Keep the Color In

You might love those sun-kissed highlights, but if you color your hair, the sun fades hair color. After summer, visit your salon for a color fix or re-do your color at home. Some women use the old trick of applying lemon juice or honey before sunning to intentionally get highlights. This dries hair out and should be avoided.

Take special care of color-treated hair. Hair that has been dyed or highlighted is especially prone to UV damage. Color-treated hair is already damaged, the sun will make the cuticle even rougher which makes hair more fragile and dried out. Take care of color-treated hair by deep condition your hair using a product containing keratin, jojoba oil, wheat germ protein or other natural ingredients that increase moisture, shine and elasticity.

Use the sun to your advantage. Before a day at the beach or pool, dampen hair with tap water. Comb a thick UV hair mask throughout strands, then sweep back into a loose bun. The heat of the sun will help the mask penetrate your hair, making it silky and soft by the end of the day.

Visit your salon and have your color professionally reapplied if your color is fading, color enhancing shampoos may help you to retain the color you want longer.  Avoid neutral henna-it dries hair and some henna products create a green cast, even if they're neutral, because they contain metallic salts.  Finally, finish off summer preparation with a colored or clear gloss to give a shiny, healthy glow. Gloss also acts as a protective barrier to the hair cuticle. And as we all know, warmer seasons mean more sun, and more sun means more damage. Hair, like skin, needs all the protection it can get!