Summer Hair Tips

Protecting your hair in the summer can be extremely important. Between the sun's rays, the saltwater at the beach or even the chlorine water in the pool, your hair goes through a lot. To help you out with some helpful tips is Award-winning hair colorist, Mia from Color by Mia, whose work has been recognized and recommended by Allure, Glam and Latina Magazine.

SUN

No matter what your hair color is, the sun will lighten all shades of hair. It can also cause damage to hair from the cuticle to its inner structure, if exposed to the sun's UVA and UVB rays for a long period of time. That is why it’s important to protect hair during long summer days. Here’s what it can do to your color:

• Blondes & Grays: This can be great news for blondes or grays who might want a color tune-up. The sun will add natural, yet complimentary highlights to these shades of hair.
• Reds: Natural red heads especially should be cautious in the sun. Hair is typically dryer than other colors. Whether the color is naturally fierce or boldly dyed, the sun will fade hair color quickly.
• Brunettes/Blacks: The sun may either tarnish gorgeous brunette hair, or can add some cool, natural highlights in red or caramel shades, depending on your hair. For brunettes whose color tends to  dull from summer sun, try adding a toner to take out the unwanted brassy tone.

To protect all hair colors during summer activities, I advise applying a deep conditioner to dry hair and tying into a braid. Top it off by donning a gorgeous hat that will guard your precious skin and hair from harmful rays.

CHLORINE

Chlorine is hair color kryptonite! The next time you take a cooling dip in the pool, remember that you are swimming in BLEACH. Chlorine will fry and dry out all hair types--- natural or tinted. Additionally, it will remove any keratin treatment or Brazilian blowout on contact. For specific hair colors, bleach will:

• Blondes: Turns beautiful blondes to a teal green.
• Reds: Chlorine will strip the vibrant pigment right out of the hair.
• Brunettes: Will make hair appear brassy.    

Feel like you’re going to miss out on all of the pool fun? Don’t distress- You can always shampoo the chlorine right out. Just make sure to do so immediately.  

 

SWEAT

Sweat is actually harmless to hair color, so feel free to sweat away in the hot summer air!

SALT WATER

Salt water will cause all hair types to dry out, but as long as it is rinsed out immediately following a beach outing, hair should be fine.  However, both remain true for chlorine and salt water—they will ruin any keratin treatment or Brazilian blowout. So be cautious of upcoming summer activities before you make that appointment at the salon.

Enhance a sun-kissed shade:
To extenuate sun- kissed color, gather hair into a high, neat bun. This will allow the sun to reach the strands of hair that are usually hidden underneath--for a little sun exposure, but not too much. You can also try Balayage accents around the hairline, which will continue to brighten throughout the summer.