Nourish & Maintain Guide
Protecting your colour. Supporting your hair. Preserving the result.
Before We Begin
Your transformation does not finish when you leave the salon.
After significant lightening, colour correction or chemical work, your hair has been through a major process. While the result may look beautiful, the internal structure and needs of your hair may now be very different to what they were before.
At White Ivy, we consider home care part of your colour journey.
What we do in the salon and what you do at home need to work together.
What’s different about your hair after a major colour service?
After a major colour transformation, it is completely normal for your hair to feel different.
Lightening works by removing pigment from within the hair. The more corrective work or lightening required, the more support your hair may need afterwards.
You may notice changes in:
- softness
- elasticity
- porosity
- moisture levels
- texture
- how quickly your hair absorbs products
- how your hair responds to heat
- how long toner and colour last
This does not automatically mean something has gone wrong.
Your hair has undergone a significant chemical process and now needs to be cared for accordingly.
Think of it as having a new version of your hair, one that requires a different routine from the one you may have followed before.
The first 72 hours matter more than you think
The first 72 hours after a major colour or corrective session are especially important.
Your hair has already done a lot of work during your appointment, so our advice is simple:
Leave it alone.
For a minimum of 3 full days:
- Do not wash your hair.
- Do not apply heat.
- Do not use a hairdryer.
- Do not straighten or curl your hair.
- Do not use hot brushes or heated styling tools.
- Avoid very hot showers and excessive steam around the hair.
- Avoid swimming in pools, spas or salt water.
- Avoid tight ponytails, buns or hairstyles that place unnecessary tension on the hair.
- Do not use purple shampoo, toning products, clarifying products, detox treatments or other products that have not been prescribed for you.
Giving your hair this period without washing or heat allows it time to settle after the chemical work it has undergone and helps protect both the condition of your hair and your fresh colour.
After the first 3 days, begin your prescribed White Ivy home care routine.
After Corrective Work
Your Masque Is Part of Every Wash
If you have undergone corrective work, we recommend using your prescribed masque at every wash, particularly during the initial period following your correction.
This is not an occasional treatment.
It becomes part of your regular washing routine.
Your routine should be:
After shampooing, gently squeeze out excess water and towel dry your hair before applying your masque.
Do not apply your masque to hair that is dripping wet.
When the hair is saturated with excess water, the product can become diluted and may not be able to sit within the hair as effectively.
Towel drying first allows your prescribed masque to be applied properly and gives the hair the best opportunity to absorb the treatment.
Apply it through the areas recommended by your stylist and leave it on for the prescribed amount of time.
Then rinse thoroughly and continue with the rest of your personalised home care routine.
After corrective work, this step should become a habit:
Shampoo. Towel dry. Masque. Every wash.
Nourish First
Why our priority shifts once your transformation is complete?
Once your transformation is complete, our priority shifts.
We are no longer only thinking about changing your colour.
We are now protecting what we have created.
Nourishing your hair means maintaining the right balance of:
STRENGTH + MOISTURE + PROTECTION
Your home care routine should be based on what your hair needs now, not necessarily what you were using before your transformation.
Your stylist may prescribe:
- professional shampoo
- professional conditioner
- a masque
- strengthening or repair treatments
- leave-in treatments
- heat protection
- oils or finishing serums
- colour specific products
- additional treatments where required
Your prescription will depend on your hair history, the work completed and what we are planning to do next.
Home Care Is Not Optional
Why we treat it as part of the service, not an extra?
After significant colour or corrective work, professional home care is not simply an extra product recommendation.
It is part of the service.
We can do everything correctly in the salon, but we only have your hair for a few hours.
You have it every day in between.
How you treat your hair at home can directly impact:
- condition
- strength
- breakage
- moisture
- shine
- toner longevity
- colour longevity
- manageability
- future lightening potential
- what we are safely able to achieve at your next appointment
When we prescribe home care, there is a reason behind it.
Maintaining your hair correctly gives us the strongest possible foundation to continue your journey.
Your Product Prescription
Why there’s no one size fits all routine?
There is no universal routine that suits every client.
Your stylist will recommend products based specifically on your hair.
We consider:
- your natural texture
- density
- porosity
- colour history
- previous chemical services
- amount of corrective work completed
- level of lightening
- current condition
- styling habits
- washing frequency
- lifestyle
- future colour goals
Someone who has undergone several rounds of base correction may require a very different routine to someone who has had a subtle AirSmudge™ service.
A grey blending client may also require something completely different from a high impact blonde transformation.
Your products should be chosen based on your hair, not simply because something is trending, smells nice or says “repair” on the bottle.
Home Care Essentials
Starting your home care routine early helps lock in your result and keeps your hair in the best condition possible.
Formulated to care for hair after a colour service
A bond building or repair treatment, used weekly to help maintain strength after correction or lightening work
Your stylist will confirm which products from the list above are right for your specific hair and colour result, and will note them on your personalised plan.
Washing Your Hair
How you wash your hair matters just as much as what you wash it with?
Where possible, avoid unnecessary daily washing.
Less frequent washing can help preserve:
- toner
- colour
- moisture
- natural oils
When shampooing, concentrate primarily on the scalp.
Massage gently with your fingertips rather than aggressively scrubbing the lengths.
Allow the shampoo to rinse through the mid-lengths and ends rather than repeatedly shampooing areas that do not require it.
And remember:
If you have undergone corrective work, towel dry after shampooing before applying your prescribed masque.
For most clients, lukewarm water is preferable to very hot water.
Very hot water can contribute to faster colour fade and can leave lightened hair feeling drier.
Toner
Toner Will Fade
Toner is used to refine your colour.
It helps neutralise unwanted warmth, adjust tone and create the finished shade you see when you leave the salon.
But toner is not permanent.
Toners are translucent and gradually fade through washing, heat, UV exposure and everyday wear.
As Carla often describes it:
Toner can act like a Band-Aid between stages of your colour journey.
It helps keep your colour polished while we continue working through what sits underneath.
As your toner fades, warmer tones may gradually become more visible.
This does not mean your correction has reversed or your colour has “gone wrong.”
It simply means the translucent toner is wearing away and the underlying pigment is becoming more visible.
Toner Refreshes
Depending on your colour, hair condition, washing routine and desired tone, we may recommend toner or gloss appointments between major colour services.
Some clients prefer to keep their tone very fresh.
Others are comfortable allowing their colour to soften naturally between visits.
How frequently you require toning can depend on:
- your desired shade
- how light your hair is
- your underlying pigment
- washing frequency
- products used at home
- water quality
- heat styling
- sun exposure
Your stylist will guide you on what is appropriate for your individual result.
Heat Protection Every Single Time
Non negotiable, no matter the tool
After your initial 3 day no heat period, heat can be gradually reintroduced.
But heat protection is non negotiable.
If you use:
- a hairdryer
- straightener
- curling iron
- hot brush
- heated styling tool
use your prescribed heat protection every single time.
Try to avoid repeatedly passing hot tools over the same section of hair.
Where possible, lower the temperature of your tools.
More heat does not equal a better result.
Lightened and chemically treated hair can be far more vulnerable to excessive heat, and repeated high temperatures can contribute to dryness, brittleness and breakage.
Recommended Heat Protection
A leave-in spray that protects hair from heat and UV damage, with heat resistance up to 220°C. Adds shape memory, softness and shine, and helps reduce frizz.
A nourishing, anti-frizz blow-dry milk for dry hair, with heat protection up to 230°C. Detangles and leaves hair smoother, softer and shinier.
A multi-function styling spray offering flexible, weightless hold, style memory and thermal protection. Also helps block humidity and frizz.
A leave-in styling cream that smooths, hydrates and reduces frizz for up to 72 hours. Provides heat protection up to 230°C and suits colour treated and chemically treated hair.
Wet Hair Needs Extra Care
Hair can be more vulnerable when wet.
After washing, do not aggressively rub or rough up your hair with a towel.
Gently squeeze excess water from the hair instead.
When detangling, begin at the ends and gradually work your way upward.
Use your prescribed leave in products where recommended and use a brush or comb suited to your hair.
Do not force through knots.
If the hair is resisting, stop and gently work through it.
Masks and Treatments
Treatments play an important role in maintaining chemically treated hair.
But more is not always better.
There is a difference between giving your hair what it needs and layering multiple products onto it because they are marketed as “repair.”
Your stylist may prescribe a combination of strengthening, moisture or restorative products depending on the needs of your hair.
For corrective clients, your prescribed masque should generally be used at every wash unless your stylist tells you otherwise.
Other treatments should be used according to your individual prescription.
We want balance, not a bathroom full of products fighting against one another.
Extra Nourishment In Salon
For hair that has undergone significant lightening or corrective work, home care can be supported with regular professional treatments in salon.
For an additional boost of nourishment, we recommend booking one of our Kérastase Spa Treatment Rituals every couple of weeks, particularly during the recovery period following major colour work.
These appointments allow us to assess how your hair is progressing and select a ritual suited to what your hair needs at that point, whether that is moisture, strength, softness, shine or additional support.
Think of these treatments as part of your ongoing hair care plan, not just an occasional luxury.
Your at home routine does the daily work.
Your in salon treatments give the hair an extra level of professional support between major colour appointments.
Purple Shampoo and At Home Toning Products
Purple shampoo is not automatically required simply because your hair is blonde or lightened.
In some cases, overusing highly pigmented shampoos or masks can leave the hair looking dull, overly cool or uneven.
It may also mask what is actually happening underneath your toner.
Do not begin using purple or blue shampoo unless it has been recommended as part of your home care plan.
We would rather professionally refresh your tone when necessary than have you continuously deposit pigment onto your hair at home without guidance.
Swimming, Chlorine and Salt Water
Lightened and porous hair can absorb minerals and chemicals from water more easily.
Chlorine, salt water and mineral build up can affect both the tone and condition of the hair.
Before swimming:
- wet your hair thoroughly with fresh water
- apply your recommended protective product if advised
- avoid allowing chlorinated water to dry repeatedly into the hair
After swimming, rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
If you swim regularly, let your stylist know so your maintenance plan can take this into account.
Do not repeatedly use strong clarifying or detox products unless they have been recommended to you.
Sun and UV Exposure
Just like your skin, your hair is affected by the sun.
UV exposure can contribute to:
- colour fade
- dryness
- tonal changes
- increased porosity
If you spend significant time outdoors, particularly during summer or while travelling, consider protecting your hair with a hat and using recommended UV protective products.
Your colour is an investment.
Protect it accordingly.
Part of Your Maintenance
Trims
Maintaining healthy ends becomes increasingly important after significant lightening or corrective work.
Regular trims allow us to remove weathered or weakened ends before splitting progresses further.
This does not necessarily mean removing large amounts of length.
Small, regular trims can often help maintain the overall quality and shape of the hair while still allowing you to grow it.
Your stylist will recommend a schedule based on your individual hair.
Ongoing Care at a Glance
A quick reminder of what to do, and what to avoid
Do:
- Use a heat protectant every time you use hot tools
- Protect your hair from direct sun and chlorine where possible, as both can shift your tone over time
- Use your recommended bond building or repair treatment weekly to help maintain strength after correction or lightening work
- Book your follow up toning or maintenance appointment before you leave the salon, so your colour stays on track
Don’t:
- Overwash your hair, as this strips colour and moisture faster
- Skip your recommended aftercare products, even once your hair looks and feels fine
- Colour your hair at home between salon visits, as this can interfere with your overall plan
- Ignore dryness or breakage. Let your stylist know at your next visit
Your Maintenance Schedule
Every White Ivy maintenance plan is different.
Your future appointments may include:
- toner or gloss refreshes
- trims
- nourishing treatments
- Kérastase Spa Treatment Rituals
- grey blending maintenance
- face frame refreshes
- AirSmudge™ maintenance
- further corrective work
- further lightening
- future transformation appointments
Some clients may need to return within a few weeks.
Others may not require significant colour work for several months.
There is no universal timetable.
The goal is not to bring you back unnecessarily.
The goal is to maintain your result while protecting the condition of your hair, at a frequency that suits your lifestyle.
Maintaining Grey Blending
Grey blending is designed to work with your natural hair rather than constantly fighting against it.
Once your transition is complete, your maintenance can look very different from traditional colour.
You may choose to:
- allow your natural colour to grow completely
- maintain your colour largely at home
- return every few months for toning
- refresh selected areas only
- enhance the grey with subtle highlights beneath the part line
- maintain brightness around the face
- simply return for trims and treatments
There is no single correct grey blending schedule.
Your maintenance should work with your natural pattern, your lifestyle and how much salon maintenance you want.
Maintaining AirSmudge™
AirSmudge™ has been designed to create a soft, diffused result with a seamless grow out.
Maintenance will depend on the AirSmudge™ service you have received and the result we are working towards.
Your plan may involve:
- toner refreshes
- subtle face frame brightness
- root refinement
- maintaining dimension
- further lightening over time
- or simply allowing the colour to grow naturally
Because AirSmudge™ is customised to the individual, there is no standard maintenance timeframe.
Your stylist will map out what is appropriate for your hair.
When Your Hair Needs a Break?
Sometimes the right move is to wait
Sometimes the best thing we can do for your hair is nothing.
There may be times when we recommend delaying further lightening or chemical work.
Your hair may need time to rebuild strength, restore moisture or simply recover from the work that has already been completed.
This does not mean your journey has stopped.
It means we are protecting it.
Healthy hair gives us options.
Pushing hair beyond what it can safely tolerate can take those options away.
At White Ivy, your hair will always have the final say.
Listening to Your Hair
Your colour and maintenance plan is based on our professional experience, testing, knowledge and prediction.
But every head of hair is different.
Your hair may respond better than expected.
It may require more time than expected.
It may require us to change direction.
Your maintenance routine or future appointment schedule may therefore change as your journey progresses.
We will continue to assess your hair and adjust where necessary.
The goal is never to force your hair into a predetermined timeline.
The goal is to achieve the best possible result while maintaining the integrity of your hair.
Contact Us If Something Feels Different
If you notice a significant change in the way your hair feels or behaves after your appointment, contact us.
This may include:
- excessive tangling
- unusual dryness
- significant breakage
- unexpected colour changes
- difficulty managing your hair at home
Please reach out before experimenting with additional treatments, toning products, repair products or at home colour.
Sometimes the product you think your hair needs is not actually what it needs.
Let us guide you.
Your Hair Plan
There is no universal maintenance routine.
Your hair history, lifestyle, starting point, transformation and future goal are completely individual.
That is why your White Ivy journey does not finish when your transformation is complete.
We continue to guide you through:
Because creating beautiful colour is only half of our job.
Protecting the hair underneath it, so it remains beautiful, wearable and capable of continuing the journey, is the other half.
We plan. We protect. We transform.
