Summer Hair Care: How to Protect Your Color from Sun, Salt, and Chlorine
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
If you live anywhere near Bradenton, Palmetto, or the Gulf Coast, summer is a season of long beach days, pool afternoons, and sunshine that doesn’t quit from May through October. It’s also the season that quietly destroys freshly colored hair — fading your balayage, turning your blonde brassy, drying out your ends, and undoing the investment you just made at the salon.
The good news? With a few intentional habits (and the right products), you can enjoy every pool day, beach trip, and boat ride without watching your color wash down the drain. Here’s how our Aveda-trained stylists at Belt Salon recommend protecting your hair through a Florida summer.
The Three Biggest Threats to Summer Hair
1. UV rays from the sun
The same UV rays that fade your car’s paint fade your hair color. Sun exposure breaks down color molecules, lifts pigment, and dries out the cuticle. Blondes tend to get brassier and more yellow. Brunettes get lighter and lose shine. Reds and coppers fade fastest of all — red pigment is the largest molecule in hair color, which makes it the first to slip out.
2. Chlorine from pools
Chlorine is an oxidizer, which means it strips pigment and opens the hair cuticle. For blondes, it can cause a green tint (especially on color-treated or porous hair). For brunettes and redheads, it causes fading and a dry, straw-like texture. The worst part: chlorine bonds to hair fastest when your strands are already wet.
3. Salt water from the Gulf
Salt water is dehydrating. It pulls moisture out of the hair, roughs up the cuticle, and leaves hair looking dull and feeling crunchy. While salt alone doesn’t strip color the way chlorine does, the combination of salt, sun, and wind is what makes summer hair feel so damaged by August.
7 Ways to Protect Your Color This Summer
1. Wet your hair before you swim
This is the single most effective thing you can do, and it’s free. Hair absorbs water like a sponge. If you soak your hair with clean tap water before getting in the pool or ocean, there’s simply less room for chlorine or salt water to penetrate. You’ll still want to rinse afterward, but pre-soaking dramatically reduces how much damage your hair takes on.
2. Use a leave-in treatment as a barrier
After you wet your hair, apply a leave-in conditioner or hair oil from mid-length to ends. This creates a protective layer that further blocks chlorine and salt from reaching the cuticle. Aveda’s Sun Care Protective Hair Veil is designed specifically for this purpose — it offers UV protection and a water-resistant barrier in one product.
3. Rinse immediately after swimming
Don’t let chlorine or salt sit in your hair for hours. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water as soon as you get out of the pool or ocean. If you can shampoo, even better — but a rinse alone makes a huge difference.
4. Switch to a color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo
Sulfates are aggressive detergents that strip color (and the natural oils that keep hair healthy). In summer, when your hair is already under stress, this matters even more. Aveda’s Color Conserve shampoo and conditioner are plant-based, sulfate-free, and designed to lock in color for longer. If you’re not already using a color-safe system at home, summer is the season to start.
5. Wear a hat or UV-protective spray
A wide-brimmed hat is the simplest UV protection for your hair. If hats aren’t your thing, a UV-protective spray applied before you head outside does similar work — it creates a shield that reflects sun damage away from your strands. Aveda’s Sun Care line includes a daily UV spray that works under heat styling too.
6. Deep condition weekly
Summer hair needs more moisture than winter hair. A weekly deep conditioning mask — we love Aveda’s Botanical Repair Strengthening Masque — replaces the moisture stripped out by sun, salt, and chlorine and rebuilds the hair’s internal bonds. Ten minutes once a week is all it takes.
7. Book a gloss mid-summer
By July or August, most color-treated clients start noticing fade, brassiness, or dullness. A professional gloss service refreshes your tone, adds shine, and extends the life of your color without a full re-application. It’s one of the most cost-effective summer services we offer, and it keeps you looking salon-fresh through Labor Day.
What If My Hair Already Turned Green?
If you’re a blonde who’s already dealing with a green or brassy tint from chlorine, don’t panic — and please don’t try to fix it with a boxed toner from the drugstore. Our stylists can neutralize green tones with a professional purple or blue-based gloss in a single appointment. It’s faster, safer, and far gentler on your color investment than trying to DIY your way out of it.
Summer-Proof Your Color at Belt Salon
Florida summers are long, and your hair shouldn’t have to pay the price. Whether you need a pre-summer gloss, a color refresh, or a professional recommendation on which Aveda products to take on vacation, our stylists at Belt Salon in Bradenton and Palmetto can build a summer plan that fits your lifestyle and your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does chlorine really turn blonde hair green?
Yes, but it’s not actually the chlorine itself — it’s copper in the water that oxidizes and bonds to the hair, creating a green tint. Blonde and light-colored hair shows the green more visibly because there’s no darker pigment to mask it. The best prevention is wetting your hair with clean water before swimming and rinsing immediately after.
How often should I deep condition in the summer?
Once a week is the sweet spot for most clients. If your hair is color-treated, chemically processed, or you swim frequently, you may benefit from two treatments per week. Our stylists can recommend the right Aveda mask based on your hair type at your next appointment.
Will a hat really protect my hair color?
Yes. A wide-brimmed hat blocks UV rays from reaching your hair, which is one of the biggest causes of color fade, especially for reds and coppers. If a hat isn’t practical, a UV-protective spray like Aveda’s Sun Care Protective Hair Veil offers similar protection.
Should I shampoo less in the summer?
Generally, yes. Over-shampooing strips the natural oils your hair relies on, especially when it’s already stressed from sun and salt exposure. Try stretching to every other day or every third day, and use a gentle, sulfate-free color-safe shampoo when you do wash.
What’s the best Aveda product for swimmers?
Aveda’s Sun Care Hair & Body Cleanser is designed to remove chlorine, salt, and product buildup while being gentle enough for daily use on color-treated hair. Pair it with the Sun Care Protective Hair Veil for before-and-after swim protection.
How often should I get a gloss during summer?
Most color-treated clients benefit from a gloss every 4 to 6 weeks during summer, compared to every 6 to 8 weeks the rest of the year. Summer fade happens faster, so a mid-season gloss keeps your color looking fresh without the cost or commitment of a full color service.
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