Photography: Courtesy of Stacee/@stylesbystaceee & Keratin Complex/@keratincomplex
Summer may be all about fun in the sun, but it can also take a serious toll on your clients’ hair. From UV damage and saltwater to chlorine and humidity, the season's elements can leave strands dry, frizzy, brassy—or even with an unwelcome green tint. To help your clients protect their investment and maintain healthy-looking, glossy hair and luminous color all summer long, we’ve rounded up the top pro-approved routines, must-have retail offerings, and client education essentials.
Photography: Courtesy of L’Oréal Professionnel
Fading Color and Brassy Tones
UV exposure, salt water, and chlorine can quickly fade or distort hair color, causing dullness or unwanted warmth. Min Kim (@minkimcolorist), celebrity colorist and balayage specialist at Butterfly Studio Salon in NYC, tackles this head-on with a routine that has long-lasting results and mitigates the damage associated with frequent color treatments.
“I address seasonal color challenges with the full L’Oréal Professionnel Vitamino Color Spectrum in-salon treatment immediately after their color service so they can maintain that day-one color vibrancy for up to 100 days,” says Kim. After this salon-exclusive service, she follows up with the rest of the collection, detailed below.
Step-by-Step Routine
Step 1: Shampoo with Vitamino Color Spectrum Sulfate-Free Shampoo to gently cleanse, detangle, and prep the hair for deeper treatment.
Step 2: Condition and treat with Vitamino Color Spectrum Deep Conditioner (featuring 2.5% active ingredients) to strengthen, boost shine, and lock in color. For extra care, try the Vitamino Color Spectrum Mask.
Step 3: Finish with Vitamino Color Spectrum Glass Shine Serum, which coats the cuticle, providing humidity and frizz protection for up to 72 hours. When activated with heat, it creates a high-gloss finish that fights against fading, even after 10 washes.
Client Education Tips
Kim shares seasonal tips during the service to build trust: coat the hair in serum pre-swim, rinse post-swim, and use tone-specific shampoos (purple for blondes, blue for brunettes) at home to combat brassiness.
Photography: Courtesy of Biolage, amika, and Brazilian Blowout
Frizz Control and Humidity Protection
Summer humidity causes hair to swell and frizz, leading to loss of shape, shine, and manageability. Smoothing treatments like Brazilian Blowout or Keratin Complex offer long-lasting frizz control, shine, and manageability that can last up to 12 weeks. Always clarify the hair before application to remove buildup and ensure optimal absorption of smoothing agents. For best results, advise clients to wait 72 hours before washing their hair post-treatment (unless using express formulas) and stick to sulfate-free shampoos for longevity.
For regular salon maintenance and at-home care, recommend the amika Forget Frizz, amika Smooth Over, Redken Frizz Dismiss, and Biolage Smooth Proof Collections—all designed to deliver immediate frizz control and smoothness while adding deep hydration, high-gloss shine, and humidity, static, and flyaway control.
Step-by-Step Routine
Step 1: Cleanse with amika Forget Frizz Anti-Frizz Shampoo, a low pH-formula with extended humidity shield technology made up of smoothing molecules and extended-release capsules for long-lasting smoothness.
Step 2: Condition with amika Forget Frizz Anti-Frizz Conditioner to detangle, hydrate, and lock out frizz for 72 hours—even in high humidity.
Step 3: Protect and style with amika Frizz-Me-Not Hydrating Anti-Frizz Treatment, a 2-in-1 styling treatment and leave-in conditioner that delivers a glossy, sleek blowout experience.
Step 4: Finish with Biolage Smooth Proof Serum for Frizzy Hair, applying sparingly for a silky, mirror-like finish and anti-frizz benefits that last.
Client Education Tips
Teach clients how to layer smoothing products for maximum humidity control, like applying leave-in sprays before heat styling and finishing with a few drops of serum to seal the cuticle. Encourage air-drying alternatives with frizz-protective creams and remind clients to reduce washing frequency to help preserve moisture and smoothness.
Photography: Courtesy of Redken
Strengthening & Protecting Hair Integrity
Hair can become more fragile in the summer due to sun exposure, salt water, and chemical treatments. Industry veteran and owner of Cutler Salons (@cutlersalons) in NYC, Rodney Cutler, recommends the Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate line to help restore hair’s strength, elasticity, and overall health. “The reality is that clients will continue to expose their hair to harsh elements in the summer—the Acidic Bonding Concentrate line provides repairing benefits in the care and styling phases,” Cutler explains.
Step-by-Step Routine
Step 1: Treat fragile hair with the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment to help repair bonds.
Step 2: Cleanse and condition with the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo and Acidic Bonding Concentrate 5-Minute Liquid Mask (in place of regular conditioner) to deeply treat the hair. “Most treatment masks require you to leave them on for 20 minutes or more, but this one saves you time and removes one more step from your haircare routine while providing strength and moisturizing benefits," says Cutler.
Step 3: Style and protect with the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In, and finish with the Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24/7 Night & Day Serum, which both provide heat protection and moisture. “I especially love the leave-in treatment as it acts as a blow-dry lotion while also treating the hair with repairing and moisturizing benefits,” adds Cutler.
Client Education Tips
Cutler suggests regular trims, cold water rinses to seal cuticles, and sticking to quality at-home haircare to maintain results.
Photography: Courtesy of Malibu C
Swimmer’s Green Hair
Chlorine and copper in pool water can leave blonde or light-colored hair with a greenish tint. To remove the green tint caused by pool water, use a chelating treatment like Malibu C Crystal Gel to lift mineral deposits and restore tone.
Step-by-Step Routine
Step 1: Cleanse with Malibu C Un-Do-Goo >pH 9 Shampoo to remove surface dirt and oils, then rinse.
Step 2: Apply the activated Malibu C Crystal Gel mixture evenly throughout the hair, using maximum pressure to work in the gel and ensure complete saturation.
Step 3: Process under heat (5–45 minutes)—be sure to cover the hair with a plastic cap. Then, rinse and shampoo again with the Un-Do-Goo Shampoo.
Step 4: Follow with Malibu C Miracle Repair (a post-chemical service) to restore softness and protein. (Conditioner is not recommended immediately prior to a chemical service.)
Client Education Tips
Explain that metal deposits—not chlorine alone—can cause the green hue. Encourage pre-swim prep with clean water and leave-ins, post-swim washes, and for regular swimmers, in-salon detoxes are highly suggested. For at-home maintenance, try suggesting an option like the Malibu C Swimmers Wellness Collection.
