What’s the Most Maintainable Hair Colour Service?
A lot of people would love to colour their hair but are put off by the upkeep — the cost and the frequency of appointments. It’s a fair concern. Some maintenance does come with the territory of colour, but not all colour services are equal: some are far kinder on your time and your wallet without sacrificing the look. Here are our honest tips for low-maintenance colour, from the team at Wisteria Avenue in Abingdon.
Tip 1 — choose colour that skips the root
The single biggest driver of colour upkeep is the root. Colour your roots and you’re committed to regular regrowth appointments. Choose a colour that *doesn’t* touch the root area, and that cost largely disappears.
This is exactly what balayage and ombre do — the colour starts roughly from ear level and works down, so there’s no root colour to grow out and no harsh regrowth line. In practice that can stretch your colour appointments to once every three to five months on average, which is a real saving. The one caveat: if you’re going grey and the greys come through quickly, root-free colour won’t hide them — so it’s not right for everyone. If you’d like to understand the techniques, our guide to the difference between balayage and ombre explains both.
Tip 2 — book a toner
Toners are an underrated, budget-friendly way to keep colour looking fresh. They’re quick, easy to apply, and typically cost around £20 — far less than a full colour service. A toner refreshes and revives your colour without going the whole hog, so it’s a great way to stretch the time between bigger appointments. If you’re not sure what a toner actually does, our post on what a toner is explains it.
Tip 3 — consider a root drag
This one looks like it contradicts Tip 1 — and in a sense it does, because it *does* address the root. But it has its place. If you’re naturally darker and you’re tired of the full regrowth-bleach-and-toner cycle, a root drag can be a more cost-effective option. It blends your darker regrowth down into your blonde far more seamlessly, softening that harsh line where your natural colour meets the colour.
It’s not something that lasts for months — but it’s a genuine solution for anyone frustrated by an obvious regrowth gap who doesn’t want to spend a fortune constantly touching it up.
Find the right balance in Abingdon
If the cost and frequency of colour appointments is putting you off, there’s very often a solution that keeps the look without the relentless upkeep — it just depends on your hair, your natural colour and the result you want. Our stylists will talk you through it honestly. Book in for a consultation, and have a look at our price list to see what’s involved.
