Every summer we see the same thing. Clients come in after a few weeks of pool time and their color looks like it aged six months in a month. Not the hair we sent them home with. Not even close.
Chlorine gets most of the blame. It deserves some of it. But it's not working alone, and if you don't understand what's actually going on, the rituals your stylist tells you to follow can feel arbitrary. They're not. Here's the science, and the five-minute habits that actually protect your color.
What's Actually Happening to Your Hair
Chlorine is an oxidizer. That's the same basic mechanism as bleach. It doesn't work as aggressively, but it's doing the same thing: breaking down pigment molecules. Every time chlorinated water contacts color-treated hair, you lose a little. Over a summer of pool days, that adds up fast.
"Chlorine does the same basic thing to your color that bleach does. Just slower. By the time you notice it, a lot of damage is already done."
Hard water compounds the problem. Austin water is notoriously high in calcium and magnesium. Those minerals deposit on the hair shaft and roughen the cuticle. A rough, open cuticle bleeds color faster and holds moisture worse. You end up with hair that looks dull, dry, and faded all at once.
Then add UV exposure on top of wet hair. You've got three separate things attacking your color simultaneously every time you're at the pool. The good news is all three are manageable with the right habits.
The Rituals That Make a Measurable Difference
These are not complicated. They take maybe five minutes total. But most people skip at least one of them, and that's where the damage happens.
- Wet hair with clean water
- Apply a leave-in or light oil
- Keep hair up when not swimming
- Limit submersion time
- Rinse immediately
- Use a color-safe shampoo
- Follow with conditioner
The wet-hair-before-the-pool trick deserves more explanation, because it's the one clients are most skeptical about. Dry hair is porous. It absorbs chlorinated water like a sponge because it has room for it. Hair that's already saturated with clean water has far less capacity to absorb anything else. You're not eliminating chlorine exposure, but you're cutting it significantly. It actually works.
The after step matters just as much. Don't let chlorine sit on the shaft while your hair air-dries. A quick rinse within a few minutes of getting out of the pool cuts the exposure window dramatically. Then follow up with a shampoo that's formulated to protect color, not just clean hair.
Aveda Color Control Shampoo and Conditioner. Formulated to defend against photo-oxidation and environmental stressors, which makes it the right call for pool season. Gentle enough for daily use and available at both of our locations.
Aveda Color Control Shampoo
Fights photo-oxidation and environmental fade with every wash. Sulfate-free, silicone-free, and gentle enough for daily use on color-treated hair. Available in Light (fine to medium) and Rich (medium to thick) formulas.
Aveda Color Control Conditioner
Seals the cuticle and locks in color after every wash. The combination of shampoo and conditioner working together is what extends your results between appointments. Both are available at South Lamar and Circle C Ranch.
When Prevention Isn't Enough
If your color has already shifted or gone brassy, a color gloss refresh is the fastest way to correct it. It's a demi-permanent treatment that adds tone and shine in about 20 minutes. It fades naturally over time and won't compromise your hair's integrity. Most clients do one mid-summer and it bridges the gap cleanly until their next full color appointment.
Come in and we'll take a look. If a gloss refresh is the right call, we'll tell you. If something more is going on, we'll tell you that too.
Your Color Doesn't Have to Take the Summer Off
Pick up Color Control at either location, or book a gloss refresh before the season gets away from you.
South Lamar · (512) 472-3331 Circle C Ranch · (512) 637-08889600 Escarpment Blvd, Ste. 920H, Austin TX 78749