Highlights add brightness and dimension, and every head of hair grows them out differently. That is why the honest answer to “how often?” starts with the look you want to keep.
The short answer
Your Maintenance Schedule Depends on the Look
There is no single schedule that works for everyone. How often you refresh your highlights comes down to:
- The type of highlight you have
- How close to the root the color is placed
- How much lighter the highlights are than your natural color
- How quickly your hair grows
- How much regrowth you’re comfortable seeing
- How well the tone holds between visits
- Whether you want a crisp, just-done look or a softer grow-out
Why the Timing Varies
Two people can leave the salon with similar highlights and need their next appointment at very different times. Hair grows at different rates. A bright blonde against dark natural hair shows regrowth sooner than a highlight that sits only a shade or two lighter. And some people like a clean, bright root while others prefer it a little lived-in.
So instead of counting weeks, look at what your hair is doing. The sections below explain what to expect from each type of highlight.
Traditional Highlights
Traditional highlights are woven and lightened in foils, usually starting close to the root. That placement gives brightness from the top of the head down, and it also means new growth shows as a clearer line.
If you like your color to look freshly done, this is the style that asks for the most regular upkeep. Finer, more blended highlights grow out more softly than bold, high-contrast ones.
Partial and Face-Framing Highlights
A partial highlight focuses on the areas people see most: around the face, along the part and through the top layer. It is a common way to keep brightness where it matters between full highlight appointments.
Because less hair is lightened, a partial is also a gentler way to stay bright without redoing the whole head each visit.
Balayage and Lived-In Color
Balayage is painted by hand with a softer transition near the root. Regrowth blends in instead of forming a line, so many people go longer between lightening appointments.
The tone can still shift over time. A toner between lightening appointments keeps the shade fresh without adding more lightener. Learn more about balayage at Gray’s.
Signs It May Be Time to Refresh Your Color
Your hair will usually tell you before the calendar does.
Visible regrowth
Your natural color at the root now contrasts with the highlights more than you like.
Tone has shifted
The blonde looks more yellow or warmer than it did when you left the salon.
Dimension feels flat
The light and dark pieces have blended together and the color has lost its movement.
You want more brightness
Nothing is wrong with the color. You are simply ready to go lighter or brighter.
A Refresh vs. a Full Highlight
Not every appointment has to be a full highlight. Depending on what your hair needs, a visit might be:
- A toner or gloss to correct the shade and bring back shine
- A partial highlight to brighten the face and part line
- A root touch-up when regrowth is the main concern
- A full highlight when the brightness has grown out through the whole head
Alternating lighter visits with full ones keeps color looking good without lightening the same hair more often than it needs.
How to Keep Highlights Looking Better Between Appointments
- Wash gently. Use a shampoo made for color-treated hair. Harsh shampoos strip toner and moisture faster.
- Turn the heat down. Heavy heat styling fades tone and dries lightened hair. Use a heat protectant when you do style.
- Keep hair conditioned. Lightened hair holds tone and shine better when it is moisturized.
- Protect it from the sun. Long days outside can fade and dull highlighted hair.
- Ask before using purple shampoo. It can help some blondes with yellow tones, but it is not right for every shade and overuse can dull the color. Ask at your appointment whether it suits your hair and how often to use it.
Traditional Highlights vs. Balayage
Maintenance is one of the biggest differences between the two. Here is how they generally compare.
Traditional Highlights
- Placement
- Woven in foils, usually close to the root
- Brightness
- Brighter and more even from root to end
- Grow-out
- A clearer line as natural color grows in
- Maintenance style
- More regular root and brightness upkeep
- Who may prefer it
- People who like a bright, consistent, polished look
Balayage / Lived-In Color
- Placement
- Painted by hand, softer near the root
- Brightness
- Brightest through the mid-lengths and ends
- Grow-out
- Softer and more blended
- Maintenance style
- Fewer lightening visits, with toner as needed
- Who may prefer it
- People who want a natural look and a relaxed grow-out
Related guide
Still deciding between the two? We compare them side by side, including how each one grows out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should highlights be refreshed?
There isn’t one number that fits everyone. It depends on how close to the root the highlights are placed, how much lighter they are than your natural color, how fast your hair grows and how much regrowth you’re comfortable seeing.
Bright, root-to-tip highlights usually need attention sooner than softer, blended placement. Your stylist can suggest a rhythm once she has seen your hair.
Can I wait longer between highlight appointments?
Yes. Many people stretch the time between appointments, especially when the highlights are fine and blended or when a softer grow-out suits them.
If you plan to wait longer, say so at your appointment. Placement can be adjusted so the grow-out looks softer.
Do I need a full highlight every time?
Not always. Some visits only need a partial highlight around the face and part line, a root touch-up or a toner to refresh the shade.
A full highlight makes sense when the brightness has grown out through the whole head or when you want a bigger change.
Why do highlights become brassy?
Lightened hair has warm tones underneath. Toner covers that warmth, and toner fades with washing, heat styling, sun and minerals in water.
As it fades, yellow or orange tones can show through. A toner or gloss appointment refreshes the shade without re-lightening the hair.
Are highlights more maintenance than balayage?
Often, but not always. Highlights placed close to the root show a clearer line as hair grows. Balayage is painted with a softer transition near the root, so regrowth is usually less noticeable.
How much upkeep you need depends more on placement and brightness than on the name of the technique.
From Gray’s Hair Studio
Written from behind the chair at Gray’s Hair Studio in Vista, California, where Gray has worked with color and cuts for ten years. Read Gray’s story
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