Hair care during the summer months

By the end of summer, your hair feels different. Drier, more brittle, a touch frizzier — and the shine you still had in May simply isn't there come September. It's the ends that tell the story most clearly: they split faster, they dry differently, and on blonde or colour-treated hair the colour shifts — often a little more orange, more yellow, or duller than before the holidays.

Quietly, summer is one of the hardest seasons of the year for your hair. Not because of a single obvious enemy, but because of a combination of smaller stressors that all act at once: UV radiation, salt water, chlorine, heat, and the relentless pace at which your hair gets wet and dries again. Your hair care routine in June is not the same as in November — and whoever ignores that distinction pays the price in September.

What summer really does to your hair

UV is the silent offender. The same light that burns your skin also breaks down your hair fibre. Research from the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology describes how UV radiation weakens the protein structure of keratin and accelerates pigment breakdown in coloured hair. On colour-treated hair, the effect is immediate: your colour fades two to three times faster in summer than in winter.

Salt water acts as a natural degreaser. It opens the cuticle and draws moisture out of the hair fibre. Then comes chlorine — more aggressive still, because it works through oxidation. On blonde or bleached hair, chlorine can even leave a greenish cast: the minerals in pool water bind to porous hair.

And then there's the heat. The sun itself, plus the tendency to wash more often in summer — sweat, sun cream, a day at the beach. Washing daily with a standard shampoo steadily dries out your hair without you even noticing.

Four adjustments that make an immediate difference

Start with UV protection

UV protection for hair isn't a luxury product — it is to your summer hair what sunscreen is to your skin. The Bain Ultra-Violet by Kérastase combines UV protection with gentle cleansing — a perfect base during the summer months. For leave-in protection at the beach or on a long day outdoors, the Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Hair Oil by Shu Uemura lays down a light protective veil that hydrates at the same time.

Rinse your hair before you swim

A simple but underestimated trick: rinse your hair under the shower with fresh water before going into the sea or the pool. A saturated hair fibre absorbs less salt and chlorine — just as a wet sponge soaks up less dye. Do this before and after every swim, and you'll limit the damage considerably.

Build in extra hydration

Your hair loses moisture faster in summer. Conditioner and mask are no longer optional then — they're the foundation. A weekly deep-hydrating mask such as the Urban Moisture Mask by Shu Uemura or the All Soft Heavy Cream Mask by Redken gives your hair fibre back what the sun and salt have taken from it. Fifteen minutes on your mid-lengths and ends, once a week — no more is needed.

Wash less, wash gently

The more you wash, the more you undermine your natural lipid layer. In summer, it's tempting to wash daily — especially after the beach or the pool. Alternate with co-washing (conditioner only, no shampoo) or with a light fresh-water rinse. For the washing itself, a sulphate-free, nourishing shampoo such as the Invigo Nutri-Enrich Shampoo by Wella makes a good summer base.

For specific hair types in summer

Coloured hair: priority number one is UV and colour protection. Minerals in pool water accelerate fading and can give blonde hair a green tint. A thorough cleanse after every pool visit, with a colour-protecting shampoo and a nourishing mask, is a ritual — not an extra.

Curly hair: curls dry out fastest in summer. Hydration through a leave-in and an oil is almost daily work. On the beach, wear a light leave-in under a hat or a silk headband — that combination keeps your curls calm and shields them from UV.

Fine hair: this type needs less hydration in summer than others, but it does need UV protection and gentle cleansing. Avoid heavy oils — they flatten the hair — and go for light sprays instead.

Long hair: your ends are the oldest and the most exposed. A trim in late August or early September is no luxury — it removes the summer's split ends and gives your hair a fresh start.

What a hairdresser sees differently

In September, the salons are full of summer damage, and that damage follows the same pattern every year: same holiday, same sea, same sun, same shampoo. Clients walk in convinced their hair "always does this in September", when in fact it's perfectly predictable. We see blondes that have faded up to three shades more yellow, coloured brunettes that have lost their depth, and curls that have lost their definition.

What strikes us about clients who come through summer well: they didn't do more, they did things differently. They swapped their spring routine for a summer one — sulphate-free, hydrating, UV-protective, fewer washes. All of it together costs five minutes extra a day, and saves you an hour in the chair in September.

We also recommend booking a trim before summer, possibly with a light nourishing treatment. A well-cared-for hair fibre withstands summer noticeably better than a tired one, with ends that were already overdue a visit from the scissors.

A ritual for your summer

Four basic steps for the summer months:

1. Rinse your hair before going into the sea or the pool.
2. Wash no more than two to three times a week, with a sulphate-free, colour- or UV-protecting shampoo.
3. Hydrate weekly with a mask.
4. Protect with a leave-in oil or UV spray on long days outdoors.

And one tip that always helps: a hat or silk scarf is the most elegant hair protection there is. Not just for your scalp — for your colour and your hair fibre too. Vogue calls the ritual "old-school" — we'd rather say it has worked for a hundred years.

For a mid-summer treatment or a trim with a nourishing treatment, visit a HairBeautyHub partner salon — hairdressers who know the Belgian climate and your hair type.

Frequently asked questions

How can I protect my hair in summer? Start with UV protection: a UV- or colour-protecting shampoo, plus a leave-in oil or spray for outdoors. Rinse your hair with fresh water before going into the sea or a pool. Wash less often and more gently, hydrate weekly with a mask, and cover up on long sunny days with a hat or silk scarf.

How can I tame frizzy hair in summer? Go for a hydrating, anti-frizz routine: sulphate-free shampoo, nourishing mask, leave-in, and a few drops of hair oil on your mid-lengths and ends. Avoid rough towels and hot styling tools. On humid days, an updo or braid is often the most elegant solution.

How do I care for my hair in summer? Four pillars: UV protection, hydration, gentle cleansing, and fewer washes. Plan a trim at the start or end of summer to remove split ends. Coloured hair gets extra care with colour-protecting products.

What can you use for your hair in summer? A UV-protecting shampoo, a hydrating mask, a leave-in oil or cream, and possibly a UV spray for outdoors. For blonde or coloured hair, a formula that also protects against the minerals in chlorinated water is a real plus. And don't forget physical protection: a hat, scarf, or silk headwrap.