Summer is approaching and for hair color it is a great time to start prepping the hair before and during the sun, water, heat, and lighter shades added, reds etc. One of the worst mistakes that are made is not preparing the hair before coloring it in the summer months or just before, If you don't take the time to make sure that the ideal conditions are met then you'll be unhappy about the hair color job and health of hair. So why do we need to approach the hair differently? The first thing is that when the warmer weather comes it is a fact that hair color fades faster and highlighted hair gets lighter. The lightening of highlights does not concern me as much in fact I am someone who loves what the sun does to highlighted hair if it is prepped prior, however if it is not prepared the hair becomes dehydrated (dry) and lifeless. The same applies to tints (all over colors) the hair colors not only fade but the actual composition of the hair changes which makes it harder for the tints to stick to the hair.
A hairdresser should take into account the condition of the hair and make sure that the color services whatever route is taking is sealed with glosses and treatments in the salon, with a summer homecare maintenance program i.e. shampoo and conditioner which should be different then their winter regime. Starting in the spring and knowing certain clients hair colors that have the tendencies to have challenges in the summer I like to add glosses and a series of deep hydrating treatments. The hair glosses can either have color to them or clear, I apply them immediately after the color service and continue doing this till the fall. The clear gloss is the one I prefer to use on my highlighted clients this way the actual colors are not altered and the hair is protected with an added bonus of shine. For homecare I suggest products that are specifically designed for protection, from shampoo, conditioner, to even styling aids and I also recommend for home use a protein based treatment for once a week. All this might sound like a lot but we all know how hair reacts in the summer, and if hair is not approached this way it can become disastrous and expensive to fix after the summer is long gone.
The key in successful seasonal hair coloring and happy hair is in the condition the hair is in to begin with, and remembering a simple guideline to prepping the hair;
Condition: Treatment
Color Service: Tints, Highlighting, Perming
Sealing: Glossing
Protection: Shampoo and Conditioner
Style&Finish: UV protection styling aids
my recommended produts
Aveda Sun Care After-Sun Masque and Sun
protective hair veil
Aveda Color Conserve Shampoo and Conditioner
Aveda Damage Control