How to Protect Coloured Hair During Summer
There’s nothing quite like freshly coloured hair, but summer can be one of the biggest challenges for keeping it looking its best. If you’ve noticed your blonde looking brassier or your brunette losing its richness after a holiday, you’re not imagining it.
UV rays, chlorine and salt water can all contribute to colour fading, while leaving hair dry, dehydrated and lacking its usual shine. Whether you have bright blonde highlights, a rich brunette or a soft balayage, the warmer months can shorten the life of your colour if your hair isn’t properly protected.
The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice beautiful colour all summer long. With the right salon treatments, at-home care and a few simple changes to your routine, you can keep your hair healthy, glossy and vibrant from your first day in the sun to your last.
Why does colour fade faster in summer?
Summer exposes your hair to several things that gradually strip away colour.
- Sunlight is one of the biggest culprits. UV rays break down the colour pigments in your hair, leaving it looking dull and less vibrant.
- Chlorine can be equally damaging. It removes moisture from the hair and can alter the tone of coloured hair, particularly blondes.
- Salt water isn’t much kinder. While it gives your hair lovely beachy texture, it also draws moisture out of the hair, making it feel rough and dry. When hair becomes dehydrated, the outer cuticle lifts and colour escapes more easily.
This is why your colour often looks noticeably different after a summer holiday.
Looking after blonde hair
Blonde hair usually needs the most attention during summer.
Whether you have highlights, balayage or an all-over blonde, lighter shades are much more likely to become warm, brassy or dull after spending time in the sun or swimming.
One of the best ways to prevent this is by protecting your hair from UV exposure, rinsing it after swimming and keeping it well hydrated. Regular toning appointments can also help neutralise unwanted warmth and keep your blonde looking bright and fresh between colour services.
Brunettes need protection too
It’s easy to assume that darker hair doesn’t need the same level of care, but that’s far from the truth.
Brunette shades can lose their richness surprisingly quickly during summer. Glossy chocolate and espresso tones can become flat, faded and lacklustre after repeated exposure to the sun.
The key is keeping the hair well hydrated. Healthy hair reflects light much better, so rich brunettes stay glossy for longer. A professional gloss is a great way to revive shine and refresh faded colour without needing a full colour appointment.
If your hair feels dry after a holiday or a few weeks in the sunshine, a professional treatment can completely transform how it looks and feels.
At BACKSTAGE Chelsea, every treatment is tailored to exactly what your hair needs. Whether your hair is lacking moisture, feeling fragile or simply needs a boost of shine, your stylist will recommend the most suitable treatment, including:
- Kérastase Fusio Dose – A personalised in-salon treatment that combines concentrated active ingredients to target your hair’s specific needs, whether that’s hydration, repair, strength, colour protection or shine. Results are visible immediately.
- Kérastase Rituals – A luxurious treatment experience using Kérastase’s premium haircare range to deeply nourish, smooth and restore softness, leaving hair healthier, shinier and easier to manage.
- Olaplex – Ideal for coloured, lightened or chemically treated hair, Olaplex works by repairing broken bonds within the hair structure, helping to strengthen damaged hair, reduce breakage and improve overall resilience.
- Braé – An intensive reparative treatment that restores moisture, smooths frizz and improves elasticity, leaving dry or sun-stressed hair softer, silkier and full of shine.
Your stylist will assess your hair during your appointment and recommend the treatment that will deliver the best results for your hair’s condition and your colour.
Refresh your colour between appointments
Sometimes your hair doesn’t need to be recoloured. It just needs a little boost.
A professional toner or gloss service is one of the quickest ways to revive tired colour. It restores shine, refreshes faded tones and helps blondes stay cool while bringing depth and richness back to brunettes.
It’s the perfect treatment before a special occasion or after returning from holiday when your colour needs a little extra love.
Protect your hair before you swim
One of the simplest summer hair tips is also one of the most effective.
Before jumping into the pool or the sea, wet your hair with fresh water. Hair acts like a sponge, so if it’s already saturated with clean water, it will absorb less chlorine or salt water.
If you have long hair, tying it into a loose braid or bun can also help reduce tangling while you swim. Afterwards, rinse your hair as soon as possible to wash away chlorine, salt and sunscreen residue before they have a chance to dry out the hair.
Recommended summer haircare
Looking after your colour doesn’t stop when you leave the salon. The right products at home can make all the difference to keeping your hair healthy, hydrated and your colour looking fresher for longer.
At BACKSTAGE Chelsea, our stylists will recommend a personalised homecare routine based on your hair type, colour and lifestyle, so you’re using products that genuinely work for your hair.
For blondes, Kérastase Blond Absolu Blond Guard is one of our summer essentials. This lightweight leave-in mist helps keep blonde tones looking brighter and fresher while protecting against UV rays, heat styling, chlorine, salt water and dryness.
If you’re spending plenty of time outdoors or heading on holiday, Kérastase Soleil Huile Sirène Treatment is another favourite. This nourishing leave-in oil mist helps soften and hydrate the hair while protecting against the drying effects of the sun, chlorine and salt water, leaving hair looking smooth, healthy and beautifully luminous.
Both products are available to purchase in the salon, and our stylists will be happy to recommend the best products to keep your colour looking salon-fresh all summer long.
Healthy hair holds colour for longer
One of the biggest misconceptions is that colour fades simply because it gets older. In reality, healthy, well-hydrated hair holds onto colour much better than dry or damaged hair.
Protecting your hair from the sun, keeping it nourished and booking regular glosses or restorative treatments can make a huge difference to how long your colour lasts.
If you’re unsure what your hair needs, speak to your stylist. At BACKSTAGE Chelsea, we’ll create a personalised plan to help you maintain healthy, glossy, vibrant hair throughout the summer and beyond.