Here comes the sun . . . and there goes my colour!

Why does hair colour fade in the sun??

Annoying isn't it? Beautiful subtle tones all reduced to a washed out mess with shades of orangey gold.

Synthetic dyes are made of clever things called polymers. By the time they're in the hair the polymer molecule is relatively long and stable. Then comes nasty UV! Think of the polymer as a type of plastic, then picture what happens to plastics when they are left in the sun: they fade, go brittle and eventually break. This fading and breaking of the molecule is exactly what is happening to your hair colour. Add the fact that the cuticle of the hair opens in the heat resulting in loss of moisture: your lovely shimmering tones don't stand a chance!

What can you do?

• Work on maintaining the condition of the hair EVERY wash
• Wear a hat?!
• Use a UV protection hair product whenever there's a chance of exposure to the sun. Check the labels - there's UV protection in a wide range of specialist products AND a lot of general styling products too
• PERSONAL OPINION - Reds tend to fade quicker in the sun, so maybe avoid them for the summer months and bring them back into your style for the autumn
• Factor a little fade into the equation - made reds or coppers slightly richer or more vibrant, browns a little deeper and don't be afriad of a little gold in your blonde.

Enjoy your summer!

Phil x