There’s nothing like the brilliant heat of the summer months that inspires us to reinvent ourselves, try a brighter color, or hit refresh on our favorite look. With beach days and pool parties ahead, nothing is more needed than a fool-proof summer hair care routine to make sure your color lasts as long as possible and shines as bright as the sun! Lucky for you, we’ve got all the hacks you need to keep your color vibrant and lasting.

1. Shower Safely 

The number one rule when it comes to caring for color is washing your strands with cold or lukewarm water, no matter the time of year. Hot water can dry out your hair, causing it to feel brittle and look more dull. You might also want to try a filter for your shower head to avoid the harsh minerals that some water contains which could lead to your color fading quicker. 

2. Stock Up on Color-Safe Shampoo and Conditioner

The pair that’s ALWAYS good for your hair, is a color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner - like our Resurrected Shampoo and Conditioner! They’re packed with amino acids and antioxidants for an extra boost of much-needed hydration. Carefully massage your scalp with shampoo, rinse with lukewarm water, and coat the ends of your hair with conditioner. Sulfate-free products help your hair retain its natural moisture to prevent the loss of natural shine and softness, so finding your winning shampoo and conditioner combo is totally essential for maintaining the vibrancy of color and keeping your hair texture moisturized and soft rather than dry and brittle.

3. Give Your Hair Some Extra TLC 

While there’s lot of hair products on the market that can help repair your split ends (hey, Money Hunny), or refresh your unwashed hair in a single spritz (enter Vacay Volumizing Dry Shampoo), there’s nothing quite like a good hair mask to take your hair texture from good to ah-mazing! Swap out your regular conditioner for a hair mask in the shower, or spoil your hair to self-care with a hair mask treatment a few times a week. Our Pool Party Hair Mask does all of the above and smells divine - when you include her in your routine your hair will thank you forever. 

4. Pool Day Prep

Going underwater isn’t great for colored hair, but there’s no way our Fox Fam is skipping the beach or missing pool parties! Before you take a dip, minimize salt or chlorine absorption by wetting your hair thoroughly. For bonus points, coat your strands with a hair mask or deep conditioner to protect your hair from the damage wreaked by pool or sea water. And you guessed it, Pool Party will do the trick! After all, she is the real life of the party.

5. Don’t Forget Your SPF!

SPF for your hair is JUST as important as it is for your skin. Fight off sun damage and dryness with a thorough spritz of protection from the OG Hair Perfume and UV Protectant. Not only will your hair smell amazing, you’re adding on an essential layer of protection that your colored strands absolutely need if they’re going to be out in the sun. 

6. Hit Refresh Real Quick

For all our bleached babes who want to fight off brassy tones, add a drop of Purple AF into your conditioner to create toner that will combat any bleached brassiness. If you have a single color, add a drop of the corresponding shade to your conditioner for a quick refresh when you hit the shower! Water and sun exposure will fade your color, and while all AF dyes are created to look stunning even as they fade, you might want to keep a little extra color on hand for when you want to up the vibrancy. 

7. Rock That Natural Look!

Embrace your natural hair texture and ditch the hot tools. We all know that using heat excessively on your hair causes damage that affects the shine and texture of your hair and can even impact how the next color you try actually looks on your locks. Rock an effortless summer style with a new hairstyle, or by fully embracing your natural look for hair that’s healthier and shinier than ever!