Highlight Aftercare: How to Keep Your Color Fresh & Vibrant
You’ve just stepped out of Venelle Salon & Spa in Park Slope with gorgeous, glowing highlights—but how do you keep that color looking salon-fresh for weeks (even months) to come?
Whether you’ve chosen balayage, babylights, foil highlights, or face-framing pieces, proper highlight aftercare is essential for maintaining vibrancy, shine, and hair health. Here’s your complete guide to post-highlight care—straight from our expert colorists.
🧴 1. Use Sulfate-Free, Color-Safe Shampoo & Conditioner
This is rule #1 for a reason: Sulfates strip color and moisture from the hair, causing your highlights to fade faster. Look for color-protecting formulas that are free of sulfates, parabens, and harsh detergents.
Venelle Tip: Ask your stylist for recommendations—we carry top-tier brands like Olaplex, Kerastase, and Redken in the salon!
Keywords: best shampoo for highlights, sulfate-free hair care Brooklyn, color-safe products Park Slope
🧊 2. Wash Less Frequently
Washing your hair too often can fade your toner and dull your highlights. Try to wash only 2–3 times per week and use dry shampoo in between to keep your style fresh.
Bonus: Less washing also means less heat styling, which helps maintain your hair’s health.
Keywords: how to wash highlighted hair, maintain color between washes, dry shampoo for color-treated hair
🧼 3. Tone & Gloss Every 4–6 Weeks
Even with great shampoo, your highlights will naturally shift tone over time. Brassy or yellow hues can sneak in—especially in blondes.
That’s where a toner or gloss treatment comes in. These quick salon visits help:
-
Neutralize unwanted warm tones
-
Boost shine and smoothness
-
Revive your color without re-lightening
Venelle Special: We offer gloss refresh add-ons and mini-toner services between full highlight appointments!
Keywords: hair toner Brooklyn, color gloss Park Slope, refresh blonde NYC
🌞 4. Protect Your Hair from Heat & Sun
Both heat styling and UV exposure can cause color fading and dryness.
Heat Styling Tips:
-
Use a heat protectant spray before blow-drying, curling, or flat ironing.
-
Opt for lower heat settings when possible.
-
Limit heat styling to a few times a week.
Sun Protection Tips:
-
Wear a hat on sunny days or use UV-protectant hair products.
-
Swimming? Rinse your hair with fresh water before diving into a pool or ocean to minimize damage from chlorine and salt.
Keywords: UV protection for hair, color-safe heat styling, protect highlights from sun
💧 5. Deep Condition Weekly
Color-treated hair needs extra hydration. Use a deep conditioning mask once a week to keep your highlights soft, shiny, and frizz-free.
Look for masks that contain:
-
Keratin
-
Hyaluronic acid
-
Argan oil
-
Bond-building technology (like Olaplex or K18)
Pro Tip: Book a professional in-salon moisture or protein treatment every 4–6 weeks for long-term strength and shine.
Keywords: deep conditioner for color-treated hair, moisture mask highlights, frizz control for blonde hair
✂️ 6. Get Regular Trims
Split ends and breakage can dull your look. We recommend trimming your ends every 8–10 weeks to keep your highlighted hair looking polished and healthy.
Even if you’re growing your hair out, regular trims help maintain a sleek, fresh shape and reduce breakage.
Keywords: hair trim schedule Brooklyn, maintain highlighted hair, best salon trims Park Slope
📅 Bonus: Keep a Highlight Maintenance Schedule
Your stylist will recommend a personalized timeline, but here’s a general guide:
-
Foil Highlights: Touch-up every 6–8 weeks
-
Balayage/Babylights: Refresh every 10–12 weeks
-
Gloss/Toner: Every 4–6 weeks
-
Haircut: Every 8–10 weeks
We can customize a maintenance calendar for you after your appointment!
Keywords: highlight upkeep Brooklyn, color touch-up NYC, low-maintenance highlights Park Slope
💇♀️ Let Venelle Salon Keep Your Color Beautiful
At Venelle Salon & Spa in Park Slope, Brooklyn, our expert colorists don’t just create stunning highlights—we help you maintain them with customized aftercare, gloss refresh services, and professional haircare products.
📞 Book your toner, gloss, or deep conditioning treatment today!
📍 Located in the heart of Park Slope
🌐 Schedule online: venellespa.com
📲 Call: 718.989.9800
✨ New Client Special:
Mention this blog and get 15% OFF a gloss treatment or deep conditioner add-on with your next highlight service!
📸 Follow us on Instagram @venellesalonspa
Stay updated with haircare tips, client transformations, and pro stylist advice straight from our salon floor.
SEO Tags to add on your site:
highlight aftercare, how to keep hair color vibrant, gloss for highlights, Brooklyn hair toner, best products for highlighted hair, UV protection for blonde, low-maintenance color care, color-safe shampoo NYC