Protecting Colored Hair From Pools, Salt, and Sun

Summer is when colorists see the most fade and the dreaded green tinge, because pools, salt water, and sun gang up on color-treated hair. Chlorine and minerals can turn blonde green, salt water dries and fades, and UV breaks pigment down. The good news is that a little prevention goes a long way. Here is the protection to teach every client who swims or spends time in the sun.

Why pools and salt water damage color

Chlorine and the minerals like copper in pool water can bind to porous, lightened hair and turn it green, while also stripping and fading color. Salt water is dehydrating and accelerates fade, leaving hair dry and dull.

Lightened and porous hair is most vulnerable, since its raised cuticle readily absorbs both minerals and water.

Prevention before swimming

Saturating the hair with clean water and a leave-in or conditioner before swimming helps it absorb less pool or salt water, since hair already full of clean water takes on less of the damaging kind.

Wearing a cap where practical, and rinsing immediately after swimming rather than letting pool water dry in, both dramatically reduce damage and green.

Treatment after exposure

A clarifying or chelating treatment removes minerals before they build up and turn hair green, and deep conditioning restores the moisture salt and sun strip away.

For clients who swim often, a regular clarifying-plus-conditioning routine and color-safe products keep color and integrity intact through the season. UV protection helps against sun fade too.

Mistakes to avoid

• Letting clients swim with dry, unprotected porous hair.
• Allowing pool water to dry in the hair instead of rinsing promptly.
• Ignoring mineral buildup until the hair has already gone green.
• Skipping UV protection on color exposed to strong sun.

Frequently asked questions

Why does blonde hair turn green in the pool?

Minerals such as copper in pool water, activated by chlorine, bind to porous, lightened hair and turn it green, while chlorine also strips and fades color. Lightened, porous hair is most vulnerable because its raised cuticle readily absorbs minerals. Saturating hair with clean water before swimming, rinsing promptly after, and clarifying help prevent it.

How do you protect colored hair while swimming?

Saturate the hair with clean water and apply a leave-in or conditioner before swimming so it absorbs less pool or salt water, wear a cap where practical, and rinse immediately afterward rather than letting the water dry in. Follow up with a clarifying or chelating treatment to remove minerals and deep conditioning to restore moisture.

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