How to keep balayage fresh through a Charleston summer

Lowcountry summers are glorious and very hard on blonde. Between UV, salt water at Sullivan's Island, chlorinated pools and humidity that lifts the cuticle, a fresh balayage can turn brassy and dry in a few weeks. The good news is that a few small habits keep it soft and bright until your next gloss.

Protect it like skin

UV breaks down the toner that keeps blonde cool and creamy. If you would wear sunscreen, your hair needs protection too. Use a leave-in with UV filters every morning, and wear a hat or scarf on long beach days. It sounds fussy. It is the single biggest difference between clients who fade in three weeks and those who last eight.

Our summer routine for lightened hair:

• Wet your hair with fresh water before swimming so it absorbs less salt and chlorine.
• Rinse straight after, then comb through a leave-in conditioner.
• Wash two or three times a week at most, with a sulfate-free shampoo.
• Use a purple shampoo once a week, never daily, to keep warmth in check.
• Add a bond-building treatment such as K18 every other wash.

Tame humidity without heat

Frizz is your hair reaching for moisture in the air. The answer is to give it moisture first. A lightweight cream applied to damp hair and left to air-dry, or diffused on low, seals the cuticle better than a hot flat iron. If you do use heat, keep it under 360 degrees and always use a protectant.

Skip the heavy oils on very humid days. They sit on the surface, attract salt and can make fine blonde look greasy by lunchtime. A pea-sized amount of a light serum on the ends is plenty.

Brassiness is rarely a colour problem. Most of the time, it is a care problem that started at the beach.

Book a gloss halfway

A gloss between balayage appointments is the easiest way to look freshly coloured all summer. It takes about forty-five minutes, refreshes tone, adds shine and closes the cuticle. Most of our clients book one six to eight weeks after their colour, and push their next full appointment back by a month as a result.

If your colour already feels dry or orange, do not reach for box toner. Come in for a quick look. A small professional adjustment now is far cheaper than a correction in October.