equipped than ever to help maintain any shade of blonde thrown our direction.

Between salon visits:

– Use purple shampoo 1-2 times per week to combat brassiness

– Deep condition regularly to maintain shine

– Avoid green tones from chlorine with specific swimmers’ products

– Consider a bond-building treatment to maintain hair health

For Our Rebellious Redheads

Fun fact: red hair color molecules are the largest and tend to fade the fastest.

Keep your red color vivid by:

– Washing with cool water only

– Using color-depositing products

– Avoiding sun exposure

– Deep conditioning weekly

For Our Bold Brunettes

Compared to lighter hair colors, dark hair has been shown to need even more protection from the sun’s rays.

With that in mind, you can maintain your rich, dimensional brunette by:

– Protecting from sun exposure to prevent unwanted warmth

– Using blue or green shampoo to combat unwanted warm tones

– Deep conditioning to maintain shine

– Using color-depositing products when needed

When to Book Your Next Appointment

Even with a faultless approach to hair color maintenance, you’ll eventually need a refresh.

Although each person is unique, here’s when we generally recommend you book your next salon visit:

– For gray coverage: Every 4-6 weeks

– For highlights or lowlights: Every 6-8 weeks

– For all-over color: Every 6-8 weeks

– For fashion colors: Every 4-6 weeks

– For root smudging or shadow roots: Every 8-10 weeks

Long-Lasting Hair Color at Salon Jaylee

At Salon Jaylee, we go the extra step in not only providing you with the hair color of your dreams, but also assisting you throughout its maintenance phase.

Our team stays up-to-date with the latest color technology, techniques, tools, and products through continuous education, guaranteeing you receive the most current guidance and services.

With the right care and maintenance routine, you can enjoy vibrant, healthy-looking hair color that will keep you happy until your next salon visit.

Is it time for a color transformation? Book an appointment at one of our three locations in The Villages.

Southern Trace Plaza Location
3459 Wedgewood Ln,
The Villages, FL 32162
Book now  ⎯

Colony Plaza Location
321 Colony Blvd
The Villages, FL 32162
Book now  ⎯

Magnolia Plaza Location
2121 Everglades Ln.
The Villages, FL 32163
Book now  ⎯