You find a specialist by asking what they adjust for your hair type, not whether they can do the service. That one question tells you more than any portfolio. It shows whether a stylist has done your hair enough times to know what changes and what does not. Most guests never ask it. They see a photo they like, book the appointment, and hope the technique that worked on someone else's hair works on theirs. Sometimes it does. Often it does not. The gap usually comes down to repetitions, not talent. What It Means to Specialize in a Hair Type A stylist specializes in your hair type when they have done your service on hair like yours hundreds of times, not once in training. Ask what they adjust for your texture and density. A specialist answers with a change in section size, developer, or timing. A generalist just says yes. That difference is what you are shopping for. Every licensed stylist covers all hair types in theory during school. What school does not cover is the volume of repetitions it takes to learn how one texture behaves wet versus dry, six weeks after a cut, or three months into a color grow-out. A stylist who has cut fine hair five times knows the technique. One who has cut fine hair five hundred times knows that fine hair needs weight left in specific interior zones, or the whole shape collapses by week two. Scissor over comb on fine hair leaves visible holes. A razor does not. Fine hair shows every elevation mistake, because there is no density to hide behind. The same gap shows up in curly cutting, in color correction on hair that has already been lightened, in extensions on a fine hairline, and in smoothing on coarse texture. The technique is teachable in a weekend. The adjustments come from doing it on real heads, over and over, until the pattern is automatic. The Consultation Should Feel Like a Diagnosis A generalist asks what you want and starts working toward it. A specialist asks what you have already tried, what failed, and what your hair does between appointments. Those follow-up questions are not small talk. They are diagnostic. Fine hair that goes limp by day two usually points to product buildup or a cut that removed too much interior weight. Coarse hair that frizzes an hour after a blowout in this air often needs a different smoothing method, or a rebalance of moisture and protein. Blonde that pulls warm between toning sessions often needs a stronger toner and a filter for hard water at home. When a stylist connects your answers to a specific cause, that is pattern recognition built from volume. When they nod and say "we can fix that," they are guessing. At LAHH Salon, a consultation runs through your routine, your water, how your hair behaves in humidity, and what you are using at home. On curly and wavy hair we look at the shape dry before a single section is combed out, because wet hair lies about where the weight sits. On hair with a heavy chemical history we take a strand test before anyone mixes color. Neither step is dramatic. Both change the plan. If a stylist skips those questions, ask them yourself. The answers should sound like they are about your hair, not about hair in general. When the plan feels built for you, book your appointment and hold that stylist. Portfolio Proof: Look for Hair That Resembles Yours A portfolio can show fifty balayage photos. If all fifty sit on fine, straight hair and yours is coarse and wavy, those photos tell you nothing about how the placement and formula will translate. Curly and textured hair is where this shows up most. It is also where our guests say the most about it. One guest wrote in a Google review that after years of looking for someone who understood their curl pattern, they found a stylist here with "an incredible technique that makes my hair look fantastic and makes it so much more manageable." Another guest, writing about a blowout, put it plainly: "My blowout from them lasts me a good 10 days!" That kind of hold is not luck. It comes from someone who has worked that texture enough times to know how to prep it, how much tension to hold, and where to slow the dryer down. If a long-lasting finish is the thing you care about most, our breakdown of how to get a blowout to last five days walks through what happens at the chair and what has to happen at home. When you look at a stylist's work, filter for hair that matches yours in texture, density, and color history. Repeated examples on hair like yours are specialization. One or two are not. Ask directly how often they do that service on hair like yours. If you are weighing balayage against a more traditional approach, our guide comparing balayage and highlights covers how each one holds up over time on different textures. How the Same Service Changes by Hair Type The service name stays the same. The execution does not. The intervals below are the ones we plan around at the chair, based on what we see come back through the door, not a published standard. Fine, straight. What changes in application: Lower developer volume, dimension placed close to the scalp, thinner sections. How long it holds: About 8 to 10 weeks before a toner refresh. Upkeep: Toner touch-up, sulfate-free shampoo. Coarse, dense. What changes in application: Heavier saturation, wider sections, a little more lift to get through the density. How long it holds: About 10 to 12 weeks. Upkeep: Deep conditioning between visits. Curly, textured. What changes in application: Cut dry first to read the real shape, layering to stop the triangle, color painted to follow the curl. How long it holds: About 6 to 8 weeks for a shape refresh. Upkeep: Diffuser drying, curl-specific product. Already lightened or chemically treated. What changes in application: Strand test before lifting further, bond-building worked in mid-process, lower heat at styling. How long it holds: Varies with earlier damage, usually shorter. Upkeep: More frequent bond and conditioning treatments. A stylist who works one row of that table week after week adjusts without thinking about it. One who does not will improvise. Improvising on your hair is not the same as knowing your hair. A Specialist Will Sometimes Say No Here is the clearest signal. A specialist will talk you out of something you want when your hair cannot hold it. Fine, over-processed hair asking for platinum is the common one. A generalist books it. A stylist who has watched that pattern enough times will explain that the hair will not survive the lift, then offer a deeper blonde with a toning plan that gets closer over a few sessions without breaking anything. If you want to know where that line sits for your own hair, our post on how to tell if hair is too damaged for color walks through the warning signs we look for. Curly, coarse hair asked to go blunt and one length is another. Cut blunt, it widens as it grows and the shape fights you every morning. A stylist with real curl volume will say so, then build a layered interior that keeps the length and controls the outline. This is not an upsell. It is someone protecting the hair, and the result, with what repetition taught them. Ask What They Adjust, Not Whether They Can Do It Wrong question: "Do you do balayage on curly hair?" Right question: "What do you adjust when you do balayage on curly hair instead of straight?" Wrong question: "Can you do extensions on fine hair?" Right question: "Which extension method suits fine hair, and why that one?" A specialist answers with technique, product, or timing already loaded. A generalist says yes to the first question and has little for the second. Hand-tied wefts on a fine hairline need smaller sections placed higher on the head, so the tracks stay hidden and the weight does not pull. Tape-ins need a specific tape width and a placement map that spreads the load. We work with LAHH & Co., Great Lengths, and Bellami, and the choice between them is a matching decision about your density and your lifestyle, not a preference. Our comparison of tape-in and hand-tied extensions covers which method suits which hair. The same applies to smoothing. Asking whether we do keratin is the weaker question. Asking what a keratin service does to your texture compared with a Brazilian Blowout, and how each one wears in this climate, gets you a real answer. Our post on Brazilian Blowout versus keratin lays out the difference. What Holds Up at Two, Four, and Eight Weeks You can judge a service the day you leave. You cannot judge the expertise behind it until you see how it wears. A cut that looks great in the mirror and loses its shape by week two was not cut for that texture. A balayage that looks perfect in the chair and pulls warm inside two weeks was not toned for this water. Extensions that feel fine on day one and start slipping by week three were not installed with the right density in mind. Our guide to what happens between salon appointments goes deeper on that stretch of time. So ask at the consultation what to expect at two weeks, four weeks, and eight weeks. A specialist gives you specifics. "This will start warming up around week six, book a toner then." Or, "this curly shape wants a dry trim around week ten." A generalist tells you to come back when it looks off. We also tell you which shelf product keeps the result alive. Davines for daily care, ProAddiction when the hair needs rebuilding more than it needs shine. Naming the product is part of the plan, not an add-on at the desk. What This Water and This Air Change in the Formula A stylist new to South Florida can be highly skilled and still lack the local half of the pattern. Our water runs mineral heavy. Minerals sit on the hair shaft and block toner from depositing evenly, which is one reason blonde looks duller or warmer a week after it left the salon. We shift the toner formula for it, and we ask for a clarifying or chelating wash before a toning session so the color has a clean surface to grab. Our post on why color fades fast here covers the rest of it. Humidity lifts the cuticle and wakes the curl back up in smoothed hair. When the air is heavy, the interval between smoothing touch-ups shortens and a heavier leave-in earns its place. When it is dry, that interval stretches. Extensions feel it too, which is why we talk through wash routines at the install rather than after the first tangle. There is more on that in our piece on extensions in this humidity. Chlorine and salt strip color and can leave blonde looking dull and green. After a pool or beach day, rinse with a clarifying wash before going back to your color-safe shampoo. Color-safe formulas are not built to pull mineral and chlorine residue out. If you are booking with someone new to the area, ask what they change for humidity, sun, and hard water. No answer yet does not mean no skill. It means the local half is still being built. Guests travel to us from across the county, and you can see the range we work with on our areas we serve page. What Guessing Costs You When a formula is not matched to the hair type, the result usually looks fine on the day and unravels from there. Toning a balayage without accounting for mineral-heavy water leaves porous ends grabbing pigment unevenly. The tone shifts inside days instead of holding for weeks. A weft that is too heavy for a fine hairline pulls at the root with every wear cycle, and over a couple of months that tension shows up as breakage along the hairline. Not a dramatic failure. A slow one. Both are avoidable. Both come down to matching the formula, the weight, and the placement to the hair in the chair, not to the hair in the reference photo. Frequently Asked Questions How do I know if a stylist has enough experience with my hair type? Ask how often they do the service you want on hair that matches yours in texture, density, and color history. A specialist gives you a number or a timeframe. Vague answers usually mean the volume is not there yet. Should I book a newer stylist who specializes, or an experienced generalist? Book the specialist. Two years focused on curly cutting is more relevant than ten years of doing it occasionally. Volume in your category beats general years behind the chair. What if my hair type is uncommon and nobody has much experience with it? Look for someone who has worked a lot with the closest match in texture, density, or chemical history, and who asks detailed questions at the consultation. Pattern recognition transfers between similar hair types far better than between very different ones. How much does a consultation cost, and what does it include? Call us at (305) 877-7706 and we will tell you what a consultation involves for the service you are considering. Current pricing lives on our service menu, since it changes. Every consultation is a real conversation about your hair, not a quick chat before you sit down. What if I have gone to the same stylist for years but my hair has changed? Hair shifts with age, hormones, and chemical history. Ask our front desk to match you with someone whose current focus lines up with where your hair is now. The right fit five years ago is not always the right fit today. Can one stylist specialize in more than one hair type? Yes, though the more categories someone covers, the more it tends to reflect layered years of work. At LAHH Salon, different team members lean toward different concentrations. Be specific about what your hair needs and confirm the person doing it has real volume in that category. What is the difference between a color specialist and a cutting specialist? It comes down to where the continuing education and the weekly work sit. A color specialist stays current on formulation and correction and does more color. A cutting specialist invests in cutting education and does more cuts. Both are trained across services, but the depth lives in one place. How do I judge a stylist's work if I am new to the area? Look at recent work filtered for hair that resembles yours. Read reviews that mention your texture or your service. Then book a consultation and see whether the questions and the answers feel built for your hair or borrowed from a script. Find a Stylist Who Has Seen Your Hair Before The right stylist is not the one with the biggest following. It is the one who has done your service on your hair type enough times to know what will work, what will not, and what to change before a problem shows up. At LAHH Salon in Bay Harbor Islands, our team covers the range of hair this area brings through the door. The services that need the most specific repetitions, color correction, extensions, curly cutting, keratin and Brazilian Blowout, sit with the people who do them most. Book your consultation or call (305) 877-7706, and you will know inside ten minutes whether the fit is right.

Your blonde looked perfect when you left the salon. Cool, bright, exactly what you asked for. Two weeks later, you catch yourself in the mirror and the tone has shifted. Yellow creeps in at the roots. The ends read more gold than ash. You're not imagining it, and the color didn't fail. Miami air, salt water, and chlorine are changing the tone faster than the pigment fades anywhere else. Here's what's actually happening to your blonde between appointments, why it happens faster in Miami than most places, and what you can do about it before it costs you a full color correction. Brass is oxidation, not your color washing out Blonde hair turns brassy when the cool-toned pigments in your color oxidize faster than the warm-toned ones. Every time you step outside in Miami, UV exposure speeds up that oxidation. Salt water and chlorine do the same thing. The result is that the ash and violet tones your colorist used to neutralize warmth break down first, leaving behind the underlying yellow and orange pigments in your hair. This is not the color washing out. The lightener that lifted your hair to blonde is permanent. What changes is the toner, the deposit-only color layer that controls the tone. Toner molecules sit on the surface of the cuticle and inside the cortex, and they are smaller and less stable than permanent color molecules. They fade, and in Miami's climate they fade fast. Most blondes need a toner refresh every four to six weeks. In Miami, that window shrinks to three to five weeks for most clients, and sometimes less if you swim daily or spend significant time outside. The hotter the water you wash with, the faster the toner fades Hot water opens the hair cuticle. When the cuticle opens, toner molecules escape. Every hot shower is pulling a small amount of pigment out of your hair, and the hotter the water, the more pigment you lose per wash. At LAHH Salon, we tell clients to wash their hair in the coolest water they can tolerate. Lukewarm is workable. Cold is better. This one change can extend a toner from three weeks to five weeks in Miami, and it costs nothing. If you cannot stand cold water on your scalp, wash your hair separately in the sink or tilt your head back in the shower so the water runs down the length instead of starting at the roots. Your scalp does not need hot water. Your hair does not either. Purple shampoo works, but only if you use it correctly Purple shampoo deposits a small amount of violet pigment onto the hair every time you use it. Violet neutralizes yellow on the color wheel, so regular use keeps blonde from turning brassy between salon visits. The key word is regular. Using it once every two weeks does almost nothing. Using it every wash can over-deposit and leave your hair looking dull or slightly gray. Most of our Miami clients get the best results using purple shampoo every second or third wash. Lather it, leave it on the hair for two to three minutes, and rinse thoroughly. If your blonde is already very brassy, purple shampoo will not fix it. It maintains a tone that is already correct. It does not lift out existing brass. Not all purple shampoos are the same strength. Drugstore formulas tend to be weaker and require more frequent use. Professional formulas, the ones we retail at LAHH, are more concentrated and work faster. If you are using a purple shampoo and not seeing any difference, the formula is probably too weak for your hair, or you are not leaving it on long enough. Chlorine and salt water strip toner faster than anything else Chlorine bonds to the hair cuticle and oxidizes any color it touches. One pool session can fade a fresh toner noticeably. Salt water does the same thing, though slightly slower. If you swim daily, your toner will not last more than two to three weeks, and sometimes less. The fix is to wet your hair with clean water before you get in the pool or the ocean. When the hair is already saturated with fresh water, it absorbs less chlorinated or salt water. After you swim, rinse immediately. Do not let chlorine or salt sit on the hair for hours. The longer it sits, the more oxidation happens. A leave-in conditioner or a hair oil applied before swimming creates a barrier between the water and your hair. It will not prevent all fading, but it slows it down. We keep a small bottle of leave-in in every client's beach bag recommendation. UV exposure breaks down cool tones in blonde hair Miami sun is stronger than most places, and UV radiation degrades hair color the same way it fades fabric. Cool-toned pigments, the ash and violet tones that keep blonde from looking brassy, break down faster under UV than warm-toned pigments. The result is that your blonde shifts warmer every day you spend outside, even if you are not swimming. A UV protectant spray helps. Apply it before you go outside, the same way you apply sunscreen to your skin. Reapply if you are outside for more than a few hours. A hat works too, and it is the most effective option if you are willing to wear one. If you work outside or spend significant time in the sun daily, plan for more frequent toner appointments. A blonde that would hold six weeks in a northern climate will need a refresh every three to four weeks in Miami. Hard water deposits minerals that make blonde look dull and brassy Miami tap water is moderately hard, meaning it contains dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. Every time you wash your hair, a small amount of those minerals deposits onto the hair shaft. Over time, that buildup creates a film that makes hair look dull, and it can shift the tone of blonde hair toward yellow or orange. A clarifying shampoo removes mineral buildup. Use it once every two to four weeks, depending on how hard your water is and how often you wash your hair. Do not use it more often than that. Clarifying shampoo is strong, and overuse will dry out your hair. If you have very hard water at home, a shower filter helps. It will not remove all minerals, but it reduces the amount that deposits onto your hair. Clients who install a filter usually report that their toner lasts one to two weeks longer. A gloss or toner refresh costs less than a full color correction When blonde starts to look brassy, most clients wait until the next full color appointment to address it. By that point, the brass is usually set in enough that a simple toner will not fully neutralize it, and the colorist has to use a stronger formula or add a color correction step. That costs more and takes longer. A standalone toner or gloss service at LAHH takes thirty to forty-five minutes and refreshes the tone without touching the lightener. It is not a full color appointment. It is a maintenance step, the same way a root touch-up maintains length between haircuts. Scheduling a toner refresh every four to six weeks keeps your blonde looking the way it did when you left the salon, and it prevents the buildup of brass that eventually requires a correction. Most clients resist booking toner-only appointments because they feel like an extra trip. The alternative is living with brassy hair for weeks until the next full appointment, or paying for a color correction that could have been prevented. A toner refresh is cheaper and faster than either option. What happens if you ignore brass and let it build up Brass does not stay surface-level forever. The longer it sits, the more it oxidizes into the hair, and the harder it becomes to lift out. After a few months of buildup, a standard toner will not neutralize it. The colorist has to use a color remover or a stronger toner formula, and in some cases they have to lift the hair again and re-tone from scratch. That is a color correction, and it costs more than the original color service. Ignoring brass also damages your hair. The same oxidation that turns blonde brassy breaks down the protein structure inside the hair shaft. Oxidized hair is weaker, more porous, and more prone to breakage. Fixing the tone later means fixing the damage too, and that adds bond-building treatments and deep conditioning steps to the appointment. Catching brass early, within the first two to four weeks, keeps it from becoming a bigger problem. A toner refresh at that stage takes less time, costs less, and does not require any additional repair work. What a toner refresh appointment looks like at LAHH Salon You book a toner or gloss service. The appointment takes thirty to forty-five minutes. Your colorist evaluates the current tone, determines which pigments have faded, and mixes a deposit-only toner to neutralize the brass. The toner is applied to the full length of your hair, processed for fifteen to twenty minutes, and rinsed. No lightener is used. You leave with the tone you had when your color was fresh. If your blonde is very brassy or if it has been more than eight weeks since your last toner, the colorist may recommend a clarifying treatment first to remove buildup, then apply the toner. That adds ten minutes to the appointment. If the brass has oxidized deeply enough that a standard toner will not lift it, they will let you know during the consultation, and you can decide whether to proceed with a toner or schedule a full color correction instead. You can see how different toners shift the same blonde base on our Instagram, which shows the range of tones we work with and how they hold up in Miami. At-home maintenance between toner appointments Between toner refreshes, your job is to slow down the fading. That means cool water when you wash, purple shampoo every second or third wash, UV protectant before you go outside, and a clarifying shampoo every two to four weeks to remove mineral buildup. If you swim, wet your hair with clean water first and rinse immediately after. These steps will not prevent fading entirely. Toner fades. That is how deposit-only color works. But they will extend the time between appointments from three weeks to five or six weeks, and they will keep the brass from building up into something that requires a correction. If you are doing all of this and your blonde is still turning brassy within two weeks, the issue is probably the formula your colorist used or the condition of your hair when it was lightened. Hair that is over-processed or very porous holds toner poorly, and no amount of at-home care will fix that. In that case, the solution is a bond-building treatment like Olaplex or K18 to repair the hair structure, followed by a toner on healthier hair. Frequently Asked Questions How long does toner last on blonde hair in Miami? Most toners last three to five weeks in Miami, shorter than the six to eight weeks they hold in drier or cooler climates. UV exposure, chlorine, salt water, and hard water all speed up toner fade. Clients who swim daily or spend significant time outside usually need a refresh every three to four weeks. Can purple shampoo fix brassy hair? Purple shampoo maintains a tone that is already correct. It will not lift out existing brass. If your blonde is already visibly yellow or orange, you need a toner refresh at the salon. Purple shampoo works best when you use it every second or third wash starting the week after your color appointment, before the brass appears. Why does my blonde look more yellow at the roots than the ends? Roots are newer growth and usually more porous than the lengths, so they grab and release toner differently. If your roots were lifted to a higher level than your ends, they may also have more underlying yellow pigment showing through. A toner applied to the full head will fade faster at the roots in most cases. Your colorist can apply a stronger formula to the roots during the toner refresh. Does chlorine permanently damage blonde hair? Chlorine oxidizes the hair cuticle and strips color, but it does not cause permanent structural damage unless the hair is already very fragile. Rinsing immediately after swimming and using a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove chlorine buildup will prevent most issues. If you swim daily, expect to book toner refreshes more often. How much does a toner refresh cost? Pricing depends on the salon and the length of your hair. A standalone toner or gloss service typically costs less than a full color appointment because no lightener is used and the processing time is shorter. Check with the salon for their specific pricing. Can I tone my own hair at home? You can, but professional toners are stronger and more predictable than box formulas. A colorist also evaluates the current tone and mixes the formula to match what your hair needs, rather than guessing. If your blonde is already very brassy or uneven, a professional toner will give you better results. If you are maintaining a tone that is mostly correct, a purple shampoo or a purple toning mask works fine at home. Why does my blonde turn orange instead of yellow? Orange brass usually means your hair was not lifted light enough before the toner was applied, or the underlying pigment in your natural hair is very warm. Yellow brass is surface oxidation. Orange brass is structural. A toner alone will not fix orange. You need a color correction that lifts the hair to a higher level before re-toning, and that is a longer appointment. How often should I clarify my hair if I have hard water? Once every two to four weeks, depending on how often you wash your hair and how hard your water is. If you wash daily, clarify every two weeks. If you wash two to three times per week, clarify every three to four weeks. A buildup of minerals makes blonde look dull and shifts the tone toward yellow, and clarifying removes that buildup. Keep your Miami blonde looking fresh Brass is not a color failure. It is oxidation, and in Miami it happens faster than most places. The fix is not waiting until your next full color appointment. The fix is booking a toner refresh every four to six weeks, using purple shampoo between visits, protecting your hair from UV and chlorine, and washing in cool water. If your blonde is already brassy and a purple shampoo is not touching it, book your toner appointment and let us reset the tone before it turns into a correction. Catching it early costs less, takes less time, and keeps your hair healthier than letting it build up.

You invested in professional color at LAHH Salon, with the cost shaped by your hair length, the color technique, and how much lift the service required, walked out with the exact shade you wanted, and three weeks later it looks two levels lighter. The ends feel rough, the tone shifted brassy, and you are back to considering another gloss appointment. This is not a stylist problem or a product problem. This is what happens when color-treated hair meets Miami's UV index, chlorine, saltwater, and hard water every single day. You can see the full range of services and what affects cost on our service menu. Miami's UV index sits between 8 and 11 most of the year. UV radiation breaks down the chromophore molecules in hair dye, which is the part of the molecule that holds the color pigment. Darker dyes fade first because they have larger chromophore molecules with more bonds to break. Red and copper tones oxidize fastest. Blonde tones turn brassy when the underlying warm pigment gets exposed as the toner fades. Saltwater and chlorine accelerate the breakdown because both strip the cuticle layer and let UV penetrate deeper into the cortex where the color sits. At LAHH Salon we see this cycle every summer, and we see it year-round with clients who swim, surf, or spend time on boats. The question is not whether your color will fade in Miami. The question is how fast it fades and whether you can slow it down enough to stretch appointments from 4 weeks to 6 or 8. Why Does Hair Color Fade in the Sun and Saltwater? Hair color sits in the cortex layer under the cuticle. When you swim in saltwater or a chlorinated pool, the salt or chlorine pulls moisture out of the hair shaft. The cuticle lifts slightly, and the cortex swells. UV light then penetrates through the lifted cuticle and oxidizes the dye molecules in the cortex. Oxidation breaks the color molecule into smaller, lighter pieces. That is fade. Chlorine is worse than saltwater because it is alkaline and opens the cuticle faster. Most Miami pools run chlorine levels between 1 and 3 ppm, which is enough to strip a fresh toner in two or three swims. Saltwater is less alkaline but still dehydrates the hair, and the salt crystals left behind after drying act like tiny magnifying glasses that focus UV light on the shaft. Hard water adds another layer. Miami-Dade County water hardness averages 200 to 250 ppm. Hard water deposits calcium and magnesium on the hair shaft. Those mineral deposits create a film that blocks conditioning treatments and makes the cuticle rougher, which means more UV gets through. The film also oxidizes over time and turns color brassy, especially on blonde and silver tones. If you color your hair and swim regularly without changing your routine, expect to lose 30 to 50 percent of your color vibrancy in the first three weeks. If you are blonde and swim in a pool, expect green or brassy tones by week two. If you are brunette and spend time in saltwater, expect the ends to turn copper or orange by week four. The Maintenance Cycle Most Miami Clients Run At LAHH Salon we track how often clients who swim or spend time outside come back for color corrections, glosses, and toners. Here is the pattern we see: Balayage or highlights: most clients book a gloss every 4 to 6 weeks to neutralize brassiness and restore tone. Full color refresh every 10 to 12 weeks. Solid color or root touch-up: most clients stretch root appointments to 6 to 8 weeks but book a toner at week 4 because the ends fade faster than the roots grow. Fashion colors (reds, coppers, vivids): most clients come back every 3 to 4 weeks because those dyes have the largest chromophore molecules and oxidize fastest. Some clients refresh at home with a color-depositing conditioner between appointments. Platinum or silver blonde: most clients tone every 3 weeks to keep brassiness out. Chlorine turns platinum yellow in one swim, so we recommend a pre-swim treatment every time. The clients who stretch their color appointments longest are the ones who treat their hair before swimming, rinse immediately after, and use a UV protectant daily. The ones who fade fastest are the ones who swim without rinsing and let their hair air-dry in the sun with saltwater or chlorine still in it. How to Protect Your Color Before You Swim The single best thing you can do is saturate your hair with clean water or a leave-in conditioner before you swim. Wet hair absorbs less chlorine and saltwater because the shaft is already full of water. If the shaft is dry when you dive in, it acts like a sponge and pulls in everything in the pool or ocean. At LAHH we recommend this pre-swim routine for color-treated hair: Wet your hair thoroughly with tap water or bottled water. Soak it completely, from roots to ends. This fills the cortex so chlorine and salt cannot get in as easily. Apply a leave-in conditioner or hair oil to the lengths and ends. Use something with silicone or a rich oil base. The oil creates a barrier between the hair shaft and the water. We see the best results with products that contain dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, or argan oil. Pull your hair into a bun or braid. Less surface area exposed to sun and water means less fade. A loose braid works better than leaving it down. Wear a swim cap if you are swimming laps or spending more than 30 minutes in the pool. A silicone cap does not keep your hair completely dry, but it reduces chlorine exposure by 60 to 70 percent. If you swim daily or multiple times a week, this routine is non-negotiable. Skipping it means you will fade out your color in half the normal time and spend twice as much on toners and corrections. What to Do Immediately After You Swim The faster you rinse after swimming, the less damage your color takes. Chlorine and salt keep working as long as they sit on your hair. If you let your hair air-dry with chlorine or saltwater in it, you are giving UV light hours to oxidize your color while the cuticle is still open. Rinse your hair with clean tap water or bottled water as soon as you get out. Do not wait until you get home. Most Miami beaches and pools have outdoor showers. Use them. If no shower is available, bring a water bottle and pour it through your hair in the parking lot. This is not excessive. This is what keeps color from turning brassy or green. When you get home, shampoo with a chelating or clarifying shampoo once a week to strip chlorine and mineral buildup. The rest of the week, use a sulfate-free color-safe shampoo. Follow every wash with a deep conditioning treatment or a bond-building treatment like Olaplex or K18. These products repair the disulfide bonds in the hair shaft that break down from chlorine and UV exposure. If you notice green tones starting to show (common on blonde hair after pool swimming), use a clarifying shampoo immediately, then tone with a purple or blue shampoo to neutralize the green. If the green does not lift with at-home products, book a color correction appointment. Waiting makes it harder to fix. UV Protectants: What Works and What Doesn't UV protectant sprays and leave-ins work, but not all of them work the same way. Some contain chemical UV filters that absorb UV radiation before it hits the hair. Others contain physical blockers like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide that reflect UV light. Both types help, but chemical filters tend to work better on hair because they are lighter and do not leave a white cast. Look for products that list these ingredients: Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate: absorbs UVB rays, the type that causes the most color fade. Benzophenone-4: absorbs both UVA and UVB. Octocrylene: stabilizes other UV filters and helps them last longer. Polysilicone-15: a newer UV filter that works well on hair without making it greasy. Apply a UV protectant every morning before you go outside, the same way you apply sunscreen to your skin. Reapply after swimming or if you are outside for more than 3 hours. Most UV protectants are formulated as sprays or light creams. Use enough to coat the lengths and ends but not so much that your hair looks wet or greasy. We also recommend wearing a hat whenever you are outside for more than an hour. A wide-brim hat blocks UV from hitting the top of your head and your part line, which are the areas that fade fastest on most clients. If you are on a boat or at the beach all day, a hat is the difference between keeping your color for 6 weeks and losing it in 3. The Hard Water Problem and How to Fix It Miami's hard water leaves mineral deposits on your hair every time you wash. Over time, those deposits build up and create a film that makes your hair feel rough, blocks moisture, and oxidizes into a brassy or greenish tint. Blonde and silver tones show the buildup most visibly, but it affects all color-treated hair. The fix is a chelating treatment. Chelating shampoos contain ingredients like EDTA or citric acid that bind to calcium and magnesium ions and pull them off the hair shaft. Use a chelating shampoo once a week if you wash your hair daily, or once every two weeks if you wash less often. Do not use it more than that because it can strip your color along with the minerals. At LAHH Salon we also install or recommend shower filters for clients who are serious about keeping their color. A shower filter removes most of the calcium and magnesium from your water before it touches your hair. Filter cost varies based on the brand and filtration technology, and most last 6 to 12 months depending on your water usage. Clients who install a filter report that their color lasts 2 to 3 weeks longer between toners, their hair feels softer, and they use less conditioner. If you are not ready to install a filter, rinse your hair with bottled or filtered water after your final shampoo and conditioner. This removes most of the hard water residue that would otherwise sit on your hair and oxidize. Some clients keep a gallon jug of distilled water in the shower for the final rinse. It sounds excessive, but it works. Color-Depositing Products: When They Help and When They Don't Color-depositing shampoos and conditioners can extend your color between salon visits, but they are not a replacement for professional toner or gloss. These products deposit a small amount of pigment on the surface of the hair shaft every time you use them. They work best for maintaining tone, not for correcting fade or brassiness that has already set in. Here is when to use them: Purple shampoo: for blonde, silver, or gray hair that is turning yellow or brassy. Use once or twice a week, leave on for 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse. Do not use it every wash because it can turn your hair purple or ashy if you overdo it. Blue shampoo: for brunette or dark blonde hair that is turning orange or brassy. Same usage as purple shampoo. Red or copper depositing conditioner: for red, auburn, or copper tones that fade fast. Use once a week to keep the color vibrant between salon visits. Clear gloss or shine treatment: for any color-treated hair. Adds shine and smooths the cuticle without changing your tone. Safe to use weekly. These products work when your color is still in good condition but starting to dull. They do not work when your color has already faded two levels or turned green from chlorine. At that point you need a professional correction, not a depositing shampoo. What We Recommend Based on Your Color and Lifestyle The maintenance plan that works for you depends on what color you have, how often you swim or spend time outside, and how much effort you are willing to put into upkeep. Here is what we recommend at LAHH based on the patterns we see: Balayage or highlights (blonde tones). Your lifestyle: Swim 2-3 times a week or spend time on the beach regularly. What to do: Pre-swim treatment every time, UV protectant daily, chelating shampoo weekly, purple shampoo twice a week, professional gloss every 4 weeks. Balayage or highlights (blonde tones). Your lifestyle: Occasional swimming, mostly indoors. What to do: UV protectant when outside, purple shampoo once a week, professional gloss every 6 weeks. Solid brunette or dark blonde. Your lifestyle: Swim regularly. What to do: Pre-swim treatment, blue shampoo once a week, professional gloss every 5-6 weeks. Solid brunette or dark blonde. Your lifestyle: Mostly indoors, occasional sun. What to do: UV protectant when outside, deep conditioner weekly, professional gloss every 8 weeks. Red, copper, or fashion color. Your lifestyle: Any lifestyle. What to do: UV protectant daily, color-depositing conditioner weekly, avoid chlorine entirely if possible, professional refresh every 3-4 weeks. Platinum or silver blonde. Your lifestyle: Swim regularly. What to do: Pre-swim treatment every time, chelating shampoo after every swim, purple shampoo 2-3 times a week, professional toner every 3 weeks. Platinum or silver blonde. Your lifestyle: Mostly indoors. What to do: UV protectant when outside, purple shampoo twice a week, professional toner every 4-5 weeks. If you are not sure which category you fall into or you want a custom plan, book a consultation at LAHH. We can look at your current color, your lifestyle, and your budget and build a maintenance schedule that fits. What Happens If You Skip the Maintenance We see this cycle often: a client books a full balayage or color correction, loves the result, then skips the follow-up gloss or toner because they are busy or trying to save money. Four to six weeks later they are back asking for a color correction because the tone shifted brassy, the ends look fried, or the color faded so much it looks like a different service. Skipping maintenance does not save money. It costs more because you end up paying for a correction instead of a gloss. A gloss at LAHH takes about 45 minutes, with the cost depending on your hair length. A color correction takes 3 to 5 hours, with the cost depending on how much lifting and toning the repair requires, and it runs higher than a gloss because of the extra time and product involved. The correction also puts more stress on your hair because it requires lifting or toning at a higher volume to fix the damage that built up from skipping the gloss. You can review current gloss and correction options on our service menu. If you are trying to stretch your color budget, the better strategy is to space out your root touch-ups and book a gloss or toner in between. Most clients can stretch root appointments to 8 or 10 weeks if they tone at week 4 or 5. The tone keeps the overall look fresh even as the roots grow out, and you avoid the brassiness and fade that make the grow-out look bad. Frequently Asked Questions How long does color last in Miami before it starts fading? Most color starts to fade visibly within 2 to 3 weeks in Miami if you spend time outside or swim regularly. Blonde tones and fashion colors fade fastest. Brunette and darker tones hold longer but still lose vibrancy and can turn brassy by week 4. Using a UV protectant and rinsing after swimming can stretch that to 4 to 6 weeks before you need a gloss or toner. Can you swim right after getting your hair colored? No. Wait at least 48 to 72 hours after a color service before swimming. Your cuticle is still open for the first 2 to 3 days after color, and chlorine or saltwater will strip the dye out of the cortex before it has fully set. If you swim within 48 hours, expect your color to fade 30 to 50 percent immediately. Does saltwater fade hair color faster than chlorine? Chlorine fades color faster than saltwater because it is alkaline and opens the cuticle more aggressively. Saltwater dehydrates the hair and lifts the cuticle slightly, but chlorine does both faster. That said, saltwater combined with UV exposure still causes significant fade, especially on blonde and red tones. Both require a pre-swim treatment and an immediate rinse afterward. Will a swim cap keep my color from fading? A swim cap reduces chlorine exposure by 60 to 70 percent, but it does not keep your hair completely dry. Some water will get in around the edges. A cap is worth wearing if you swim laps or spend more than 30 minutes in the pool, but it is not a replacement for a pre-swim treatment and a post-swim rinse. Can hard water turn blonde hair green? Yes. Hard water deposits copper and iron on the hair shaft, and those metals oxidize into a greenish tint when combined with chlorine. This happens most often on blonde, silver, and platinum tones. Using a chelating shampoo once a week and rinsing with filtered water after washing will prevent the buildup. How often should you get a gloss or toner if you live in Miami? Most clients at LAHH book a gloss every 4 to 6 weeks if they swim or spend time outside regularly. Platinum and silver blondes tone every 3 weeks. Brunettes and darker tones can stretch to 6 to 8 weeks. If you stay indoors most of the time and do not swim, you can stretch a gloss to 8 to 10 weeks. Does UV protectant spray actually work on hair? Yes, if it contains chemical UV filters like ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, benzophenone-4, or octocrylene. These ingredients absorb UV radiation before it hits the hair shaft and breaks down the color molecules. Apply it every morning and reapply after swimming. A UV protectant can reduce color fade by 30 to 40 percent compared to no protection. What is the best shampoo for color-treated hair in Miami? Use a sulfate-free color-safe shampoo for daily washing and a chelating shampoo once a week to remove chlorine and hard water buildup. If your color is blonde or silver, add a purple shampoo twice a week to neutralize brassiness. If your color is brunette or dark blonde, use a blue shampoo once a week. Avoid clarifying shampoos more than once a week because they can strip your color along with the buildup. Keep Your Color Looking Fresh Longer Color fade in Miami is not optional, but how fast it happens is. The clients who keep their color looking salon-fresh for 6 to 8 weeks are the ones who treat before swimming, rinse immediately after, use a UV protectant daily, and book a gloss or toner before the fade turns into a correction. The ones who skip the routine end up spending more on corrections and putting more stress on their hair. If you are not sure what your hair needs or you want a custom maintenance plan, book a consultation at LAHH Salon in Bay Harbor Islands. We will look at your current color, your lifestyle, and your budget and build a plan that keeps your color looking the way you want it without requiring a correction every month.

You ask for honey brown and leave with something closer to mahogany. Or the color looks perfect in the chair, then turns brassy orange after three washes. Honey brown is one of the most requested hair colors at LAHH Salon, and one of the hardest to execute consistently in Miami's water and climate. Here is what actually goes into a honey brown that stays true, why it fades differently on different hair types, and what to expect from the process start to finish. Honey brown is a warm, dimensional brown with golden undertones that looks natural Honey brown is a medium brown base with warm golden and caramel highlights, usually multiple tones layered to create depth. It is not a single flat color. The base sits around a level 5 or 6 (medium brown), and the highlights range from level 7 to 8 (golden blonde to light caramel). The warmth comes from gold and copper pigments, never red or violet. The color mimics how brown hair lightens naturally in the sun: darker at the roots, warmer through the mid-lengths, and lightest at the ends. When done right, it looks like you spent the summer on a boat, not like you sat in a salon chair. What makes it challenging is that the golden tones oxidize faster than cooler tones in Miami humidity. Chlorine, saltwater, and even hard tap water pull the gold out and leave behind brass. A honey brown that looks perfect on week one can shift orange by week four if the aftercare is wrong. The process depends on your starting color and whether your hair has previous color If you are starting with virgin brown hair close to your target shade, we can usually achieve honey brown in one session. We lift the hair slightly with a low-volume developer, then tone it with gold and caramel pigments. The process takes 2 to 3 hours. If your hair is darker than level 4 (dark brown or black), we need to pre-lighten first. This means applying bleach or a high-lift color to bring the base up to level 5 or 6 before toning. Expect 3 to 4 hours for the first appointment, and sometimes a second session if your hair cannot safely lift that far in one go. If you have previous color, especially box dye or multiple layers of color, we start with a color correction consultation. Box dye deposits unpredictable pigment that resists lifting, and trying to force it often results in patchy, brassy color. We may need to remove the old color first with a color remover or gradual lightening over multiple sessions. At LAHH Salon, we do not guess. We strand test before we commit to a formula, especially if your hair history is unclear. A strand test shows us exactly how your hair will lift and what toner it needs, so you do not leave with a surprise. Honey brown fades warmer on fine hair and cooler on coarse hair Fine hair has a thinner cuticle, so it absorbs color quickly and releases it just as fast. Honey brown on fine hair tends to fade toward lighter, more golden tones within 4 to 6 weeks. You will need a toner refresh to keep the depth. Coarse hair has a thicker cuticle that resists both color absorption and fading. Honey brown on coarse hair holds longer, often 8 to 10 weeks, but the warmth can turn muddy if the base is too dark. We adjust the formula by lifting the base slightly higher on coarse hair so the golden tones read clearly. Previously lightened or bleached hair fades the fastest because the cuticle is already compromised. Honey brown on pre-lightened hair may need a gloss every 3 to 4 weeks to maintain tone. Texture also matters. Curly hair reflects less light than straight hair, so the same honey brown formula looks darker on curls. We compensate by placing more highlights around the face and crown where light hits. Miami water and sun shift honey brown toward orange faster than most other colors Miami tap water has high mineral content, especially calcium and magnesium. These minerals deposit on the hair shaft and oxidize warm pigments, turning gold into orange and caramel into brass. The shift happens gradually, usually noticeable around week three. Saltwater and chlorine accelerate the process. Both strip the outermost layer of color, and because gold pigments are larger molecules than ash pigments, they wash out first. After one beach day, honey brown can look noticeably lighter and warmer. UV exposure breaks down color molecules. Miami gets more sun than most of the country, and prolonged exposure fades honey brown toward a washed-out yellow-orange. Hair that is not protected with a UV spray or hat will fade 30% faster than hair that is. Humidity itself does not fade color, but it does open the cuticle. An open cuticle allows water and minerals to penetrate, which speeds oxidation. This is why honey brown holds better in drier climates and fades faster here. The maintenance schedule depends on how fast your hair grows and how much contrast you want If you want a soft, low-contrast honey brown with your natural roots blended in, you can go 10 to 12 weeks between color appointments. We refresh the tone and add a few face-framing highlights to keep it dimensional. If you want a brighter, higher-contrast look with noticeable highlights, plan for appointments every 6 to 8 weeks. The highlights grow out faster than the base, and once your roots show more than an inch, the color loses its blended effect. Gloss or toner appointments between full color services keep honey brown looking fresh. A gloss takes 30 to 45 minutes, costs less than a full color, and neutralizes any brassiness that has developed. Most of our honey brown clients book a gloss every 4 weeks. Root touch-ups are separate from all-over color. If your natural roots are dark and you want them to match the honey brown, you will need a root application every 4 to 6 weeks. If you are okay with a shadow root, you can stretch it to 8 to 10 weeks. What to use at home to keep honey brown from turning brassy Product type What it does How often Purple or blue shampoo Neutralizes orange and yellow tones 1-2 times per week Color-safe sulfate-free shampoo Prevents color stripping Every wash Deep conditioner or hair mask Seals the cuticle to lock in color Once per week Leave-in UV protectant Blocks sun damage Daily before going outside Clarifying shampoo Removes mineral buildup from Miami water Once every 2-3 weeks Purple shampoo is for yellow tones, blue shampoo is for orange tones. Honey brown fades toward orange in Miami, so blue shampoo is usually the right choice. Use it once or twice a week, leave it on for 3 to 5 minutes, and rinse thoroughly. Overuse turns hair muddy. Clarifying shampoo strips buildup but also strips some color, so use it sparingly. Follow immediately with a deep conditioner to replace moisture. Avoid hot tools on wet hair. Honey brown is often applied to previously lightened hair, which is more fragile. Wet hair is weaker than dry hair, and a flat iron on damp strands causes breakage that shows up as frizz and split ends. Honey brown works on most skin tones but the exact formula changes Warm undertones (golden, peachy, or olive skin) can wear honey brown with a true golden base. The warmth in the hair complements the warmth in the skin. Cool undertones (pink or blue-toned skin) need a slightly cooler honey brown with beige or neutral highlights instead of pure gold. Too much warmth reads orange against cool skin. Deep skin tones look best with a richer, more saturated honey brown. We keep the base closer to level 4 or 5 and use caramel highlights instead of blonde, so the color has enough contrast to show. Light skin tones can go lighter and brighter. A level 6 base with level 8 highlights creates dimension without looking washed out. At LAHH Salon, we look at your natural hair color, your skin tone, and your eye color before we mix the formula. A honey brown that looks stunning on your coworker might look completely different on you, and that is not a failure of the color. It is just how pigment interacts with your individual coloring. Common mistakes that ruin honey brown Using box dye to achieve honey brown at home almost always results in flat, single-tone color with no dimension. Box dye deposits color on the surface but does not lift the hair enough to create highlights. You end up with brown hair, not honey brown. Skipping the toner after lightening leaves hair brassy. Lightening alone does not create honey brown. It creates orange or yellow hair. The toner is what deposits the gold and caramel pigments that make it honey. Washing too soon after coloring strips the pigment before it fully sets. Wait at least 48 hours after your appointment before shampooing. The color molecules need time to oxidize and lock into the cuticle. Using the wrong shampoo fades honey brown in half the time. Sulfates strip color with every wash. Shampoos labeled "volumizing" or "clarifying" are usually high in sulfates and should be avoided except for occasional buildup removal. Skipping heat protectant before styling breaks down the color faster. Flat irons and curling irons reach 350 to 450 degrees, which is hot enough to alter pigment molecules. A heat protectant creates a barrier that reduces damage. What honey brown looks like as it grows out The first 4 weeks, honey brown looks freshest. The tones are true, the highlights are bright, and the color has full depth. Weeks 4 to 8, the warmth starts to shift. Golden tones fade toward yellow, and the base may look slightly lighter. A gloss appointment at week 4 or 5 resets the tone and buys you another month. Weeks 8 to 12, your natural roots show. If your roots are dark, the contrast becomes noticeable. If your roots are already close to the honey brown shade, the grow-out looks more natural. The ends may look brassy or faded, especially if you swim or spend a lot of time outside. After 12 weeks, the color needs a refresh. The base has faded, the highlights have grown out, and the overall effect is no longer dimensional. At this point, we recommend a full color service to bring the honey brown back. What to expect at your consultation We ask about your hair history: previous color, chemical treatments, how long ago, what products you used. If you have box dye or multiple color layers, we need to know before we start. We look at your natural hair color and texture. This tells us how much we need to lift and what toner formula to use. We discuss your lifestyle. If you swim daily, work outdoors, or travel frequently, we adjust the formula to hold up better. If you wash your hair every day, we recommend a toner that fades more gracefully. We show you photos of honey brown on different hair types so you can see realistic expectations. Instagram photos are often edited, and lighting changes how color looks. We want you to know what honey brown looks like in real life, in Miami light. We give you a timeline. If your hair needs multiple sessions, we tell you upfront. If we can do it in one, we tell you that too. No surprises. How honey brown compares to other warm brown tones Color Base level Undertone Best for Honey brown 5-6 Warm gold Medium skin tones, low-maintenance dimensional color Caramel brown 6-7 Warm amber Light to medium skin, higher contrast Chestnut brown 4-5 Neutral to cool Cool undertones, natural-looking depth Chocolate brown 3-4 Neutral to ash Deep skin tones, single-process color Honey brown sits between caramel and chestnut. It is warmer than chestnut, darker than caramel, and more dimensional than chocolate. If you want a brown that looks sun-kissed without going too light, honey brown is the target. Why honey brown is one of the most requested colors at LAHH Salon It works on almost every skin tone with the right formula adjustments. It grows out more gracefully than platinum or vivid colors. It adds dimension to naturally brown hair without a drastic change. And it photographs well, which matters to clients who want their hair to look good on camera and in person. We see a lot of clients who tried honey brown somewhere else and ended up with flat brown or brassy orange. The difference is in the formulation and the toning. Honey brown is not one color. It is a layered process, and skipping any step changes the result. Our colorists mix custom formulas for every client. We do not use pre-mixed honey brown from a tube. We look at your hair, your skin, your lifestyle, and your maintenance tolerance, and we build the formula from there. That is why honey brown looks different on every person who walks out of LAHH Salon, and why it looks right on all of them. You can see how honey brown grows out and holds up in Miami on our Instagram. Frequently Asked Questions How long does honey brown hair color last? Honey brown lasts 6 to 8 weeks before it needs a full refresh, but the tone starts to shift around week 4 in Miami. A gloss every 4 to 5 weeks keeps the gold from turning brassy. How long it holds depends on your hair porosity, how often you wash, and how much sun and water exposure your hair gets. Can you get honey brown on dark hair in one session? If your hair is a natural level 4 or 5, we can usually achieve honey brown in one session by lifting slightly and toning. If your hair is darker than level 4 or has previous color, you may need two sessions to avoid damage. We strand test first to confirm. Does honey brown hair color damage your hair? Honey brown requires lightening, which opens the cuticle and can cause some dryness. The damage depends on your starting color and hair condition. At LAHH Salon, we use bond-building treatments during the color process to minimize damage. Proper aftercare keeps the hair healthy. What is the difference between honey brown and caramel hair color? Honey brown has a medium brown base with golden highlights. Caramel is lighter, closer to a level 6 or 7 base with amber and copper highlights. Honey brown reads more natural and subtle. Caramel is brighter and higher contrast. How do you keep honey brown from turning orange in Miami? Use a blue-toning shampoo once or twice a week to neutralize orange. Protect your hair from UV with a leave-in spray. Rinse your hair immediately after swimming in chlorine or saltwater. Book a gloss every 4 to 5 weeks to refresh the tone. Can you do honey brown on color-treated hair? Yes, but we need to see your hair first. If you have box dye, multiple color layers, or very dark previous color, we may need to remove some of the old color before applying honey brown. We start with a consultation and a strand test. How much does honey brown cost at LAHH Salon? Pricing depends on your hair length, thickness, starting color, and whether you need one session or multiple. Check our service menu or call for a consultation. We give you an accurate quote after we see your hair. What happens if honey brown fades too much between appointments? If the color fades significantly, book a gloss or toner refresh. A gloss takes 30 to 45 minutes and costs less than a full color. If the fade is severe or the highlights have grown out more than 2 inches, you may need a full color service to restore the dimension. Ready to get honey brown that actually stays true? Honey brown is one of the most versatile warm browns, but it only works when the formula, the toning, and the aftercare are all right. At LAHH Salon in Bay Harbor Islands, our colorists customize every honey brown to your hair type, your skin tone, and your maintenance tolerance. Book your consultation and we will show you exactly what honey brown will look like on your hair, how long it will take, and what you need to do to keep it looking fresh.