Between assaults from sun and chlorinated pool water, summer hair can end up looking all washed up. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Maureen Clark Newlove, an expert colorist and partner at NOBLE SALON, gave us tips for keeping that mane event looking its glossy, colorful best all season.
- A hat “is a hair color’s best friend,” says Newlove, but most women don’t wear them often enough to adequately protect their hair from harmful rays. “Even getting in and out of your car (with your hair unprotected) can do damage,” she explains.
- If you can’t establish a regular hat habit, leave-in sunscreen treatments are a great way to protect salon color. “They have [light] reflecting properties,” says Newlove.
- Now is also the time to switch up your styling products. Seek out options with built-in sunscreen.
- While a salon clarifying treatment is the optimal way to wash away summer’s hair insults, a great DIY option is a vinegar rinse. A couple of teaspoons rinsed through your hair and “you’ll pull out some of the chlorine,” says Newlove.
- Keep salon color more vibrant with color boosting shampoos. “They are great for keeping some of that brassiness at bay,” says Newlove.
- Dampen your tresses before jumping into the pool. “Hair is a sponge,” explains Newlove. “So if you go into the pool with wet hair it’s going to soak up less of those chemicals that do damage.”
- Lighten up. “Expect the sun to fade the hair and give it highlights,” says Newlove. “So I encourage people to embrace the lighter tones and throw in a few highlights.”
A NOTE ON HAIRCUTS
“Summer is always the perfect time to go shorter, and this summer, boy-style cuts are really on trend,” says Newlove. For versatility she suggests considering shorter ‘do’s that include longer, flowing top layers for a touch of feminine volume. “You can still take the sides shorter, and on really hot days you can even slick it back.”