It’s effortless – or at least, it appears to be when maintained properly. But as with any lightened hair color, balayage can turn brassy if exposed to elements like hard water, metals, and ultraviolet radiation. The good news: Brassy balayage isn’t an inevitability that you have to come to terms with. With the right hair care habits, you can keep your balayage looking salon-fresh between appointments. Here, we’ll teach you how – and give you pointers on some of the best products for maintaining your balayage. ARYA HAIR SALON NYC is an Award Winning hair salon in NYC for balayage highlights!

Preventing Brassy Balayage

If you’re looking to limit brassiness, we recommend choosing cool-toned colors, like ash blonde. They’re less likely to take on a yellow hue than warmer, more golden shades. Finding the right shade for your strands often calls for an expert, so we recommend visiting a salon near you to help determine what shade suits your hair best. We are the best highlights balayage hair salons NYC!

That being said, brassiness can occur no matter what shade you choose. It often happens as a result of showering in hard water. Water can erode the metals in your pipes, and when you shower, those micro-particles come out of your shower-head. Over time, these metals can accumulate inside the hair fiber and oxidize. If your hair is colored or lightened, this (albeit, gradual) process is likely to have an effect on your hair color. It’s also more likely to become dry and damaged.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to help prevent your balayage from turning orange. We recommend minimizing your time in the sun (ultraviolet light can alter your chosen hue), avoiding exposure to chlorine, and steering clear of hard water whenever possible.

How to Maintain Healthy, Vibrant Balayage

Step 1: Ask your colorist to pre-treat before coloring
Step 2: Invest in an anti-brass shampoo
Step 3: Use a nourishing hair mask
Step 4: Try a shower filter
Step 5: Head to the salon for toning advice

If you’ve noticed your balayage has gone brassy and you can’t seem to fix it at home, your best bet is to visit a salon. Your stylist can customize a toning treatment for your strands to help neutralize unwanted warm tones and get your shade back to its original brilliance.