Protecting Color-Treated Hair During Summer

Summertime can leave freshly color-treated hair looking dull, dried out and damaged. UV rays break down the hair’s melanin, which is the natural pigment that brings color to your skin, hair and eyes. This is why sunshine will cause natural hair to turn light and can also lighten chemically colored hair nearly four whole shades. Dyed red hair (which is very sensitive to UV) will look brassy and orange if exposed to the sun for too long. 

This summer follow these tricks and do what you can to maintain your vibrant color-treated hair. To protect yourself from sun rays wear a hat, scarf or umbrella. There are also many hair products which contain SPF although sometimes these products can be filled with harmful chemicals and will weigh down your hair. For a quick fix, run your fingers through your hair after lathering up your skin with sunblock to get a little extra protection. 

Summer sunshine and outdoor activities can leave your hair dry and often damaged. Deeply moisturize with a hair mask to maintain manageability and avoid breakage. Try out Inova’s Silk Keratin The Miracle Mask, which is sulfate-free and infused with avocado oil, white carnation oil, keratin proteins, silk proteins, and other ingredients which helps provide hair with intense hydration and nourishment. 

A hair mask works to completely deep condition the hair and protects it from the damages of the elements such as the sun or wind. Using a hair mask and conditioning your hair often will keep your locks healthy and beautiful and will allow your hair to maintain the vibrant color that you want. Swimming in pools, the ocean or lakes can bring plenty of damage when you dunk your head. 

Especially for color-treated hair, there are many elements that can cause your hair color to fade. Apply a sulfate-free leave-in conditioner before taking a dip. This forms a protective barrier for your hair strands, coating them and keeping your locks free from absorbing harmful chemicals from the pool or being dried out from saltwater. It’s also important to take a pre- and post-swim shower. 

Having wet hair before jumping into a pool filled with chlorine will help your strands absorb the moisture from the shower versus immediately absorbing harmful chemicals. If you wish to avoid this all together, you also might consider wearing a swim cap when you hit the pool or the ocean. 

Condition your dry hair thoroughly before applying the cap. Chlorine in a pool can cause severe damage to the vibrancy of color-treated hair. Swimming in the pool can fade nearly all of the color you have taken the time to put into your locks. 

Also, chlorine can turn light hair green, make grays look yellow, leave brunettes looking dull and redheads less vibrant. Salt water from ocean swimming, and even beach breezes, can be healing in many ways but can also bring some damage to your hair. It does so by raising the cuticle, which is the protective layer of your hair shaft. When the cuticle is sealed it helps trap pigment. 

A damaged cuticle means frizzy, dull hair. Pre-coating your hair with oil or conditioner will help hinder the absorption from damaging saltwater and chlorine. 

This is why a shower before and after swimming will also keep your hair healthy in the long run. Grab a bottle of clarifying shampoo to help cleanse hair of buildup, also. Our Pure Keratin Clarifying Shampoo helps open the hair’s cuticle, which means ultimate moisturization and healthier hair. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean your hair needs to suffer. 

Keep that vibrant color going all summer long, and shine bright because you deserve it.