10 ways to keep hair colour fresh this summer

Katie Mulcahy, RUSK ambassador and Fellowship Colour Project Leader shares her expert advice to keep hair colour fresh in the summer months. 1. Pack in the protein The sun and heat oxidises hair colour, making it look dull, dry and lifeless. Protect your clients' colour by recommending a keratin treatment or Rusk Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner, which helps build protein in the hair to seal the colour in and give a protective shield against the elements. 2. Use glossing treatments  After sun exposure, hair can lighten and fade and highlights can lose their sparkle. Refresh clients' colour with a glossing treatment to help replenish that shine. I frequently use Rusk Deepshine Demi to brighten reds, enrich brunettes and brighten blondes; I even using Clear to enhance natural virgin hair. This can be done as a quick fix at the basin prior to any cut and blow-dry service. 3. Plan a post-holiday appointment (and a quick pre-holiday one!) I find that a lot of my clients want to book in for colour before they go on holiday. However, I always feel that it's better to do it when they get back. I advise a pre-holiday service which also includes a post-holiday visit on their return. No one wants to go away with roots, dull hair or a grown out set of highlights, but long exposure to the elements away from home can sometimes see all of our hard work vanish. I offer root touch ups which just cover the areas you can see; framing highlights which brighten the face and give that sun kissed look, plus glosses that add shine and enhance the hair. On their return ,they have the rest done. This way the client is happy for their holiday and doesn't have to wait six weeks for the next visit. It's also a great upsale for the salon. 4. Work with natural texture Summer calls for easy, natural effortless hair so encourage your clients to embrace their natural curl or wave. When it's warm, hair dries quicker and so you need less stress on hair from the heat of dryers, irons etc. Add a little oil and use your fingers to gently twist hair in thick sections to create a great beach texture with no effort whatsoever. This look is at its best when coloured slightly lighter with a multi tonal effect. This will help enhance natural movement and almost give hair more texture. Try adding some baby highlights or even just lighten the ends slightly. 5. Show off those tones with easy styles Braids, buns and ponytails are hugely popular this summer, although if hair is too dark or too dense a colour these looks don't look at their best. Lighter tones varying in different shades help to give a pretty summery feel, which will emphasise and enhance these beautiful simple styles. Encourage your clients to try these looks and teach them how to recreate at home. 6. Use temporary colouring techniques Dry shampoo, chalks, and gels are really popular and you can get them in a huge variety of different colours. Pastel tones in particular are great to give a new look for a festival. Use through the mid-lengths to ends of the hair or just at the root, add to braids or go all out over the whole head. 7. Quench that thirt Keep hair moisturised. Just like skin, hair can lack moisture - especially in the summer. Encourage clients to have a moisturising mask or treatment after a colour service to help keep healthy. This will also mean less fade. 8. Prep with an SPF Use an SPF for the hair. When clients have just spent a lot of money on their colour, it's important that they protect it from the elements. An SPF spray can be popped in the bag and spritzed over the hair to keep that colour locked in. 9. Change things up Encourage clients to go for a change. Make simple suggestions, like changing the tone of the hair slightly by washing a soft pastel tone over or through the ends. Most clients will be up for it, but if you never suggest it they may never ask. This keeps clients coming back, as it means never they never get bored. 10. Use freehand techniques  Summer is a time when a lot of people want to go lighter to embrace the summer look. In the salon, you may not always have the time to book for highlights but you can use freehand techniques to brighten pieces of hair to give a more natural summer look. This is quicker than using foils and a great up-sell in the salon.