Do You Have ‘Vacation Hair?’

How to Beat the Subtle Summer Color Drift

Whenever we get back from summer vacation and see our friends again, it’s always nice to hear things like “Wow, you’ve lost weight,” or “You look so tanned.” But one thing we don’t want to hear is “Wow, you changed your hair color,” when, in fact, you didn’t. I’ve seen it over and over again where someone will leave for vacation with a dark brown hair color and come back a dirty blonde.

If that happens, don’t panic. You simply have a case of 'Vacation Hair.' It’s what happens when you go on a vacation (or staycation) and spend time outdoors, on the beach or in the pool. While it’s great to get out and enjoy all the summer months have to offer, there are sinister ways all these activities conspire against your hair. For example:

• Swimming at the Beach — The salt in the ocean’s water will strip your hair of it’s outer layer of protection and nutrients.
• Pool Chemicals — If you have your own pool, you can regulate how often you clean and shock your pool water, but hotels can’t take chances. They amp up the chemicals in their swimming pools to ensure it is safe for all their guests. The downside is that the heavier the chlorine levels, the more those chemicals will strip and even bleach your hair. In some cases, it can even turn green!
• The Sun — The sun’s harsh UV rays will also lighten your hair color, and if you’re not careful, you can even get sunburn on your scalp!

To help you navigate some of these issues, here are some tips that should help:

• Moisture — Before you go outside this summer, wet your hair. The moisture will help seal in your hair’s natural nutrients and pigment, and prevent some of the sun’s lightening effect.
• Leave-In Conditioner — During the summer months, a leave-in conditioner will add a layer of protection for your hair and help repel some of the chemicals in the pool and the salt water from the beach.
• Hats — It sounds simple, but wearing a hat is a great way to protect your hair from the sun. Of course, you may have “hat hair” when you take it off, but you won’t have Vacation Hair when you get home.
• Sunscreen for Hair? — Unfortunately, there is no sunscreen that is made to help protect your hair, but Pureology makes the next best thing. It’s a daily mist for people with color-treated hair called Pureology Hair Color Max. This is a protectant that is specifically designed to help color-treated hair retain the color treatment and protect it from salt water, chemicals and sun damage.
• Take a Picture — If you are really concerned about Vacation Hair, you can always take a picture of your hair color with your smartphone and compare it to your hair while you’re on vacation. When our hair color changes, we don’t always notice it, so having a baseline image to work from may help you detect Vacation Hair before it becomes too noticeable.

And just to prove to you that I am dedicated to preventing the scourge of Vacation Hair, I am putting my money where my mouth is. I will give you 30 percent off the purchase of Pureology Purify Shampoo and Essential Repair Colourmax if you mention this blog.

So, join me in the fight against Vacation Hair. Follow these tips and don’t let Vacation Hair happen to you.

Yours in Style,

Darren