How Often Should You Get Your Hair Coloured?

"How often should I be coming in?" comes up in almost every colour consultation we do. The honest answer depends on the service, how different your colour is from your natural shade, and how much root you're happy to see. Here's what we tell clients at Crew, service by service, with our current prices so you can plan the year.

How often should you colour your hair? A quick guide

Emerging Stylists are newly qualified and supported by our senior team, which is why some colour services cost less with them. Full prices are on our price list.

How often should you get your roots done?

If you're covering grey or wearing a solid colour that's quite different from your natural shade, four to six weeks keeps the line tidy. Most people notice it first at the parting, then at the temples.

You can stretch it. A T-section retouch, where we colour just the parting and hairline, buys you another few weeks for less than a full retouch. A root touch-up spray like L'Oréal Professionnel Magic Retouch ($29.48) covers the parting at home and washes out.

If six-weekly visits don't suit your life, ask about softer grey blending instead of solid coverage. It won't hide every grey hair, but the line is far less obvious as it grows. Our global colour page explains both options.

How often should you get foils?

Most foil clients rebook every six to eight weeks. Because foils lighten close to the root, your natural colour shows as a band at the parting once it's grown a centimetre or so.

A common rhythm is to alternate: a half head ($150) at one visit, a full head ($265) at the next. The half head refreshes the top and parting, which is what people see, and the full head keeps everything underneath even. More on the options on our foils and highlights page.

How often does balayage need redoing?

Every three to four months for most people. Balayage is painted to grow out softly, so there's no hard line at six weeks. Our prices split at 16 weeks: come in sooner and it's a maintenance appointment, leave it longer and there's more to blend.

A toner on its own halfway through is a cheap way to bring the shade back without redoing the lightening. Our balayage guide goes into more detail.

How often should blondes get a toner?

Toner sits on top of lightened hair and fades with every wash. Here, with hard sun, lake swims and mineral-heavy water in some homes, four to six weeks is about when a cool blonde starts to look warm again. If you're happy with a bit of warmth, you can leave it longer.

Do the lengths need colouring every time?

Usually not, and this is the part people don't expect. At a retouch we colour the new growth only. The lengths get refreshed when they've faded, maybe every second or third visit, often with a gentle gloss rather than full colour. That's how we keep colouring often without overloading the ends.

If you've coloured at home in between, tell us. Box dye on the lengths changes how everything else behaves.

How can you stretch the time between appointments?

• Wash less often, in lukewarm water. Hot water opens the cuticle and colour slips out faster.
• Use a shampoo made for coloured hair. Kérastase Chroma Absolu Bain Chroma Respect ($57.12) is our go-to for coloured brunettes and reds.
• Protect it from heat. Chroma Absolu Sérum Chroma Thermique ($70.56) goes on damp hair before the dryer.
• Choose a colour close to your natural shade. The smaller the gap, the less the root shows.
• Book your next appointment before you leave. It's the easiest way to stop six weeks turning into ten.

Book your next colour

Not sure what interval suits your colour? Book a free 15-minute colour consultation and we'll plan the year with you. We're upstairs at Level 1, 22 The Mall, Ballarat Street end, in central Queenstown. You can book online or call 03 441 8555.