Ever wonder why your hair feels like Barbie’s after a few days at the pool? Or why your blonde hair has a pale green cast to it? Chemicals in pool water, such as Chlorine, will lighten your color, open the cuticle, and make your hair brittle. The copper in the algaecide, is what makes it green (blonde (yellow) + copper (blue) = green).

Before you start balancing your checkbook to see if you can afford a salon fix – stop it before it starts! Protect your hair by apply a protective crème conditioner (made for swimming) throughout your hair. This will seal the cuticle and keep the chemicals from absorbing deeply into the hair. At the end of your day, use a clarifying shampoo to remove chemicals and residuals, and don’t forget to condition afterwards!

You just made an appointment to have your hair colored before you head to the sand. Maybe you should wait till you return. Salt and freshly colored hair can be a deadly combination. Salt is a mordant and can actually pull those beautiful hues right into the ocean. Your color will probably fade while you are there, so why not get a boost when you return, and head back to your real life with great color. Besides, you’ll probably never see those people again, or at least till next year!

So think ahead and ask your stylist about the best route to travel this summer. Hair is an accessory, we just happen to wear it every day! Have fun, stay safe.