Laps in the Pool
The Danger: Be extra careful with chlorine and hot tubs. Blondes especially are extremely vulnerable to their hair turning green—sometimes instantly. Never mind the damaging chemicals, chlorine almost acts like a toner that can change your color.
The Tip: Wet your hair before jumping into the pool . You'll fill up your hair's cuticles with good water instead of taking the dry porous hair and letting all the chlorine and chemicals sink in.
The Product: Malibu's chemical-free Swimmers' Wellness System Kit ($28.99) counteracts green tints and removes chlorine residue. Roman Salon uses the After-Swim Solution (included in this bundle) on clients constantly towards the end of summer. In fact, it's a regular treatment for Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Marisa Miller, who—after so many shoots—has layers of styling product and residue that create dullness. Using this instead of clarifying shampoos, her highlights pop back.
Stand-Up Paddling in the Lake
The Danger: Though lake swimming presents less threat than salt water or chlorine, the sun remains a major issue. Think of your hair like you might fabric: If you leave a rug outside, you'll notice that the color fades. The sun dehydrates pigments, sapping hair of shine and vibrancy, which is especially bad for redheads, brunettes and anyone with low-lights.
The Tip: Wearing a cute summer hat is a good start—but if your hat has lots of little holes, you're only getting so much filter. Wear a scarf under that straw hat and you'll get great protection. Or stick to skinnydipping at night, when you're truly safe from sun!
The Product: We pay such close attention to our skin, applying SPF religiously . We should incorporate sunscreen for our hair too. An open hair cuticle is like an exit for your color, so protect it! Brand new from Kerastase is their Huile Celeste protective oil mist with UVA & UVB protection ($39), to be sprayed on before and during sun exposure. For after sun, Masque UV Defense Active ($60) and other Soleil products are designed for "sun-exposed" hair.
Surfing Waves in the Ocean
The Danger: Salt water causes the hair shaft to swell, so the pigment in your hair color fades. That's not so bad for blondes, who embrace their hair getting lighter and beachier. But otherwise it's double-duty damage, drying hair and dulling color.
The Tip: After a big beach day, use a leave-in product to rehydrate the hair overnight.
The Product: New line Sojourn is so natural and organic that they won't use those now "tainted" words. Low PH protects hair color in all of their products, but—for especially good coverage—wash those locks regularly with Shampoo Colour Preserve ($25), formulated with a "potent plant-derived UV inhibitor that protects against environmental free radical damage." Overnight, try ECRU New York's new intensive Acacia Protein Masque ($25), with nourishing shea butter, sunflower and grape seed oils and marine extracts.
Showering Post-Swim
The Danger: Think of the build-up and mineral deposits on your shower door that need to be scrubbed away. The same thing happens to your hair and scalp and, in that same way, you lose luster.
The Tip: First, install a shower filter. It's easy! You don't even need a handyman. Also, people often neglect their scalps, but a healthy head makes a big difference in terms of how your hair looks. Take good-quality jojoba oil and a boar bristle brush and distribute it throughout your scalp, even pulling it through your ends. This will exfoliate dead skin build-up caused by sun or chlorine.
The Product: Daily, use Philip B.'s Anti Flake Relief Shampoo ($35-$49), which recalibrates and soothes an overstimulated, dry or oily scalp. Then move on to Aubrey Organics's Swimmer's Normalizing Conditioner For Active Lifestyles ($10.93), which is designed to rid the hair of layers of build-up.
Summer Beauty Esssentials
We had the U.S. National Women's Water Polo team (that's them to the left!) handpick the best stay-put hot-weather products. Get their picks!
Sip a Healthy Cocktail While Your Conditioner Sits
Create a Workout That's Not Hard on Your Hair
