5 signs your hair color needs a refresh

Hair color is more than just a shade. It can brighten the face, highlight your personality, boost confidence, or, on the contrary, subtly start to age you and make you look tired. We get so used to our current tone that we often don’t notice when the color loses its shine or stops working in our favor. That’s why it’s important to recognize the early signs: when your hair color no longer brings you joy, and your hair is asking for a change.

Together with colorist Nurzhan Eraliev from Esprit de Beauté⁵ salon, we look into how to identify when it’s time to visit your colorist, how to choose the right treatment, and how to prolong your hair color’s longevity.

When is it time to refresh your color? 

Spring and summer are seasons when hair is particularly affected by external stressors: intense sun, wind, temperature changes, and frequent washing. All of these impact the pigment and quality of your hair. There are many reasons to consider refreshing your color, but Nurzhan Eraliev highlights five key signs you should watch for:

1. Loss of shine and vibrancy

Over time, pigments wash out, especially with improper hair care. The color becomes dull, losing its depth and shine. If your shade no longer catches the light or your hair looks less luxurious and vibrant, it’s time for a glossing treatment to bring back that richness and glow.

Before and after toning using Dia Color

2. Hair fragility

Some shades can develop unwanted tones over time – for example, cool blonde can turn warmer, or cool brunette can shift toward a copper shade. 

Hair may also become more fragile and prone to breakage. To avoid this, consider adding Metal Detox⁵ products to your routine, which help prevent breakage and preserve your shade by neutralizing metal¹ particles inside the hair.

Shampoo, mask, and oil from the Metal Detox range

3. Visible roots

This is one of the most obvious signs. If your roots have grown more than 1–2 centimeters, especially if there’s a stark contrast with the colored hair, it’s time to book a touch-up. Updating your color in time helps avoid harsh transitions and keeps your look polished.

4. Uneven tone

On porous or damaged hair, color can fade unevenly, creating lighter or duller patches along the entire length. These "spots" are particularly noticeable in natural daylight. 

If your hair looks damaged and your color fades unevenly, the first to-do step is treatment – to nourish the fiber and help it better absorb color. This ensures a more even and long-lasting result during future coloring or toning.

That’s the reason why stylists recommend using color-maintaining products for two weeks after coloring, and nourishing masks and treatments two weeks before your next visit, to prepare the hair in advance.

5. Dryness and loss of elasticity 

Dry, brittle hair reflects light poorly, and even rich pigment looks faded on it. If your hair has lost its softness and elasticity, it’s important not only to refresh the color but also to restore the structure with in-salon treatments like Vitamino Color⁵ for nourishing color-treated hair or Absolut Repair Molecular⁵ with peptide bonder to restore the fiber on a macromolecular level.

Shampoo, mask, and leave-in spray from Vitamino Color

How to choose a shade that truly suits you?

Choosing the right shade is not just about trends – it’s about harmony with your skin tone. “It’s important to consider the client’s skin tone, eye color, and natural hair color – that’s the only way to create a shade that works for you, not against you,” explains Nurzhan Eraliev from Esprit de Beauté⁵.

ASH – Ash. MOCHA – Mocha. COPPER – Copper. IRIDESCENT – Iridescent. RED – Red

For people with a warm undertone, those with golden or bronze skin, copper, caramel, and golden shades may be the most flattering. “These tones add freshness and softness to the face, making the skin practically glow,” the expert notes.

For those with a cool undertone, typically fair skin with gray or blue eyes, ash, pearl, or chestnut shades work beautifully. “These colors highlight porcelain skin and make the eyes appear more striking,” Nurzhan adds.

Choosing the right hair color is important not just for looking stylish, but for enhancing your natural features. “A well-chosen shade can completely transform your appearance, making your face look fresher and your eyes brighter,” the expert explains. However, if your color makes you look tired, your skin seems dull or gray, or your hair lacks shine, it may be time to reconsider your shade or opt for a tone correction.

Professional color refresh methods with L’Oréal Professionnel

Refreshing your shade should be both beautiful and gentle for your hair. “Today’s technology allows us to preserve hair health while achieving vibrant results – professional² products ensure color longevity while maintaining hair quality,” says Nurzhan, and shares his professional go-to solutions:

Glossing 

If your hair has lost its shine or developed unwanted undertones, glossing is an excellent solution. This treatment gently evens out the color and restores radiance. I prefer to work with Dia Light and Dia Color⁵ products – they add shine and glow, making hair look visibly healthier.

Color blending

For those who already have highlights or balayage, it’s not always necessary to completely redo the color. You can refresh the areas that need it most using a color-blending technique. This procedure enables subtle tone correction without affecting the entire length, thereby preserving a natural effect.

Metal Detox⁵

Before any coloring service, I recommend making the Metal Detox5 treatment. 

Metal Detox is an innovative³ care system designed to neutralize copper particles that accumulate in the hair cortex. Copper is the metal that most disrupts oxidation processes and directly affects color quality.

Spray, shampoo, mask, cream, oil – Metal Detox range

Metal Detox helps maintain hair health, reducing breakage by 87%⁴, and supports professional color results, including for balayage and lightening.

Color care checklist by Nurzhan Eraliev 

To prolong color longevity and maintain the results after coloring, it's important to follow several care recommendations. Here's a checklist from the expert to help you keep your color vibrant and your hair healthy between salon visits:

• Use color-safe shampoos and masks, such as Vitamino Color. These products help maintain color while adding shine and softness.
• Choose a comprehensive haircare routine for washing that includes shampoo, rinse-out, and leave-in treatments. Always use heat protection before styling to prevent heat damage.
• Schedule glossing or toning every 2–3 weeks to refresh the tone and brightness.
• Hydrate your hair with professional products. Once a month, use the Metal Detox protocol for added protection. 

It's important to remember that hair care isn’t just about beauty – it’s also about feeling confident, well-groomed, and in harmony with yourself. When your color is fresh, your hair shines, and the shade enhances your features, your whole look feels complete and alive. And a regular attention to detail helps preserve this effect.

¹Cooper

²For professional and at-home use

³Among L’Oréal Professionnel products

⁴Instrumental test: pre-shampoo + coloring/lightening service + shampoo + Metal Detox mask

⁵Metal Detox, Vitamino Color, Absolut Repair Molecular, Esprit de Beauté, Dia Light, Dia Color

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