5 Ways to Protect Your Hair Color This Summer — Don’t Let It Fade!

Picture this: it's the beginning of summer, and you're fresh out of the salon with a new glossy hair color you plan to flaunt all season long. Es perfecto — just what you asked for. And now it's up to you to keep it from fading. Luckily, there are a few ways you can keep your hair in tip-top shape this summer to prevent discoloration, starting with adding the right products to your routine.

Celebrity Hairstylist Alex Brown, who has worked with the likes of Camila Coelho, Kendall Jenner, Shay Mitchell, and Chrissy Teigen, to name a few, advises using products with UV. "The best way to protect your hair in the summer is to make sure you are using products that have UV protection in them. Whether or not you color your hair, it's important that you keep your hair hydrated and protected in the summer months, '' she shares.

"For example, color-treated hair may be more compromised by sun exposure, chlorine, and extreme heat. It is recommended that if you are taking a dip in the pool, you should try to saturate your hair with either a leave-in conditioner or just your regular conditioner to protect it from the drying properties in the water," she adds. Keep reading for more ways to protect your color from fading and what products you should be using.

Primero que nada, start by adding a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to your hair wash routine. The Matrix Total Results Color Obsessed Shampoo ($16) and Conditioner ($16) is a power duo that helps maintain and extend the life of hair color by helping to clean away dulling residue and renewing moisture. Meanwhile, the conditioner strengthens porous hair and protects against fading, too.

Matrix Total Results Color Obsessed Shampoo

From

$16

$16 at Ulta

Because water sometimes contains minerals that contribute to hair-color fading, it's best to skip out on washing your hair every day and instead use a dry shampoo to freshen it up. Pureology Style + Protect Refresh & Go Dry Shampoo ($30) takes on the job by absorbing oil, adding movement and light texture, and providing color protection. It only takes a few minutes to spray and tousle your hair until it appears textured, bouncy, and manageable.

A color mask such as the new IGK Color Depositing Mask ($30) is perfect for stretching your color during in-between salon visits — especially if you have highlights. "The IGK Color Depositing Masks work even better on highlighted hair! The lighter the hair, the more vibrant the shade will present, explains Chase Kusero, cofounder of IGK Hair Care. With over 10 semi-permanent shades to choose from, this mask not only upgrades your hair color but it also hydrates and nourishes your strands with squalane, prickly pear cactus, quinoa, and meadowfoam oil. "The Color Depositing Masks are the perfect way to take highlights to the next level with a semi-permanent pop of color. They are going to enhance or temporarily change the hair color while still caring for the health of the hair with super nourishing ingredients," he adds.

IGK Color Depositing Mask

From

$30

$30 at Ulta

Although asked separately, Kusero agrees with Brown's statements on using UV protection. "Products with UV protection help preserve color from summer elements (sun, chlorine, salt water, etc). I'd also recommend using a lightweight leave-in conditioning spray on damp hair to help prevent dryness," he explains.

Alex shared some of her favorites include Drybar's Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist ($30), an ultra-lightweight mist that contains UV protectors in addition to marula oil, which helps protect from heat with a frizz-free finish and the Virtue Frizz Block Smoothing Spray ($44) that blocks humidity and locks in moisture.

Virtue Frizz Block Smoothing Spray

From

$44

$44 at Ulta

Air-drying your hair is always the healthiest option, and of course, it makes sense to do so when you're rocking a fresh hair color in the summer. To get the best outcome, meaning no frizz is involved, apply an air-dry cream or styler to towel-dried hair. The John Freida Air Dry Waves Styling Foam ($13) protects from frizz while enhancing natural waves or curls. Another great option is the Joico Zero Heat Air Dry Styling Cream for Thick Hair ($24), which helps create an effortless, air-dried look perfect for the warmer months.

John Freida Air Dry Waves Styling Foam

From

$13

$13 at Ulta

Joico Zero Heat Air Dry Styling Cream for Thick Hair

From

$24

$24 at Ulta