Keeping color bright through a Central Valley summer
Long days of sun and heat are hard on color. A few small habits keep it looking fresh between visits.
Summer in the Central Valley means long days, real heat and a lot of time outdoors. All of it is hard on hair color. The sun lightens and warms, chlorine and salt strip, and hot water and heat tools add wear on top. None of this means giving up color in July. It means planning a little.
Give the sun less to work with
Ultraviolet light breaks down color pigment and can lighten dark shades and pull brassy tones out of lighter ones. The simplest defense is shade: a hat with a brim, a scarf, or a loose braid tucked under a cap when you are outside for hours. It sounds too easy to matter, but it is the single biggest change many people can make.
There are leave-in products made to help protect hair from UV. If you are curious about one, ask your stylist which suits your hair and your shade. Not every product works for every head.
Rinse before and after the pool
Dry hair soaks up whatever it is dipped in. Wetting your hair with clean water before you swim means it takes in less chlorine or salt. Rinse again soon after you get out, and wash when you can. Chlorine can leave color looking dull or, in some cases, shifted toward a different tone, so a little effort here pays off.
Wash cooler, and a little less often
Hot water opens the hair’s outer layer and lets color slip out faster. Lukewarm to cool water is kinder. If you can stretch a wash by a day, do it, and use a shampoo made for color-treated hair. In heat, dry shampoo on the roots can carry you through a day without another full wash.
- Wear a brimmed hat or cover hair during long stretches in the sun.
- Wet hair with clean water before swimming, and rinse soon after.
- Wash with lukewarm or cool water, and only as often as you need to.
- Use a shampoo and conditioner made for color-treated hair.
- Turn the heat tools down, or skip them on hot days.
Go easy on the heat tools
Hair that has spent the day in 100-degree air does not need a hot iron on top. If you style with heat, use a protectant and the lowest setting that does the job. On the hottest days, air-drying and a braid or a twist are gentler on both the hair and the color.
Talk to your stylist about the calendar
Color does not have to be one shade year-round. Some people choose to go a little softer for summer, or plan a refresh visit partway through, because sun and water will change the shade over a few weeks anyway. Tell your colorist how much time you spend outdoors and how often you can come in. It changes what a good plan looks like.
When you book
Headlines Salon & Spa books appointments by phone at (559) 688-4484. Ask about color, tell the salon what your hair has been through, and ask for an estimate before you come in. Several clients write on Google that they have stayed with their colorist for years, and a plan that fits your summer is easier to make with someone who knows your hair.