How Long Do Highlights Last, and How Often Should You Get Them?

Highlights are a popular and easy way to try a new hair look. Here, learn how long highlights last and how often they should be touched up.

By Jené Luciani Sena
Update Date: 12 Nov 2024

How Long Do Hair Highlights Last?

How long highlights last depends on a few factors, including how quickly your hair grows and your chosen highlighting technique and color. Generally speaking, highlights can last anywhere from 8-12 weeks before needing a color refresh or a root touch-up. As mentioned, this window can fluctuate based on the coloring method your stylist uses. Partial foil highlights or balayage, for example, can last up to three months. This is because they are usually placed throughout the mid-lengths to ends of your hair and can look quite natural as your hair grows out. Full highlights, on the other hand, may require more frequent touch-ups (about every 6-8 weeks) as your hair grows since they go all the way to the root.

Your chosen highlight color can also dictate the longevity of your look. For instance, how long blonde highlights last can differ from how long other hues last. All highlights will grow out at the same rate, with root regrowth usually becoming noticeable after about 6-8 weeks. But you also have to consider fading, and some shades will lose their vibrancy faster than others. Cooler tones like ash or platinum blonde may need a refresh sooner than their warmer counterparts (think honey or caramel) when the toner starts to wear off and reveal underlying pigment in the hair. Darker or more subtle highlights can last longer because the contrast between the highlights and natural hair is less noticeable.

Do Highlights Get Lighter After a Few Washes?

In some cases, highlights can get lighter after a few washes and fade over time. Several factors can influence how long it takes highlights to fade, such as the type of shampoo you use, sun exposure, whether or not you have hard water in your shower pipes, and the porosity of your hair. Washing your hair only as often as you need to and incorporating color-safe products into your haircare routine can help keep your highlights looking fresh in between salon appointments—more on those soon.

Do Highlights Fade Back to Your Natural Color?

In terms of your highlights fading, you may be curious as to whether highlights will fade back to your natural color or into another color entirely. Since highlights are created by lifting or bleaching the natural pigments in your hair, which permanently alters the color, the lightened hair won't return to its natural color. Instead, the highlights may become dull, brassy, or a lighter version of the treated color.

How Often Should You Get Your Hair Highlighted?

How long do highlights last, and how often should you get them redone? The truth is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Even if your highlights are fading or growing out, determining whether they need to be redone is a matter of personal preference and budget. Some people like a more lived-in look and don’t mind rocking a grungy, grown-out root to save a few bucks. That’s in contrast to those who prefer keeping their color topped off. If that’s the case, your hair growth schedule will likely determine when you need to pencil in a salon appointment. Broadly speaking, if your hair grows quickly, you may require touch-ups every six weeks. If it grows slowly, you may be able to wait up to 12 weeks.

How To Care for Highlighted Hair

How you care for your highlighted hair dramatically affects how long the highlights last. Here are five ways to care for your highlighted hair to get the most mileage possible after your next salon visit.

Avoid frequent washing

Frequent washing can strip the hair of natural oils and cause the color to fade more quickly. This is the case with most salon colors, but it’s especially true for highlighted hair since lighter shades are more prone to losing their vibrancy. Try to wash your mane about 2-3 times per week in lukewarm water to help preserve your color. If you need to absorb oil between washes, reach for a dry shampoo.

Limit heat styling

Heat styling is often the secret to making your locks look shiny and straight or getting beautiful, bouncy curls. But the more you do it, the harsher it can be on your hair, especially when you have color-treated or highlighted hair. Highlighted hair is more fragile and prone to damage, so it’s best to let it air dry or gently towel dry whenever possible. Try to limit heat styling to once or twice a week to give your hair time to recover.

Trim regularly

The lighter your highlights, the more bleach your colorist will need to use to achieve your desired shade. It’s important to note that bleach will always cause some damage, which can make your hair more prone to split ends and breakage. We recommend visiting your stylist for regular trims every 6-8 weeks (or whenever you get your highlights refreshed) to help keep your hair looking healthy and prevent damage from spreading up the hair shaft.

Try toning

Blonde highlights are particularly susceptible to developing yellow or orange undertones, especially after overwashing or excess sun exposure. Fortunately, in-salon toning treatments can help extend the life of your blonde highlights and keep warm undertones at bay. If your highlights start to look brassy or lose their vibrancy, visit your stylist for a hair gloss.

Practice gentle styling

If you tend to tug at your hair when brushing it or roughly rub it when towel drying, it’s time to rethink these habits. Try to be more gentle when brushing or detangling, especially when your hair is wet. That’s when your hair is at its most fragile, and highlighted hair can be particularly prone to breakage. Use a wide-tooth comb or a brush specially made for wet hair to help reduce damage.

Next Up: Partial Highlights Are the Subtle Change Your Hair Is Begging For