Holiday Hair Care SOS: Save Our Shade
Summer's calling, which means a few things: high sunshine, beach days, pool dips, sunsets and endless photo opportunities. As with any season, your hair is your best accessory, so while you are soaking in all the sunshine, we’ve got your back (and your strands) on how to protect your extensions during the hotter weather. SPF, chlorine, humidity, sea-water…. They’re no match for our expert advice on how to look after your hair extensions while on holiday.
1. What You Don’t Want… Early Colour Fade & Discolouration
Let’s kick things off with the stuff we really want to avoid when it comes to your hair extensions, early colour fade and discolouration. Here’s the lowdown:
What is Colour Fade?
Colour fade is when your hair colour starts to lose its vibrancy over time, it’s completely natural and happens to both your own hair and your extensions. Think of it like your favourite pair of black jeans: bold and beautiful when you buy them, but after a few washes? Not quite the same.
The same goes for hair. Washing, heat styling, and using products all cause gradual fading. That’s just part of the deal. But the real issue? When the colour fades too quickly. That’s usually thanks to things like harsh ingredients, heat, and UV exposure.
But don’t worry, we’ll share exactly how to protect your hair and keep that colour looking fresh for longer. Keep reading!
What is Discolouration?
Now, discolouration is a little different. While fading is gradual, discolouration can be sudden or sneak up on you. It’s super common with blonde shades and can show up as green, brassy, peachy, or pink tones.
Heard of “Holiday Hair”? Yep, that’s discolouration in action. Hard water, chlorine, suncream, and heat can all react with the minerals in your hair, changing its colour. And don’t be fooled, this can happen in your shower at home too, not just by the pool abroad.
Even perfumes and lotions with certain ingredients can cause this if they transfer from your skin to your hair. Sneaky, right?
So, What’s the Difference?
Here’s how to tell:
- Colour fade looks like your original shade gradually losing intensity, think blonde getting a little less bright or brunette becoming more muted.
- Discolouration is usually a full-on tone change, often caused by a reaction with external elements. If your blonde suddenly looks green, that’s discolouration.
Both can be frustrating but totally avoidable. And guess what? You’re in the right place to learn how to stop them in their tracks.
Let’s dive into our top summer protection tips next…
2. Our Top Tips For Protecting Your Extensions During The Summer Months
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Wear A Hat: you may love the sunshine, but your hair extensions won’t. By tying your hair up in the sunshine and wearing a hat, you can help protect from discolouration.
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Apply SPF With Caution: we love to slather on that SPF…believe us… but always ensure to reduce contact between skin that has SPF on it and your hair extensions. SPF can leave residue on your extensions and can also cause them to discolour.
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Detangling, Done Delicately: smooth, flowing hair extensions? Yes. Tangled matted tresses? No. Before you take a dip, ensure you have detangled your extensions as chlorine and salt water can cause them to knot more easily. We recommend the Remi Cachet Paddle Brush to help smooth those strands. Need something more pocket-sized? Try the Remi Cachet Mini Brush.
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Rinse Well For Best Results: after you’ve been in water, ensure you wash out any chlorine or saltwater. This will help keep your extensions fresh and clean, and reduce the buildup of chemicals on them, which can lead to discolouration.
Why Summer Aftercare Matters
Remi Cachet hair extensions are premium-quality and 100% ethically-sourced human hair, which means they outlast synthetic hair extensions by about 4x, and with the correct aftercare, can be turning heads for up to 18 months after your installation. This means treating your hair extensions with the TLC they deserve means they will last for their full life-span, and still look fresh even between fittings.
The Best Products to Protect Your Hair Extensions
At Additional Lengths, we only stock what we’d trust on our own hair—here’s the dream team line-up of hair care to help protect and perfect your hair extensions even during the summer sun:
Remi Cachet Sulfate-Free Shampoo & Conditioner:
The Remi Cachet Shampoo and Remi Cachet Conditioner are your handy little duo for great hair days all summer long. The sulfate and paraben-free formulations help gently cleanse and deeply condition your own hair and your extensions for the ultimate haircare routine, whatever the weather. Struggling for luggage space? Try the Remi Cachet Travel Set.
Remi Cachet Hairarchy Blow Dry Spray
Created with your hair extensions and your own hair in mind, this multi-tasking mist is your summer-saviour. Spritz on to your hair before blow-drying for the ultimate heat protection. Plus the frizz-free formula helps weatherproof hair from rain and humidity. Tick, tick. Plus your can now shop the Remi Cachet Hairarchy Blow Dry Spray in the travel-sized 30ml, perfect for your beach bag.
Remi Cachet Hair Oil
Let’s be real, whatever the season, you need a handy hair oil to keep your hair extensions nourished. Enter Remi Cachet Hair Oil, this luscious, extension-friendly formulation helps nourish your strands and perfect your style, for sleek, smooth and nurtured hair. Warning: will cause shine.
Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Sachets
Chlorine and hard water can contribute to your hair extensions being discoloured. Try the Malibu C Hard Water Wellness sachets to give your extensions a helping hand this summer. These handy little remedies can help restore your colour - a summer SOS must-have.
Malibu C Swimmer’s Wellness Kit
Another one that we just can’t be without this summer. If you are a water baby you have to try the Malibu C Swimmer’s Wellness Kit. This shampoo and conditioner duo helps protect and perfect your extensions from chemicals in the pool, which means you can live your best mermaid life all summer-long without having to worry about discolouration and damage.
The Final Word
No matter what your summer plans are, ensure that your hair extensions and your own hair are protected during the hotter months. This will help keep your colour popping and will ensure that your hair extensions last their full lifespan, after all, as we always say, your hair really is your best accessory.
