Sunset Balayage Hair - 1 Month Update
A month ago, I shared photos of and my experience coloring my hair to get a “sunset” effect painted onto my hair (see this post for more details). I’ll be going in for a color touch-up shortly before Christmas, less because I feel I need one and more because my parents will be visiting, so I want them to see the pretty effect at its highest point.
I know a few readers were curious about how well the dyes were going to hold up after washing, so I thought I’d take some photos and see how everything was looking after four weeks (four washes). My stylist wasn’t too worried about the purple and pink tones fading much (and previously, I had a lot of the magenta dye in my hair, which hadn’t faded much, if at all, over two months), but there was concern that the magenta dye would overwhelm the lighter orange/rose gold hues.
I think the latter has happened to some degree, though I can still see some more orange-y pieces coming through in places, but they were done more underneath and away from my face and have been harder to display (I’d definitely consider doing a bit more of the lighter orange/rose gold color throughout–I specifically asked to go easy on it the first go-round). I’m still just as happy with it, and I don’t mind that it’s a little pinker/less warm at this point myself.
Still so very pretty! I used to wear my hair colorful (I started well before it became a trend) and transitioned to my natural black just a couple of years ago. Everybody knew me as the gal who had pink, purple, and blue hair–I even wore it purple for my wedding. I didn’t realize how much a part of my identity it was until my colleagues whom I hadn’t seen in a while started asking me why I don’t have purple hair anymore. LOL!
Anyway, I don’t think mine ever stayed as vibrant as yours after a month. Then again, I was washing it every day or every other day because of my daily gym sessions. It was expensive and messy to maintain, even doing it at home. LOL! But seeing your hair, boy oh boy, do I want to start coloring it again!
How is the texture of your hair? Do you find it a lot dryer than before? I struggled with dry hair during my colourful days! That’s probably the biggest thing holding me back from colouring my hair again, now that it’s all shiny and long. LOL!
Yeah, I only wash once a week – before dying, I was washing twice a week. I’ll tell you it’s less about vibrancy and more because the red/pink dye bleeds enough that I have to dry it immediately after washing (instead of putting it up in a towel for a few hours), so I didn’t need much prodding to push to weekly washings, LOL. I don’t really do much to my hair in terms of day-to-day styling, so no hot tools or product (other than dry shampoo, particularly important at weekly washings), which definitely keeps it healthier and easier to avoid washing I haven’t noticed any difference in my hair texture thus far — this is the third balayage/bleaching it’s gone through in the last year or so!
Oh yeah, I remember drying my hair immediately as well unless I wanted tinted shirts. LOL!
I think part of the reason my hair was so dry was because I was really really pale blond underneath it all–enough to rock pastels and silver hair, if that gives you an idea, and my normal color is black!–and I was always switching hair colors. It wasn’t like straw or anything, but certainly not as silky as my natural texture.
*Sigh! I’ll just admire your hair for now until the temptation becomes too irresistible! The funny thing is while I had colorful hair, I admired your long dark hair. LOL!
Yeah, when my stylist bleaches my hair, it’s nowhere near pale/white blonde – almost like an orange-y blonde, so it hasn’t been taken quite as far. It also helps that it’s not 100% of my hair, too, I think 🙂
Change is good, and while I didn’t do much to it before, I used to dye it a purplish-black as a teen (at home), and after growing it out back to true natural, I was happy with that for awhile!
Dyeing my hair drys it out a lot also. My salon uses aveda but it was never dry before.
I think it looks beautiful and the dyes seem to be holding up well. It would be lovely to see more of the rose gold shade and this would suit your colouring too. It’s always tricky to know, the first time you do anything to your hair, how it is going to turn out. I hope you like the result.
I do!
You are so beautiful, Christine. I’m glad it still looks good and it will be nice to have that color through the holidays. It’s so pretty!
Thank you, CK!
Your hair still looks gorgeous! What dry shampoo do you use? I recently started using the one by Living Proof and I really like it.
I use Nirvana Black, which I think may be discontinued – I really love the scent and find it works well, but I also love Batiste (much cheaper!).
Oooh, I love the scent of Nirvana Black! I’ve been wearing Nirvana Bourbon Rose a lot lately. Batiste is good, but I prefer Living Proof. It is also more expensive than Batiste but since I don’t need to use dry shampoos that often, I splurge.
I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time with your parents visit, you must be very excited! My family lives there too and I was supposed to come in for Thanksgiving, but I had to postpone.
Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden is lovely and special thing they do this time of year.
I’ll have to give Living Proof a try when I run out of Nirvana Black. I kept repurchasing it during various Sephora sales… and have like 8 bottles, LOL.
We haven’t gone to the garden yet this fall/winter, but we went last year, and it was gorgeous! Love the Desert Botanic Gardens… except during summer, haha!
Absolutely gorgeous on you!!
Thank you!
Still looks amazing!
Thanks a lot, Kimberly!
Wow, beautiful colour. My hair is so fine and thin I wouldn’t dare put it through any more processes beside the highlights that I get. I can dream though.
I totally understand that, Brenda!
hey how do you make it so vibrant even after 1 month? i LURVE deep red hair but it always fade and fades the fastest.. please share tips from your hairstylist/colourist!
I don’t do anything special! Pretty much follow the general tips, like wash in cold water and use color-safe shampoo with focus at the roots and not so much at the ends.
It really suits you, and it’s holding up so well! I’ve always been afraid to try vibrant color.
Thank you, Sonya! I’m told that pinks/purples hold up better than greens/blues tend to!
They really did do an excellent job and they must have used very high quality color, because keeping this level of intensity with these brighter hair colors is HARD! I do speak from experience. From 35 until 44, and then again later for several more years, I had mine in one shade of burgundy red or dark red or another. The fading and the color bleeding onto towels and such meant that I had to refresh it every 4 weeks at minimum. Yours only lost the areas where there had been the fiery orange color, probably because the magenta bled onto (and into) it, I’m guessing. But, I totally get why you’d want to get it freshened up before the upcoming family visiting and festivities!
Wow! Every four weeks – that is commitment, Nancy! 🙂
My daughter is a natural medium to deep strawberry blonde. Now that she is in her early 40s, she tries to recapture the color. Any red is difficult to maintain even for a natural red head.
Your cold water washing seems to be working it still looks great. Not sure I could do that !
It’s a beautiful color for the holidays, your mom will like it I bet.
Not too bad, just cold-ish to get my hair wet and then full-on cold to rinse, but I have it on warm/hot between, haha!
It’s held up incredibly well! I guess colorful dyes have come a looooong way since I had a few green pieces in mine (that was 15 years ago). Mine washed out to a funky yellow green within a few weeks…people thought I had a dye job gone wrong.
I heard that blue/green can be hard to keep in and they often fade less pleasantly than red/pink. My stylist says the magenta by Joico (one of the shades on my hair, lol) has always been very, very long-lasting in her experience (months) in particular.
I was going to ask what brand you used, again (couldn’t remember from the previous post). I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but Joico faded pretty quickly for me and so has Pulp Riot (though not as fast as Joico). I’ve been using the violet and purple colors throughout. Cold water washes, sulfate-free color-safe shampoo. I was doing weekly wash but since it was still fading so fast (at half vibrancy around the 1 month mark) I went back to every 3 days wash and haven’t noticed a big difference between 3 days and 1 week washes. Maybe it’s because I run my hands through my hair so much? ><!
I really don’t know much about hair, generally! I know that specifically my stylist has stated that Joico’s magenta is one of the longer lasting fashion colors she uses, which is what I had previously. The sunset colors are a total assortment (all Joico, though). I haven’t tried any other brands (I mean, L’Oreal Feria 15 years ago in a very purple-black color, at home, lol), but if you’re not doing it yourself, maybe ask your stylist if there’s anything about your hair in particular that might be causing colors to fade faster?
You could try a clear coat? I also had several readers recommend Overtone to me, though I reached out to them and they did not get back to me (I didn’t think any would “apply” as I have too many colors!) – but possibly if you’re doing violet/purple then some form of purple Overtone might help!
I freaking LOVE your hair! It looks really good on you.
Thank you! 🙂
Coppery red tones arw notoriously difficult to maintain but I can clearly see the other elements still present. Thanks for sharing these photos. Instagram is full of balayage photos that look amazing but that only reflect how hair looks immediately after it’s been dyed. This gives a good perspective.
And, in case you weren’t aware, you are just ridiculously pretty, whatever hair colour you have.
Yeah, I was wondering if using Overtone in maybe rose gold or something would help retain some of that (without altering the deeper purple and magenta hues). Once I get to my stylist later this month, I’ll be curious to see what adjustments we make. Still some peek-a-boos of more copper/rusty tones here and there but harder to find.
Absolutely gorgeous. If I had dark hair, I would do it in a heartbeat. Thinking of ways to do my dark blonde hair that’s about 25% grey. I WILL jump on the bandwagon as I love your color.
Good luck!!
Looks beautiful! I always want to see how long it is in the back and your cut! If you feel adventurous when you go for new color, please share!
The cut is just layered – fairly long layers (nothing fancy!). It’s just past my mid-back at the moment!
Your hair is so gorgeous!!!! I also can’t believe you only need to wash it once a week, tell us your secrets!!
I was only washing twice a week before (with all natural color), so I guess my scalp just doesn’t get to the point of needing more frequent washing! I usually “feel” like it needs a wash around day five, but dry shampoo usually keeps me good from day four to six.
Wow, I wish color stayed in my hair that well for that long! Still just as beautiful as day one!
Thank you, Celesta!
It held up beautifully! I love it!
Thank you!
Beautiful. What are you wearing on your cheeks though? They look amazing!
SUNSET WAVES BECCA
GRADIENT SUNLIT BRONZER
CELESTIAL MAKEUP GEEK
HIGHLIGHTER
It’s gorgeous! What shampoo/conditioner are you using? I’ve had Overtone Magenta in my hair the last couple months. I love it, but I have to use a dark pillowcase.
Pureology Hydrate! I also use a dark pillowcase, lol!
I love the colors on you! Looks stunning!
Thanks, Nau!