The perfect summer hair care routine for blonde hair

Spring and summer time is the most popular time of the year to go blonde, and with good reason. Blonde hair is light, fresh and fun; the epitome of the season. But with great hair, comes great responsibility. While blondes require blonde-specific hair care products all year round, the warmer weather, sea water and harsher UV rays we typically associate with summer mean your blonde locks need some extra TLC to look their best.

When it comes to blondes, there are many factors that you may not know about, that can affect your hair colour and condition, specifically in the summertime. Did you know that the sun can change hair colour? Blonde hair is prone to brassiness (the term we use to describe warmer pigments in the hair), which occurs when shades of silver or platinum blonde turn yellowish, or shades of golden blonde take on a reddish tinge. Blonde hair is also vulnerable to colour fade. Sea water and the salt content of swimming pools can increase brassiness, and sometimes in rare cases, make your blonde a greenish colour if it is not properly cared for.

Summer is the perfect time to give your blonde a proper intensive hair care regime boost:

Purple is the colour of your new bestie!
Purple hair care products are every blonde girl’s best friend. Purple is the colour opposite yellow on the colour wheel, which means purple and yellow cancel each other out. The purple pigment can thus neutralise brassy and yellow tones in the hair by colour-correcting it.

Remember if you’re blonde, sulphate-free is the remedy
Sulphates are responsible for the nice foamy lather we associate with soaps, shampoos and household cleaning products. While sulphates help to effectively remove dirt and impurities, they can be very harsh and drying on the hair, leading to damage and dehydration. They are also known to strip the hair of colour. To protect your hair’s moisture content, strength and colour, invest in a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner.

Try the newly launched Marc Anthony Complete Color Care Purple Shampoo (R179.95) and Conditioner (R179.95) for Blondes & Highlights. Formulated with violet pigments, this duo helps neutralise unwanted brassy tones, while nourishing and providing a boost of moisture to your blonde locks.

Try a bonding treatment
Hair that gets lightened (be it full colour or highlights), will benefit from a bonding treatment or sealer.

For an effective home bonding treatment, try Marc Anthony Colour Bond Instant Colour Sealer (R179.95). It locks in your colour, adds shine and prevents colour fade while maintaining vibrancy. The innovation of the Colour Bond Color Sealer seals the cuticles to lock in moisture, ensuring healthier, stronger hair.

Shower with cool water
Rinsing your hair with cool water is better for your colour as it closes the cuticle cells and helps preserve hair colour. It also helps lock in moisture and ensures the cuticle lie more smoothly, making your hair look shinier. 

Protect your blonde from chlorine
It’s no myth – chlorine found in swimming pools can give blonde hair a green tinge! Plus, it strips hair of moisture. Prevent it by dousing your hair with fresh water before hitting the pool. Your hair will soak up the fresh water, and will be near saturation by the time it hits the chlorinated water. Shampoo and condition your hair immediately after your swim to undo any damage. Creightons Sunshine Blonde Extra Moisturising Shampoo (R99.95) and Conditioner (R99.95) contain Pro-Vitamin B5 and sunscreens to help protect and enhance your colour.

Add some hydration
Dryness is a common blonde hair problem, and soaring temperatures certainly don’t help to alleviate it. Be sure to treat your hair to hydrating masks and treatments regularly. Umberto Giannini Grow Mask Hemp, Coconut & Shea (R189.95) is perfect for dry, damaged and chemically treated hair with added coconut, hemp and shea to strengthen and condition hair. For an intensive shot of hydration, try Marc Anthony Hydra Lock Moisture Recharge Conditioning Treatment (R69.99). It offers hair a burst of deep moisture thanks to a blend of avocado oil, grapeseed oil and hydrolysed quinoa that not only hydrates hair from within the cuticle, but also invisibly protects it.

Prevent breakage
One of the most common causes of blonde hair breakage, is from the damage done to lightened hair by heat styling (rather than damage from the hair colouring process itself). Lower the temperature of your flat iron, curling iron or hairdryer to the lowest setting possible, and try not to use them every day. And a heat protection mist is a non-negotiable! Hask Argan Oil 5-in-1 Leave-in Spray Conditioner (R190.00) is a multi-purpose argan oil spray that restores dry and damaged hair while offering thermal protection.